Wednesday 25 February 2015

Together, we will map the world

A new member on the team - William, a professional director and editor who is going to help me cook the raw footage to give to the mapping expert so he can do his graphic magic.

"What digital editing suite do you use?" I asked him tonight, and he said he did it all from a laptop, using the very same system as I spent an hour and a half downloading the other day.

"Thats great," he said, "That's 5 or 6 gigabytes, and now you can do absolutely anything yourself that a professional can do."

"It's 12 gigabytes, and I don't know how to use one of them," was my glum response. "I have a friend who is going to coach me in editing stills, but he has no experience in the video area."

No problem. My professional cameraman friend is waiting to be booked to take the footage, and William will either do the stuff on his laptop, or come round here and use my identical suite.

"Are you going to incorporate a sound-track?"

"Yes, but it will have nothing to do with the visuals until the piece is put together. I am planning on hiring a good recorder from a company, and make up a list of clips for use. For instance, I want a good-quality recording of Bath Abbey bells."

My co-producer looked up from his bright green pint of beer (yes, it really is bright green) and said, "My son is a professional sound recordist. He's got all the kit - you know, boom and directional mikes - the lot. He can do it."

I almost choked on my traditionally-coloured beer. Why, I wondered, had he not told me this before? I didn't even know he had a son, let alone a 26 year-old one in the sound-recording industry.

Slowly, it is beginning to look as though I am going to have to do some real work for a change.

The great thing about any work is that it is nice when you are finished - especially if you and everyone else likes the finished product.

13 comments:

  1. Don't you not too have a boy in the family who might be useful?

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    1. Yes, but he is occupied by editing in Bristol. I do want him to shoot the footage of the actual projection for You Tube though.

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  2. Tom, I haven't a clue what you are doing, but it's a great read.

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    1. PS--Do I have go recruit you a new member, so I'm not last?

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    2. All will become clear-ish, and yes, please take some of John's 900 members. He won't miss them.

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  3. An old friend of mine was the BBC's top sound recordist. He became so sought-after that he eventually decided to set up his own company (presumably to make more dosh); the BBC never used him again! Such is life.

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  4. Have I too missed something somewhere along the line - I shall join Joanne on the sidelines to now.

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  5. Darling Tom,

    Try as we might, we really cannot make head nor tail if any of this.

    Mapping experts, digital editing and Gigabytes..........it all sounds to be a parallel technological universe which is another galaxy to us. Even the beer is green........!!

    Whatever, we trust that there will be a grand performance with bells, whistles, a diva, a cast of thousands and a full orchestra...............all set in the grounds of Iford Manor.......at some point. Will you send our invitation in the post......we brush up nicely for such occasions!

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    1. There will be bells, that's for sure - but not in Iford Manor.

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  6. Yesterday I made a complete bollocks of trying to download google earth. Then I thought why am I trying to do this when I have a globus and a gigantic Rand McNally atlas of the world.

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    1. We keep a rocket and orbiting capsule for the same purpose. Who needs Google Earth?

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