perspectives. What’s new is that the rig uses a radio-control transmitter/receiver and two servomotors to control the position of the camera and snap the pictures remotely.

Richard Hudson is in charge on the set as the show’s executive producer. Knowing he has the crew until 7:00 tonight, he wants to get a few pages into the script for this project and then finish it tomorrow. He’s providing the momentum, but things move slowly. He grabs the script and looks at Bill. “We have to explain servomotors without a lot of jargon,” he says.

Bill thinks for a second and says: “When you turn on a regular motor, it runs. A servomotor moves a specific distance.” Bill turns the switch, causing the servo to move.

The script, which Bill wrote, is now labeled revision 11. To Bill, the changes seem endless, and needless. To Richard, they are a series of ever more precise refinements that aim to use as few words as possible to accompany a series of actions demonstrated in front of the camera.

“That’s perfect,” Richard says.

Here’s Johnny

“Where’s John?” someone on the set asks, and another person answers mockingly: “He’s in his trailer.” He’s actually in a small room nearby changing his shirt.

John Park is the host of the Maker Workshop and at 17: 56 he walks in, ready to go. The Pole Cam is his second workshop segment of the day. Earlier, he built the Burrito Blaster, a variation of the potato cannon featured in MAKE, Volume 03. John, who works in Burbank, Calif., at Walt Disney Animation Studios, came in on Friday night. All day Saturday was spent rehearsing the four projects they will shoot Sunday through Tuesday.

Six people huddle around John and they talk about the sequence of the build. Richard brings up the idea of explaining servomotors. “Oh,” John replies, “a servomotor has a feedback loop using pulse width modulation ...”

Richard interrupts him and the entire group starts laughing. “Simpler,” says Richard.

Bill chimes in with his definition and John tries it out in his own words. “A regular motor spins when you turn it on; a servomotor moves a certain distance.” He practices another line: “On our rig, the servos allow us remotely to tilt the camera up and down, as well as push the shutter button down.”

The script has about 18 separate scenes for this

The Maker Workshop is like demonstrating a recipe on a cooking show, but the ingredients and the process are more technical.

build. The goal is to get one or two scenes done before breaking for the night. Once the lights are arranged on the set, Greg Stiever, the director, places the two cameramen. Camera A is the focus for John when he speaks, while Camera B closes in on what John is doing. Vern Norwood, the sound guy, asks John to count to ten to test his mic. John gets to four when Vern interrupts him: “Brilliant. Most people don’t get that far.”

The first scene has John introducing the project. He starts off with a yellow Mr. Longarm extension pole in hand, then he’ll move to a workbench to introduce the rig and the servomotors. He rehearses the scene once but Richard doesn’t like something. “There’s so little to look at. Put him on a stool next to the grinder.”

“Grab your pole, John,” says the director, getting everyone in position for the first take. “Action.”

“That’s awkward,” says Michael Smith, the series producer, watching the scene on the plasma. He suggests a different way for John to hold the pole so it doesn’t cross between him and the camera. They start again.

This time John gets further but he’s stopped short again. “How is he supposed to be holding the motor?” Richard asks.

18: 41 and there’s a loud crash of glass. In another part of the room, a fluorescent light tube fell from a 20-foot ceiling — inexplicably. The crew takes note, but they keep things moving. “Action.”

There are five consecutive takes. Each time, John amazingly dials in the same energy level and focus, making any changes asked of him, and seldom introducing anything new or different that might not be wanted. It’s a lot harder than it seems. John’s tired but it doesn’t show.

“Mark it. That’s good,” says Greg after one more take, but then he adds: “Let’s do it once more.”

At 18: 50, Richard says, “Wrap. We’re done.” The next day we’re going to the zoo.

Make: 35