...

still alive but the doc has had to take a back seat for a few weeks while i've been sorting out my work as well as releasing a cd with my band. but i'll be back into it very soon, even though i'm somewhat afraid to return to it. there is just so much material to get through and so many more possible things to shoot for it that i almost never want to stop accumulating material. it could be a reality series instead of a one-off. my mind is even drifting towards a sequel of sorts, or even regualr updates in a video podcast form - a little update on the bands, maybe promo videos or performances every couple of months. must concentrate and get the main event out of the way first!

shark fishing

production stumbles on. it has taken a back seat lately as i've been sorting out work, my band, my new flat and the editing system. but i've begun the task of digitising everything so i can begin the long and arduous process of logging the material, choosing the best stuff and then assembling the story. the hardest part for me will be stopping filming - i enjoy that part so much and sta just keep having great things happening that i always want to cover but this thing needs to be finished. so the aim is to stop shooting before the summer (my schedule allowing), early summer at the latest.

the latest bit of material i shot was an interview with We Versus The Shark who hail from Athens, Georgia in the US - STA's first and so far only signing from outside the UK / Ireland. They were really nice guys and gave a great interview. so here is a very short introduction to the band, by the band.




thanks to them for the interview!

back in the saddle

just got back from filming some bits and pieces with fighting with wire before they played barfly in london tonight. unfortunately i had to leave before the gig but the band were in great form. ash, responsible for the sta blog was also there to record fww for a new edition of the sta blogcast. cheers to fww and charlene their long suffering tour manager - check out their tour diaries on youtube (www.youtube.com/FightingWithWireTV). and look out for the sta blogcast (www.smalltownamericarecords.blogspot.com).

it's CHRISTMAS!

here's a short but sweet look at the STA christmas show on Sunday 14th December. held at KCLSU, the event was headlined by The Thermals. unfortunately i was only able to stay for a short while but it seemd to be going very well when i left. if you were there, i hope you enjoyed it and if you weren't then you probably missed out on another corker!



hope you all have a great christmas - see you in the new year! ac

taking (another) break

i've been moving flat so it's left little time for thinking about the film. i did mmanage to get a rough edit of the Calories performance from TANP. the next event from STA will be the Christmas show headlined by The THermals. it should be a great show too. in between, i hope to catch up with mr pocock to chat about his podcasts and of course i need to organise a trip to derry to see how the new office is doing and chat to andrew, brian and some other folks back there. now the next problem will be making room around a new job which i will be starting in a couple of weeks - its been a while since i've had constant steady work but it'll pay the bills and pay for the edit suite...

priorities

ah priorities... basically, the biggest obstacle to following through on this documentary has finally reared its head. real life. and real life loves to munch through time and money.

i have been putting off building or buying an edit system for about six months now and i have reached the point where it will be financial issues putting it off for me. i'm lucky enough to be buying a flat. unfortunately, its going to eat a huge hole in my bank balance, which when you're self employed as i am, requires keeping enough in reserve for those times when you're not working much. this leaves little change for an edit suite.

but biding my time, i have been practising away on a free edit suite - Avid Free DV (sadly no longer available). i have mainly been cutting live performances, as you can see in the This Ain't No Picnic special video diaries.

so in my spare time, waiting for the moment to take the documentary into post production, i'll be cutting more performances and diary entries.

ac

This Ain't No Picnic Part Two

As promised, here is part two, featuring a live performance by Alan MX, more of me rambling and some sights from the festival. including plenty of STA general manager Daniel - because I know how much he loves being on camera...