A fascinating documentary showing the birth of television in the UK with the construction of the Alexandra Palace facilities.

Very much of its time with a very plum in mouth commentary and footage of building practices that would totally fail modern Health & Safety legislation. The technology shown, including the manufacture of cameras, is very prewar and reminiscent of science fiction movies of the period. The documentary was shown on the Talking Pictures channel and the image quality was not good - very low definition possibly due to the age of the print. John Logie Baird is shown but the studios shown appear to be operating the Marconi EMI fully electronic system. Nevertheless it contains fascinating period footage.

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

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The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

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In this film, specially taken for the BBC, viewers are given an idea of the growth of the television installation at Alexandra Palace and an insight into production routine. There will be many shots behind the scenes. One sequence, for instance, will show Adele Dixon as she appears to viewers in the Variety at 3.30 this afternoon, and will then reveal the technical staff and equipment in the studio that made this transmission possible.

Adele Dixon in Television Comes to London (1936)

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BBC Studio, Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, Muswell Hill, London, England, UK

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