Saul Leiter

Ooh Photoshop, ooh new digital camera, ooh face-recognition software. All a load of toss. Here’s what you can do with a small camera and your own way of seeing the world (and to develop that costs nothing):

360

I would love this to be a post about how I finally nailed a 360 on a BMX but it isn’t.

Went to Plymouth University yesterday with a group of artists and film-makers to learn about 360 degree film: a technology that allows you to film and project right round your ‘ead.

Interesting and quite a challenge. There are essentially 5 projectors in the ceiling of the ‘tent’ or other projection space. You could use the 5 projectors separately and have 5 different films/shots/images going (to really do the audience’s head in) or you could use the 360 degree camera. This is a red box about the size of a loaf of bread (up on its end !?) with 5 lenses: the images from the 5 lenses are merged one into the other with software, leaving you with a 360 degree view.

It has fried my head a little but we’ve all been invited to write and film a short ‘piece’ to be shown in Weymouth this Summer. I’ll keep you posted.

In other news, Paul Machin and I are continuing to churn out great songs and have plans to do ‘something’ live soon. Like you care. Also, if you yourself are stuck for a chord progression you could try: Bm9/E7/Bm9/E7.

Suit yourself!

Here’s a still of us testing the camera:

I Get That

New Valley Brides song up on myspace called I Get That. Written by Paul Machin it is a timeless piece of great songwriting. I was honoured to put a half-arsed acoustic guitar on it.

A happysad treat.

Gig review

Pete Millson stepped up to the mic (and then sat down) to tumultuous applause (?). The opening song ‘I’ll Remember You’ was bittersweet, heart-rending and he only forgot the words to one of the verses. The rest of the set (two other songs) were delivered with fevered passion. The crowd were left in pieces emotionally and Pete walked off to the bar to get a pint, chat with the fans and eat the free chips.

Some of the above could be true.

Just listened to Boo Hewerdine’s album ‘Thanksgiving’ this morning. It’s very happysad.

Coffee anyone?

River Cottage

Picture the scene. You’re in Axminster in Devon (only just in Devon, Dorset nearly), you’re hungry and you need to hear some original songwriters and their songs. Well, you might find your prayers answered if you pop into the River Cottage Canteen at about 7.00pm. I’ll be there with a guitar (sadly not doing the gig with Paul Machin but Paul and I are planning musical treats for May) and three new songs that Paul and I have written: ‘From The Blue’, ‘I’ll Remember You’ and ‘Something I Can’t Have’.

I have about 100 films to process. That’s not bragging; that’s complaining. I’m doing a project with composer Robert Lee to make a stab at answering the question ‘can England still be found at the seaside?’. I don’t know what England means so I’m off the hook as far as coming up with a definitive answer. Robert is going to write music and combine it with found sounds of the seaside (we already have a recording of a drunk woman having a go at us in a pub garden so, off to a good start).

Haven’t got any photographs to post just now as I’m behind with my processing. Good excuse eh. Could be that I haven’t taken anything good for ages. Not true.  Just haven’t seen any of them yet.

I’m on Twatter if you care: @petemillson

Off to photograph a group of dancers in Weymouth today.

Picture of my ‘look’ at the moment according to Tom Cox:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a lovely weekend!