Just came across this pair of creative reprobates called the Sniper Twins. Can’t stop watching the French Horn Rebellion vid’s. Enjoy.
Just come across this great presentation regarding the reality of mobile media advertising on youths or ‘Tha Yoof’. I like where they are going with this, some really good points in here. Even though I have just entered my 30’s I always have the sneaky suspicion that teenagers cringe at a lot of the so-called ‘cool’ ad campaigns that seem to be trying waaay too hard to appeal to their target market.
Talking of ‘cool’ advertising. I’ve noticed that the T-Mobile advert/flash mob done at Liverpool Street Station has gained about 800,000 views. As I was watching I again got the feeling that although there’s obviously a load of people that loved this, to the youth audience this is probably about as yesterday as happy slapping.
Shout out to Ruby Pseudo Blog for pointing in this presentations direction… Her blog rules 
New website alert! And this one looks to be a real treat if you are in the TV production game. TVMole.com has a mission statement
‘TV Mole has been set up to celebrate and raise the profile of factual TV development and increase the standard of development skills across the industry.’
Speaking for myself, this is great news. I’ve worked in development for a majority of my time in the TV industry and I believe as a creative working in TV you are always going to spending a large chunk of your time in development in some form or another – so this website will be a huge fountain of knowledge.
The TVMole herself is Nicola Lees an old colleague of mine from our time at the BBC. I could go on and on about all the reasons to listen to her, but her bio speaks for itself:
‘Nicola Lees has developed hundreds of factual programmes for network and cable channels in the UK and USA, including the BBC, Discovery Channel, Travel Channel and TLC.
Nicola has written more than 370 factual television programme proposals, and has been directly involved in originating, researching, writing or pitching more than 80 commissioned programs, including Oceans (Oceans), Moms on the Road (Travel Channel), How Not to Be Shark Bait (Discovery), Desperate Midwives (BBC3) and the BAFTA nominated Earth: Power of the Planet (BBC2/Nat Geo).’
Development is seen as a bit of a ‘dark art’ so I think it’s great that Nicola has set up this site to share her years of yoda-esque knowledge!
The Wire
First off. Slightly misleading title. When I say ruined, what I really mean is it has ruined my television tolerance of what shall now be deemed as ‘post The Wire television’. What started as a collection of friends and colleagues going on and on about ‘another’ US cop show, has evolved to a situation where I now must proceed with my life as a TV producer and TV viewer – with the bar set so high – I need NASA to help me even try and reach it.
For those of you lucky enough to have not yet discovered The Wire… Stop… Think… Do you really want to make every other TV show you will watch from now on, feel shallow and contrived? I’m serious. It’s a nightmare. Now try and make your own TV show with The Wire looming large above you. It’s ridiculous!
I loved The Wire, it totally knocked me off my feet. I haven’t stopped gushing about how good it is since I got past the first 3 episodes. Put it this way, I found myself on the internet in the middle of the night buying a ‘Carcetti For Mayor’ hooded jumper (those in the know – know who he is). It’s embarrassing.
What I think is awesome though, is what an influence it is already having on my preparations for my next TV series. What started as a box set marathon of epic proportions has now filtered out into the creative team I work with. It has become a shared experience that has inspired and influenced us in a way that I hope organically informs the content we produce. Shows like The Wire, come along and whilst may not be as big as ‘Lost’ or ‘Heroes’, have an affect on the people that are responsible for future TV shows. I won’t be surprised when in the next 5-10 years people are sighting ‘The Wire’ as major influences in their work. Also using it as proof that television can be more… More than just clichéd story telling wrapped up in McDonald’s style packages.
I remember when Public Enemy sang “Don’t believe the hype”.
In The Wire’s case they were wrong.
Do.
