The Catacombs The Production Guide
Script To Screen: Matter of Life and Death
by Martin Willey

Script To Screen


The crew started filming the "hurricane effect" on the planet set on Friday 25th, and finished Monday 28 January.

Matter Of Life And Death Behind The Scenes

The crew wear coats and masks to protect themselves from the wind and debris. Sitting on the right with the open folder is Gladys Goldsmith, responsible for continuity. By her on the right in a white smock is director Charles Crichton, with assistant director Ken Baker behind him.
The camera on the wheeled dolly platform is the standard 35mm Mitchell camera used to film the series. For the action shots, two 35mm Arriflex cameras were also used to capture the action from multiple angles. These were "wild", without synchronised sound.
The Mitchell would be "locked off" for the final scene 83, when the planet is restored to normal. The camera is fixed in position, and the focus locked, while the crew spend a few hours restoring the set in front.

Matter Of Life And Death Behind The Scenes

Third assistant director Roy Button operates the clapperboard. He, and the actors, are the only ones not wearing protective gear.
Two stunt performers, Paul Weston and Dorothy Ford, play Koenig and Bain for certain scenes, specifically when the trees fall in front of them, and in the rock avalanche.
Prentis Hancock and Nick Tate are on standby in the morning, but both their characters are dead at this point in the story. They are still shooting some of the commlock scenes when Koenig is talking to Bergman, Carter or Morrow (first started on Wednesday). These scenes are marked "to complete" here. Most of these scenes had to be filmed from repeatedly, from several angles, so the editor had enough varied material to assemble the sequence.

GROUP THREE PRODUCTION LIMITED "SPACE 1999" T.V. SERIES
EPISODE 2: "MATTER OF LIFE & DEATH"
CALL SHEET NO. 10.
DIRECTOR: CHARLES CRICHTON STAGE: M
DATE: FRIDAY, 25th January, 1974 UNIT CALL: 8.30a.m.

ARTISTE CHARACTER D/ROOM MAKE UP CALL SET CALL

EXT. PLANET. Sc.Nos. 75.79A.79B.79C.79D.79E.79F.79G.79H.81.83pt.
to complete 67pt.69pt.71pt.73pt.
MARTIN LANDAU KOENIG 321 7.30a.m. 8.30a.m.
BARBARA BAIN HELENA 322 7.00a.m. 8.30a.m.
RICHARD JOHNSON RUSSELL 325 10.15a.m. 11.00a.m.
PRENTIS HANCOCK MORROW 336 S/By till 1.00p.m.
ZIENIA MERTON SANDRA 328 7.45a.m. 8.00a.m.
NICK TATE CARTER 326 S/By till 1.00p.m.
Stand Ins:
John Clifford for Mr. Landau 8.00a.m. 8.30a.m.
Suzanne Heimer for Miss Bain 8.00a.m. 8.30a.m.
Tony Allen for Mr. Johnson ' ' ' 10.30a.m.
Extra Artistes:
Jane Henley to double for Miss Merton 7.30a.m. 8.30a.m.
Stunt Arrangements:
Alf Joint to stand by from 7.30a.m. 8.30a.m.
Paul Weston Stunt double for Mr Landau 7.30a.m. 8.30a.m.
Dorothy Ford Stunt double for Miss Bain 7.30a.m. 8.30a.m.
Props: Continuity equipment from Sc.55 to include Helena's sample case, survival kits,
tools, water tester, stunguns, knife for Koenig, commlocks, space fruits
(edible), mattress to stand by.
Art Dept: Practical orange pond. Orange juice for drinking to stand by.
Commlock to stand by with Matte screen. Dummy avalanche.
Camera Dept: Harrison fog filters required. Crane required. Standard Mitchell for
lock off shot Sc.83pt. 2 Wild Arriflexes. 2 x 10tol zooms. Lens covers.
Wardrobe: Gloves for Morrow from Sc.72.
Morrow/Sandra affected by explosion Sc.72
Floor Sp.Fx: 1). Dry ice for mist fxs. 2). Silent wind and fans to stand by.
3). Smoke and dust effects. 4). Avalanche Sc.81. Trees to fall.
Medical Dept: Nurse to stand by from 8.30a.m.
Electronics: Sc.71pt.73pt.86pt.VTR Playback of Bergman's dialogue for above scenes
of Commlock Link up. Sc.69. Commlock link: 1. Bergman. 2. Morrow.
3. Matte Spidershot. Sc.71. Commlock link: 1. Bergman (interference).
2. Carter. Eagle. 3. Morrow. Sc.73. Commlock link: 1. Bergman
(interference). Sc.86. Commlock: 1. Carter. 2. Bergman.
Sound Dept: Playback for Bergman dialogue of VTR scenes. 2 Loud Hailers.
Plumber Dept: Plumber to stand by from 8.30a.m.
Plasters Dept: Plasterer to stand by from 8.30a.m.
Fire Dept: To remove smoke alarms M Stage.

CATERING: a.m. and p.m. breaks on M Stage for 75 people.
RUSHES: Theatre 7 at 5.30p.m.
TRANSPORT: Joe Himpfen to collect Mr.Landau and Miss Bain at 6.00a.m.
Mac to collect Mr.Johnson at 9.30a.m.

KEN BAKER
Assistant Director.

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