Footprints: In Somerset

The MattCam Edit

By Tom Pearson - Creator, Producer & Director

The idea was simple - have a novelty camera, a camera to capture events from an alternative point of view. We would then use some of the shots in the main programme as 'fillers' and dump the rest.

I decided that as Matt was the most 'off the wall' character it would be only right for him to carry this camera and shoot the world from a 'Matt perspective'.

He was given an old 8mm camcorder to use during Footprints: In Leek Wootton and he began filming. The last location of the day was The Anchor pub, and while he went to get the drinks in Matt left the camera next to a plant pot on the ground by their table. When he returned with the drinks he accidentally kicked the pot, which tipped up and drenched the camera with water.

The camera fizzled and died and would no longer turn on or even eject.

Still to this day I haven't been able to extract the tape. Maybe one day I will get around to unscrewing the pieces, prise out the tape and watch The MattCam from Leek Wootton.

Months later, when preparing for Footprints: In Somerset, I was still sure that I wanted this alternative point of view so when putting in my equipment hire order I included a camera for Matt worth well over £1000... I made a mental note to remind him to keep it away from water... then insured it heavily with the hire company!

So on the first day of Footprints: In Somerset I handed Matt his camcorder to use throughout the week to shoot whatever he wanted... and he did... he came back with over 17 hours of footage!

When Patrick (my editor) and I came to view what he'd filmed we were rewarded with some real gems. Each morning Matt had 'signed on' and each night he had 'signed off', providing us with comical links for each day in the main programme. We also included some of his pieces to camera from a number of the locations. We also decided that as there was so much great footage of the week, we really should put together an alternative version of the week from through the lens of MattCam...

The MattCam edit is a unique behind the scenes look at Footprints: In Somerset plotting the five days from a viewpoint only hinted at in the main programme.