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as told by Hipgnosis, the company who designed all of Pink Floyd's album covers.
Pink Floyd had rejected our suggestion for their Animals album cover in favor of the Pig hovering over Battersea Power Station. Despite serious misgivings about such a notion we offered to shoot the pictures and put the cover together. Contrary to our advice the band didn't want the pig "stripped in" which would allow us to photograph the pig anywhere, but wanted it shot for real, the pig actually foating above the power station. Thus the forty foot zeppelin was crated to London and assembled on location. Time-table as follows:
Day 1. Still camera crew of eleven positioned at all good vantage points, plus eight man film crew, helicopter, roadies, group and manager, and one marksman with telescopic rifle to gun down the Pig in case it should escape and fall on someone's noggin (an insurance problem). Much puffing and blowing, many gas cylinders etc, but the pig was not launched. A beautifully moody sky, perfect photographic conditions, apart from being a bit chilly.
Day 2. Eleven still cameramen, eight man film crew, helicopter, one or two of the group, manager but no marksman (?). Pig launched successfully on bright clear morning. Hauled slowly up side of building, everyone snapping away. Near the top, betwixt the towers, a fateful gust of wind. The pig turned suddenly, broke mooring cable and lurched rapidly towards the heavens. No one had told the marksman to return. The pig sailed away and was lost from sight in five minutes. Absolute horrors. All that time and money and it had simply disappeared in front of our eyes. The police trailed it to thirty thousand feet and then gave up, the cowards. That evening, the dirigible came down on a Kent farm. The farmer was reported to have said he thought it "a bit unusual"! The roadies rescued it from Kent, repaired a puncture and we started again.
Day 3. Only four or five still photographers this time, plus depleted film crew but everything went really well. Pig stayed in position perfectly and everyone clicked away, the helicopter zoomed about, and were were all delighted.
The band were equally delighted. The material, movie and still, was fine, but there was a snag. As if the whole event hadn't been enough of a fiasco and very funny at that, it transpired that the band liked the sky and power station from Day 1 (but there was no pig) and the pig from Day 3, but the sky was boring. Well, well. What could we do but strip it in after all? Pig from Day 3, dropped into sky of Day 1 and retouched. It is true that we were seen to smile somewhat when the decided to do that.
Pink Floyd had rejected our suggestion for their Animals album cover in favor of the Pig hovering over Battersea Power Station. Despite serious misgivings about such a notion we offered to shoot the pictures and put the cover together. Contrary to our advice the band didn't want the pig "stripped in" which would allow us to photograph the pig anywhere, but wanted it shot for real, the pig actually foating above the power station. Thus the forty foot zeppelin was crated to London and assembled on location. Time-table as follows:
Day 1. Still camera crew of eleven positioned at all good vantage points, plus eight man film crew, helicopter, roadies, group and manager, and one marksman with telescopic rifle to gun down the Pig in case it should escape and fall on someone's noggin (an insurance problem). Much puffing and blowing, many gas cylinders etc, but the pig was not launched. A beautifully moody sky, perfect photographic conditions, apart from being a bit chilly.
Day 2. Eleven still cameramen, eight man film crew, helicopter, one or two of the group, manager but no marksman (?). Pig launched successfully on bright clear morning. Hauled slowly up side of building, everyone snapping away. Near the top, betwixt the towers, a fateful gust of wind. The pig turned suddenly, broke mooring cable and lurched rapidly towards the heavens. No one had told the marksman to return. The pig sailed away and was lost from sight in five minutes. Absolute horrors. All that time and money and it had simply disappeared in front of our eyes. The police trailed it to thirty thousand feet and then gave up, the cowards. That evening, the dirigible came down on a Kent farm. The farmer was reported to have said he thought it "a bit unusual"! The roadies rescued it from Kent, repaired a puncture and we started again.
Day 3. Only four or five still photographers this time, plus depleted film crew but everything went really well. Pig stayed in position perfectly and everyone clicked away, the helicopter zoomed about, and were were all delighted.
The band were equally delighted. The material, movie and still, was fine, but there was a snag. As if the whole event hadn't been enough of a fiasco and very funny at that, it transpired that the band liked the sky and power station from Day 1 (but there was no pig) and the pig from Day 3, but the sky was boring. Well, well. What could we do but strip it in after all? Pig from Day 3, dropped into sky of Day 1 and retouched. It is true that we were seen to smile somewhat when the decided to do that.
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no subject
Date: 2002-12-04 03:47 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2002-12-04 03:48 am (UTC)From:Pig
Date: 2002-12-04 10:47 am (UTC)From:I also liked the name of the company--Hipgnosis. To pull out the word 'gnosis' and then pair it with hip which gives it a new slant as well as mirroring another word----well, that's creativity.
no subject
Date: 2002-12-04 03:48 pm (UTC)From: