Today has not been such a great day for the team. The Hay-on-Sky recording was interrupted and badly delayed by power cuts, and for a brief moment we had to consider not making the programme at all. After some ingenious work from the technical guys, we did manage to record the programme, but it was shot in front of a half-empty audience. In three years of broadcasting from the field, this was the first time we'd suffered from technical difficulties this badly. A long day's work still becons for the technical team to find out what caused the electricity problems.
Most of the team are going to see Jo Brand and Dara O'Brien tonight, but if that's not going to lift everyone's spirits, then tomorrow's wrap party will. The invitation, beautifully made by Gemma the graphics genius, suggests there'll be wellie throwing. Having been successful in no sport whatsoever in my life, I can't trust in any natural talent and I've done my research. How to hold the boot and how to throw it - it's all been examined. A few practice runs later, I should be unbeatable. Or at least not the worst.
Sari, Editor-in-field
Showing posts with label hay on sky. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hay on sky. Show all posts
Friday, 29 May 2009
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Desmond Tutu ahead of team BBQ
We have all fallen in love with Desmond Tutu. The great man dropped by the Hay-on-Sky studio for an interview with Mariella Frostrup and charmed us all. Not only does he have the most infections giggle, he also confessed a great love for showbusiness and bid fairwell to us all warmly as he left the studio. Had his schedule allowed, we could've kept him in the studio for much longer.
The sunshine has come out today again so I've been able to abandon my big, offending boots. Annalisa spent the day shedding blood ... sorry, shearing sheep and only harmed one in the process. Strangely, the sheep in the surrounding hills have spent today nearer to our backstage area than ever before, perhaps trying to avoid Annalisa who was up on the hills.
The team is heading for a barbeque tonight, prepared for us by Channel Manager John and Executive Producer Laura. Our chef Ed, the only one actually qualified to cook to large crowds, is joining the party but not cooking. Methinks there is a lot wrong with this picture. He's a chef. He can cook. John claims he has a cooking qualification from school and therefore should cook the meats. Laura is self-taught and in charge of salads. So much can go wrong here.
Should there be no blog or programming coming to you from the Hay Festival in the next few days, send some help. Sky Arts may have food poisoned themselves somewhere in the hills of Hay-on-Wye.
The sunshine has come out today again so I've been able to abandon my big, offending boots. Annalisa spent the day shedding blood ... sorry, shearing sheep and only harmed one in the process. Strangely, the sheep in the surrounding hills have spent today nearer to our backstage area than ever before, perhaps trying to avoid Annalisa who was up on the hills.
The team is heading for a barbeque tonight, prepared for us by Channel Manager John and Executive Producer Laura. Our chef Ed, the only one actually qualified to cook to large crowds, is joining the party but not cooking. Methinks there is a lot wrong with this picture. He's a chef. He can cook. John claims he has a cooking qualification from school and therefore should cook the meats. Laura is self-taught and in charge of salads. So much can go wrong here.
Should there be no blog or programming coming to you from the Hay Festival in the next few days, send some help. Sky Arts may have food poisoned themselves somewhere in the hills of Hay-on-Wye.
Wednesday, 27 May 2009
Shoe update
Update on Welly News: they aren't very good. As I climbed on the set at the end of today's Hay-on-Sky recording, I tripped on the boots which are approximately the size of Sweden. Thankfully I didn't fall over, but it wasn't exactly my most graceful moment in the life of editor-in-field.
This has reminded me of my first trip to the theatre. I was about 4 years old and mother, who had misjudged our materialistic tendencies, had bought my sister and I new dresses for the occasion. We were beyond ecstatic in the weeks leading up to theatre visit and mother was proud she'd raised two daughters who appreciated culture from a very early age.
When Theatre Day finally arrived, we got to put our dresses on and... fell asleep. The excitement about the dresses was simply too much to take. We went to the theatre, with both my sister and I sleeping through the performance, and mother resisted the temptation -a strong temptation, as she often points out- to give us away for being materialistic and not artistic.
This is how this boot situation has felt too. I bought them, excitedly waited to wear them for weeks and now that I've put them on, the fun is gone. I have a deep love for all things material, but perhaps love of art would give me a longer buzz. Or at least not ill-fitting boots.
This has reminded me of my first trip to the theatre. I was about 4 years old and mother, who had misjudged our materialistic tendencies, had bought my sister and I new dresses for the occasion. We were beyond ecstatic in the weeks leading up to theatre visit and mother was proud she'd raised two daughters who appreciated culture from a very early age.
When Theatre Day finally arrived, we got to put our dresses on and... fell asleep. The excitement about the dresses was simply too much to take. We went to the theatre, with both my sister and I sleeping through the performance, and mother resisted the temptation -a strong temptation, as she often points out- to give us away for being materialistic and not artistic.
This is how this boot situation has felt too. I bought them, excitedly waited to wear them for weeks and now that I've put them on, the fun is gone. I have a deep love for all things material, but perhaps love of art would give me a longer buzz. Or at least not ill-fitting boots.
Zzzzz.....
Went to see Hugh Masakela last night and think I developed a bit of a crush on the old man! Hugh, who walked on stage looking a little fragile, got the audience dancing three songs in and suddenly his one hour gig turned into a two hour feast of musical genius. The show was also recorded by the Sky Arts cameras for broadcast in the next week, but how the concert can be squeezed into an hour is a different thing. Bizarrely, two people around us also fell asleep mid-concert, which made me wonder - how draining can a literary festival be?
The Sky Arts crew have been here for eight days. In that time, I've not made it to my bed (or anyone else's for that matter) even once until well past midnight. It seems every dinner comes equipped with colossal amounts of wine which, just to be polite, we have drank. Lots of work, lots of food, lots of wine and lots of late nights maketh the literary festival a rather draining experience. But for a visitor to come here, pay ... I can't find the pound sign on this keyboard with US settings!!... pay 23 quid to see Hugh Masakela and then sleep through the rather loud experience I don't quite understand. This is Hay, not the Love Parade!
My main point of joy today is the rain - not because it's cold and quite horrible outside, but because I can use my wellies and my new waterproof coat! Had my traumatising visits to camping shops and purchases of rainproof products I won't know what to do with upon return to suburbia been for nothing, I may have shed a little tear. Where else if not at Hay will I ever need to use a coat that can be folded into a rucksack?!
Sari, editor-in-brand-new-wellies
The Sky Arts crew have been here for eight days. In that time, I've not made it to my bed (or anyone else's for that matter) even once until well past midnight. It seems every dinner comes equipped with colossal amounts of wine which, just to be polite, we have drank. Lots of work, lots of food, lots of wine and lots of late nights maketh the literary festival a rather draining experience. But for a visitor to come here, pay ... I can't find the pound sign on this keyboard with US settings!!... pay 23 quid to see Hugh Masakela and then sleep through the rather loud experience I don't quite understand. This is Hay, not the Love Parade!
My main point of joy today is the rain - not because it's cold and quite horrible outside, but because I can use my wellies and my new waterproof coat! Had my traumatising visits to camping shops and purchases of rainproof products I won't know what to do with upon return to suburbia been for nothing, I may have shed a little tear. Where else if not at Hay will I ever need to use a coat that can be folded into a rucksack?!
Sari, editor-in-brand-new-wellies
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Hay-on-Wye-on-Sky
Bank Holiday Monday morning and off to Hay. Remarkably civilised journey - train deserted and able to stretch out, do e-mails, read the paper and screen a load of Arts Council films. Get to Hereford and take the scenic route (i.e. bus). Saved a fortune in terms of Taxi fare which is good. Arrive on site just as the music for the Hay-on-Sky show starts from the studio. Not so good. So, sit in the press portacabin to watch the show on a monitor instead. Show's entertaining and goes well.
Get my crew pass, my swanky Sky Arts wellies and am ready to go. But something's not quite right... yep, the sun's out and it's not raining. The previous two year's it's been like the Somme given the rain and mud and now it's sunny. Dump my bag in the Sky Arts house, bid farewell to four colleagues who've been here the weekend and, leaving wellies in the Sky Arts hut, don sunnies and set off to explore the festival before the filming of the final What the Dickens?
Before the recording there's a really cool 3D demo - unfortunately an audience member close by doesn't have the necessary (and coolly retro Ray Ban Wayfarer-style) 3D shades so I give her mine. Audience love the 3D reel.
The show's hilarious. Sandi Toksvig's hilarious as are the team captains Chris and the lovely Sue Perkins. Great Picasso gag at the end which Sandi seems to love more than anything - she even manages to get it into her interview the following day on Hay-on-Sky...
Evening session - the legend that is Tony Curtis... Saw him earlier in the year at the National Film Theatre for a Q+A following a screening of Some Like It Hot. He's 84 next week and built like a bull. Albeit a slightly fragile one. In a wheelchair. I know what I mean. Without his wig but wearing a white stetson he pulls himself forward with his feet to the front of the stage to revel in the applause from the full house. The next hour flies by as Francine Stock tries to get a word in and keep him on track. As you'd expect from someone who's made 155+ movies and had a 50 year career in Hollywood, the anecdotes fly thick and fast. Marilyn, obviously, is discussed and Tony puts to rest once and for story about him being quoted as saying kissing her was 'like kissing Hitler'. His full reply when asked 'what was it like kissing Marilyn?' was along the lines of 'like kissing Hitler, what d'you think?'...
There's time for his Cary Grant impression and, despite two power cuts, this living legend has the audience enthralled. Francine Stock may have regretted mentioning his conquests and, in particular, two stars who don't come off well in his new autobiography - Shelley Winters and Joan Collins. Stock asks if this is because they turned him down. 'They didn't turn me down, They weren't invited' is Tony's reply.
His anecdote about why he isn't a member of the Joan Collins fan club turns the air rather blue as he describes filming an ep of 'The Persuaders' with her and being forced to wait while she got herself ready despite the cameras being about to roll. Ms. Collins didn't take kindly to Curtis saying 'Joan will you stop being a c**t'. Collins then leaned out the window calling to the director 'He called me a c**t!!'. The audience crack up but Tony apologises for the language.
Later as I'm walking back to Hay I walk past a dad talking to his son who's about 10 or 11. I catch a snippet of their conversation as the dad say '...I guess he just didn't like working with Joan Collins...'
Then it's the wrap party for What the Dickens in the Three Tuns pub - low ceilings I discover on at least three occasions... ouch.
Tuesday - it's still sunny. What is going on here?
After breakfast off to the site bookshop to pick up some books for my son, then head into Hay to take some photos for the Hay website and the blogs. More books for Jake, a few cups of coffee and buy a giant promotional Lego figure for Jake. Forget that I've got to lug all this (and virgin Sky Arts wellies) back home. Doh! That said, my collection of promotional hessian bags is growing so maybe they'll be useful after all...
Get my crew pass, my swanky Sky Arts wellies and am ready to go. But something's not quite right... yep, the sun's out and it's not raining. The previous two year's it's been like the Somme given the rain and mud and now it's sunny. Dump my bag in the Sky Arts house, bid farewell to four colleagues who've been here the weekend and, leaving wellies in the Sky Arts hut, don sunnies and set off to explore the festival before the filming of the final What the Dickens?
Before the recording there's a really cool 3D demo - unfortunately an audience member close by doesn't have the necessary (and coolly retro Ray Ban Wayfarer-style) 3D shades so I give her mine. Audience love the 3D reel.
The show's hilarious. Sandi Toksvig's hilarious as are the team captains Chris and the lovely Sue Perkins. Great Picasso gag at the end which Sandi seems to love more than anything - she even manages to get it into her interview the following day on Hay-on-Sky...
Evening session - the legend that is Tony Curtis... Saw him earlier in the year at the National Film Theatre for a Q+A following a screening of Some Like It Hot. He's 84 next week and built like a bull. Albeit a slightly fragile one. In a wheelchair. I know what I mean. Without his wig but wearing a white stetson he pulls himself forward with his feet to the front of the stage to revel in the applause from the full house. The next hour flies by as Francine Stock tries to get a word in and keep him on track. As you'd expect from someone who's made 155+ movies and had a 50 year career in Hollywood, the anecdotes fly thick and fast. Marilyn, obviously, is discussed and Tony puts to rest once and for story about him being quoted as saying kissing her was 'like kissing Hitler'. His full reply when asked 'what was it like kissing Marilyn?' was along the lines of 'like kissing Hitler, what d'you think?'...
There's time for his Cary Grant impression and, despite two power cuts, this living legend has the audience enthralled. Francine Stock may have regretted mentioning his conquests and, in particular, two stars who don't come off well in his new autobiography - Shelley Winters and Joan Collins. Stock asks if this is because they turned him down. 'They didn't turn me down, They weren't invited' is Tony's reply.
His anecdote about why he isn't a member of the Joan Collins fan club turns the air rather blue as he describes filming an ep of 'The Persuaders' with her and being forced to wait while she got herself ready despite the cameras being about to roll. Ms. Collins didn't take kindly to Curtis saying 'Joan will you stop being a c**t'. Collins then leaned out the window calling to the director 'He called me a c**t!!'. The audience crack up but Tony apologises for the language.
Later as I'm walking back to Hay I walk past a dad talking to his son who's about 10 or 11. I catch a snippet of their conversation as the dad say '...I guess he just didn't like working with Joan Collins...'
Then it's the wrap party for What the Dickens in the Three Tuns pub - low ceilings I discover on at least three occasions... ouch.
Tuesday - it's still sunny. What is going on here?
After breakfast off to the site bookshop to pick up some books for my son, then head into Hay to take some photos for the Hay website and the blogs. More books for Jake, a few cups of coffee and buy a giant promotional Lego figure for Jake. Forget that I've got to lug all this (and virgin Sky Arts wellies) back home. Doh! That said, my collection of promotional hessian bags is growing so maybe they'll be useful after all...
Sunday, 24 May 2009
Backstreet's back, alright
The sun has come out in force today. With not a cloud in the sky and with no full length mirror in the house, I got dressed in what I assumed looked summery. Once I got to the festival site, I noticed people looking at me in a manner rarely associated with admiration. So I found a full length mirror and was confronted with an image of an extra member of the Backstreet Boys from circa 1999. I'm now doing my best to pull off this outfit until time allows for a quick trip to the festival shops for some accessories from this millennium.
So to distract everyone from the mistaken wardrobe choice, I armed myself with a video camera. The results were immediate. Sky Arts' very own Annalisa Johnson and Jonathan Carter agreed to do a video blog of the first two days at the festival. Whether they were frightened that the 90s had returned or if they really wanted to do this no one will ever know, but this is what they had to say...
In a few moments Dave Gorman, David Starkey and Markus Zusak will face Mariella's interrogation on Hay-on-Sky. I'm going there armed with a stills camera and pray to lord my trousers aren't too transparent in the bright lights of the studio...
Sari, Editor-in-white
So to distract everyone from the mistaken wardrobe choice, I armed myself with a video camera. The results were immediate. Sky Arts' very own Annalisa Johnson and Jonathan Carter agreed to do a video blog of the first two days at the festival. Whether they were frightened that the 90s had returned or if they really wanted to do this no one will ever know, but this is what they had to say...
In a few moments Dave Gorman, David Starkey and Markus Zusak will face Mariella's interrogation on Hay-on-Sky. I'm going there armed with a stills camera and pray to lord my trousers aren't too transparent in the bright lights of the studio...
Sari, Editor-in-white
Monday, 2 March 2009
Author Charles Cumming on the Hay-on-Sky '08 webcam CLIP 1
Charles Cumming, Hay-on-Sky ’08 webcam exclusive:
Tackling China for his latest novel…(we get rudely interrupted by a car alarm going off on this one!)
Saturday, 31 May 2008
Alex Valentine, guest performer on Hay-on-Sky, videoblogs backstage...
To find out more about Alex's music, click HERE
Annalisa, production co-ordinator and Seth Lakeman's biggest fan...
The lovely, and wildly talented Seth Lakeman and band: 
Double-click the play button to watch Annalisa's videoblog...
Double-click the play button to watch Annalisa's videoblog...
Red House prize for children's books awarded last night to...
Derek Landy popped into the web office here backstage at the Sky Arts Studio at the Hay Festival to tell us a little bit about the trials and tribulations of physically getting himself to Hay-on-Wye!
Turns out it was well worth the hassle as he bagged the Red House children's book prize at the awards doo last night - see the piece in the Guardian HERE.
Sinead, Editor-in-Field.
Turns out it was well worth the hassle as he bagged the Red House children's book prize at the awards doo last night - see the piece in the Guardian HERE.
Sinead, Editor-in-Field.
Friday, 30 May 2008
8 in the bag...two to go.
This videoblog should have gone up late last night, but the upload speed in the field disappeared and we've all been too busy today, with working, eating and birthday celebrations (for me and and for Justin) so here it is now...
Additionally...yesterday was great 'cause I got to chat to the great Kathleen Turner on the sofa while doing the Hay-on-Sky show. I ended up in shot too so I'm glad I was on my best behaviour... She's really been enjoying the festival and told me she's loved the sessions she's gone to and the fact that all these great minds and talents are all in one field! She even came to our wrap part for our What The Dickens? series that we'd filmed here. I had a bit of a 'moment' when I stood in the room (we hadn't been expecting celebs at this particular crew party - but the room was chocca full of 'em!) looking at the A-list Hollywood talent and panning right to the balloons on a string on the far wall....A-list Hollywood talent...balloons on a string...surreal stuff. Party planning consultants, take heed.
I recorded a videoblog with our musical performer Alex Valentine later - he was great and then we all went to see Kathleen Turner's session which was very entertaining. I'm definately getting my hands on that book - Heat magazine, hang thy head in shame - THIS is celebrity gossip at its finest. My cousin (Derek Landy, author of Skulduggery Pleasant) came to Kathleen's session with us - he did a session himself today called 'Question Time: Being a Writer', along with Graham Marks (Tokyo, Strange Hiding Place) and Andy Stanton (Mr Gum and the Power Crystals) and at the end he made the hundreds of worshipping young fans shout 'happy birthday Sinead' to me which was mildly embarassing as I was lurking at the side recording clips & snapping pics.
Then my boss came and told me & Justin that he needed us for an important meeting about the show and lead us into a colleague-filled trailer where there were balloons, booze, cake and pressies. Excellent :-)
We'd Dan Cruickshank as a guest on Hay-on-Sky today and some of us are off to see his session this evening - Adventures in Architecture, then we're off to the Book People/Red House party somewhere nearby and then back to the festival for the Seth Lakeman gig. Then, we shall sleep. The weekend awaits us. Show 9 and 10. Including What The Dickens? we'll have made 16 brilliant HD programmes in this muddy field by Sunday. Then we're all back to Osterley, Sky's HQ. Mental note to self: remember to not wear muddly wellies into the office on Monday...
Sinead, Editor-in-Field.
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