Multimedia at Fotopub

As the weather repeats it's ever changing rain and sun game in the run up to the Glastonbury festival and you continue on regardless, although getting more use out of your waterproof trousers than you thought necessary in June. Maybe you should be thinking about what to do this summer? A trip abroad.. perhaps Europe.. hmmm been to France sooo many times, maybe further east. How about Slovenia, it's next door to italy, on the adriatic, you could swim in the beautiful lake Bled, visit the stunning Julian Alps, take in the capital Ljubljana, visit Maribor for the world downhill mountain bike racing or perhaps visit the small town of Novo Mesto for this years Fotopub festival.

If you hadn't guessed already I am excited about the Fotopub photo festival happening in Slovenia, 25th-30th July 2011. Not just because it's the 11th year this wonderful events been happening, and because I have heard and seen so many great things about it but also because this year I finally get to go. This years Fotopub has a great lineup of mentors and events with talent such as Ed Ou, Brenda Ann Kenneally, Epsen Rasmussen and more attending and I have been looking at the site with some excitement. So I guess being asked to be a mentor and to teach the multimedia workshop has only one downside - I won't have time to go and the see all these other great talents speak. I'm sure we will be able to catch up over a beer..

It's been a long week what with us not having a kitchen (long story), a photofilm commission on the go, another in the pipeline and with Fotopub asking Rebecca and I to come and teach. It all came about through our wonderful Hinterlands workshop in Devon that we (Rebecca and I that is) ran in collaboration with duckrabbit in May of this year. It went great, so great that duckrabbit felt happy to recommend us to the Fotopub team, and I am really happy they did.

So.. If your twiddling your thumbs at home and are wondering what to do in July - head to Fotopub. And if your interested in multimedia, slideshows, photofilms or whatever you call them then come and signup for the multimedia workshop. It's going to be a great place to produce a short multimedia piece and to have a stunning week all at the same time.

MSF in Kibera

I worked with Médecins Sans Frontières the other day to produce the audio for three photofilms all about people living with HIV in Kenya's Kibera slums. The BBC world news had the piece on their front page today which I am really happy about. The pieces go back to visit three people from the Kibera slums with HIV who's lives have been changed as a result of taking ARV's over the last six years. If your interested in seeing the other pieces they can be found on the MSF site.

It was a challenging and very long day including not much sleep, too much driving, a lack of headlamps in the car and a super long edit so I'm really happy that the BBC decided to use the piece.

Hinterben

I've finally made it home after almost two weeks away being everything Hinterlands. We wanted The Hinterlands to be an amazing way to learn everything there was to know about photofilms in a low impact kinda way with a bunch of like minded people. It ended up being so much more! The talks were so inspiring I would like to thank Nick and Jonathan and everyone else who graced the barns presence.

We (Rebecca and I) partnered up with duckrabbit for this workshop and were so happy to have a group of fifteen students who by the end of five days didn't want to leave. A cook who didn't want to leave and a few that didn't even leave.

What an amazing experience!

I'll just sort through the 1111 jpegs, 2 films, 1 timeplapse and several 3d photographs to see what might interest anyone.

Ben gets his portrait taken by Rebecca

Our workshop is finished...for now

Wow! I can't quite believe that our Hinterlands workshop is over. It's been so long in the making and has just flown by. I really enjoyed meeting all of the participants and am so happy tht they enjoyed themselves and went away inspired and with new skills to add to their talents.

So much to remember from the past few days...the food, the wind, photofilms, gliders, dougie, the fire, extension leads, breakfast outside, early mornings, late nights, the groups, that fax, honesty bar, lovely cider, chorizo, jonathan worth, nick hand, beautiful photographs and my word....alive!

Leo & Briony....2/3rds of team steam getting their piece ready.

The participants, their subjects and the local community watch the weeks photofilms
The Hinterlands around the campfire
The remaining few...Rebecca, Fjona, Alice, Benjamin....Pete in the background and me (behind the lens)

The Hinterlands...continues

As I type this The Hinterlands students are getting to grips with the finer side of editing down the material they gathered out in the field on yesterdays case studies. It was a great day with a lot of happy smiling faces and a few surprises thrown in.

They have a lot of hard work to get on with now so I better go and help out..

Captivated by Georgina's talk.

Our schedule for the evening.
Is this Wasma?

Finding our way home from the pub.
The classroom.

An ominous forecast.

The Hinterlands..day one

Fifteen people arrived yesterday in the Devon countryside from around the UK and parts of Europe to participate in The Hinterlands workshop. We spent the evening getting to know each other, talking about photographs, audio and everything in between. It's on to the training today and we started with some lovely bright sunshine and a yummy breakfast out in the open.

The field kitchen
3d?

Glued to the screen

Sweden to Devon

From Sweden to Devon in the last week and not a photograph to show for it. There are photographs (why of course..) but they haven't been processed yet. Although even when they manage to reach the processed pile on the desk downstairs they will then join the infamous scanning pile - it's not to be reckoned with - ask tom.

It's been a busy time recently - and especially in the lsat few days as I have been running around putting the finishing touches to The Hinterlands workshop which kicks off in the Devon countryside tomorrow! If you want to know how to make photofilms it is the place to be - and if you like the great outdoors more than the not so great indoors then it is the course for you. Unfortunately (for you - not us) it is all sold out this year...(not next year..) I'm doing a little paperwork now but looking forward to meeting all of the wonderful people coming along tomorrow. See you all in Devon!

The photograph is a 'bride not to be' in Bristol on the day of the Royal Wedding. So many wedding dresses. I always think when I see people wearing wedding dresses for fancy dress - where do they get them from..?