That Mitchell & Webb Look Goes HD

August 2007: BBC Post Production, part of BBC Resources Ltd, has won editing work on the new series of That Mitchell & Webb Look, which is being made in High Definition.

Starring Bafta-winning comedians Robert Webb and David Mitchell (That Mitchell & Webb Sound, Peep Show,), the cult BBC TWO comedy sketch show is peopled with strange and wonderful characters, such as Sir Digby Chicken Caesar, the Lazy Writers and Numberwang as never seen before.

The new series is being made in HD to ensure that it is future proof and to maximise value from international sales. The six programmes are being shot in BBC Studios’ new HD studio, Studio Eight, and on location. Both the studio show and the inserts are being filmed on HD Cam. They are then being cut offline in Standard Definition by BBC Post Production Editor Pete Drinkwater, before being conformed on an HD Nitris.

Pete Drinkwater, who has worked on a range of high profile entertainment programmes, including Comic Relief and Dead Ringers says: “It is great that the second series is being edited at BBC Post Production, after the success of the pilot and first series. I’m pleased to report it’s still as funny. It is my first foray into high def - the pictures are going to look fantastic and make it even funnier!”


Gareth Edwards, BBC Entertainment Producer says, “"I've been delighted with High Def. It's given the whole show an amazing richness that I've never seen in a sketch show before. Every frame glistens with production value!" Now in its second series, That Mitchell & Webb Look is based on the hugely successful Sony Silver Award-winning radio show That Mitchell & Webb Sound on BBC Radio 4. One of the key selling points of the programme is that it does not just consist of running characters and it hasn't got many obvious catch-phrases. At least half the show is made up of one-off sketches. Probably best known for their hit comedy, Peep Show, David and Robert have been performing together for 11 years and first met at The Cambridge Footlights.

BBC Resources is experienced in working on high definition productions. Its Studio Eight also supported the new series of After You’ve Gone in HD for BBC One and was the ‘World Hub’ for the HD Live Earth concerts in July, where content was ingested into a fully tapeless HD environment and packaged up by BBC Resources for different international broadcasters.

ENDS-

About BBC Post Production
BBC Post Production, a division of BBC Resources Ltd, offers award-winning creative solutions using the latest technology. The facilities are the l argest of their kind facilities in the UK and are located in London, Bristol and Birmingham. Working in partnership with a variety of broadcasters and production companies, its extensive range of services include editing, audio and telecine . Further information can be found at: www.bbcresources.com/postproduction

About BBC Resources
BBC Resources Ltd is one of the largest production facilities in the UK. The company consists of three core businesses, BBC Studios, BBC Outside Broadcasts and BBC Post Production. The size and depth of the company’s resources enables it to handle even the largest-scale projects. Major broadcast events BBC Resources has facilitated include Wimbledon, Children In Need, The FIFA World Cup, Glastonbury and the Winter Olympics. With a focus on innovation, BBC Resources continually looks to produce technological ‘firsts’ from ground-breaking cricket stump cameras and the world’s first ‘HD Plunge Cam’ to virtual reality capability and real-time HD media transfer between remote sites.

The sale process for BBC Resources Ltd has begun. This comes as a result of the BBC’s commercial review (December 2004), which concluded it should only own commercial businesses that export or exploit the BBC brand and content – BBC Resources is a facilities and services provider so doesn’t fit this profile. The BBC believes that under new ownership – as with the successful sales of BBC Technology to Siemens and BBC Broadcast to Macquarie – BBC Resources has opportunities that have not been available whilst owned by the Corporation; it will also retain the stability of on-going contracts with the BBC.

For more information visit www.bbcresources.com

For further information, please contact:
Georgie Hollett, PR and Communications Manager, BBC Resources
Tel: +44 (0)20 8624 9495
Mobile : +44 (0) 783484 5612
Email : georgie.hollett@bbc.co.uk