FANS of the TV showY Gwyll/Hinterland are familiar with the faces in front of the cameras, but what about those behind the scenes, such as Paul Davies from Aberarth.
Known throughout the county by his nickname, Paul Bach, the location manager is credited on TV as Paul ‘Bach’ Davies.
The former Ysgol Gyfun Aberaeron pupil’s impressive CV goes back to 1994 and includes programmes such as Belonging, Shackleton, Torchwood, Sherlock and Doctor Who, as well as crime drama Y Gwyll/Hinterland, which will return for a third series.
For Y Gwyll/Hinterland, the crime drama starring Richard Harrington, Paul Bach has been searching his home county for the perfect locations for the show, and those locations are now being shown around the world.
Looking back on his career as a location manager, Paul says his father is the reason he works in television.
“Evan John Davies, my father who passed away in 2002, is the main reason I am doing what I do. He was a very keen amateur dramatic and part of Cwmni Drama Tynygwndwn and also a member of Cwmni Actorion Theatr Felinfach.
“If it wasn’t for the fact he approached the actor Dafydd Hywel who was touring with a theatre company at Theatr Felinfach and mentioned to him that I was looking for work then my life would have been very different.
“I never thanked my father properly for doing this, which until this day is a huge regret.”
Recalling his childhood, Paul added: “When I was in primary school I used to put on plays in my brother’s bedroom.
“I used to build sets out of bits of wood and paper – the Cambrian News actually – and then dress up as various characters and make up plays for my brothers to watch.
“I had to bribe them with sweets to actually sit through my made up plays. From a very early age, drama was a key part of my up bringing. I knew from the word go I wanted to do something that involved theatre and performing.”
He later joined the drama club at Theatr Felinfach under the supervision of Susan Phillips and Hywel Evans.
“Then, after a few years, Euros Lewis took over as the drama lecturer at the theatre and this is when I really started taking drama seriously. He was a huge influence and always had time and patience with all of us.
“Once I finished school I did try for various colleges and jobs within the theatre world, but to no avail.
“I eventually got offered a position on a Youth Training Scheme at Theatr Felinfach.This was a dream come true. Working in a real theatre and getting paid £26 per week.”
After Felinfach, Paul went to work as a stage manager with Theatr Crwban, based in Aberystwyth (Ellen ap Gwynn was the administrator) and toured Wales with various theatre in education productions and various other productions. I never dreamt that one day I would be working in TV,” said Paul.
“My first TV production was for a company called Penadur on a production called Llyffant (filmed in Llanddewi Brefi) and then I moved onto HTV on Rhagor o Wynt with Dewi ‘Pws’ Morris.
“From this point on there was no turning back. My big break as a location manager was on a drama series called Pris y Farchnad (based in Carmarthen).”
Explaining what a location manager does, Paul said: “Location management in brief is all about reading a script and then going out and finding the location.
“It’s like reading a book, and when you have a picture in your head you then have to find that picture and turn it into reality and try and make sure that 10 other people have the same kind of image in mind.
“It’s one of the best jobs in the world as I get to meet so many people and see so many different places. I mainly work in Wales, but have filmed in Canada and Prague.”
He went on: “Over the years I’ve done all sorts of productions and had to arrange all sorts of locations.
I had to arrange for an ostrich to be standing in somebody’s kitchen and a flock of sheep in somebody’s white carpeted-lounge. I recently worked on Y Syrcas where we had to arrange accommodation for two live elephants from Germany.
“One of the biggest privileges was to work on Dr Who, and when I saw a real Dalek it took me back to my childhood and hiding behind the sofa. From that came work on Torchwood, Sherlock, Tracy Beaker and more.”
Working in his home county for Y Gwyll/Hinterland is a career highlight for Paul.
He said: “The most enjoyable and proudest production has to be Y Gwyll/Hinterland. The fact its set in Ceredigion, my home county, was a just a dream come true.
Paul is currently working as part of the location team supervised by Gareth Skelding on The Bastard Executioner starring Ed Sheeran and Mathew Rhys.
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