Discovery Channel Shoots "How It's Made" TV Show at Cardinal/Detecto

The popular Discovery Channel TV show "How It's Made" sent a 4-person team of their French Canadian crew to Webb City Feb. 27-29 to shoot 3 different segments detailing scale manufacturing processes. Beginning this Fall in next year's TV show season, Cardinal/Detecto Scale products will be on center stage shown all over the world via the Discovery Channel.

Each day, the film crew chronicled the production processes involved in a different Cardinal or Detecto scale that will be edited down to a 4:40 segment with voiceover narration. The Detecto model 437 weigh beam physician scale, Cardinal electronic EPR truck scale, and Detecto MCS food service hanging dial scale were utilized and will appear in "How It's Made" segments showing the versatility of the company's product line.

Because it is unique for the show to shoot three different segments all at one facility, the first Cardinal segment will air early in the Fall line-up, the second segment in the middle, and another at the end of the TV show season, to spread out the Cardinal episodes.

The show is translated into several dozen different languages including three versions of English: American English, Canadian English, and UK English; plus two versions of French: Quebec French and France French.

Cardinal production employees were well- prepared and easy to work with during the filming process and cooperative with extensive local TV and newspaper coverage of the event. The Discovery Channel crew seemed to enjoy their time at the factory, even stopping for lunch at local Mexican restaurant, Mucho Mexico, on the last day of filming.

Typical days averaged 12 hours shooting footage that will then be edited down to less than five minutes in the actual show. The next step in the show production process will be for the edited footage to be sent back to Cardinal Scale for the text to be written for the voiceover narration in the coming months. TV show director Francois Senecal said they have filmed over 550 subjects and that Cardinal's products will provide a good one for "How It's Made."

Joplin Globe Newspaper Articles:
"Film crew visits Webb City to learn how scales are made."
"Discovery Channel crew filming in Webb City at Cardinal Scale."

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Stamping Dept. Supervisor Bill Williams (right) shows how a pointer for an MCS dial scale is made in the Stamping Dept. Detecto's 437 is the star of the show in an upcoming "How It's Made" segment chronicling the production process involved in building it. The video monitor on the film crew's cart shows the actual footage taken during a 437 silkscreening process at Cardinal Scale. "How It's Made" Director of Photography Morris Roy examines an EPR truck scale head before filming footage of how it's built. Footage is shot of Cardinal employee Dale Whitmer performing his silkscreening process on an MCS dial scale. An EPR steel deck is transported via crane directly over the "How It's Made" camera man in Cardinal's Scale Shop. Cardinal employee Dale Whitmer (left) converses with the "How It's Made" director of photography to set up a shot for the TV show. Close-up footage is shot of the steel channel involved in the production of an EPR truck scale in Cardinal's Scale Shop. Two of the show's assistants catch a break on the floor outside the Strain Gauge Clean Room during a 17-hour day of filming. Final assembled footage of a 437 is shot in the General Line. Close-ups of many employees working will be used in the show. "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Demille." Scale Shop Manager Wes Bennett is all smiles as the film crew sets up in his shop at night. At the end of filming, the "How It's Made" crew pauses for a quick picture with two Cardinal Scale employees. The production director, Francois, and his assistant, Marty, watch the monitor to see if they are getting the right shot on camera. During the EPR truck scale segment, Cardinal's strain gauge department will be shown detailing the load cell production process. Stamping Dept. employee Travis Spencer waits to begin his work as the camera man sets up his shot for the MCS dial scale segment. The stamping involved in an MCS food service dial scale pointer is show in Cardinal's Stamping Dept. The platform of a 437 physician scale is formed in the Stamping Dept. as Cardinal employee Mike Spry performs his duties. Sparks fly as Scale Shop Welder Jacob Lake uses a cutting torch on the channel used in an EPR truck scale. "How It's Made" director Francois Senecal holds up a 437 physician scale for the camera to shoot silkscreening production footage Plant Manager Matt Stovern (left) surveys the footage being shot via scissor lift of Cardinal's robotic welder in the Scale Shop. On the first day of filming, the TV crew checks their monitor to see if the shot looks appropriate in the stamping of a 437 beam. Circular dials pass via conveyor through the paint line and are filmed for the MCS dial scale segment of "How It's Made." Powder paint is applied to the dials of MCS food service dial scales on the Paint Line as the "How It's Made" camera rolls. Cardinal painter Stephen Puckett (left) shows the red painting involved in the creation of MCS dial scale pointers. Load Cell Lead Connie Corbin (right) applies the strain gauge to a DB load cell used in an EPR truck scale. General Line Clerk Jamie Holman was shown on camera putting oranges into an MCS dial scale during finished product shots. Close-ups of a model 437 physician scale will be shown in the TV show with a "patient" being weighed on camera. Director of Photography Morris Roy (left) sets his shot while Cardinal employee Megan Sabo is used on camera for a 437 weigh-in. "How It's Made" director Francois Senecal (left) surveys the EPR deck assembly area to set up his shot in Cardinal's Scale Shop. "How It's Made" production assistants help set up their camera man on Cardinal's scissor lift for shooting aerial footage of an EPR deck.