The Magic Of Making on sale now

This month sees the release for download of a series of twenty short films that hark back to a golden age of classic children’s television. The Magic of Making is a kind of ‘How It Works’ for kids, but with enough wit and humour to keep the adults entertained as well.

The Magic Of Making has been distributed for broadcast by BBC Worldwide, but at last it is available for download, as well as on DVD. Packed with information the series, complete with a witty and beautifully written commentary by one of the films’ producers Simon Ashcroft, takes the viewer to prestigious and interesting locations such as Buckingham Palace to examine the Queen’s roof, the reactor room of nuclear power station to witness electricity generation and the Royal Mint to see how money is made; this, in addition to visiting a farm, a brewery and among many other fascinating places, an ice cream factory.

The producers of The Magic Of Making remember with great affection what they were served with when they were youngsters, and want the present generation to experience that style of programme for themselves. “If the subject is interesting enough, there is no need for fast cutting and special effects; just let the pictures tell the story rather than showing off the edit suite’s toys.” So says Chris Wadsworth, one of the series’ editors, and the man behind the cutting of Blackadder, Only Fools and Horses, Absolutely Fabulous and most recently Count Arthur Strong – in fact practically every successful sit-com the BBC ever made.