Asta Films were commissioned by Manchester Art Gallery to create rich content for the Mary Greg project and blog.

Mary Greg collected everyday domestic objects during the late 1800s and early 1900s. She was particularly interested in pre-industrial handmade objects and wanted to preserve examples of traditional artisan skills. The majority of this strange and peculiarly engaging collection – which was given to Manchester Art Gallery in 1922 – lies in storage.

The Mary Greg project and blog documents an organic excavation of the collection by a group of passionate curators, interpretation developers and artists.

We approached the project firstly by looking at the blog and what could be achieved with the current technology, we decided that video content would really help to visualize the collection as well as capture some of the stories that were unfolding. Our producer liaised with the web manager over where the video player could sit and how it would look on the site, we very much wanted it not to be buried as a blog post so that any visitors to the site would be able to find it on the front page.

After we’d established that video was indeed the best method of documenting the project, our producer then devised a timetable and budget with the Interpretation Officers at the gallery to document activities that we’re taking place. The proposal was to create 4 short videos for the blog together with a final DVD to be used as evidence at conferences and presentations.  Workshops and sessions were selected from a timetable looking at key interviews and activities. We recced all of the venues where we intended to film, booked equipment and freelance production staff.

The feel of the videos was very much creative, organic and exploratory  to reflect the nature of the Mary Greg project, we worked very hard to document what was happening within the workshops but not to interfere or become obstructive. Production equipment was selected to capture the detailed objects and special lighting used so as not to damage the collection.

The final outputs from the project can be seen below, the videos speak for themselves in terms of capturing the collection, artists and stories.

I am currently working in Ecuador for a collaborative project with a photographer and graphic designer, set to be exhibited in February 2012 at The Manchester Museum, UK. For more information and to follow our progress, visit the AOTBE blog.

So having spent ten days in a research station, several in the village of San Jose de Payamino and various other communities in Orallana, Ecuador, here’s a small sample of the types of soundscape I’m working with:

Early Morning in San Jose de Payamino

Early Morning in Lucio’s Finca

Payamino River

Evening in a Secondary Forest

Dynamite Fishing

A short film commission for DaDa (Disability Arts Disability and Deaf Arts Organisation) as part of their DaDaVisions programme produced in November 2009.

This short film was written and acted by trio So Many Excuses; Mandy Colleran, Mandy Redvers-Rowe and Ali Briggs (who some may recognise as Freda in Coronation Street). The film is a take on the classic Frost Report sketch from the 1960s featuring the Two Ronnies and John Cleese; then a comment upon the British class system but now playfully adapted to explore the stereotypes and labels that the disabled place upon each other, Who Do You Think You Are?

Executive Producers Bren O’Callaghan and Ruth Gould (DaDa). Supported by Liverpool City Council, Phil & Alexis Redmond and Northwest Vision & Media.

A short piece on the Corridor Manchester Fibre Project with Dave Carter for the Big Chip Awards 2010

A series of short films commissioned by Manchester Art Gallery as part of the Mary Greg project.

Mary Greg collected everyday domestic objects during the late 1800s and early 1900s. She was particularly interested in pre-industrial handmade objects and wanted to preserve examples of traditional artisan skills. The majority of this strange and peculiarly engaging collection – which was given to Manchester Art Gallery in 1922 – lies in storage.

These videos document an organic excavation of the collection by a group of passionate curators, interpretation developers and artists. In this video art students from MMU (Manchester Metropolitan University) were invited to explore the Mary Greg collection and make work in response, as part of their studies.

Part of a series of videos for the recently relaunched Creative Times website, this video focuses on Unrealised Potential a collaborative group exhibition instigated by artist/curator Mike Chavez-Dawson. The show aims to explore the creative potential of artists’ unrealised projects, blurring the lines between artist, curator, visitor and producer.

Experimenting with combining sounds from different times and places, I dropped the bell tower in under the aarti to find an interesting play on rhythm and pitch.

No effects were used, just a little trimming.

New Years Eve 2007/2008 in Belgrade, Serbia.  The space below and beside the Gazela bridge in Belgrade is occupied by approximately 1000 to 2000 people, depending on the time of year. It is the largest Roma settlement in the city.

In this recording children and their families can be heard celebrating the new year with firecrackers and fireworks minutes after counting down to the TV broadcast along with the rest of the nation.  This could be their last year on this site due to plans to renovate the bridge and move the resident families, season workers and temporary settlers to a new ‘purpose built’ site.

Before a recent trip to the Soundscape in the Arts Symposium at NOTAM in Oslo, I purchased the FiRe Field Recorder app for my iPhone.  I don’t have a Blue Mikey yet as I’m waiting for the Mk11 so this is just some messing about in mono!

For more info on FiRe and other great apps, visit the Audiofile Engineering site.

A short trailer for our soon to be released feature length documentary. The film is about one man’s journey across northern India and his search for enlightenment.  Rajive McMullen, a history teacher suffering from a debilitating illness, makes the painful journey into the heart of Tantra, searching for meaning in holy shrines, coming close to death in cremation grounds and enjoying the chaos of the Aghori seekers, whilst modern India looks on in horror.

An All Rites Reversed Production in partnership with Asta Films

Featuring: Rajive McMullen | Producer/Director/Camera: Andy Lawrence | Sound: Jon Tipler | Editing: Andy Lawrence & David Henderson | Sound Mixing: John Lancaster

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