On Location: MediaCityUK

We're back on location- it's 11:25, Seb is getting some scenic shots of BBC Dock House at the moment. I feel a Canon DSLR like his would be a good investment!

I've just interviewed Lisa Hill from MediaCityUK in the glorious sunshine here. A former University of Salford student, she gave us some great content for the documentary!

That makes it 2 out of 2 so far for interviews. Seb had her framed fantastically in the shot- can't wait to show you.

Down here nice and early today so we've seen the sun come up over Old Trafford to my left. Means we've enjoyed the early morning hustle and bustle of the city. Never fails to inspire me seeing so many BBC/MCUK lanyards round people's necks. I however am proud of my UoS one!

Infront of me there's that scattered line of benches, I can see a group of school kids being led past BBC Quay House, there's some sort of motivational training session happening on the lawn and there's a photo shoot going on. Very vibrant.

I'm off to Sheffield shortly, for no business, purely pleasure. Eeee that's a sleazy sentence. I'm seeing an old friend for a coffee..so I can use the train journey to mull over what we've done this week. I feel a lot has been achieved.

Outstandingly, 2 weeks in since I moved here, the course hasn't even started yet and we've got a TV and Radio programme in production. Ooo I've just seen a man drive past on a Segway....anyway, its been (as ever with my life) relentless so far in Salford.

On Location: Salford Quays

Just put our first interview for the documentary in the bag! Spoke with the cultural/arts development manager for Salford Quays- Kathy McArdle. Set outside The Lowry Arts Centre and overlooking the beautiful Quay, we're in our element today. I was so far in my element that I had a goats cheese and onion chutney panini for lunch. that never happens.

The content from the interview is first class! we're going to be able to use so much in the programme. Seb's now got his cinematography hat on - it's golden hour. I think focus pulls and slow panning is on the menu today. He's got the 550D out reeling in some really lovely footage as I sit here in the sunshine crafting this blog together.

I'm producing the radio documentary and Seb is doing the film - the aim is to explore the journey of development for Salford Quays and MediaCityUK.

Such an inspiring day - Kathy was delighted we're doing this documentary off our own back. It's exciting to think this is step 1. The emails are flowing and interviews keep getting organised. I'd give it 3 weeks until we have a first draft!

This is exactly why I came to Salford - so much opportunity here - and looking out onto that vista......... I have big ideas.

Pictorial Update

Settling into uni life a little more. Salford & Manchester and all the little areas in between make for a very exciting life. It's a lot of fun here, even if it is always grey and dark.

Monday night in Deansgate 

Chilled uno in the flat

Peel Park by the campus

Look at the sky........looks like we have a flock of Dementors flying over the uni!

Neil's Sainsbury's shop!! I'm so sure you have to spend over £100 for a delivery..... student life and all..

New life in Salford

Ciao, and welcome along to my first real blog post from Salford.

I haven't started uni yet, induction stuff starts tomorrow. We're amid freshers week currently. It's an intense week by anybody's book! Absolutely hilarious fun, exiting and unpredictable but blimmin intense.

Because you're constantly trying to meet new people, you're always on the go. You feel reclusive if you take 30mins in your room to sort yourself out!

However, the journey so far is going extremely well. I arrived on Saturday, one of the most exhausting days of my life, with a lot of fussing, unpacking and re-configuring of my life!
We've established our flat as party central haha! So Saturday night we welcomed our housemates.

The accommodation is lovely. There's a load of 3/4 story houses spread out in a square, with a big car park and reception pavilion in the middle. Each house has about 50 people in I suppose.. so there's plenty of people to meet!

Yesterday we made our way into Manchester to 5th Avenue night club. I loved that. A great indie experience, playing some proper music!- The Killers, Stereophonics, Tenacious D etc....... I mean, any club that plays Gimme Shelter upon my arrival has won me over immediately!

Tonight we're heading for more 'Bulgaria-like' clubbing territory and I'll let you know how it goes at some point later this week.

To be honest, Its a hard task to find 15mins to craft a blog together, but through some pictures, I'll show you the highlights so far!:

Donald the kitchen radio

Our quaint little kitchen. Or Party Central. Whatever you prefer.

Upstairs in 5th Ave - in the light show! 

Bringing the Rizzle! 

Bon Iver & James Blake

Finally listened to James Blake & Bon Iver's new track. Big fan of
both artists. As you know I love Bon Iver- just earlier this evening
I've bought his latest album because, as good as Spotify is, some
music you just need to own!

Well, as I'm sat here at 1am in the kitchen I played this new song on
my phone. Thoughts: Together, these two artists shoe-horning their own
very different stamps on the song..I thought it was a try-too-hard
mess.

However, I think it takes a shallow critic to listen to a piece of
music and take an instant dislike. I've since got a great pair of Sony
headphones and listened to the song properly.

Deviating slightly to James Blake- when I first heard the Wilhelm
Scream I had these cans on, and the left/right mixing, the ambience
his music creates....it was almost hypnotic. Incredible piece of
music.

When you listen to this new track with the depth and subtility of
these headphones- you can appreciate the channel mixing and hear every
sound in the song. It sounds totally different.

Even at the start of the track I was dubious...without many sounds
layered up there were some pretty amateur sounds coming across. But,
with the am-dram bongs and howls masked by some true Blake dub craft,
the song ties in beautifully with Vernon's passionate vocals.

In fact, it sounds far from messy- it sounds structured and incredibly
soporific.

Just to be sure, I've listened 3 times more on the Sony's. It's not to
be taken at face value this song.

Listen here... http://open.spotify.com/track/2BMx3N1HFThlRbiScVcDez

Nijinxky

I've had this chap on my radio show before - really enjoyed having him along. In fact it was just under a year ago that he came in and performed a stripped back single of his. That was back in the days of the 'Your Music Your Station' strap-line for Banbury Sound! I sound young, this was on my evening show, probably a Wednesday night, I liked new music midweek- I was 17 at the time!
Since then, Nijinxky has progressed musically and he's released some more fresh material. The prospects of the new record are extremely exciting too.
He's the interview from a year ago................

Louis Chadwick on Banbury Sound with Njinxky [Oct 2010]

I'd reccomend you check out his back catalogue of songs. I've used Finding A Signal from his New Sessions album but there really is a very comprehensive collection of his music out there!

I want to share with you this gem. I only happened upon this tonight because I'd forgotten his email address and needed to check his site. Found this awesome video of Rihanna covers done by Aconite Studios.
Pretty cool don't you think?



More @ www.nijinxky.com

From our Banbury Sound studios! Back in the days...............

My last weekend in the shire!

Yesterday I went on a nice drive through the country. My last weekend in the area before I head up north for city life so I thought I'd enjoy a nice slice of the country before I go. Thorpe, Greatworth, Farthinghoe, Sulgrave, Middleton...you name it, I've had a pint in their pubs in the past.

and the playlist for the journey............... http://open.spotify.com/..........

Sun studies

Part I

I've always loved sun when it comes to graphics work. It doesn't matter if you have a nice camera or how many pixels you can cram in to your videos if there's no light. Artificial lighting is something I use to bathe my work in warm light, but nothing beats the sun.

There's no need for colour correction when you can manually take advantage of the brightness, the warmth and the depth sunlight can give you.

Not to mention connotations of sun and summer with acoustic and folk music which is my favourite. It can enhance moods and music as well as photos and video.

When I went to Spain earlier this year, I spent some time using a very standard Flip video camera and doing some hand-held capture of the sun. There was no real intention to use this footage, although coupled with some of my V Festival videos, I've made a video called 'Sun Studies'.

Part II

These have received no treatment in Photoshop, just plucked straight from the tree earlier today, so to speak.

Beautiful words woven together by Bon Iver

errant heat to the star
and the rain let in
the hawser rolls, the vessel's whole and Christ, it's thin


well I know that you'd offer
would reveal it, though it's soft and flat
won't repeat it, cull and coffers that
for the soffit, hang this homeward
pry it open with your love
sending lost and alone standing offers


it is steep, it is stone
such recovery
from the daily press, the deepest nest, in keeper's keep


all the news at the door
such a revelry
well, it's hocked inside of everything you said to me


it was found what we orphaned
didn't mention it would serve us picked
said your love is known
I'm standing up on it


aren't we married?!
I ain't living in the dark no more
it's not a promise, I'm just gonna call it


heavy mitted love


our love is a star
sure some hazardry
for the light before and after most indefinitely


danger has been stole away

-

I like the ambiguity of this music, everybody has to interpret this their own way. I actually think it's a turbulent love that has boiled up over time, but it's a treasured love and one that will last forever. And knowing that is a security. 


Bon Iver - Beth/Rest

Country drive

Went on another drive the other night. I needed to go out to Badby anyway, but I thought I'd come back cross-country, take the camera and see if there's anything much of interest in the Oxfordshire wilderness.

As it happens, I'm a crap photographer. I don't have 'the eye' for photography. Still, I can try.

Here's the route:

I looked at the map and then followed my nose home.. sniff sniff. I started the photography in Fawsley, I found a nice lake, but it's all grey, low light and the photos look rubbish. 

I trundled along at about 30mph just enjoying a nice evening, I can't even remember what playlist I had on.. think it was my V Festival list, which wasn't ideal but I hadn't planned ahead and I've exhausted some of my other Spotify favourites. 

Stopped in Canon's Ashby - never really appreciated what a lovely village that is. Wished I still had my motorbike, could have such fun in that area!

Bit of photoshopping makes any image presentable. I moved on some more and found an amazing skyline. Caught these birds over one of the Canons Ashby volcanos.

On the whole, my trip was very enjoyable. Will do it again in some scorching sunshine soon, but with uni and city life approaching... got to get as much of the country in me as possible!