OK, big slap on the back for me as I have managed (obviously with the help of Adrian) to release the February 2008 schedule 3 days earlier. Yes, indeed, I did write 3 days early!!!! Now, from being a week late to 3 days early, I think that's a feat. It's a stonking good schedule too (well, I have to say that :)) Hard work (and sneaky methods) were involved but it got done and released and with days to spare. I think that deserves something, don't you? Nah, I'm just chuffed that I managed to release on time (possibly only the second time that's happened since I joined and the first time was not intentional, it just happened). So, here's hello to March... but not until next week (I hope).
Now, if only I could get on top of the 'other' pile of work I've just plonked on my shelf then I'll be a happy bunny.
Well, I've just had a celebratory cuppa and am now watching Masters Of Russian Animation on Sky Arts (it's pretty darn good, you know). What to do with my time now... hmmm....
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
Monday, 26 November 2007
Sky Arts on the billboards
Spotted at Feltham train station by one of our colleagues...an all-new Sky Arts billboard!
See the billboard here in all its glory:
See the billboard here in all its glory:
Monday, 19 November 2007
Sky Arts reviewer becomes part of the gig!
Quite an amusing thing really...there's a chap who works over in Sky News - if you're a sports fan you'll know him - Chris Skudder - he presents the sports news...anyway, he LOVES the American band Wilco and he went over to Dublin and reviewed the sold-out live shows there (the UK gigs got cancelled sadly) for Sky Arts' website (read it here: http://www.skyarts.co.uk/skyarts/Music/Article.aspx?artid=5112) and although he could have gotten away with being 'just a regular fan' at a UK gig - in Dublin he, like all Sky News presenters, are a lot higher-up the celebrity scale than you might think (almost every home in Ireland watches Sky News!) so when the band said "there's a guy in the audience who looks like Burt Bacharach" there was more interest than usual...AND a fan whipped out their mobile & recorded our reviewer enjoying the performance for YouTube. It's a small world after all...
Chris and Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy (pic)
Chris and Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy (pic)
Monday, 12 November 2007
The new-look ARTSMAIL
Well, after kicking it about for quite a while now, we think that this Friday is the day where we'll change over to the new & improved (as they say in fabric conditioner land) ARTSMAIL mailout.
We started sending out the new printer-friendly listings in a Word doc a couple of months back and that seems to have gone down well, so hopefully the stylish and no-so-printer-friendly mailshot will be appreciated for what it is - a nice colourful web-based email.
With the print-friendly listings still present of course!
Other than getting internal feedback on that, this morning we've been looking at ways of promoting the great new Centre Stage music strand online and our Content Seekers (a couple of guys who, a bit like Keanu Reeves in Point Break, are getting paid to surf..) are looking for clever, fun ideas for us to use.
It's just another Manic Monday...hmm, wonder if there's any Bangles concerts we can licence...loved them.
We started sending out the new printer-friendly listings in a Word doc a couple of months back and that seems to have gone down well, so hopefully the stylish and no-so-printer-friendly mailshot will be appreciated for what it is - a nice colourful web-based email.
With the print-friendly listings still present of course!
Other than getting internal feedback on that, this morning we've been looking at ways of promoting the great new Centre Stage music strand online and our Content Seekers (a couple of guys who, a bit like Keanu Reeves in Point Break, are getting paid to surf..) are looking for clever, fun ideas for us to use.
It's just another Manic Monday...hmm, wonder if there's any Bangles concerts we can licence...loved them.
January is over (hurrah!).... Oh, but here's February already :(
OK, so I failed the challenge but I did try my best to get the schedule out on time. That's why there hasn't been any updates of late. Even this post is late. I released Jan 08 last Tuesday evening (finally). To be fair, it wasn't THAT late. There was so much to do though that trying to get some scheduling in at work was tough. I am very disappointed but things like sponsorships came up (don't even get me started on that.... manually ticking all boxes of the November schedule is not my idea of fun.... AND I've got December and January to do as well).
But there's no rest for the wicked. Less than 24 hours later, I had my meeting with Adrian to discuss Feb 08. Yep, I normally have a break in between schedules but not this time. I must release on 1st December (though it will be 30th Nov as the 1st is a Saturday). So here I am, at home, plugging away at Feb. I thought I'd just write a quick update before I continue on the schedule. Am so glad Feb is a short month. Oh and it's a leap year next year too (not of any importance really, just thought I'd share some info).
Anyway, toodles, must work out where I'll be playing Lady Chatterley....
But there's no rest for the wicked. Less than 24 hours later, I had my meeting with Adrian to discuss Feb 08. Yep, I normally have a break in between schedules but not this time. I must release on 1st December (though it will be 30th Nov as the 1st is a Saturday). So here I am, at home, plugging away at Feb. I thought I'd just write a quick update before I continue on the schedule. Am so glad Feb is a short month. Oh and it's a leap year next year too (not of any importance really, just thought I'd share some info).
Anyway, toodles, must work out where I'll be playing Lady Chatterley....
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
They say that girl's a right fake...
The lovely Sam, our PR, went to meet master art forger John Myatt yesterday - he's just finished filming a series for us - http://www.skyarts.co.uk/SkyArts/Art/Article.aspx?artid=5004 and before she could fix her lipgloss he'd knocked out a van Gogh version of her. We're pretty impressed - see for yourself...
Thursday, 25 October 2007
T - 4 Days
Right, so it's been over 24 hours since my last post and I'm telling you, the news is not good *shaking of head in a I'm so disappointed in myself way*. What were my last words.... something along the lines of I best get on with the schedule. Time flies by so quickly.... Hmmm, I'm not wrong there. So, my intention was to start inputting all my hard work on Monday to our scheduling system called BSS. I got to put in a handful programmes before I had to lend my hand to other things. Did I mention that I've got a bad memory? No, well I do (but surprisingly I remember people's names freakishly well. Go figure!) and I'm now trying to wrack my brain to remember what I did yesterday. Hmmm, there was an impromptu meeting to discuss some massive data spreadsheet change, another meeting involving changes to the December 07 schedule (yes, I do feel like Christmas has come and gone. It's truly weird to be 2 months ahead all the time. I constantly think I'm in December already even though we're only in October), the ratings calculation for Tuesday, a synopses list, a phone call to IT (or was that the previous day?), lunch (always good to have a break), HD hours calculation (we hit our target, hurrah!), an amendment to October, a panicked search for my presentation notes (which I eventually found and did today and it went well, no technical hitches at all or me bumbling through it), and before I knew it, it was time to go home and January was only slightly better off than it was on Tuesday. Hmmm.....
Today, I was amending November (roll on Johnny Cash Night) and fighting with IT (this is my daily excercise, what would I do without my IT showdown?), spent some time doing some urgent research, did my presentation, er and I'm sure there was something else but I can't remember.
Will I do it? Will I be winner of the challenge? Only time will tell. I'll be back to let you know.
Today, I was amending November (roll on Johnny Cash Night) and fighting with IT (this is my daily excercise, what would I do without my IT showdown?), spent some time doing some urgent research, did my presentation, er and I'm sure there was something else but I can't remember.
Will I do it? Will I be winner of the challenge? Only time will tell. I'll be back to let you know.
Wednesday, 24 October 2007
I'm finally in!
Phew! Creating an account is not that easy if you can't remember what you've signed in previously as on Google. But I'm all signed up and completely new to this blogging malarkey so bear with me.
I've just started on January 08 schedule. Sat with Adrian last week to thrash out where we would put all these great shows in. It took us a while but finally managed it. Spent Monday working on the rest of the schedule only to come in on Tuesday and hear Adrian whisper quietly that we needed to make major changes already! Breathing deeply, it's fine. This happens a lot. At least it's not all finished so it's easy to make changes. The thing is..... I'm trying to decipher my own handwriting now with all the new notes on it..... But I'll plough through it.
I've been set a challenge (or deadline - however you like to put it. Challenge sounds less scary than deadline to me) by John, our Channel Manager, who'd like us to release the schedule on time (for only the second time since I started with Sky Arts which was end of January 07). "Let's start off the New Year afresh and aim to release the schedule on time" - I think those were his words. It's now 24th October and I've got..... hmmm, *slightly panicky* 5 days to go. But it'll be fine (says she now. Come next week, I won't be so calm.)
So, considering that last point, should really get back to putting that schedule together.... I'll keep you updated on how I get on with January.... Boy, time really does fly!
I've just started on January 08 schedule. Sat with Adrian last week to thrash out where we would put all these great shows in. It took us a while but finally managed it. Spent Monday working on the rest of the schedule only to come in on Tuesday and hear Adrian whisper quietly that we needed to make major changes already! Breathing deeply, it's fine. This happens a lot. At least it's not all finished so it's easy to make changes. The thing is..... I'm trying to decipher my own handwriting now with all the new notes on it..... But I'll plough through it.
I've been set a challenge (or deadline - however you like to put it. Challenge sounds less scary than deadline to me) by John, our Channel Manager, who'd like us to release the schedule on time (for only the second time since I started with Sky Arts which was end of January 07). "Let's start off the New Year afresh and aim to release the schedule on time" - I think those were his words. It's now 24th October and I've got..... hmmm, *slightly panicky* 5 days to go. But it'll be fine (says she now. Come next week, I won't be so calm.)
So, considering that last point, should really get back to putting that schedule together.... I'll keep you updated on how I get on with January.... Boy, time really does fly!
Monday, 22 October 2007
music music music
Friday 14th September
Obviously this is being typed up a month later – not due to blogging tardiness but down to the fact that my crackberry didn’t deliver the original text to Sinead for posting. An hour making my thumbs numb and for nothing. Grrr.
Anyhow, why this Friday? Two reasons – both musical. In the morning my colleague Dan and I went to see one of the final recordings for the excellent new HD music series Sky Arts is doing with the splendid people at Eagle Rock. A back to basics, stripped down music series called From the Basement. No host, no audience, just great music – and with Nigel Godrich (producer of Radiohead) at the controls. In the can so far are The White Stripes, Thom Yorke, Beck, Jarvis Cocker, and Sonic Youth but today it’s the turn of the wonderful Super Furry Animals. Dan and I saw SFA frontman Gruff Rhys at the Hay Literary Festival doing a performance/radio interview around his superb solo album Candylion. This morning the SFA are in the basement studio (not all TV is a lie) of The Hospital in Covent (swanky media club and TV facility). It’s early and the crew and band are milling around setting up. There’s a certain irony about today given that Dan was due to film the Super Furries yesterday for our Friday Night Hijack but they unfortunately had to cancel due to rehearsals for a show they were recording on Friday morning… Doh!
Despite admitting that they’re not exactly a morning band, the SFA take their places, cameras roll and they rock. They perform half a dozen songs (a few takes here and there – Mr Godrich is a perfectionist) including one new, as yet unnamed, track, which they close with. Those of us not actually working stand at the back and try and keep out of the camera operators’ way but everyone gets into it with the crew bursting into applause between numbers.
Jose Gonzalez is up next but we have to get back to sunny Osterley so say goodbye to Andrew and Will from Eagle (who I’ll be seeing at MIP in a few weeks).
A different musical collaboration to end the day – as part of the South Bank’s Early Music Weekend there’s the first public screening of The Full Monteverdi, which Sky Arts is involved with. Inspired by Monteverdi’s fourth book of madrigals this HD films follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples taking the audience on an intense emotional journey. I’ve got to say a few words at the screening which, in a moment of last minute panic, I decide to re-write on the train to Waterloo.
Anyhow, why this Friday? Two reasons – both musical. In the morning my colleague Dan and I went to see one of the final recordings for the excellent new HD music series Sky Arts is doing with the splendid people at Eagle Rock. A back to basics, stripped down music series called From the Basement. No host, no audience, just great music – and with Nigel Godrich (producer of Radiohead) at the controls. In the can so far are The White Stripes, Thom Yorke, Beck, Jarvis Cocker, and Sonic Youth but today it’s the turn of the wonderful Super Furry Animals. Dan and I saw SFA frontman Gruff Rhys at the Hay Literary Festival doing a performance/radio interview around his superb solo album Candylion. This morning the SFA are in the basement studio (not all TV is a lie) of The Hospital in Covent (swanky media club and TV facility). It’s early and the crew and band are milling around setting up. There’s a certain irony about today given that Dan was due to film the Super Furries yesterday for our Friday Night Hijack but they unfortunately had to cancel due to rehearsals for a show they were recording on Friday morning… Doh!
Despite admitting that they’re not exactly a morning band, the SFA take their places, cameras roll and they rock. They perform half a dozen songs (a few takes here and there – Mr Godrich is a perfectionist) including one new, as yet unnamed, track, which they close with. Those of us not actually working stand at the back and try and keep out of the camera operators’ way but everyone gets into it with the crew bursting into applause between numbers.
Jose Gonzalez is up next but we have to get back to sunny Osterley so say goodbye to Andrew and Will from Eagle (who I’ll be seeing at MIP in a few weeks).
A different musical collaboration to end the day – as part of the South Bank’s Early Music Weekend there’s the first public screening of The Full Monteverdi, which Sky Arts is involved with. Inspired by Monteverdi’s fourth book of madrigals this HD films follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples taking the audience on an intense emotional journey. I’ve got to say a few words at the screening which, in a moment of last minute panic, I decide to re-write on the train to Waterloo.
I’m cutting it a bit fine when I meet the lovely Hazel Wright – who used to run the BBC’s Classical music sales for WorldWide and knows everyone and everyhing there is to know about classcial music and opera – and the film’s producer Greg Browning who is also celebrating his 30th birthday tofay. An interesting way to celebrate – showing your film which has taken years to get to the screen to the public for the first time. We find the film’s driector John La Bouchardière and then we’re inside the Purcell Room.
The Purcell Room is much bigger than I remember it – it seats 365 people (I checked on the website afterwards) and it’s full and I’ve now got to stand uyp and say something. Greg’s up first. He talks about the difficulties of getting the film produced and how it’s taken a few year’s to get to this point. I’m bervously looking at my notes seeing if I can sub them in my head before Greg finishes. No time. I’m up. Try not to look at the sea of faces and remember to talk clearly. A laugh – and in the right place. Confidence boosted, I mention that this was one of the first proijects I became involved with when I joined the channel – Artsworld as it was – and how it’s also one of the projects that I’m most proud of. Then introduce John the director and get off stage. John’s relxaed, funny and has the audience in the palm of his hand. We take our seats as the lights dim and I realsie that the last time I saw this it was in an edit suite so this is the first time I’ve seen the whole film in the right order…
A couple of walkouts early on – this worries us – but become engrossed once again by the film. It’s over before you know it. The screen fades to black. Silence. A beat. Then a huge roudn of applause. A huge sigh of relief from John and Greg and, when the lights go up, people coming over to them to congratualate them on their achievement. I meet Marshall Marcus who’s the South Bank’s Head of Music and we agree to meet to dicuss any other ways we can collaborate. The director of the event reassures us that the walkouts were nothgin to worry about and happen at a lot of similar events…
Outisde, Greg’s off to celebrate his 30th at the bar but I’ve got to leave to get ready for my holiday tomorrow (taking son on plane for the first time so will need all the rest I can get tonight). Congratyulate Greg and John on their achivement and agree to catch up with Greg at MIPCOM.
here’s a review of the screening that took place – the film will be shown on Sky Arts in 2008
This astonishing film, here screened in public for the first time, is based on John La Bouchardière’s collaboration with I Fagiolini, and charts the emotional progress of six failing couples through the deeply moving music of Monteverdi’s Fourth Book of Madrigals. This remarkable, intricately constructed film is aesthetically beautiful in every aspect: masterfully shot, sensitively arranged images, utterly glorious singing, impressive operatic acting, and a terrifyingly involving narrative flow. This encounter between yesterday’s music and today’s medium can’t help but deliver Monteverdi’s masterpieces to a new and deeply appreciative audience in a thoroughly spectacular fashion.”
Edward Lewis - Classical SourceThe full review can be found here… http://www.classicalsource.com/db_control/db_features.php?id=4952
Monday, 24 September 2007
The Broth
I've come across this really cool site that allows you to, among other things, do live art collaborations with anyone, anywhere, anytime.
http://www.thebroth.com/
If only I had the talent...but it's great fun watching the re-plays on some of the pieces and seeing how they were created.
Nice :-)
http://www.thebroth.com/
If only I had the talent...but it's great fun watching the re-plays on some of the pieces and seeing how they were created.
Nice :-)
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
New stuff in development
The developers are working on delivering our new video section for the site this week and I'm pretty excited about getting that up and running asap. We're looking out for any out-takes/bloopers as well as any interesting stuff that just doesn't manage to make the final edit for TV, so the section should be well worth a look once we've managed to get hold of all the clips we're looking for. We'll put our broadcast promos there and anything good that we can get the rights for.
We'll also be looking for User-Generated content so if you've got any local arts-related event to promote or you want to do a review of one of our programmes, a new film or a performance/exhibition that you've been to, then film it on your mobile or camera and stick it up on Sky Cast - we'll be pulling our UG content from there.
Just post up a comment here and let us know what the link is - we'll include it on the Sky Arts video section.
We'll also be looking for User-Generated content so if you've got any local arts-related event to promote or you want to do a review of one of our programmes, a new film or a performance/exhibition that you've been to, then film it on your mobile or camera and stick it up on Sky Cast - we'll be pulling our UG content from there.
Just post up a comment here and let us know what the link is - we'll include it on the Sky Arts video section.
Monday, 30 July 2007
Getting all 2.0 an' all that...
We're planning on bringing you a little bit behind the scenes of how Sky Arts works so from time to time someone will stick a post up here about what they did that day...giving you a taster of what's to come on the channel.Dan might have been shooting someone famous introducing their selection of programmes for our 'Friday Night Hijack' strand or Adrian might have just found a great new HD programme for the channel. Whatever it is, if it's worth mentioning...we'll be mentioning it here :)
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