Poised rather majestically above the M4, the Celtic Manor Resort has always stood for me as the first landmark of Wales. I grew up in Aberystwyth and regularly cross the Severn Bridge, either to visit my Dad in Wiltshire or to catch up with mates in Bristol. Being a runner on Hotel 24/7 was an amazing opportunity to find out what this corporate castle was all about.
Sadly, staying at the Celtic Manor for the duration of filming wasn’t included in the budget. Natalie, my fellow runner and I would travel from Cardiff, getting to the hotel for 9.30am and finishing around 6pm. The crew had been divided into 6 pairs, labelled A to F, comprising camera and sound. One of our key roles was to supply each team with new media cards, taking away used ones to be safely loaded in our ‘green room’. That might sound straightforward, but factor in 11 floors, five restaurants, three golf courses and two separate country clubs and it gets a bit more interesting!
The kitchen team
I learned a lot watching the crew in action. I’d always wanted to work on a documentary, having enjoyed programmes like 24 Hours in A&E and Educating Yorkshire. There’s something profoundly watchable about access-all-areas with multiple ‘slices of life’.
The 24/7 brand is unique as it’s about getting people - not fixed-rig cameras - into day-to-day action. Every sequence depended on a remarkable combination of people skills, technical expertise and being in the right place at the right time! The level of commitment that goes into harnessing the various storylines, potentially gathering swell or falling flat, was unparalleled. I was fortunate enough to be responsible for the stills photography, so access to a Canon 5d was a massive perk of the job.
I’ve assisted on a whole range of programmes, but Hotel 24/7 stands out as a real highlight. The micro-crews ensured pride of production across the board. Everyone contributed their own ‘chunk’. There was a prevailing sense of camaraderie with one role respected as equally important as the other.
It was undoubtedly a career break for me and I’m regularly bumping into those who worked on it at BBC Wales because I’m now enjoying my first ever contract job with BBC’s Bargain Hunt! It’s good times all round at the base of that slippery ladder and the training on the job is second to none. But I’ll always remember stepping out onto the balcony during that mad week of filming, lanyard around my neck, and feeling doubly enveloped within an impressive institution. King of the M4.
Hotel 24/7 is on Monday 29 September at 8pm, BBC One Wales.
