Lights, Cameras and Everything Else!

A MONTH ago, ProVision opened its doors to the industry and welcomed everyone to its Manchester operation’s first open day. The place was mobbed. And the momentum has continued ever since.

Originally part of Yorkshire TV, ProVision was established in Leeds in 1989, but in 2003 – when Adrian Bleasdale joined the company as its new head – the organisation took on a new emphasis. And with the opening of the Manchester branch, Pro Vision has reinforced its commitment to Northern-based clients.

As a former editor and sound recordist, Adrian has experience at all levels of the industry, but he relished the opportunity to take on a new challenge with ProVision. “I wanted to completely re-fouc the business, and in the four years I’ve been here, that’s what we’ve succeeded in doing,” he says.

“We decided to focus entirely on location shooting and equipment, which is what we’ve built our repuation on,” says Adrian, who now splits his time between the Leeds and Manchester sites. “Location shooting presented a niche in the market in Leeds, which we developed.

“Then people started coming to us and asking for equipment for a shoot they were doing in Manchester, so the sensible thing to do was respond to our customers and set up a base in Manchester,” explains Adrian.

The company is owned by ITV Productions, but operates as an independent business, sourcing work from other broadcasters and independents. “We can service everyone, from an owner-operator digi beta camera, to a studio set up as big as Coronation Street. It doesn’t matter how small, or large an organisation is, we cater for everyone,” he adds.

The Manchester warehouse is packed with kit, with around 60 cameras (film and HD), sound, grip and lighting. But that’s not all it has to offer. “In the North we originally had eight staff working for us, now that’s increased to 22, and almost all of those people have a background of working on location. They know what they’re talking about, they understand our customer’s problems, and they realise that when everything grinds to a halt at 3am, that it’s essential problems are resolved and the shoot is backed up and running.”

That’s why the company prefers to concentrate on the North when dealing with shoots. “We’ve supplied equipment to locations all over Europe, but we prefer our emphasis to be on the North due to the level of support we offer,” explains Stuart Grant, Operations Manager for ProVision.

“We like to go out before a shoot and talk to the line producer about what’s needed, then once we’ve done our evaluation we can supply the right equipment to meet the production’s needs – it’s an exciting market,” adds Stuart, who has a 23-year background working for ITV, the last two of those for ProVision.

Even when the deal has been done, and the equipment supplied, ready-to-use, ProVision’s input isn’t over. “We operate a 24-hour call-out system,” explains Adrian, adding: “We close on Christmas Day, but other than that we’re available, and we’ll sort out any problem with the equipment.”

“We’re the only facilities company outside the M25 to own two Arri Max lights, which are three times brighter than a sunny Mediterranean day! And we’ve continued to invest in our fleet of generators, which is something I know our customers will find invaluable. We’re also constantly investing in our High Definition camera equipment,” he adds.

ProVision has has dealt with the needs of 46 dramas in the past 12 months, including Vincent, Cracker, Cold Blood, Shameless, Mobile and Coronation Street and are expecting demand to rise further. “Manchester is a very exciting place to be at the moment, with the new prospects being offered by the BBC, ITV and indies like Lime Pictures,” says Adrian. “The place is so vibrant, and so full of opportinuty, and we intend to take full advantage of that, and be at the forefront of our business.”

ProVision has an extensive kit list which includes 16mm, Sony HD, DigiBeta and DV-Cam. Credits include Coronation Street, Mobile, Cold Blood, Shameless and Cracker. ProVision also have an office in Leeds. For more information please call 0161 827 2277 or www.provisionequipment.tv