30/07/2024
I've been busy over the last month working on this ace BBC project '21st Century Folk' - my job was filming the videos and recording the audio for the musical performances. Some ace talented musicians wrote songs based on the inspirational stories of some remarkable people - all related to the sea. The project saw me, Tim Hardie and Davey Poremba travel to Cornwall, Devon and Sanday (Orkney) to film the first time they performed the songs. It's the first time any of my films have been on iplayer - really exciting and all thanks to the trust and support of Kellie While and Jon Lewis at 7digital (who produce the Mark Radcliffe Folk Show for Radio 2). I'm particularly pleased with the Fishermans Friends / Seth Lakeman video, which was a serious technical challenge visually - such a large ensemble in a dimly lit church, but helped by 40 metres of net curtain material over an enormous metal frame - all transportable on domestic UK flights.
Such is the nature of broadcast deadlines, I was still making small changes and edits last week, working on my laptop on solar power, in a tent on an off-grid campsite in Dumfries & Galloway, and uploading video files via my mobile phone hotspot!
As well as the iplayer videos there is the main radio programme - a two hour documentary featuring all the audio recordings we made of the songs and some beautifully put together interviews, skillfully edited by Kellie While - well worth a listen.
I should also thank the brilliant Todd Weller and Gus Stirrat who did a first class job filming the Lady Nade / Boo Hewerdine song in Cullercoats whilst I was away in Finland.
21st Century Folk
