Inside A House Of Horrors
Central Coast Herald
Wednesday May 7, 2003
IT took three security guards, a large Rottweiler and his handler, across a moat, through two soundproof doors, but I was in inside the Big Brother houses.
It was pitch black, the only light coming from incongruous fairy lights dotted around. Black curtains covered the walls and floor.
It was day 10 of Big Brother, 85 to go and the Big Brother production was up and rolling. The houses have been built inside a huge shed on the outskirts of Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, 300 metres from the ever-watching control room.
The houses are separated by a high wall and inside this there are hidden cameras.
With seven in each house the producers have ensured this year that there is no getting away from each other.
Thirty five hidden cameras are dotted throughout each house, including six Zerolux cameras which use infra-red light enabling viewers to see what happens in a bedroom in the dark. Forty hidden microphones ensure that no word is missed.
At one stage, opening a curtain, I found myself staring straight into the face of Leah, who was curling her eyelashes. Quite scary really.
It takes 255 people to get Big Brother to air. Up to 10 staff watch each monitor, controlling the shots. Four staff log every conversation on computer, every second is accounted for.
Work starts at 3am on the show we see that night at 7pm on Channel 10.
Amanda Zachariah
© 2003 Central Coast Herald
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