bristol

In Roland Barthes’ famous book about photography, Camera Lucida, the French theorist writes, “Ultimately, photography is subversive, not when it frightens, repels, or even stigmatizes, but when it is pensive, when it thinks.“... read more »

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”
Edmund Burke

Note:... read more »

More trouble in Stokes Croft again last night!  I feel the protesters have done more damage to the area than a Tesco Metro ever could. I know the arguments about globalisation blah blah but this is over the top! I don’t agree with the police tactics and heavy handed way they are evicting the squat, and Tesco haven’t helped themselves with their bullying tactics, but this is no longer about the wishes of local people, but the ego of outside agitators! Sad times! ;-(... read more »

See below the latest street news video by the South Blessed Community Channel, as a follow-up to their anti-Tesco film, (see previous post).  Last night the local police used vans and deployed a helicopter to stop the screening of a film in a park about last week’s riots.  When the screening moved to a local house, at first the police then attempted to stop that happening too.  Surely the ... read more »

As documented by local media organisation South-Blessed Community Channel

If the video does not embed properly, see the video direct here – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7qeY3tEeKk... read more »

This review was originally written for an AHRC/Radio 3 proposal.  (I’ve added a few extra words to the 300 word limit I was given.)

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Last week I attended a showcase of films made by 12 young people from Bristol, all taking part in a UK Film Council scheme which aims to support Black and minority ethnic talent to enter the film & TV industries.  Work screened was made over the past nine months, half way through their scheme. ... read more »

Continuing the theme of Third Cinema films coming out of community media, please see the film below.  It is based on a true story, and by a pure coincidence relates to the discussion of ‘Six Degrees of Separation’ that I explored in the previous post, though the film has a very different conclusion.

Average Journey For An Average Refugee... read more »

Question 1: Multiple choice.

WHO EXACTLY ARE THE REAL IDLE ONES IN THIS EQUATION?

A) The” protesters calling for social change”?
(As quoted in the article on page two of Bristol’s Evening Post newspaper, 19.9.09.  On the front page the paper called the protesters “Idle” to rhyme with ‘Idol’ – see what they did there??)... read more »

Here are details of a Graduate certificate course I helped to write at the University of the West of England, which is aimed at people working in community arts & media.

There are three modules, with a wide range of tutors each module;

- Participatory Arts: Practice & Context
Looks at the history of community arts & media, influential theories (e.g. Paulo Freire’s dialogic pedagogy), informal education theories, government influence and evaulation models.... read more »

Last night I went to an interesting seminar at the Watershed Media Centre called ‘Cultural Learning: Young people – schools – creative industries’.  It was all about the year-long relationship the Watershed have built up with Fairfield High School, which has seen film & TV professionals working in the school, and the students taking part in projects. ... read more »