One of my friends was watching a TV report on how Leica makes the cameras and lenses, their evolution and also the tooling used. He is a Nikon user but got very impressed about how much manual the process is. It was on a German channel and in German language. Does anyone about this TV report and how to get a copy? Thanks

-- Javier (elrebeco@hotmail.com), October 17, 2001

Answers

I did see a part of the program about a year or so ago and am also interested in getting a copy of the tape.I remember the program to be very informative and interesting. Too bad there are not more programs like this on television.

-- John Alfred Tropiano (jat18@psu.edu), October 17, 2001.

Recently there was a programme dedicated to Leica in the arte channel (a joint venture between the french and the germans). A great channel highly dedicated to learning and art. Enjoys a huge esteem here in France. It's a programme on the best designed objects of the past century. Leica camera, Vespa scooters etc. The one on leica was around 45 mins. It had some leica history, philosophy and you could see a leica techician open a camera, repair and test the rangefinder etc. You can check their website www.arte-tv.com They often sell casettes of their progammes. Hope it's the one you're talking about. I would also highly recommend the Contacts series sold by them. It comes as a two set dvds. Is based on an idea by William Klien where you have famous photographers like HCB, Koudelka, Klien and others show, talk and comment their contact sheets. Often in french but it doesn't really matter. You can learn a lot just looking at the sheets. Hope this helps. Salut.

-- Hem Gurung (hgurung@libertysurf.fr), October 17, 2001.

I don't have a copy, I know nothing about this report, I can't find anything in www.arte-tv.com, but I'll look into the matter more tomorrow. It's now time for beddy-bye.

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), October 17, 2001.

Cut and paste this for your program. I will try and translate it for you in the AM http://www.arte-tv.com/cgi/prog/fprgemis?emis=200110150220.021977-000- A

-- Brooks (Bvonarx@home.com), October 17, 2001.

Sooo, I am now up and around the ward. Solms just told me there was indeed such a TV report one month ago and they are going to phone back with more details on how we can get it from them. Please hold the line...

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), October 18, 2001.

Bad luck! Solms told me that it is impossible for them to give/sell/rent/ any such TV report because it is all copyrighted. That means ARTE is responsible. I called them in Strassbourg and they can't do it either. Also no manuscripts. That original broadcast on September 29th 2001 (in French and in German) was repeated on Oktober the 5th, 14th and 15th. No English. It will not be repeated on any known date in the near future. The only thing you can do is either mail ARTE abundantly re come-backs in the near future via [http://www.arte-tv.com/ -> ALLES ÜBER ARTE / TOUT SAVOIR SUR ARTE -> FRAGEN ZUM PROGRAMM / QUESTIONS RELATIVES AUX PROGRAMMES -> Zusätzliche Informationen zu den Programmen? -> schreiben Sie uns]. (I see no e-mail address there). Orrr..., maybe somebody here on the forum has already made a copy and wants to become rich overnight.

-- Michael Kastner (kastner@zedat.fu-berlin.de), October 18, 2001.

Good effort, Michael!, thanks anyway.

-- Javier (elrebeco@hotmail.com), October 18, 2001.

For those interested, the channel has a 1h10 mins documentary on Henri Cartier-Bresson tomorrow, friday the 18th. The film was made this year and seems rather interesting.

-- Hem Gurung (hgurung@libertysurf.fr), October 18, 2001.

There is a some programme called DESIGN: DIE LEICA on Arte next Tuesday Oct.23 night (in fact on Wednesday morning at 2.15 A.M. CET) 30 minutes long. Maybe it's the same. BTW = HCB portrait was not so impressive - at least from point of wiew of many photogs.

-- J.Major (jmajor@login.cz), October 19, 2001.