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the lights will guide you home

Digital photography, Photoshop and Flickr and stimulated an enormous amount of experimentation and creativity when it comes to stills photography. Just browsing flickr can be amazingly uplifting at times when you discover gems that may otherwise have remained hidden.

Video photography has been more tricky because of the expense and complexity, not to mention download times for big files. However Vimeo, of which I'm a fan, is beginning to get exciting.  My latest discovery there has been ingenious tv (based I think in Berkshire).  Their Storm-chaser piece here is beautiful.

Then if you go to one of the channels you will find some amazing timelapse material including this one called the lights will guide you home posted by Benjamin Taft

Faith in human nature

One of these people is unfit to lead and should be given a hard time.
The others can do as they please.

Good morning, morning good

7am. The sun is streaming through the windows and I can see the hills washed in soft warm light. There are no traffic sounds, just birds singing and a church bell.

Is this a beautiful day making me feel happy, or is my happiness making it a beautiful day?

Daily Dose of Imagery

Some things become a habit and one of mine is to call up Daily Dose of Imagery. This is a site run by a Canadian photographer, Sam Javanrouh. Many of the photos are symmetrical often including a small and very specific detail or subject Often architecture. The colours are very much set in his style (like the symmetry). I think they're great, and what a discipline to produce a new picture every day.

Breath of Fresh Air

I've just started to piece together some useful resources for walkers. Mark Reid and Jon Mitchell have been tramping around the region and have filmed a series of guides to popular walks. This appeals to me greatly.
You can see the downloadable maps and descriptions provided by Mark on our site ITV Local. The first walk is in the Peak District - Hathersage, North Lees, Stanage Edge * Carl Wark

 

Churchrovers - re:fresh

Posting in reverse order here, so back to Sunday...

On the subject of church we have decided to explore so over the next few weeks we are going to investigate some of the more innovative offerings in the area.

On Sunday Deborah and I checked out a service held in Costa Coffee in Bradford. 're:fresh', an emerging community based at St Cuthberts Church in Wrose have struck a deal with the Forster Square Retail Park outlet of Costa Coffee and hope to hold their monthly gathering in the coffee shop on a regular basis.

I have to say it was strange meeting like this in a coffee shop with the fridges buzzing and the coffee machines producing cappuccinos while the vicar did his talk.  The slightly cramped space meant that you were locked into small groups around the tables. The subject was mission and one of the contributors was Chris Howson who's involved in a project called Street Angels who operate in Bradford between 8pm and 2am. We thought it was excellent.

There were about 30 people at this event. The community meets in smaller groups once a week and then on this scale once a month.

Meal at the Opera

A wild night out with the team at an eating house on Drury Lane (not so wild in this pic but warmed up later). Sarastro Restaurant near Covent Garden constructed like an opera set. At intervals during the meal musicians and opera singers would entertain.  This was a team meeting of ITV Local (it was never like this at the BBC)

Flickr does video

soccerman
Originally uploaded by markwaddington

I've been wondering when this would come. Seems a brave step as video is quite a different market from stills I think. For a while I have been admiring vimeo which offers a well presented site for video. The big draw of vimeo for me has been the ability to download the original files.  I shall give this a go and see how it works.

the huamn mnid

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig?

What do you think?   This looks like my normal note taking, actually!

Art, propaganda, and the worship industry

Art, propaganda, and the worship industry is the subject of this nicely put together film with author Brian McLaren who will be at the Greenbelt Festival this year. Some of the responses are interesting as he strikes a chord with Christians and non-Christians alike.

"As an atheist and one commited to see religion confined to the home and designated places of worship, I expected another terrible "worship" video" , says one.

And another, "I quit being a worship leader because of all the preasure and nonsense. Unfortunately, the thing which was meant to bring us closer to God has resulted in more church splits, and angry, frustrated musicians than I have ever seen"

The video was produced by The the Work of the People which produces visuals for liturgy. I haven't had time to explore properly yet.

Great speeches

Here's a piece of audio I re-discovered. It's from a Grace service about 18 months ago in which we invited people to reflect on what they say in their great speech. Here are some great moments from history.

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Back to life

Just posted a thought on the Grace Lent Blog. This has now become a traditional event with a growing number of contributors - a new post everyday through lent. Usually one person oversees the rota of contributors and I'm sorry to say that I usually leave it to the last minute before posting causing anxiety (sorry Jackie). The Grace website generally is a rich source of creativity and inspiration.

We've been doing some gardening today. The sun has been shining, there's a frost on the ground and  the snowdrops are coming through.  Part of the process of getting the garden straight has been to clear away the rubbish, dig out the old roots and plant some new specimens.

I know it's a cliche to use the garden as an illustration of decay, preparation and new life, but I can't help feel excited. For me it  really is wonderful seeing this small patch of land springing back to life. We've even been looking at garden furniture and a new chiminea.

Leeds Powercut

First of the Powercut programmes, featuring Stop Go, shot at the Royal Park Cellars in Leeds. The show is an experiment to see of it's possible to produce a low budget music show for the internet - while retaining some sense of quality and reward for all those involved.

Teymour Tehrani, who I met at the Leeds Film Festival, came up with the idea as a means of encouraging new music talent. He's also managed to find some excellent craft talent bringing on board Jamie Donoughue who's brimming with ideas and Rob Gardner who did a great job of the lighting.  Andy Squires - a cross between Mark Lemar and Jools Holland - is presenter.

Interlace

In an attempt to make my blogging more focused, I have decided to separate out my notes relating to work. As part of my job I am trying to understand better the relationship between audiences and broadcasters - particularly in respect of participation. ITV Local Yorkshire, for which I am responsible, is space in which I'm able to play around with public contributions (user generated content). 

Interlace is over here

Meanwhile in this place I shall blather on about this and that as the mood takes.

Radiohead's Scotch Mist

If God were a Yorkshireman

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighbourhood.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have Jesus living down the street?

And imagine if we heard that he was moving into Ilkley but we did not know where he would live or even what he looked like. I wonder how it would change the way we treat our neighbours.

Every time someone new moved in we would eagerly knock on their door with a welcome package. We'd take time to sit down and talk to them, listening carefully to everything they had to say wondering “Is this the One? Is this Jesus in disguise?”

Yes Imagine if Jesus were a Yorkshireman.
- Our father who art in Hebden

What would he do?  Would he be a carpenter, or perhaps a dry stone waller or a sheep shearer?
- Harrogate be thy name

Would we see him out  in the dales walking with his packed lunch in a back pack?
- Thy Kingsdale come,  by Ingleton

Who would be the first to welcome him - Dacre son and Hartleys, Barclay's bank or Bettys?
- Give us today our Burley Woodhead

Yes, just Imagine if God were a Yorkshireman. 

- And forgive us our Kettlesings
  As we forgive those who Kettlesing against us

Where would Jesus live - a big house in Middleton or nearer Leeds do you think?

- Lead us not into Temple Newsam
  And deliver us from Rothwell

Would we know him?  Would we respect and love him?

- For thine is the Kingsdale, the Pudsey and the Morley
  For Eccup and Eccup, Chevin End.

We pray...

Lord as you come among us, help us to recognise you among us.  Give us the courage celebrate the gift that brings life and light to all people.

Through 2008 you will be with us whatever the year brings - whether it turns out to be a sad year or a happy year you have promised to be with us. You understand our deepest need and promise to transform our darkest times into glory.

Help us this Christmas take time to look and to listen for the presence of God in those around us and learn to respond in a way that welcomes Christ into this place.

Amen

Second Chance Christmas

Remember Bad Hair Day? Well, "Want a second go at life?"  is the title of this year's campaign by the Churches Avertising Network. It's a cross media campaign - with a large input from Chas Bayfield of Orangina fame -  and includes their first venture into a virtual environment. The theme of the campaign is announced in the radio ads, in which people make contact with others they have wronged, and ask for a second chance at life

Free VJ performace application

Here's a very simple to use VJ OSX application called QWERTY VJ 2. It's free and is capable of recording a mix of clips to a movie file. Find out more from Random Function and download here

 

The parties begin

Been a busy week getting ready for Christmas. Valery, Deborah's cousin came to visit and we had a tour of the Emmerdale studios in Leeds. An amazing community if actors, production staff and craftspeople. In the run up to Christmas they have managed to shoot 18 episodes in 12 days - an amazing achievement.

In Bradford we have completed a day of Workshops at the National Media Museum for 13-19 year olds. They are making 5 films in our journalism competition. More about those in due course.

ITV Yorkshire pulled out all the stops for a great party in Studio three with a funfair and snow machine outside.

The Right Brain vs Left Brain test

Is the image going clockwise or anti-clockwise?  I can only see it going clockwise so far and am beginning to think it's a setup. What do you think?  Apparently if you see it clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain.

More on this here at VJAZART
"Azart Loves to Play when the lights are Flashing, when people meet on a common ground and the sound can be felt! Waiting for the Rush! Remixing Culture Live through digital manipulation".