Placebo

Taking lights out on location is always a risky business. Once, I managed to fuse a whole theatre in darkest Liverpool just hours before the show started.

It had been a trying time just getting to the venue. Keith insisted that it would only take a couple of hours to get from London to Liverpool. As we passed the City Limits sign Keith announced triumphantly that we had reached our destination with five minute to spare (this was before the delights of proper sat navs) and I hastened to remind him that we still needed to find the venue, a parking space, the band and I desperately needed the loo.

So we were late and I had to try and get the band on side whist Keith set up the lights.

Once it was all nicely in position, I had everyone just where I wanted them and click! We were all plunged into darkness and several cries of “What the F$CK” or words to that effect filled the air.

The management were not amused and wanted to stop the whole shoot. Keith suggested they turn off the lights in the rest of the theatre while we continued with the shoot or he would report them to health and safety as the place was obviously “not wired to code” and they swiftly changed their mind. Keith has this way about him.

Someone went to the basement to find the fuse box, the fuse was duly fixed and the someone ran back up the stairs and click! Hello darkness my old friend.

We rinsed and repeated in this manner two more times before it was agreed we would turn off everything else in the building as Keith had suggested whilst the shoot took place.

Luckily Placebo were fairly chilled about the whole affair, but shortly after this episode we switched to battery powered lights.

Lighting: Two x portable Elinchrom 500, which need a decent, reliable source of electricity.

Camera: The pricey, but not as pricey as the modern digital counterparts - Nikon F5.

Lens: Nikon 24-70mm F2.8. The 28-70mm is about half the price but is also half as useful.

Film: Ilford HP5 - love the fast ISO and the low grain and also the rather natty green logo.

Location: Some theatre in Liverpool probably now demolished or a posh wine bar.