About Us
The People Behind The Magic
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Simon Ashcroft & John Humphrys |
The Magic of Making was dreamt up by Simon Ashcroft, and you can read how it first came about on our History page. Simon started working in the TV industry in late 1981 when he joined the Telerecording department of the BBC in London, and it was there that he started to develop his skills in video editing. After a brief spell with BBC Enterprises (now called BBC Worldwide) he left the Corporation to set up his own company, Ace Editing. Among those backing his venture were former BBC News producer Gordon Carr, whom he had worked with at BBC Enterprises, cameraman Peter Mathews (seen top right with Ace Editing runner Paul Middleton and Simon Ashcroft during the filming of Beer...for the Grown-Ups), and the celebrated journalist and broadcaster John Humphrys.
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Gordon Carr |
Gordon Carr started his journalistic career in newspapers, and joined the TV news department of the BBC when it was still broadcasting from Alexandra Palace in north London. Together with cameraman Peter Mathews, he was responsible for the home and overseas coverage of many royal visits, enabling the two men to boast that the Royal Yacht Brittania was their second home! He also launched the first programme of subtitled TV news for the deaf and hard-of-hearing - News Review - and has written a book about the Falklands war.
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Philip Rogers |
Ace Editing soon became a hugely successful company, winning the editing contracts of some highly prestigious programmes such as Later With Jools Holland, Blue Peter, Ready Steady Cook and Esther, as well as a lot of re-versioning work for the home video release of Doctor Who and other popular BBC-TV shows. It was during this time that Simon thought up the idea of making some short programmes about the processes behind how things are made, and with the help of Gordon, Peter, and other members of the Ace Editing staff, series 1 of The Magic of Making was born. Peter Mathews photographed the whole of the first series, accompanied on location by Gordon, who had suggested many of the locations in and around his beloved Yorkshire. Simon's work at Ace meant that he could only be present at about half the shoots, but he edited, scripted and narrated every film.
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Simon & Philip on location |
In 2003, Simon sold Ace Editing and moved to Devon with his young family. He re-joined the BBC where he met up with his old friend Philip Rogers. Philip had joined the BBC in 1981 - at the same time as Simon - and initially started working as a studio engineer in Cardiff. In 1983 he moved to London and joined BBC TV News where he gained a traineeship as a director. During this time, he worked on Newsnight, The Money Programme, Breakfast Time, TV coverage of state events, as well as all the daily news programmes. He also worked on News Review, little knowing that the programme's producer would soon come into contact with his friend and colleague Simon at BBC Enterprises!
In 1992, Philip was asked to help re-invigorate the failing local BBC TV News output in the south west of England, and within a year BBC South West's TV news magazine became the most successful of all the BBC's regional news programmes in the UK. Philip has now settled in Devon, where he still works for the BBC.
In 2006, with the first series of The Magic of Making now selling successfully on DVD and to broadcasting companies around the world, Simon felt it was time to make a second series. "Cog on the Box" was formed and, in 2007, Philip was delighted to come on board. In April of that year, the two seasoned professionals set off across the UK with camera, lighting and sound equipment on an adventure that would ultimately lead to The Magic of Making-2 becoming a reality. And rest assured: they are already planning series 3!
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