Happy Birthday Mike Bulley - 23 January

Born in Winchmore Hill North London, Mike had no aspirations to join the film industry, but grew up when cinema was an important part of every child’s life, 'Because that’s where we all went on a Saturday morning'.

At primary school his class house name was Aylward about whom he knew nothing, until a major film came out called “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness”, starring Ingrid Bergman as Grace Aylward. It had a catchy song, so captivated his and many other children’s young imaginations at the time. I

Mike had no idea that it was made in Borehamwood and not China. Cinema on wet Sunday afternoons as a teenager became a regular event, so he came to have some interest in the craft, but still didn’t know one could actually get a job making films.

“Midnight Cowboy” came out directed by John Schlesinger and that sparked a greater interest. Mike wanted to see how they made films. Little did he know that he would one day work on “Yanks”, another of Schlesinger’s films, later on in his career.

Mike left school with an interest in photography, developing and printing his own black and whites, whilst smelling the house out with chemicals in a makeshift blacked-out kitchen darkroom. With these skills and not much else, he presented himself to the local youth employment office where a lady scrolled through hand written cards with various job vacancies and pulled out his future. It was a job at Gateway Film Production, a documentary film company just a bus ride away in Palmers Green.

Mike did a bit of everything in every department and eventually became a trainee assistant editor with an ACTT union card. 'Editing taught me a lot and stood me in good stead as my career progressed'. However, his real goal was the camera department. Bill Burrows, the Union official, eventually let him go freelance and join the grown-up world. Then, like a fifty year whirlwind, it was over.

In those years, Mike travelled the world, met some amazing people and made many friends. From his early days as a clapper loader shooting an untold number of TV commercials with both Tony and Ridley Scott, plus many more names he could drop, it was a massive learning curve. Mid- seventies Mike was called out to Switzerland to work on a feature called “Silver Bears” and met life-long friends Roger McDonald and Mike Roberts.

Mike with Rock Hudson

Mike Roberts guided him through that period, working with his DoP Ted Moore on a number of films including “Clash of the Titans”. Another great DoP he learnt from was Chris Challis, whose credits include “Force Ten from Navarone” and many more. He could have stayed as an assistant forever, but finally took a leap of faith and became a DoP, with the encouragement of some of the aforementioned directors. He worked out of most European capitals, shooting commercials with overseas production companies.

What Mike loved most though, was working at Shepperton or Pinewood, where all the construction and camera crew’s faces were familiar, but more importantly the electricians. 'They were a DoP’s backbone, the guys that made your days easier and made you laugh!'

Mike on Clash of the Titans

Shooting a Grundig TV ad for Spots at Shepperton...

'They had Dracula’s castle exterior silhouette and an interior set. A young couple’s car had broken down at night near the castle. They enter to find a TV on and sit to watch. Dracula does away with the husband, the girl faints and has to be carried upstairs by Dracula. Now it might have been the catering that caused the problem, but as Dracula bent to lift up the actress, he let out an almighty fart. Well, the electricians, props, camera crew etc., lost it and it took a good ten minutes to restore order. Every time Dracula went for another take the sparks couldn’t contain themselves'

'Thanks to everyone I know for the camaraderie fun and laughter for the last fifty plus years'

Have a great day Mike!!