So the title is a little misleading as whilst I was chosen, It was free of charge for a great cause. Earlier this year I got sent a link by a friend that was for a popular TV show who were on the lookout for a photographer to help them on set. I quickly opened the link to find out that it was for DIY SOS as they were filming in Kettering!
I sent across an email and shortly after I received a call from one of the producers asking if I can meet them on set in the next couple of days! The drive down was crazy! I struggled to park as every tradesman from Kettering seemed to be parked within a mile of the house! There were big DIY SOS tents set up with food and drink for the crew, Big metal portacabins that were being used as site offices and space to store generic filming gear and of course, A LOT of people!
I met the producer and she gave me a high vis and took me down to the house. I have never been in a house so busy before! It was worse than your grandma's at Christmas! Every trade was in this three-bed terrace house trying to get their jobs completed. It was loud, messy and I got paint on my coat.
The producer assured me that it would be finished in two days' time when the family were due back but I did not know how they would get it done.
I went back two days later in the early AM to start my photography and to my amazement, it was 95% completed with just a couple of small bits to finish off.
They wanted photos of every room the garden and the front of the house as they send the pictures to the suppliers to use. Did you know that every single thing in the DIY SOS houses is donated? From the roof tiles to the rugs! Amazing what people can do when it's for a good cause. I'll link the episode here which explains why we were doing what we did (get your tissues ready!)
I had a great time and even sat down with some of the cast and crew for lunch which was provided by a pie-and-mash street food vendor.
If you ever get the chance to work with a charity / good cause then my advice would be to just do it! You may lose some of your time but I guarantee you will make some great memories and make somebody's life much better
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