Guest Lecture – Dan Shepherd – Radio Producer

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Blog post by L3 Audio Production student Gareth Bailey.

Dan Shepherd is primarily a radio producer and provider of training and teaching for people working in radio. He runs Far Shoreline Productions.

This guest lecture had Dan showing us examples of some of his more notable radio features, and giving us some insight into the production of these.

The first was an audio ‘feature documentary’ of an Australian train journey, recorded on numerous tapes in the pre-digital era for the BBC. He made the point that certain sounds on the journey were evocative, and capturing these enables the producer to build the world of the experience for the listeners…Interviews with train passengers both tell a story and evoke a sense of place, which is critical to documentary of this type, as well as a sense of the journey itself. This is so important that some of the sounds used were taken from the library at the expense of authenticity, as it wasn’t always possible to collect the audio to a sufficient standard for later use.

This sense of place is particularly relevant to our film project this term as we’ve been consciously trying to collect as much ‘authentic’ foley sound from our sets, but these have often been unusable due to external factors like traffic noise necessitating their recreation which, in turn, has sometimes led to a better ‘fit’ with the picture than the authentic sound would have achieved. This is different from radio, where sound is all, but the idea of communicating a sense of place is similar.

For Dan, the key differentiating factor with features is their enabling of depth and scope of approach. A ‘good feature will always be greater than the sum of its parts’ – a travelogue becomes more than that by telling a story and capturing the experience of others. Where news and current affairs programs condense data, feature documentaries allow the exploration of different dimensions of creativity around an idea.

Dan’s discussion of a second program on ‘cut-ups’, created for Radio 4, touched upon the importance of making your feature for a specific audience. This particular show featured a presenter working in an explanatory role as the Radio 4 audience were likely being introduced to the idea of the mash-up for the first time. For Dan, the question became how to make the subject relevant and interesting for a Radio 4 audience and this along with the prescribed format conventions when working for the BBC narrowed the focus of the show as it was edited.

Clem Loves….. Radio

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Blog post by L2 AP student Clementine Cousins.

On Monday 11th January, along with some of my fellow students, I went on a trip to visit and look around Absolute Radio, BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra. As soon as we made our way off of the coach, we walked over to Absolute Radio. We were greeted in reception and were shown upstairs to a room for a talk with Chris, Eloise and Kevin. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about how they first started out in the industry and the different job roles they had before coming to Absolute Radio.

Afterwards, we were split into two groups and given a tour around the building. It was amazing seeing all of the studios. We firstly looked around the Absolute and Planet Rock studios, and then the Magic studios followed by the Kiss studios.

Next we walked over to BBC Broadcasting House where we were greeted in reception and shown to a room, with a lovely view, to have a listen and a chat with Rhys Hughes. Afterwards we were then shown around the BBC Radio 1 studios and saw Scott Mills and Chris Stark presenting live, which was an amazing and memorable experience. We were then shown around the BBC Radio 1Xtra studios.

I thoroughly enjoyed every second of looking around; I learnt lots of valuable information that will help me whilst at University and for my future career.

Career Update – Simon Ross – 2012 Alumnus

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Blog post by Simon Ross:

Last time I wrote a post for the Audio Production blog I had pretty much just started life with the BBC. Almost 2 years down the line, I am now typing from a brand new studio desk at BBC Radio Lincolnshire at the end of what has been a very busy few months.

My regular duties are working as a Broadcast Assistant at weekends, covering the on-air broadcast of programmes on both Saturday and Sunday mornings. I will also find myself covering other programmes during the week, including Mid Morning, Afternoon and Drivetime.

So what has changed? First of all, BBC Radio Lincolnshire no longer has its own dedicated BBC Introducing programme. This is what gave me my “foot in the door” in my final year as an Audio Production student. It was a real shame to see that go; however, this developed a new opportunity for me to spend time at BBC Radio Nottingham working on their Introducing East Midlands programme.

What has been particularly pleasant is I now find myself taking my work out of the studios on a more regular basis. During the summer months I have been fortunate enough to work at various music festivals on BBC Introducing stages as a Floor Manager. I have also been representing BBC Radio Lincolnshire at major events around the county. We often have live performances from local musicians when we travel to these events, so my Audio Production degree gets put to fantastic use when I’m setting up a stage in a town market place or on the beach.

The highlight of my career so far is when I visited the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight based at RAF Coningsby. It began as a leisurely trip, but word quickly spread that “somebody from the BBC” was visiting after I had posted a tweet earlier in the day. I was invited to return to the BBMF in the latter months of 2013 for an exclusive look behind the scenes during the winter service period. This when the iconic Lancaster Bomber (the treasured aircraft we regularly see fly over Buckingham Palace, and one of only two airborne Lancasters in the world) is grounded from the skies for maintenance and repairs.

I spent a day speaking to engineers, pilots, ground crew and veterans, and produced a 5 part series which was broadcast on BBC Radio Lincolnshire over the new year. This is quite easily my proudest achievement to date, and the enormity of what I was fortunate enough to be a part of hasn’t entirely sunk in yet.

My connections with the University of Lincoln have remained very close. I have participated in a number of guest lectures and networking events, and I am always happy to speak to students and graduates seeking advice about their own careers. Contact me via email: simon.ross1@bbc.co.uk or via Twitter @simonross46

Cheers!

Simon Ross
BA (Hons) Audio Production
BBC Lincolnshire Broadcast Assistant

Nightingale & Violin Duet – 90 Years Since 1st Outside Broadcast

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90 years ago today (19th May), the BBC transmitted its very first outside broadcast and the stars of the show were cellist Beatrice Harrison accompanied by a very tuneful nightingale. To celebrate the anniversary, Senior Lecturer in radio Dylan Roys and I accepted the challenge from Reverend Mark Holden (Wragby parishes) to recreate the historic event in Lincolnshire.

Violinist Janet Welsh kindly agreed to join us in this quest and we headed off to Whisby Nature Reserve to recruit a willing nightingale to our band. As dusk fell, Graham Hopwood, our expert guide and one of Whisby’s wardens, attuned our ears to the song of the nightingale amongst the many other voices of blackcap, whitethroat and robin.

With our avian talent spotted and in full song, Janet began to play the tune Londonderry Air, just as Beatrice Harrison had done 90 years earlier. Dylan and I captured the beautiful duet with our modern hand-held recorders as trains whizzed by and jumbo jets cruised overhead.

The recordings reflect the massive changes in our sonic landscape since 1924. Graham chatted to us about the dwindling numbers of nightingales visiting Britain due to changes in their landscape and habitat too. However, the nightingale’s song remains as beautiful now as it did then.

Dylan Roys’s radio piece documenting the recording will be broadcast on May 19th on Siren FM. Listen here:

Listen to a clip of the recording here.

The piece was broadcast on William Wright’s BBC Radio Lincolnshire show on the 19th May 2014. Exactly 90 years after the original broadcast. Hear it here:

Huge thanks to Janet and Graham for helping to make this happen.

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HEADSPACE

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Blog post by Senior Lecturer Zara Healy.

Over 100 Audio and Media Production students gathered for HEADSPACE, a unique industry social event at Lincoln University on Weds 30th April. The gathering was organised by Senior Lecturer in Radio, Zara Healy.

16 industry professionals, including 6 graduates from the radio, audio and music industries attended the event. They included Tim Johns, who produces Jeremy Vine’s show on BBC Radio 2, Chris North, a Talent Manager who has represented Greg James and Scott Mills, Sound Artist Amie Slavin, and presenters from the BBC and Commercial Radio.

Four Q and A sessions allowed students to set the agenda and ask any question about careers, getting a foot in the door or setting up their own companies. The aim of the day was to get students mixing with industry contacts and gain honest, helpful advice. The result was a packed and really useful day, which ended in the Shed Pub for a drink and more discussion.

Zara Healy said “We have great contacts with the industry and HEADSPACE was a chance for people to get together, socialise and celebrate this. I hope this event is the start of more social gatherings in the future”.

Thank you to Brayford Radio for helping host the guests and Dr Sarah Barrow, Head of the School of Media for funding it.

The 45 @ 65

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Sixty-five years ago RCA Victor launched a small, round, plastic green disc on to the listening public. Journalist David Quantick charts people’s love affair with the 45 rpm single and examines one of the most important revolutions in the modern music business.

The single was always aimed at the younger generation, while the LP originally catered for a middle-aged, middle-class, well-heeled audience. The cheaper 45 took on the poorer, cooler youth market and spun with it. The vinyl single launched rock and roll, pop and the teenager on the world and provided a lynchpin for Western popular culture. It has defined the popular music of last 60 years and shows no signs of dying.

In the first programme, David looks at the war of the speeds and the early, glory days of the vinyl single, which pitted stars like Judy Garland up against Frank Sinatra and then brought audiences Elvis and Bill Haley. All this, set against a brave new world of cheap ‘portable’ record players, exotic new vinyl jukeboxes and the birth of the singles charts.

David also examines the early days of the charts, the effect the single had on that new phenomenon, the teenager, the power the TV Music shows had on the single and the cultural power of the 45, from the revolution of rock and roll to teeny and weeny boppers and glam rock’s children of the revolution.

The series features contributions from Tom Jones, actor Martin Freeman, Myleene Klass, songwriter Diane Warren, musician Soweto Kinch, Bob Stanley from Saint Etienne, Michael Bradley from The Undertones, the Reverend Run, DJ Cosmo, Pete Shelley from The Buzzcocks, Pete Waterman, as well as DJs including Mike Read, David Jensen, Johnnie Walker, Bob Harris, and Bill Brewster Neil Fox amongst others.

Presenter/ David Quantick, Producer/ Anna Harrison and Frank Stirling for Unique Broadcasting

Episode 1

Episode 2

Trevor Dann Masterclasses

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Blog post by Senior Lecturer Zara Healy.

Radio legend and Visiting Professor Trevor Dann spent two days with Radio and Audio Production students at the University in October, when he delivered masterclasses in ‘what makes a good broadcast voice’, ‘using the latest smart phone apps to source good radio’ and ‘the role of A&R’ amongst a host of other topics.

Dozens of students were in attendance as well as guests from a range of community radio stations across Lincolnshire including Gravity FM (Grantham) and Lincoln City Radio, who were invited to a two-hour masterclass on radio presentation skills. Guests posed many questions to Trevor including how best to liven up travel scripts to writing for radio.

Trevor’s advice was supportive and honest. He stressed the importance of really listening to different radio stations, podcasts etc. to encourage future producers and presenters to keep up to date with what their competitors and colleagues are doing. “The future of radio is speech” he told a packed audience, “do not be afraid to try new things and be creative, give the audience the unexpected”.

Feedback from the event has been incredibly positive and, as well as his regular guest lectures, Trevor is set to return for more workshops and masterclasses in the near future.

Symposium Summary

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On a bright and sunny first of May, the Lincoln School of Media held its 2nd Radio, Music & Sound Symposium based around the key themes of future directions & opportunities in the radio and music industries. The series of guest speakers and a panel of former LSM students were chaired with verve and humour by Visiting Professor of Radio & Sound Trevor Dann.

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The guests included Ruth Barnes (BBC6 Music & Amazing Radio) who kicked off the day with an almost breathless guide into good preparation, dogged determination and remaining focused! In contrast, Adam Bowie (Head of Strategy & Planning, Absolute Radio) provided a more sobering analysis: a ‘state of the nation’ type of address if you will, on the future of radio listening. Our third speaker, John Williams (music producer and former head of A&R at Chrysalis and Polydor records) detailed how the key relationships and dynamics between the music industry and broadcasting remain much the same, whilst the music industry adapts to the realities of a digital culture.

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After a lunch break in which our students had the chance to mingle freely with our guests, an Audio Production first year remarked ‘this has been a really fantastic first year and I didn’t think it could get any better, and then we have a day like this’!

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The afternoon session began with Andrew Wilkie (Director of Radio, National Prison Radio) providing a thought provoking insight into the role of prison based radio on the lives of prisoners. With a hint of black humour he noted that ‘you have to be banged up to hear NPR’! However, he followed this with audio clips that were incredibly poignant in terms of both their vitality and their simple but brutal honesty. Our final guest speaker Ashley Byrne (Creative Director, Made In Manchester) set out the vital and growing contribution of the independent sector to the radio industry. He demonstrated and explored a myriad of creative approaches in which radio could be made, developed and marketed. Ashley issued an open challenge to our students to take up these opportunities. The symposium ended with an LSM alumni panel session consisting of Laura Mather (Brand Manager, Smooth & Real Radio), Liam Juniper (Studio Manager, BBC WS & 5live), Matt North (TV Sound Supervisor & film sound recordist) and Laurence Whitaker (BBC Leeds/York) taking questions from students and guests. Each graduate emphasised the importance of their studies at the university in order to pursue their individual career choices. Similarly, in turn, they each encouraged all LSM students to seek out and take advantage of project and work experience opportunities.

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The day might be described in six key words, with one or more perhaps representing each speaker and the panel in turn: energetic, informative, enlightening, inspiring, enterprising and re-affirming! In summing up, Trevor Dann provided a motivating adaptation on the famous ‘JFK’ quotation when he told the students: ask what you can do for the industry, not what can the industry do for you!

Bryan Rudd
Principal Lecturer in Media Production &
Programme Leader BA (Hons) Audio Production

Essential listening – Noise: A Human History of Sound and Listening (Radio 4)

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A new series of 30 parts started today on Radio 4 – ‘Noise: A Human History of Sound and Listening’, written and presented by David Hendy. This looks to be essential listening for Audio Production students. I especially recommend it to level 1 students – my module at level 2, Auditory Culture, focuses on various aspects of the topic of noise, and this series will be very useful background material to prime you for the module. A book, based on the series, is also now available.

http://makingnoiseblog.wordpress.com

50 Years Of The Cassette

Neneh Cherry looks at the role of the cassette in music history including the role of the tape in hip hop in the 80s.

In the 80s Britain was a nation in love with the cassette. At its peak we bought 83 million and the cassette became more popular than vinyl. Then came the runaway success of digital music with formats such as the iPod and the MP3 player and the eject button was pressed on sales of the cassette.

6 Music Celebrates: 50 Years of the Cassette with an hour’s show looking back at the format’s role in music from the early days of hip hop, through the legendary NME C86 Indie compilation tape, the 80s slogan “Home Taping is Killing Music”, to compilations, mixtapes and fond memories of the cassette.

The programme features contributions from artists including Grandmaster Flash, DJ Shadow, The Black Keys, Kings of Leon, The Kills, Friends, Django Django, The Shins, Mike Skinner, Beach House, Foals, The Cribs, The Pastels, The Manics, Mike Smith, David Toop, Neneh Cherry and a tiny label called the Tapeworm, who still produce cassette-only releases

Listen to the 6 Music programme here