Stage, Screen & Radio - December/January 2015 - 21

Ask First
Colin Manning

grip

Colin was born in Ashford Avenue
in Hayes in 1938, in a house that
his parents continued to live in
until 1981. His father, who had
previously played professional
football for Cardiff City, was a
rigger in Pinewood studios.
Colin briefly trained as an
accountant before deciding that
figures and formulas were not
for him and he looked elsewhere
for an alternative career. His
father managed to secure a
position for him at the studios as
a stagehand where he assisted in
the construction of the sets for
many of the films that were
produced in the studios at that
time. Following the career path
of that age, Colin became more
involved in the actual shooting of
the films and eventually found
his break to become a grip. Colin
worked on some of the most
iconic films to be produced in
Pinewood at the time including
the Carry On series and many of
the James Bond films.
The industry was entering
changing times and many of
the studios were going to a four
wall arrangement, meaning that
there would no longer be staff
employed at the studio ready for
a production. The industry was
leaning towards self-employment.
Colin jumped before he was
pushed and left Pinewood to be
freelance.
The move was a positive step
for him as there were many
offers of work on freelance
productions. Colin became
known as one of the top grips

in the country and forged many
working partnerships, including
being part of Douglas Slocombe's
team that were Steven
Spielberg's choice to make the
Indiana Jones trilogy. The
accountancy training came back
into play as Colin would write
the timesheets out for the entire
department and not miss a
single trick, much to the
disappointment of producers
and production managers. Colin
worked on many films with his
great friend, the camera
operator, Mike Roberts.
Together they created some of
the biggest films of the age, and
were the first choice team of
directors including Alan Parker,
Neil Jordan and Michael CatonJones. On some occasions, they
were even engaged on a film
before the cinematographer.
Colin retired at 65 after an
illustrious career, during which
he trained many up and coming
grips who have gone on to
become very successful in their
own right. He has left a suitable
and fitting legacy in the industry.
Away from work, Colin was the
husband of Rose and the proud
and good father to Keith and
Lesley and Grandfather to Liam
and Niall, two boys whom he
absolutely doted upon. Keith
has followed Colin into the grip
department and Lesley is a
teacher. Colin passed away in
Hillingdon Hospital on 6 July
and is sorely missed by his
family and colleagues alike.
Keith Manning

Valued skills:
Spielberg signed
this photograph of
himself and Colin
December/January 2015 Stage Screen & Radio

BECTU has been made aware of alleged failures
to properly observe obligations to members by
the companies and individuals set out below.
All members are advised in their own interest to
consult head office before accepting engagements
with or through these companies.

New this month:

Twickenham Alive Ice Rink, (Mr Berkley Driscoll) Twickenham, Middlesex,
TW11 1LX official: David Donovan
The Whatever Crew Ltd (Mr Jason McSwan as Director)
441 Gateford Road, Worksop, Notts S81 7BN; official: Jo Livesey
Andy Evans t/a
Practical Creative
Solutions or
PCS Lighting
17 Rowan Way,
Woodford Halse,
Daventry NN11 3TH
official: PMcM
Artists in Motion
(Mark Wild as a
director) Suite 323,
19-21 Crawford Street,
London W1H 1PJ
official: David Donovan
Ather Chaudhary
aka Ather Khalid
11 Avenue Road,
Wolverhampton
WV3 9JR or 36 Court
Road WV3 9QA
official: Tom Bell
Cask Productions Ltd
St George's Studios,
93-97 St Georges Road,
Glasgow G3 6JA
official: PMcM
Creamdove
Limited trading
as Wedding TV
The Malthouse,
William Street
Leamington Spa
CV32 4HJ
official: Mick Corfield
Dark House
Productions Ltd
UK registered office
6 Children Street,
London W1U 4JT;
head office Dark
House Films Inc,
Toronto Canada
official: PMcM
Devil's
Playground Ltd
(Sebastian Ruspoli
& Jonathan Sothcott,
directors), 10-11 Percy
Street, London W1T 1DN
official: Tony Norton
Empire Media
Productions
(Mark Souster)
12 The Market Place,
Devizes, Wiltshire
SN10 1HT official: TB
Mr Adam Baxter,
F H Media Ltd
T/A The Big Day Films,
Unit 1.08 The Wenlock,

50-52 Wharf Road,
Islington, London
N1 7EU
official: Lynne Korniak
The Gamma
Project Ltd
(CEO Nina Carbone)
26 Bloomsbury Street,
London WC1B 3QJ
official: DD
Dan Hart,
2 Firth Road, Retford,
Nottinghamshire
DN22 7YS
official: Martin Spence
Kirkpatrick
Entertainment
Bridgend, Auldgirth,
Dumfries Scotland
DG2 OXL
official: PMcM
Kristina Cranfeld Ltd
(Kristina Cranfeld as
director), Limehouse
Studios, Towcaster
Road, London E3 3ND;
official: MS
Let's Hang On Ltd
(Dino Buttarazzi),
35 Atherstone Road,
Loughborough,
Leicestershire LE11
2SH; official: MC
Louis Ling Ltd (Louis
Ling as a director),
23 Haden Way,
Willingham,
Cambridge CB24 5HB
official: Pat Styles
M & Y Films (in
liquidation: director
Amanda Boyter)
Dimsdale Cottage,
Church End, Bledlow,
Princes Risborough
HP27 9PE official: SM
MAT Crewing
(Martin and Michael
Touhey as directors),
Office J, Redwither
Business Centre,
Redwither Business
Park, Wrexham
LL13 9XR official: PS
MK1 Security Ltd
(Mark Russell)
31 Kitchener Road,
Weymouth, Dorset
DT4 0LN
official: PE

Erik Meijer, Intentio
Productions Ltd
85 Briscoe Road,
Rainham,
Essex RM13 9QG
official: MC
Niche Television Ltd
(David Hutchinson)
99 Milton Business
& Science Park,
Abingdon,
Oxfordshire
OX14 4RY official: MC
Press On Features,
The South Lodge,
Walpole Park, Lammas
Park Gardens, Ealing,
London W5 5HZ.
official: MS
Root to Fruit Media
Suite 206, Bradford
Court, 123-131
Bradford Street,
Birmingham
B12 0NS official: MC
UK Made Films Ltd
11 Beaufort House,
38-40 Beaufort Street,
London SW3 5AD
official: PMcM
Scaenea Pictures
(Mike Clarke as
Director), St Helens,
Merseyside;
official: JL
Speckulation
Entertainment Ltd
(Neil Eckersley as a
director) New Derwent
House, 69-73 Theobalds
Road, London
WC1X 8TA official: PE
Sumner's Media City
Ltd (Janet Sumner and
Andrew Sumner
as directors), Bridge
House, 12 Market
Street, Glossop,
Derbyshire, SK13 8AR
official: JL
Three Media Creative
Ltd. 45/49 Greek
Street, Stockport,
Cheshire, SK3 8AX.
Official: MS
Jason McSwan T/A
The Whatever Crew
Ltd, 9 Kirkwall Road,
Greenock PA16 0YE
official: PMcM

21
Stage, Screen & Radio - December/January 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Stage, Screen & Radio - December/January 2015
