Summer Shorts: Compilation
As the year turns to Autumn, it felt right to bring together the short Instagram films from the Summer Shorts series.
Over the summer I set myself a challenge: find a location, compose a piece of music and create an accompanying short film.
These 11 short films and their accompanying compositions represent a body of work created during the summer of 2016.
Music was all composed using the app Auxy (www.auxy.co) and films were shot on a Nikon D5100 with a Nikon 50mm f1.8 FX Lens.
Birthday (Part 2)
This afternoon, the whole family went to the Huntsman of Brockenhurst for a birthday lunch.
The pub was so pretty — full of beautiful details and special touches — and the food was delicious. This is the kind of pub you could go back to every week and find something new to enjoy each time.
It was so special to be in a wonderful place with family and enjoy an afternoon together.
After lunch, it was time to have cake and open presents: plus the opportunity to see the scans of the new niece/nephew for the first time!
Spotify Playlist: Autumn 2016
Since giving up regular DJ sets and my radio show, I've missed sinking myself in to the art of great music selection. So playlists like this might make it as a regular feature here on this blog.
More so than anything else, I love the conversations that music creates: so feel free to use the comments or Twitter to send me your favourite tracks and playlists.
Summer Shorts 11: Mansbridge, Southampton
Continuing the summer shorts series, I set myself a challenge: find a location, compose a piece of music and create an accompanying short film.
With the weather so clear, and the sun so bright, I was unable to resist another afternoon out filming and making music. With the need for new houseplants, after a trip to the local garden centre, the nearby Mansbridge made perfect sense.
I drive past Mansbridge all the time, but the last time I remember visiting was for a school Geography trip: we had to draw the old bridge and the new bridge which sit next to each other across the river Itchen. On returning today, the contrast of the two bridges was striking: the side with the new bridge was bustling with life — families playing and kids paddling in the river — whilst, as soon as you crossed over the old bridge, the peaceful calm was striking.
Summer Shorts 10: Netley Abbey, Southampton
Continuing the summer shorts series, I set myself a challenge: find a location, compose a piece of music and create an accompanying short film.
Whilst making the summer shorts series in August, I got to Netley Abbey just as it was closing, but promised myself to come back and try again soon. Today, just as the rain started to break after a wet autumnal morning, I drove back over to Netley and to the Abbey.
As the weather started to clear, the Abbey was empty when I arrived. With the sun working hard to break through the fast moving cloud, I was joined by a newly married couple and their wedding photographers.
With the peaceful calm of the empty abbey and the stillness of the ancient structure, it was only the changing light across the old stone that brought movement to the film. The song started as old hymnal chords which, when changed to a major key, let the melodies reveal themselves over the top.
For Annora Bird
Last week, two of my best friends brought the most perfect little baby in to the world: Annora Bird. I wrote this song for her on the day of her birth.
Today, at 11 days old, I met Annora Bird for the first time. She is perfect. My heart bursts with joy and pride and wonder when I look at her, and look at my friends Davyd and Emma, and see them at the start of this brand new journey in life together.
I wrote this song as I thought about this bold new adventure they will take together; inspired by lullabies and the quiet moments of peaceful wonder that come in the stillness between the crazy haze of new life.
Today I found out that Annora hates lullabies. They make her cry. Whoops.
So, I just hope she will grow up to appreciate this gift from a new friend.
GEAR:
MUSIC:
FILM:
Travel Films: London
Earlier this year, Solent University nominated me for an 'Outstanding Contribution to Music' award from UK Music, and this week I traveled to London to go take part in the award presentation.
Carrying on from my Summer Shorts series of films, I took my DSLR and my iPhone with me on my trip to make films and write music inspired by my surroundings.
Day One: Southampton ▸ London
I took the train from Southampton Central to London Waterloo, and as I traveled I wrote a piece of music that was based around a motorik beat.
UK Music Award Presentations
I video blogged the award ceremony for the M-Tech YouTube channel.
The award ceremony, held at UK Music HQ, was a great opportunity to meet the academics, industry representatives and nominees that were part the partnership. After a meal at the Clarence we went to the O2 Academy in Islington to see the Broken Brass Ensemble perform. I'm so incredibly grateful to Solent Uni and to UK Music for their nomination, and for the award evening.
Day Two: South Bank
After staying over night night (and a lazy morning) in the Strand Palace Hotel, I spent the afternoon on Friday around the South Bank. Lunch included amazing street food, and there was a chance to find a spot by the river and write another piece of music, this time, inspired by the busy movement of the South Bank.
Day Three: Hackney Wick
fter a stay over in Bow Quarter with family, we spent Saturday around Hackney Wick. There was brunch by the canal, a trip to Broadway Market, walks through Victoria Park, all ending up with a late lunch at Billy Smokes. The day was too quickly over, and it was time to be on a train back to Southampton again. Using the travel time to reflect on the day, I wrote a piece of music to accompany the video I had shot throughout the day.
Summer Shorts 09: Meon Shore, Titchfield
This week, I set myself a challenge: find a location, compose a piece of music and create an accompanying short film.
I wanted to go somewhere this evening to see the sunset, and so I drove east to find west-facing coastline at Titchfield.
I arrived just in time to park along the sea front, find a spot on the beach, and, with my camera set up, open up Auxy on my phone and start to compose.
In some ways, I saw the sunset twice this evening: once looking over Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve, and again from down on the beach. The sky lit up in yellow the first time, and in shades of pink and orange as the sun set over the sea.
Summer Shorts 08: Manor Farm, Botley
This week, I set myself a challenge: find a location, compose a piece of music and create an accompanying short film.
A walk through Manor Farm this afternoon led me down to Manor Farm Pontoon on the Hamble river. With the sun breaking through after a cloudy afternoon, it was surprisingly quiet down by the water.
Sat on the pontoon, I put my headphones in, opened up Auxy once more and started to write again. Composing using the same app over the past week, I've started to really get to grips with the way it works, and developing a workflow that helps me get the most out of it. I'd love to see new sounds at some point, but equally, the limited choices available has made me be more decisive and get down to working on the musical ideas.
Summer Shorts 07: Mayflower Park, Southampton
This week, I set myself a challenge: find a location, compose a piece of music and create an accompanying short film.
Finishing work at 8.30 tonight meant that if I was going to catch the last of any light, it had to be close by, and Mayflower park seemed the obvious choice. Arriving to find the horizon dyed yellow and orange with the last of the dusk sun, and the industrial lights flickering on the docks, I made two friends who showed me where to climb the fence to get the best views.
As my new friends listened to Kanye West out a phone speaker — who am I to judge? after all, I mixed one of my songs on my iPhone speaker this week! — I put my headphones in and started to play with melodies and sounds.
Summer Shorts 06: Mount Lake, Lymington
This week, I set myself a challenge: find a location, compose a piece of music and create an accompanying short film.
Having spent far too long filming and writing down on Keyhaven Beach, it was becoming clear that I wouldn't make it as far as the castle before sunset, and I certainly wouldn't make it back before dark. As I carried on walking down the coast — the Isle of Wight to my right, Mount Lake on my left and the sunset behind me — the noise of day visitors was replaced with a peaceful calm.
After a couple of misfires — it's a good thing, I think, to write and throw things away — I finally settled on a melody that captured the feeling of quiet stillness that I found sat watching the sunset, sheltered by the pebbly dunes.
As if it were not already clear enough that I wouldn't make it all the way to the castle, it started to rain. The glass-like reflections of the clouds in Mount Lake becoming broken by the splashes of rain and the ripples that spread across the clear surface. With my t-shirt over my camera, it was time to head back to the car and drive back home through the forest.
GEAR:
MUSIC:
Not wanting to carry my big headphones with me on the long walk today, I decided to try writing on my Apple EarPods. Judging the bass was easier than on the iPhone speaker, but still needed some tweaking back on the car speakers later.
FILM:
Summer Shorts 05: Keyhaven, Lymington
This week, I set myself a challenge: find a location, compose a piece of music and create an accompanying short film.
I set out this afternoon with the aim of reaching Hurst Castle just before sunset. After a drive through the new forest, I arrived at Keyhaven to walk along the shore front, down to the castle. After a cloudy afternoon, at 5pm, the sky was clear and the sun was bright. Stood on the edge of Keyhaven Lake I started to write my first piece of music.
As I stood, headphones in — just the Apple EarPods this time — I was absorbed in to writing in a major key again. Walking along the water's edge, I carried on writing, as time quickly moved on.
GEAR:
MUSIC:
Not wanting to carry my big headphones with me on the long walk today, I decided to try writing on my Apple EarPods. Judging the bass was easier than on the iPhone speaker, but still needed some tweaking back on the car speakers later.
FILM:
Summer Shorts 04: Warsash, Southampton
This week, I set myself a challenge: find a location, compose a piece of music and create an accompanying short film.
This evening I set off to walk along the Hamble at Warsash. With views of marina's to one side, and coastal pools and marsh land the other side, the path leads along the edge of the Hamble river, past the ferry stop and up towards Holly Hill.
There was always going to be one time this week when I would be caught in the rain — this is the British summer after all — and tonight there was a brief moment when, as the rain drops started to gather on the camera, I wondered if I might have to turn back. But it was just a shower.
GEAR:
MUSIC:
I forgot my headphones this time, so I mixed out of my iPhone speaker whilst walking around, and then finished the mix off using my car stereo. It was surprisingly effective, although, the bass needed a complete reworking when I could finally hear it back in the car.
FILM:
Summer Shorts 03: Netley, Southampton
This week, I set myself a challenge: find a location, compose a piece of music and create an accompanying short film.
With light and time to spare after Weston Shore, I resumed my journey to Netley Abbey, only to pull in to the car park and find that it was closing. Determined to visit Netley Abbey again soon, I continued eastwards, and found Royal Victoria Country Park.
This place holds a lot of memories: we used to come sailing here as kids. With the sun starting to set, the music I created, the photographs I shot, and the film I made, all took on the locations washed out, nostalgic mood.
Summer Shorts 02: Weston Shore, Southampton
This week, I set myself a challenge: find a location, compose a piece of music and create an accompanying short film.
After last night's sunset trip, I decided to head out earlier today, and in a different direction — east, rather than west — and at just gone 4pm, I drove to Weston Shore. Or rather, more accurately, I was on my way to Netley Abbey when I got sidelined by Weston Shore.
I found myself a spot on the pebbly beach, away from the sunbathers, and started to write a song. The brighter light made me want to work in a major key. I don't often work in a major key — I find happy songs much harder to write than sad ones — but I gave it a shot: the whole point of this week is try new stuff, so it felt like the right thing to do.
Summer Shorts 01: Lepe, Southampton
This week, I set myself a challenge: find a location, compose a piece of music and create an accompanying short film.
Ever since visiting Calshot last week with my good from Emma, I have been mindful of how many beautiful places there are right on my doorstep. The other night, after posting my new EP online (an activity that has the potential to turn me in to an anxiety ridden shell of a human) I decided to put my internet browsing on hold, and take a trip out past Calshot, to Lepe. I took my GoPro with me, and filmed some shots as the full moon appeared, and having explored as far as I could before it got too dark, I swore I'd come back soon.
And so, tonight, I did.
Leaving work at 7pm, I got straight in the car: made the journey past Totton and Beaulieu and arrived in Lepe. The light was beautiful, and there were just enough clouds in the sky to pick out patterns in the setting sun. Making my way along the waterfront in the fading light, I started filming and I started composing.
Gear:
Music:
Auxy is one of favourite music creation apps for iPhone. It's simple, yet powerful. It comes with sounds and effects that sound great right away, but that also allow for the infinite tweaking and adjusting that my production brain needs to be satisfied: I love it.
Film:
I'm absolutely obsessed with this 50mm Nikon lens. Because it's a full frame lens, and my camera is not full frame (a DX model), it acts more like a 75mm lens, and I love it. Also, you have to manually focus it too, which leads to a bunch of extra work and a lot of mistakes, I can't get enough of the unexpected moments that are created because of those two things.
