About 24 Hours in A&E Season 0, Episode 1 : The Making of 24 Hours in A&E

24 Hours in A&E is one of Channel 4's groundbreaking and critically acclaimed programmes. This documentary takes a look behind the scenes at how this large-scale production is made through every stage of the process. It asks why King's College Hospital allowed the cameras in, what impact the series has had on the hospital staff, and why the public agree to be filmed. Unlike most documentaries, the series captures life in the Emergency Department using what's called a 'fixed rig'. This programme captures the rig being set up, as 92 remotely-operated cameras, 100 microphones and 16 miles of wiring are installed in the department by technicians. The programme shows how the crew of 170 - an unprecedented number for a documentary - is assembled and trained. The team work on site for six weeks of non-stop round-the-clock filming, handling 8000 hours of footage to make 28 episodes of the series, which is broadcast in 54 countries. Months of preparation and detailed protocols are drawn up between the hospital, the production company and Channel 4, to ensure that the programmes can be made in such a sensitive environment without adversely affecting the work of the staff, or the care they provide for patients. The programme talks to staff about how they've been affected by the series and also revisits some of the most dramatic cases featured to see how patients and their families felt about being filmed and how they've got on since they appeared.