My first week
December 11, 2009
Posted by Katie Day in: Watershed | Innovation | Technology | Recruitment | Add a commentHi there, I'm Katie Day, the newest addition to the iShed team. Over the coming year I'll be running a new programme: Theatre Sandbox (like Media Sandbox, but with Theatre).
My background is in theatre, and for the last 6 years I've been running my own experimental theatre company full time - www.theotherwayworks.co.uk
I'm based at Watershed for 12 months as part of a Cultural Leadership Placement, so I'm here with two hats on: one to run the Theatre Sandbox scheme, and two to 'develop as a cultural leader' (whatever that means exactly).
This week has been mostly about working out what goes on here at Watershed, iShed, and the Pervasive Media Studio, and who everyone is, and what they do. So, quite a lot then.
Hard to sum all of that up, but here are three things that I've heard people say in meetings this week that have stood out for me (mostly because they're a bit wierd or funny):
- The rendering of fur is a real problem
- Thank God for the Coen Brothers
- I'm very excited by archives
They make a bit more sense when the contexts are explained. Here they are below in the same order:
- In relation to the animation industry, and the creation of furry or animal type characters
- In the Monday morning meeting, in relation to box office takings from the Cinemas
- In relation to future digitisation and re-presentation of archives
I've received a very warm welcome, and have been inspired by what an open and collaborative organisation Watershed is.
I've also, most importantly, eaten some very nice soup in the cafe bar.
See you on Monday.
Attending C&binet - what can it possibly achieve?
October 13, 2009
Posted by Clare in: Events | Watershed | Innovation | Technology | Add a commentIn a couple of weeks time I am attending C&binet (The Creativity and Business International Network), a three day conference bringing together creative businesses and leaders from around the globe.
C&binet was created by the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of Creative Britain's 26 commitments to bring the creative industries into the mainstream of the UK economy. The event's themes include access to finance, new business models, developing talent and securing creative rights. I am participating in a digital economy fringe panel led by Simon Evans of Creative Clusters and was asked by Alastair Findlay of the C&binet team to put together some thoughts for the conference blog on what I hope it will achieve:
What can C&binet achieve?
Producing a purposeful international dialogue around the challenges and opportunities of the creative economy is no small undertaking given the diverse set of interests, disciplines, business models and organisational cultures at play. What then are my hopes for C&binet? It is this very diversity (in attendee and theme) which plays into the concerns of Watershed, a ‘cross art form’ media centre established in Bristol in 1982:
As we know, the creative industries are going through a period of rapid change. As technologies converge and platforms proliferate, finding time and space to develop content, applications and services which capture imagination and deliver value has become even more tricky.
Across our artistic programme, through investment and support schemes like Media Sandbox and in The Pervasive Media Studio (an open innovation research space), Watershed seeks to develop meaningful opportunities for future, emerging and established talent. By joining up creative businesses, artists, researchers, technology firms and (critically) an engaged population of early adopters, we are able to link knowledge, explore new markets and produce innovative ideas, products and processes. But this space is high-risk and there is both challenge and opportunity in responding to demand with an open approach. A need for new thinking is required:
Public service content for instance is being redefined by the inexorable spread of digital connectivity. Digital Britain says 'Public service content in Digital Britain now comes from a much wider range of sources than in the analogue age’. Like Tate, the Royal Opera House and RSC, Watershed’s creative content now reaches a wider public online than through our physical building.
The combination of digital disruption and the UK’s global advantage in high-quality arts and broadcast provision provides huge opportunity: to engage more widely, to explore the pervasive power of 'prosumer' creative energy and to pioneer new forms of economic, cultural and social value. But significant culture shifts will need to occur to enable meaningful, equitable models of collaboration in this space.
For the UK the policy challenge is how we resource risk in a public funding climate that defaults to tangible known and measurable outcomes in conventional economy terms.
To push the boundaries of new technologies, engage the broadest pool of talent and stay internationally competitive we must involve a diverse range of producers and users from across the value chain, understanding that current mechanisms of support and development will be challenged to their core.
My hope is that C&binet will inform and sustain a genuine and meaningful commitment (from those working in the creative economy as well as from policy makers) to cross-sectoral collaboration which responds to this fast moving world with open, engaged ways of thinking and working.
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If you want to get involved, C&binet will be streamed live. You’ll be able to comment on the sessions during the live streaming and feed in to the debate. You can also submit your comments and questions in advance and follow the ongoing debate through the blog and via the c&binet twitter feed.
AntiVJ Artists' Showcase and Discussion now on dShed
September 28, 2009
Posted by Shirin in: Watershed | Innovation | Technology | Bristol | Add a comment
International visual label AntiVJ visited Watershed earlier this month for a showcase of their recent projects and an in-conversation presentation with Watershed's Head of Programme Mark Cosgrove and HP Labs' Research Director Phil Stenton.The event included a talk by AntiVJ member Joanie Lemercier, the demonstration of a 3D installation using AntiVJ's stereoscopic software and a lively discussion on the impact of utilising today's technologies, the relationship between technology and narration and the future of 3D in and outside cinema.
AntiVJ, who received international acclaim for their installations and projections in Montreal, Brussels, New Songdo City and Shanghai, combine powerful video projections with digital mapping techniques and holographic illusions to offer an alternative perception on social spaces and cultural communication. Offering a compelling insight into why AntiVJ are at the forefront of a new, boundary crossing art form, the showcase is now online at dShed.
dShed is Watershed's online showcase of digital creativity being produced in the South West of England and beyond. dShed provides a publishing platform for artists, media producers and communities and a space to view, explore, create, learn, discuss and debate about creative digital media and culture.
News from the Pervasive Media Studio
July 8, 2009
Posted by Clare in: Innovation | Technology | Bristol | Add a commentSome of the latest developments and events at the Pervasive Media Studio.
News:
Traces Of Hope wins One World Media Award:
Traces Of Hope, an ARG (Alternate Reality Game) launched in October '08 for British Red Cross written by studio resident Hazel Grian and produced by Bristol digital agency Enable has won the One World Media Award's New Media Award.
Graduate and New Talent Residencies open for proposals:
Do you have an original idea or project which uses wireless, mobile, display or sensor technology? Have you been working on a creative technology application that you would like some time and support to keep developing? The Pervasive Media Studio is offering three-month residencies in its unique research space for new talent wanting to develop a pervasive media project.
Instant Graffiti at BBC Village Screen, Glastonbury Festival:
The Village Screen at this year's Glastonbury Festival was a unique collaboration led by the Region’s 2012 Creative Programmer, Glastonbury Festival, Team South West and Relays and including the UK’s network of Creative Programmers, screen agencies and the BBC Big Screen Live Sites team, featuring PMStudio Resident Tarim with his Instant Graffiti which was developed as a Media Sandbox 2008 commissioned project.
BBC Learning Pervasive Media Lab
On Friday 26th June, we ran a pervasive media lab, produced with James Richards of BBC Learning and facilitated by Ed Mitchell. The aim of this event was to build new relationships, project ideas and understanding between BBC staff and creatives working in pervasive media. The innovation lab format went down brilliantly with one BBC executive saying it was one of the most productive meetings he had ever been to. We are hoping to run some similar events in the future.
Read more: http://www.pmstudio.co.uk/news/2009/06/29/bbc-learning-unplugged-pervasive-media-lab
Events:
Invitation to attend Media Sandbox commission Street Art Dealer Launch:
Thursday 9th July | 6 - 9.30pm | 74 – 76 The Horsefair, Broadmead, Bristol
Mark your diaries as next week, C6 and Steal From Work invite you to the Bristol launch of ‘Street Art Dealer’. The team will launch an exciting exhibition, headlining works by Turner Prize nominee Tomoko Takahashi and James Powderly of Graffiti Research Lab; and showcase innovative uses of QR Code technology within the context of Art. Please join us.
Open Studio Fridays:
Every Friday from 9.30am – 5pm
Inspired by Jelly in New York, every Friday the Pervasive Media Studio opens its doors to anyone who fancies some casual co-working. Open Studio Fridays take place every week and are open to people of any profession/interest.
Read more: http://www.pmstudio.co.uk/open-studio-Friday
Sign up to receive Studio newsletters at http://lists.pmstudio.co.uk/listinfo/announce
New Opportunity: iShed Associate Producer
July 8, 2009
Posted by Clare in: Watershed | Innovation | Technology | Funding | 1 comment so farCultural Leadership Programme Peach Placement – a grant of up to £28,000
Associate Producer – iShed
November 2009 – November 2010 (12 months)
The CLP is offering an exciting opportunity for an emerging leader to work at a strategic level as an Associate Producer within iShed. The placement will focus on managing and producing a new national commissioning scheme around technological research and development for theatre companies. The placement will also provide an opportunity to catalyse new ideas within the organisation and deliver collaborative, innovative projects utilising creative technology.
The ideal candidate will be an ambitious, entrepreneurial leader with a curiosity for the role that technology can play in theatre/live performance. With strong creative thinking and organisational skills, they will be highly motivated and eager to contribute to iShed’s innovative work in the Creative Technology arena.
CLP Peach Placements are an eclectic and dynamic range of leadership opportunities for emerging and mid-career leaders, encouraging ‘learning through doing’, with the expectation that the transition from shadowing to delivering will be a quick one. Each placement will be guided and supported by some of the most respected leaders and organisations in the industry.
As part of a cohort of nine placements, there is also the opportunity to network through a series of development and training sessions, enabling wider peer to peer support and learning.
See full details, how to apply and information on the other placements available at the CLP website.
