Hello everyone. I was a student of this school when filming was going on, and it seems many of you don't understand what they really were like with us when filming.
So, we had set classrooms which were rigged with Cameras. These cameras could be used at anytime, but only 3 could be recording at any time.
Some time tables did have to get changed around to make it easier for them to get in classes that they wanted to record. Which did come as a problem for the maths department.
When they first visited the school, they came around the school and asked every student if they wanted to be on the show. Most of us said yes, including me, and a couple said no.
However, teachers took it differently, as almost all of them said No to the cameras. It was left with mainly the higher ranked staff in the school.
Most teachers who I talked to (I am a very chatty person) about this, said, they didn't want the conversations they have with the students to be on TV. As many teachers are caring and do help students out in privacy. Especially the P.H.S.C.E class'.
When it come to students, only a few selected ones actually got recorded and wired with microphones. My friend called Jac (who will be shown in Episode 2) was wired with a mic, as soon as he entered the school gates.
He never complained about it, and most of the time, we forgot it was even there. And it was only taken off when he walked home.
These select people only got told to do certain things in photo shoots. Which you would expect. We were never told to play up or react in a certain way, we were always told to be ourselves.
The only time it got annoying for us, was when they interrupted our class' because the needed to get a picture of out teacher doing something stupid. And/or if they brought in a actual movie camera to record whilst on the move. Because they got in the way, and in peoples face.
The cameras used to record in the classrooms were all wall mounted cameras. They were distracting at first, but you do get used to them after a while.
When it was GCSE results day, my parents were told to come in to talk to my carriers advisor, and when we started walking through the front gates, they brought out a camera which you could see from a mile away. And the first thing my mum said was, "Yeah, I can see how that would be annoying." But I really have to say, it wasn't all bad.
If you wasn't someone they focused on, then they never bothered you. If you was someone they focused on, then they bothered you. Sometimes ever going into town and filming you get drunk. (Which they did for a group of girls) Which they didn't find annoying. However, I know I would, and my parents would have something to say about it too.
But all in all, stop moaning about it please... haha.
It was perfectly fine and hardly effected us or the school in anyway.
Hope this helped you understand!