Remembering Leo Shelton

I first met Leo Shelton when I joined the NZBC in 1967. As a huge music fan I wanted to work in radio, but I was placed in the TV film sound section headed by Ron Cook. Leo was one of the cameramen I worked with. We shot news, sports, current affairs, Country Calendar, Looking at NZ, Town and Around, documentaries, dramas, etc. A great introduction to this industry.

Leo had come from Palmerston North where he had worked as a stills photographer. He learnt framing, lighting, developing and enlarging there, but I think he wanted more adventure than being a Manawatu portrait/wedding photographer could provide.

During my first year, it dawned on me that I wasn’t particularly good at the art of sound recording – that, and the fact that as part of the job I had to spend three months of the year at Wellington Polytechnic studying transistors, resistors and other sisters that I had no interest in. That’s not entirely true, I married a film editor’s sister.

It’s a long time ago now and my memory is full of holes, but I must have expressed my doubts as a soundman to my fellow workmates, because when working with Leo he would give me the camera, his light meter, some basic instructions and I would shoot the news job while he recorded the sound.

Eventually I asked Ken White, the head of the film section if I could swap jobs, and some time in 1968 he made it happen and my love affair with the camera became my full time job. I’ll always be grateful to Leo for this.

Leo was generous with his advice and praise. I remember him once saying that I was a better cameraman than him. It made me feel pretty special at the time, even though it wasn’t true. Others who came into contact with Leo have said he was “one out of the box, a generous, caring, funny, gentleman with a kind heart, a top bloke, great shooter, outstanding lighting cameraman” – and these are all true. Leo also had a dry sense of humour and no time for bullshit. He could be described as direct - read blunt - but he was also kind, supportive and fun. It’s legend that he coined the word “spoon” as another word for an inexperienced (spoon-fed) journalist.

But it’s also true that Leo spent a lot of his life working with journalists. As well as the routine stuff in New Zealand, he filmed in Vietnam, Timor and other life threatening situations. Many news people sent messages of love, praise and sadness to be read at his funeral. One of the stories that emerged was when Leo was on an overseas junket travelling with Prime Minister Norman Kirk. It was a day off, and Norm was relaxing by the pool with his secretary. Norm saw Leo pointing the camera at him and took exception to this – I don’t think Norm’s wife knew of this friendship. Norm was shouting at Leo to stop and when he didn’t, Norm stood up and advanced. Leo kept the camera rolling and apparently somewhere in the archives is footage of Norm, less than fully clothed advancing angrily towards the lens. Today that would be lead item, but in those days the news was not a reality entertainment show.

Leo also worked on dramas. The NZBC’s first colour drama was The Killing of Kane shot in Hawera. Wayne Williams was the DP/operator and Leo his assistant. I was lucky enough to be there, writing sheets, carrying gear, soaking up life on a drama shoot and taking the odd still picture. Another special experience for a couple of likely lads.

Lighting Cameraman Michael O’Connor rang as I was writing this and spoke highly of Leo operating for the Children of Fire Mountain series shot in 1979. A gruelling 18 week shoot at Bethells’ – a gravel road then. Mike provided this picture of Leo on the crane, letting a young actor look through the lens.

As a friend, Leo was extremely generous. I recall visiting Wellington from Dunedin, and having no vehicle, Leo lent me his treasured two-door Mercedes convertible for a few days. On that same visit, he was having a barbeque and was too shy to invite the beautiful woman who lived in the opposite apartment. So I knocked on her door, explained the situation and invited her. This was Anthea who became his wife and mother to his two girls Phillipa and Erin-Monique. These women were supporting him at the end. A strong family.

I posted a couple of photos on Facebook and the response from his old workmates, has been heart-warming.

He was a mate and our friendship always picked up where we left off. He was the only person who called me Pooh (I’m still not sure why). The last time I saw him was after a FOG (film operations group – another story) reunion in Plimmerton 2015. He invited me for lunch at his place in Upper Hutt.

He often didn’t say much, but when he spoke it was worthwhile listening. My life is richer for knowing him. Already I can sense a Leo-sized hole in my world.

Peter Janes