FILM OFFICE PRODUCTION SET UP SHEET (In the Entertainment industry.)

Production Office Los Angeles – Feature Flight of the Phoenix 2004 / Photo Credits: Bruce Bisbey

FILM OFFICE PRODUCTION SET UP SHEET (In the Entertainment industry.)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

FILM OFFICE PRODUCTION SET UP SHEET (Some ideas and needs for setting up and establishing a shows production office)

Office Space

This is a list I have used when looking for a production office location. It is a tentative list that helps with a generalization of a shows production office needs.

The title photo and the photo above, I photographed in part of the production office of Fox's 'Flight of the Phoenix 2004' in Los Angeles. We did some of the development and pre-production here before relocating to Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, Namibia for the principal photography. We would maintain the LA production office into post and release.

Every show is set up differently.  Sometimes an art department will choose to work at a different location to be closer to the set construction, the transportation department will work out of its own self-contained trailer, the wardrobe department will work out of a wardrobe house and the prop master will work out of a prop house. There are also shows where everything is set up at the same location. I have worked in production office spaces from 3,500 spare feet on up. You won’t know how much space is needed until you know who you need space for. Generally production offices house:

• At least one executive producer
• At least one producer
• The director
• The production manager and/or production supervisor
• The production coordinator
• The accounting department-generally one to three offices, depending on the size of the accounting staff and the size of the offices
• The location manager and one or two assistant location managers
• Two or three assistant directors and a couple of set Pas
• The transportation department (coordinator, captain and a driver or two)
• The art department (production designer, one or two art directors, art department coordinator, set designers, set decorator, and lead man, a set dresser or two, property master and assistant property master (with gold room), one or two art department Pas,. This department will require one enormous space that can be sectioned off, or possibly a row of smaller interconnected offices.
• Although the stunt coordinator and director of photography are not in the office all the time, (and then only during prep), desks and phone should be allocated for both
• A bullpen area for the assistant production coordinator, production secretary and at least two office production assistants
• An area for meetings
• A kitchen or area that can be set up for craft service
• A separate office or bullpen area for photocopying, faxing, assembling scripts, shipping, etc. 

Now for the question that will determine additional space requirements:

• How many more producers will need offices? And will those who won’t be there on a full time basis be willing to share an office?
• Will the casting director and casting assistants be headquartered there? If not, where will casting sessions be held for the producer and director?
• Will the wardrobe department be working out of these offices, and if so, will they need and office, fitting room, sewing room and/or space for clothing racks?
• Will Props and Set Dressing need locked storage spaces, gold rooms?
• Will you need a desk and phone for visiting production executives?
• Will Hair and Makeup department heads need space?
• If office and stages are together, how much set construction space is needed? And will there be a need for secured rooms to lock up equipment?
• One the amount of space is determined, the search begins.
• Can you get an option for month-to-month extension on the lease at the original rate should your schedule be pushed?
• Do you need stage space near or next to the offices? If not, how far are the offices from the stage space you might already have lined up? How far away will you be from your location sites?
• Is additional space available to rent if or as needed?
• Do the facilities provide sufficient parking is the parking area secured and is there easy access into and out of the parking lot?
• If the parking lot will not accommodate cast, crew and production vehicles, would you have access to a sufficient amount of street parking, or could you rent additional (secured) parking facilities from someone else in the immediate vicinity?
• Does the property come with a security system or patrolling security personnel?
• Are you in an area that is safe enough so that those walking to their cares late at night won’t fell apprehensive?
• Will you have access to the property twenty-four hours a day?
• Are the offices already wired for phones? Is there a phone system already in place? If not, how long will it take to have one put in?
• Do the offices come with furniture, or will you have rent furniture from an outside source?
• Does the building have heating and air conditioning?
• Do they office have windows, and if so, do they open?
• Are there noise factors in the surrounding area that might affect your operation?
• Are you in a area where your staff and crew cannot create and loud noise after a certain time at night or before a certain time in the morning? 

Sources, References & Credits: Bruce Bisbey, Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, Careers Hub, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Blurb, Media Match, Future Learn, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Chron, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, How Stuff Works, WGA, BBC, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Bright Hub, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Production Beast, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, UCAS, Frankenbite, Realty 101, Liberty Me, Careers Hub, Sokanu, Raindance, Film Connection, Cast & Crew, Entertainment Partners, My Job Search, Prospects, David Mullich, Gear Shift, Video University, Oxford Dictionaries’, Boredom Therapy, The Bold Italic, Meets the Eye Studio, The Guardian, Elliot Grove, Jones on art, Creative Plant, Studio Binder, Film Tool Kit, Still Motion, Film Under Ground, Steves Digicams, Improve Photography, Guy Nockels, Namib Films,

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

Production Office Los Angeles – Feature Flight of the Phoenix 2004 / Photo Credits: Bruce Bisbey

ART DEPARTMENT INTERNAL PHONE CARD/LIST? (In the Entertainment industry.)

When A Stranger Call / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey

ART DEPARTMENT INTERNAL PHONE CARD/LIST? (In the Entertainment industry.)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

ART DEPARTMENT INTERNAL PHONE CARD/LIST? Example: feature film When a Stranger Calls  

This is an art department internal phone card list. I first used in on New Regency Pictures/Sony movie Tigerland in the production office as a production assistant. (Created by a long past Office Production Coordinator I believe or hey a PA, who knows) When I became an Art Department Coordinator I changed and recreated each time for the needs of each show.

I would distribute the lists in both card form (business card thickness) and laminated. It was distributed to all members of the art department and department heads. We would leave a pile of them in the production office for any crew that wanted or needed one. Many times the production office coordinator would attach them to crew memos as a point of distribution. Communication was and is always the key in any film or TV production.

You will come across members for the crew from producers to drivers that do not want to give out their contact number or only want to be contacted at certain times. IN MY CONSIDERED OPINION THEY HAVE NO REASON TO BE IN FILM AND TV PRODUCTION. On a show the crew need to be accessible 24/7 period. Particularly department heads like the production office coordinator, art department coordinator, construction coordinator and the locations coordinator.

COMMUNICATE!!!!! J

Sources, References & Credits: Bruce Bisbey, Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, Careers Hub, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Blurb, Media Match, Future Learn, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Chron, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, How Stuff Works, WGA, BBC, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Bright Hub, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Production Beast, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, UCAS, Frankenbite, Realty 101, Liberty Me, Careers Hub, Sokanu, Raindance, Film Connection, Cast & Crew, Entertainment Partners, My Job Search, Prospects, David Mullich, Gear Shift, Video University, Oxford Dictionaries’, Boredom Therapy, The Bold Italic, Meets the Eye Studio, The Guardian, Elliot Grove, Jones on art, Creative Plant, Studio Binder, Film Tool Kit, Still Motion, Film Under Ground, Steves Digicams, Improve Photography, Guy Nockels, Namib Films,

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

When A Stranger Call / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey

SHORT STORY - C-119 ARRIVAL IN AFRICA FOR FILM FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX 2004 (In the Entertainment industry.)

Flight of Phoenix on set and Base Camp Fly over / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey

SHORT STORY - C-119 ARRIVAL IN AFRICA FOR FILM FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX 2004 (In the Entertainment industry.)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

SHORT STORY - C-119 ARRIVAL IN AFRICA FOR FILM FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX 2004

Did not mean to write a book, ended up telling one of my best film project adventure stories I have had the honor to work on. It’s late and I have not proofread this, just wrote.

I was the Art Department Coordinator on the Fox feature film project Flight of the Phoenix for almost a year. Pre-production in Los Angeles and production in Namibia, Africa. Many people who watched the movie said allot of the plane and sand scenes looked CGI’ed. Nothing could be further from the truth. The great director (in my opinion) John Moore is a bit of a purist and shot everything on location in the Namib Desert and locations around Namibia. The only part/scene that was CGI created (as far as I know) was the very dramatic sand storm scene.

One of the most interesting aspects of the creation of the film was the C-119 twin engine aircraft. We rebuilt one from ground up. As well as taking almost 7 months of planning, finding, disassembling, shipping, rebuilding, 4 and half other C-119s from the US and Kenya and shipping to Walvis Bay.

We had 3 and a half C-119 twin engine aircraft broken and stripped down and shipped from the plane bone yards near Tucson, Arizona to Houston and shipped via freighter to Walvis Bay, Namibia. This took almost a month and a half. We also broke down and stripped a Red Cross C-119 that had been shot down and landed in the bush in southern Kenya and shipped overland via 7 countries to Walvis Bay. That took over 7 weeks.

We purchased a C-119 and made a deal with a plane forest fire fighting company in Gray Bull, Wyoming. We paid for it to be rebuilt and had full use for the length of the shoot and post production for the film. They got to keep the plane. I had to track the plane for 19 days with daily reports to the director John Moore, UPM and Ex Producer Ric Kidney and Production Designer Patrick Lamb. Flying from Gray Bull Wyoming, via Newfoundland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, France, Algeria, Morocco, I believe Liberia and the Congo, Angola to Walvis Bay, Namib. 19 days in all.

The arrival of the C-119, piloted by Jim and George was watched closely. Director John Moore asked me if there was any way the plane could arrive before wrap for the Christmas Hiatus. I said I would try, I was in touch with the pilots. They said they would try. On the day of their arrival I was in the tower at the Walvis Bay airport, in communication with George the pilot. I asked him if they could do a fly over of the set. There were many guests and they again were wrapping for Christmas and the New Year.

The pilot said they could do a fly over, it was timing. He said they needed to get all the paper work and passports filed and GPS coordinates for the fly over. Well that got me going. With Guy Nockels, Namib Films and the African producer and my Art Department Assistant Coordinator Monica Theron we ran to the passport/landing office and got help from three lovely Namibian officials who were completely amused by the bald Yankee (me) trying to have an American military type aircraft land and have it fly off again into the desert.  (I was passing out film hats and t-shirts and prepared to beg if needed).

The plane was coming and the first thing we saw was two white single prop Namibia fighter planes fly past heading for the nearby Namibian air base. They had been ghosting the C-119 military plane with US markings. Maybe five minutes behind the C-119 came into view, did a fly over and landed. The pilot did not even get out of the plane. The officials, Guy, Monica and I met him at the door, he was smiling and started to laugh. He talked with the Namibian officials and the co-pilot got the GPS coordinates from me and Guy.

All three of us Monica, Guy and I had camera’s for the landing and flight. It was for a documentary on the film project, I don’t think it ever got seen, it was made, that I know from the documentary director on the crew. Guy and I were up in the cabin with the pilots, standing the whole time holding on for dear life with the cameras. Monica was at the rear of the plane with her camera at the tail window shooting out the rear of the plane the whole time. She was awesome. But after wards she was bruised all over by being thrown back and forth, but she got the shots.

I got on the radio with John Moore’s assistant and screaming over the engines, we are coming, Director Moore got on the radio and said thank you, thank you, but hurry, the wrap is breaking up. In the cabin with the pilots we saw a spec in the distance, our huge base camp. Then the set, with I don’t know how many people, allot of family, guests, studio people, government officials for the hiatus wrap and many family from all over the world coming to Namibia and South Africa for Christmas.

George the pilot was an ex US military bomber pilot. He said over the radio, ‘hang on, we going in for a bombing run’. Well he dove and I mean a bombing type run. Guy and I were leaning forward trying to hold on, still standing, shooting with the cameras. Poor Monica was having her own adventure being thrown everywhere, but again she got the shots. We got the fly over as they wrapped, I understand, don’t know for sure, Dennis Quaid fell off his quad bike and many people hit the sand as we flew so low. It was awesome.

We got back to the airfield and checked in and headed with the pilots to the production offices in Swakopmund. Later Director Moore when he saw me he gave me a hug, a real hug. The entire shoot Director Moore was a gentleman and spent his own money to make the film wrap party a smashing success.

Wrap party outside Swakopmund, Namibia. Some of us in the Art Department.

Postscript: As of this writing, Monica emigrated from Namibia and is living and working in the industry in Norway with her husband and son. Guy owns the largest production company in Namibia and we are currently working on a project in Namibia in conjunction with entities in Holland and Germany. I ended up going back to Africa and have lived and worked there over 6 years as of this writing. Fell in love with a South African, my fantastic Afrikaans lady and now South Africa is my second home.

And so it goes. Cheers Bruce Bisbey

February 22^nd 2019 at our office at the White Sands Missile Base, New Mexico

Me

Sources, References & Credits: Bruce Bisbey, Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, Careers Hub, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Blurb, Media Match, Future Learn, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Chron, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, How Stuff Works, WGA, BBC, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Bright Hub, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Production Beast, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, UCAS, Frankenbite, Realty 101, Liberty Me, Careers Hub, Sokanu, Raindance, Film Connection, Cast & Crew, Entertainment Partners, My Job Search, Prospects, David Mullich, Gear Shift, Video University, Oxford Dictionaries’, Boredom Therapy, The Bold Italic, Meets the Eye Studio, The Guardian, Elliot Grove, Jones on art, Creative Plant, Studio Binder, Film Tool Kit, Still Motion, Film Under Ground, Steves Digicams, Improve Photography, Guy Nockels, Namib Films,

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

Flight of Phoenix on set and Base Camp Fly over / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey

ART DEPARTMENT TIMELINE SET SCHEDULE? (In the Entertainment industry.)

Art Department Set Schedule / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey - Feature Flight of the Phoenix

ART DEPARTMENT TIMELINE SET SCHEDULE? (In the Entertainment industry.)

 

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

ART DEPARTMENT TIMELINE SET SCHEDULE? Example: feature film Flight of the Phoenix

This is an art department timeline set schedule. I created it on the Sony’s feature film Bad Boys II we shot in Miami, Sony’s Culver Studios and the Big Sky Ranch, as the Art Department Coordinator. The example provided is the one I used on Fox’s feature Flight of the Phoenix we shot near Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, Namibia, Africa.

The reason I created it, is on large budget films with numerous locations and set builds, the production designer and department heads need to know of changes in the shooting schedule, changes in locations, time lines for deliveries of material, equipment and key assets.

On this form we had 3 and a half C-119 twin engine aircraft broken and stripped down and shipped from the plane bone yards near Tucson, Arizona to Houston and shipped via freighter to Walvis Bay, Namibia. This took almost a month. We also broke down and stripped a Red Cross C-119 that had been shot down and landed in the bush in southern Kenya and shipped overland to via 7 countries to Walvis Bay. That took over 6 weeks.

Time lines in any business must be established and maintained. In the film and TV industry, depending on your budget, a loss of a single day can cost from 10s of thousands of dollars to millions of dollars. It can get serious real fast.

Sources, References & Credits: Bruce Bisbey, Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, Careers Hub, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Blurb, Media Match, Future Learn, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Chron, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, How Stuff Works, WGA, BBC, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Bright Hub, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Production Beast, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, UCAS, Frankenbite, Realty 101, Liberty Me, Careers Hub, Sokanu, Raindance, Film Connection, Cast & Crew, Entertainment Partners, My Job Search, Prospects, David Mullich, Gear Shift, Video University, Oxford Dictionaries’, Boredom Therapy, The Bold Italic, Meets the Eye Studio, The Guardian, Elliot Grove, Jones on art, Creative Plant, Studio Binder, Film Tool Kit, Still Motion, Film Under Ground, Steves Digicams, Improve Photography, Guy Nockels, Namib Films,

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

Art Department Set Schedule / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey - Feature Flight of the Phoenix

WHAT IS THE PHONETIC ALPHABET? (In the Entertainment industry.)

Phonetic Alphabet / Photo Credit: NATO

WHAT IS THE PHONETIC ALPHABET? (In the Entertainment industry.)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

WHAT IS THE PHONETIC ALPHABET?

The phonetic alphabet is not used on a regular basis in the film or TV industry. But I have come across it on many shows. Particularly action or military themed projects. Transportation, construction, shipping, armors, and travel departments will use this to clarify and communicate with companies and other countries. It is used by all militaries’, most police forces around the world.

Basically it is the NATO phonetic alphabet, officially denoted as the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, and also commonly known as the ICAO phonetic alphabet, and in a variation also known officially as the ITU phonetic alphabet and figure code, is the most widely used radiotelephone spelling alphabet. Although often called "phonetic alphabets", spelling alphabets are unrelated to phonetic transcription systems such as the International Phonetic Alphabet. Instead, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) alphabet assigned code words acrophonically to the letters of the English alphabet, so that critical combinations of letters and numbers are most likely to be pronounced and understood by those who exchange voice messages by radio or telephone, regardless of language differences or the quality of the communication channel.

The 26 code words in the NATO phonetic alphabet are assigned to the 26 letters of the English alphabet in alphabetical order as follows: Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.

Strict adherence to the prescribed spelling words is required in order to avoid the problems of confusion that the spelling alphabet is designed to overcome. As noted in a 1955 NATO memo:

It is known that [the ICAO spelling alphabet] has been prepared only after the most exhaustive tests on a scientific basis by several nations. One of the firmest conclusions reached was that it was not practical to make an isolated change to clear confusion between one pair of letters. To change one word involves reconsideration of the whole alphabet to ensure that the change proposed to clear one confusion does not itself introduce others.

Sources, References & Credits: Bruce Bisbey, Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, Careers Hub, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Blurb, Media Match, Future Learn, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Chron, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, How Stuff Works, WGA, BBC, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Bright Hub, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Production Beast, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, UCAS, Frankenbite, Realty 101, Liberty Me, Careers Hub, Sokanu, Raindance, Film Connection, Cast & Crew, Entertainment Partners, My Job Search, Prospects, David Mullich, Gear Shift, Video University, Oxford Dictionaries’, Boredom Therapy, The Bold Italic, Meets the Eye Studio, The Guardian, Elliot Grove, Jones on art, Creative Plant, Studio Binder, Film Tool Kit, Still Motion, Film Under Ground, Steves Digicams, Improve Photography

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

Phonetic Alphabet / Photo Credit: NATO

Phonetic and Morse Chart / Photo Credit: Rgclegg - NATO

WHAT IS A FILM BUCK CARD? (In the Entertainment industry.)

Film Buck Card / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey

WHAT IS A FILM BUCK CARD? (In the Entertainment industry.)

 

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

WHAT IS A FILM BUCK CARD?

Buck cards are simply note cards that denote a specific individual and their department. Usually about 3 inches wide by eight to ten inches long. They are also used a bookmarks for placement in the script, budgets or general designation of a reminder or a go to point.

Example: Line producer places a note in the production mail box for the department heads, the director or an individual. The buck card specifies that it is from the line producer.

Basic information on the buck card can be anything, but usually:

• Project title…
• Phone number…
• Department name…
• Logo…
• Crew members title…
• Crew members name… 

Sources, References & Credits: Bruce Bisbey, Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, Careers Hub, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Blurb, Media Match, Future Learn, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Chron, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, How Stuff Works, WGA, BBC, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Bright Hub, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Production Beast, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, UCAS, Frankenbite, Realty 101, Liberty Me, Careers Hub, Sokanu, Raindance, Film Connection, Cast & Crew, Entertainment Partners, My Job Search, Prospects, David Mullich, Gear Shift, Video University, Oxford Dictionaries’, Boredom Therapy, The Bold Italic, Meets the Eye Studio, The Guardian, Elliot Grove, Jones on art, Creative Plant, Studio Binder, Film Tool Kit, Still Motion, Film Under Ground, Steves Digicams, Improve Photography

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

Film Buck Card / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey

WHAT IS ZULU / MILITARY TIME VERSUS STANDARD TIME? (In the Entertainment industry.)

Military Time Conversion Chart / Photo Credit: Template Lab

WHAT IS ZULU / MILITARY TIME VERSUS STANDARD TIME? (In the Entertainment industry.)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

WHAT IS ZULU / MILITARY TIME VERSUS STANDARD TIME?

On many shows and productions around the world they use military time. As well as many countries that use it as the norm.

Military time is based on a 24-hour clock which runs from midnight to midnight. Z, or GMT time, is also based on the 24-hour clock, however, its midnight is based on midnight local time at the 0° longitude prime meridian (Greenwich, England).

How to Read Military Time

When keeping hours in this fashion, the day starts at midnight and is written as 00:00. The last minute of the day is written as 23:59, or one minute before the next midnight. Sometimes you may see 00:00 written as 24:00. Both are acceptable. A usage example showing the 12 hour clock vs military time would be a time table showing 4:00 pm to 12:00 midnight. This would be written as 16:00 – 24:00. Another example highlighting the difference between the two would be to show that 10:15 am is written as 10:15 in military time but 2:30 pm is written as 14:30.

This method of keeping time is most commonly used by the military, government, public transportation, hospitals, meteorologists, astronomers, those employed in emergency services, and also with computers. When speaking in military time, 07:00 may be stated as “zero seven hundred” or “oh seven hundred”. Also, in the military, these time stamps are often written without the colon, so 07:52 would rather be written 0752.

Z Time vs. Military Time

The difference between Z time and military time is so slight, it can often be misunderstood. Military time is based on a 24-hour clock which runs from midnight to midnight. Z, or GMT time, is also based on the 24-hour clock, however, its midnight is based on midnight local time at the 0° longitude prime meridian (Greenwich, England). In other words, while the time 0000 always corresponds to midnight local time no matter the global location, 00Z corresponds to midnight in Greenwich ONLY. (In the United States, 00Z can range from 2 pm local time in Hawaii to 7 or 8 pm, along the East Coast.)

Sources, References & Credits: Bruce Bisbey, Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, Careers Hub, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Blurb, Media Match, Future Learn, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Chron, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, How Stuff Works, WGA, BBC, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Bright Hub, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Production Beast, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, UCAS, Frankenbite, Realty 101, Liberty Me, Careers Hub, Sokanu, Raindance, Film Connection, Cast & Crew, Entertainment Partners, My Job Search, Prospects, David Mullich, Gear Shift, Video University, Oxford Dictionaries’, Boredom Therapy, The Bold Italic, Meets the Eye Studio, The Guardian, Elliot Grove, Jones on art, Creative Plant, Studio Binder, Film Tool Kit, Still Motion, Film Under Ground, Steves Digicams, Improve Photography, Though Company, Tiffany Means,

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

Military Time Conversion Chart / Photo Credit: Template Lab

At the Muizenburg Market featuring Kaapse Liqueurs. (100% local and natural)

Kaapse Liqueurs – Muizenburg Food Market / Photo Credits: Letha Malan Oelz – Kaapse Liqueurs

At the Muizenburg Market featuring Kaapse Liqueurs. (100% local and natural)

Letha (Malan) Oelz / Sales Agent

KAAPSE LIQUEURS (100% local and natural)

http://www.finderzkeeperz.co.za/kaapse-liqueurs/  

Letha at the unique Muizenburg Food Market. A mixer of exquisite fine foods, liqueurs, beers and fine wine from all over South Africa.

Kaapse Liqueurs is a proudly South African company distributing liqueurs manufactured from locally sourced produce. All the ingredients are 100% South African, natural and indigenous to the area.

Carol Knolles Mills (Green) is the daughter of E.K. Green the 6th. He in turn was a direct descendent of the first E.K. Green, the founder of the E.K Green Castle Wine and Brandy Company. This once-thriving local business dates back to 1814.

These artisan liqueurs have been carefully hand-crafted, with attention to wholesome natural processes and ingredients, and then packaged to provide a sense of extraordinary occasion. No artificial additives, colorants’ or preservatives are added to the liqueurs. Always proudly South African, the company aims to provide customers with an indulgent, delicious and 100% local experience.

Thank you,

Letha (Malan) Oelz

Email: contact.finderzkeeperz@gmail.com

KAAPSE LIQUEURS (100% local and natural)

http://www.finderzkeeperz.co.za/kaapse-liqueurs/

TIERHOEK WINES…South Africa (Unique fines wines of Piekenierskloof, South Africa)

http://www.finderzkeeperz.co.za/tierhoek/

Finderz Keeperz © 2017 - 2019 All Rights Reserved

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND LETHA OELZ MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. LETHA OELZ DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. LETHA OELZ WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.   

Kaapse Liqueurs – Muizenburg Food Market / Photo Credits: Letha Malan Oelz – Kaapse Liqueurs

WHAT IS A PRELIMINARY ART DEPARTMENT CREW BUDGET? (In the Entertainment industry.)

Preliminary Art Department Crew Budget / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey

WHAT IS A PRELIMINARY ART DEPARTMENT CREW BUDGET? (In the Entertainment industry.)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

WHAT IS A PRELIMINARY ART DEPARTMENT CREW BUDGET?

This is an example of a preliminary Art Department crew budget. There are many types and templates out there. Creating your own for your show is really easy.

I created this with Art Department Production Designer Jon Gary Steele, on the Sony film, ‘When a Stranger Calls’. It is an art department preliminary budget. It is the preliminary budget the Production Designer breakdowns with the Art Director and Art Department Coordinator to project the art department crew cost factors for the shoot.

It was designed to focus on art department budgetary factors for the art department crew. Defining changes, priorities, time lines and detailing projected cost factors for the Line Producer, Supervising Producer, Key Accountant and any studio or production company audits on a continuous basis for the run of the shoot.

On a tight budget this is one of many helpful breakdowns to project costs and enable the moving of money to areas and departments where the bump is needed. Every department head hates this, but it is a reality.

I used this on numerous film and shows.

It details:

• Description…
• Amount/Number of Weeks…
• Units or Days…
• X number of Weeks…
• Rate…
• Subtotal…
• Total…
• Crew Title…
• Crew Name…
• Prep (Number of Days or Weeks of Pre-production)…
• Number of Shooting Days/Weeks…
• Number of Wrap Days/Weeks…
• Box (Kit Rental)…
• Car (Vehicle Allowance)…

Working Example:

The intent was to keep a thumb on the time lines and cost factors for the Art Department crew.

Sources, References & Credits: Bruce Bisbey, Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, Careers Hub, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Blurb, Media Match, Future Learn, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Chron, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, How Stuff Works, WGA, BBC, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Bright Hub, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Production Beast, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, UCAS, Frankenbite, Realty 101, Liberty Me, Careers Hub, Sokanu, Raindance, Film Connection, Cast & Crew, Entertainment Partners, My Job Search, Prospects, David Mullich, Gear Shift, Video University, Oxford Dictionaries’, Boredom Therapy, The Bold Italic, Meets the Eye Studio, The Guardian, Elliot Grove, Jones on art, Creative Plant, Studio Binder, Film Tool Kit, Still Motion, Film Under Ground, Steves Digicams, Improve Photography

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

Preliminary Art Department Crew Budget / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey

WHAT IS AN ART DEPARTMENT SET PLANS SCHEDULE? (In the Entertainment industry.)

Art Department Set Plans Schedule / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey ADC

WHAT IS AN ART DEPARTMENT SET PLANS SCHEDULE? (In the Entertainment industry.)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

WHAT IS AN ART DEPARTMENT SET PLANS SCHEDULE?

I created this with Art Department Director Gary Kosko on the film Basic. It is art department set plans schedule. It is a direct communication between the production designer, his/hers art directors, art department coordinator, construction coordinator, scenic and set decorator.

It was designed to focus on one single set, defining changes, priorities, time lines and detailing what the vision of the director via the production designer.

I used this on numerous film and shows. 

It detailed:

• Set Name…
• Shoot Date/s…
• Location…
• Scene/s…
• Description…
• Construction Instructions…
• Scenic Instructions…
• Set Decorations Instruction… 

The intent was to keep a thumb on the time lines and inter-department changes that may/did overlap.

Sources, References & Credits: Bruce Bisbey, Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, Careers Hub, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Blurb, Media Match, Future Learn, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Chron, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, How Stuff Works, WGA, BBC, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Bright Hub, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Production Beast, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, UCAS, Frankenbite, Realty 101, Liberty Me, Careers Hub, Sokanu, Raindance, Film Connection, Cast & Crew, Entertainment Partners, My Job Search, Prospects, David Mullich, Gear Shift, Video University, Oxford Dictionaries’, Boredom Therapy, The Bold Italic, Meets the Eye Studio, The Guardian, Elliot Grove, Jones on art, Creative Plant, Studio Binder, Film Tool Kit, Still Motion, Film Under Ground, Steves Digicams, Improve Photography

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

Art Department Set Plans Schedule / Photo Credit: Bruce Bisbey ADC

Overnight at Tierhoek wine estate. (Unique fines wines of Piekenierskloof, South Africa)

Unique fines wines of Piekenierskloof, South Africa

Overnight at Tierhoek wine estate. (Unique fines wines of Piekenierskloof, South Africa)

Letha (Malan) Oelz / Sales Agent     

TIERHOEK WINES…South Africa (Unique fines wines of Piekenierskloof, South Africa)

http://www.finderzkeeperz.co.za/tierhoek/

John and Lynne Ford

https://adamastorbacchus.blogspot.com/2019/02/overnight-at-tierhoek-wine-estate.html?m=1

Our friend Shelley Sandell owns Tierhoek wine farm in the Piekenierskloof and, when she heard we were going to be in the area at the weekend for Saturday night, she offered us a stay at the farm afterwards, which we were very happy to accept. She and her late husband Tony bought the farm in 2001 and discovered very old Chenin and Grenache bush vines, which they have cultivated. They are part of the Old Vines Project. Tierhoek wines have won several good awards. They also modernized the old farm buildings, but in a very respectful way, to preserve their heritage.

We were joined by Ryno Kellerman, the Farm Manager, who gave us an extremely good tasting of the Tierhoek wines. He makes the wine with Roger Burton. We tasted several vintages as well. Because it was very hot outside, we did the tasting in the kitchen, filled with echoes of a bygone age and lovely period furniture, as is the rest of the house. We began with the 2018 Chardonnay. Typical, elegant, buttery, clean and crisp with limes and lemon and soft tannins and length. The 2017 is sweeter, more lemon and naartjie flavors’ - a food wine. The 2018 Sauvignon Blanc is also typical with green pepper and figs. Lively and exciting on the creamy palate with classic crisp Sauvignon Blanc flavors’ of English gooseberries, lemon. Surprising for this warm area, but then we were on the second highest wine farm in the country. They are at 760 meters above sea level and only 40 Km from the sea. Old barrels are used to give just a hint of smoke. The 2017 Chenin Blanc is shy with some gooseberries and golden fruit, crisp on the palate with apples, ripe apricots, and lovely long flavors’. The 2015 is full on the nose with incense wood smoke. Sweet apple and pear on the round mouthful with length and depth. Nice to see what the 2017 can become; the 2018 has just been bottled. The 2016 Chenin has honey notes with yellow apple. More Golden Delicious apple on the full palate, a food wine which would be perfect with rich food like a duck liver mousse.

Then time to taste the red wines. Ryno is actually a lot friendlier than he looks when his photo is being taken! We began with the 2016 Grenache. Candy, pomegranate and cranberry on the nose, with wood smoke. Cranberry fruit, some cola and cough candy flavors’, lovely sweet fruit on the end.  The 2017 Grenache has rich cherry with smoke hints; very appealing. Soft sweet berry fruit, cranberry, cherry, long sweet and sour flavors’; needs time, but becoming good. The 2018 is light rose in color, it has had skin contact, but is from a lighter year. Cranberry and incense wood on the nose. More a rosé with body: fruit, warm alcohol and sour sweet flavors’, then some cherry. Intrigued to see how it will develop. The 2017 GSM has 45% Grenache, 43% Shiraz, and 12% Mourvedre. Spice. Incense wood, white pepper; lots of soft tannins and full of plummy fruit. We had it with our braai. Which, sadly, was a bit of a disaster. We had bought rump steaks from Woolworths and they were so heavily spiced with hot smoked paprika that they tasted like bacon. NOT what we wanted. And the Grabouw wors from Checkers was also badly over seasoned.  Luckily we had salad, cheese and ham as a backup.

A view over the vines to the dam. Tierhoek is very high in the mountains, about 760 meters above sea level; your ears pop when you drive down to the valley.

Thank you,

Letha (Malan) Oelz

Email: contact.finderzkeeperz@gmail.com

Website: http://www.finderzkeeperz.co.za/tierhoek/

Finderz Keeperz © 2017 - 2019 All Rights Reserved

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND LETHA OELZ MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. LETHA OELZ DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. LETHA OELZ WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.