Monthly Archives: March 2010

The Pacific: post-preview musings

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We attended a preview of this show a couple of days ago at BAFTA, London.  I had heard some outline of what the show was about but intentionally decided not to research it before seeing it in person.

The first two episodes were shown back-to-back, complete with their opening and closing title and credit sequences.  This was just as well – there was a whole lot of onscreen battle action and we needed the break in pace!

The video and general technical quality of the work was simply stunning.  We found out after the showing that the entire production was shot on film which was subsequently digitised for post-production.  By capturing the scenes on film, the cinematographer believes he has captured the most “honest” image he can – and if the end result is anything to go by he is not wrong.  Flesh tones in particular were vibrant without over-saturating – yet there was a very “digital” cleanliness to every shot – particularly the many night-time scenes that in most other films tend to be very grainy.

The only criticism I can offer of the video work itself is that there are a LOT of handheld scenes.  That’s great in that it tells the story from a first-person perpective – or at the very least a fly-on-the-wall documentary style.  The problem is that when viewed for extended periods on a large screen, motion-sickness can be induced – especially when this technique is used alongside some very jarring material depicting the death and destruction of war.

Onto the content – without wishing to give anything away to those who’ve not seen it yet – if you’re expecting another “Band of Brothers” or “Saving Private Ryan” then think again.  Both those titles focussed very much on the personal stories of those shown onscreen.  This series sets out to do something different – to show the effects and costs of war, without focussing on any one individual or group.  My educated guess is that this might well be due to the fact that they could not seek the mentoring/fact-checking involvement of the surviving soldiers who fought in the battles in the way they were able to do particularly for “Band of Brothers”.

With all of this in mind, neither episode really gripped me in the way that “Band of Brothers” had.  Perhaps this is because we don’t really get to see so much of the characters, perhaps because each episode seemed so detached from the other in terms of setting and plot?

It feels like someone has taken all the best bits of “Saving Private Ryan” and “Band of Brothers” and put them all together in one series.  Which is great, except that this product seems to miss one vital aspect – the hook.  What is it that will keep me intrigued enough to keep coming back to this series?  The technical prowess alone can’t keep this thing alive, and if I’m honest I’m not sure I see the mass appeal.

So my general impression of this piece is that the series is great, but I’m not sure I’d pay for a subscription just to see it go out live on air (it starts on Sky in the UK at Easter time).  I’d love to own the set on DVD or Blu-Ray if I ever bring myself to get a compatible player and display.

See it if you can – but don’t expect anything more than snippets of history extremely well re-enacted.

Letters to those unlikely to respond… #1

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A Mother’s Day trip to Bristol today proved an interesting day all round – a great time for connecting with family, but a horrid day for transport and interactions with other people.

On the way home this evening we boarded our return coach, only to find that it was rammed, stinking of a vile combination of curry and the general bodily odour of a busy day’s human activity – whatever that may have been.

Finally we suffered the aural assault of the London Underground, as I think you’ll see below:

“Dear London Underground:

Please stop with the constant inane, overwhelming and soul-destroying chatter that you so regularly spout from your Public Address systems.  Please understand the following:

  1. If I see something suspicious or threatening, it will be reported.  I do not need to be reminded to do so at every opportunity.
  2. When I have luggage about my person, I do not intend to leave it behind anywhere except at my home when you eventually let me get there.
  3. I do not need to be reminded to stay behind the yellow line at all times.  The sheer height of the drop from the platform to the tracks, and the fact that I know of the electrified rails keeps me far enough away from the edge all by itself, thank you very much.
  4. Your repeated robotic pleas do not make me want to be any more considerate to the passengers who wish to get off the train than I already am.  My manners and attitude, things you have no control over except to worsen, will help here.  If I stand in the way of those in a hurry to alight, I deserve everything I get from them, short of physical force.  See Point number 1 for more on this.
  5. I know about the gap – it’s scary and it eats the unwary.  It does not need minding – it exists quite happily by itself.  I will avoid it where I see it.  Please just light the area properly or close the gap.  It’s not that hard.  I will warn others of the gaps if I see them.
  6. Announcements of a “good service operating on all London Underground lines” should not be necessary.  I mean really – are you celebrating getting through a period when you can say that?  Why?  We pay you for that good service.  Please just tell us if there are problems, or tell us nothing.
  7. TURN IT DOWN!  The volume, frequency of announcements, the tinny/distorted/painful speakers, and the inane content of each message is making me switch off my brain to all aural stimulation while using your services.
  8. TURN IT DOWN! (2)  If you need to announce everything at top volume, you’re doing it wrong.  Cut the background noise, fix your PA systems, train those who make announcements in correct speech and microphone announcements, and run the service properly.
  9. Learn to talk properly!  If I have a speech impediment or a particularly strong accent, I’m not going to make a great radio DJ unless I can learn to make myself understood properly.  So nobody will employ me.  Please stop making those who can neither speak nor properly understand English make announcements.  They’ll just get ignored or ridiculed, and you’ll still be wondering why we are all so frustrated.

Your prompt action to attend to these matters is desired but not expected.

Yours,

Frustrated of London.”

“Those who can – do, and those who can’t – teach.”

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Pic: Natalie Williams and session musicians, playing at All Souls Church, 5th March 2010 (C) Chris Ferguson

Pic: Natalie Williams and session musicians, playing at All Souls Church, 5th March 2010. (C) Chris Ferguson

Cynically, I’ve always though this was a remarkably accurate quote of H L Mencken.  If I’m really honest, part of me wants to think that most of the teachers fit the description Mencken sets out.  The trouble is, as I get to know people, I realise that actually this really isn’t generally accurate.

Certainly there are bad teachers, just like there are bad police officers, bad cleaners, even bad cooks.  We all know of the PE teachers and sports coaches living their dreams vicariously throught their charges.  On the other hand, we all know the super-achieving parents who want nothing more than for the fruits of their loins to follow in their own footsteps.  We’ve suffered the condescending conversations when friends mock our taste or lack of knowledge because they do or know something better.  These things are all normal to encounter, and entirely to be expected.

But the reality in my life has been quite the opposite.  Many of the teachers I’ve known or been taught by have shown an exemplary passion for their subject that is rarely seen outside of the realms of teaching.  Their passion has inspired me – not necessarily to get to the top of the tree in either their own or my own fields, but certainly to find the passions that really bring me alive.

I’ve been rather quiet here of late – this much is true.  And family members and friends will have noticed their phones quieter lately than any of us would like.  For that I am sorry, and I’ll try to make an effort to reconnect this week.

Meanwhile I have had cause and time to reflect on what has been a busy and contradictory few weeks.  The long Winter’s nights and the daily grind have got me down and my energy levels have suffered terribly, as has my attitude.  But then, out of nowhere my passions have been able to be indulged and I feel like I’ve come alive again for a short while.

This week I’ve been preparing to teach two newcomers to the world of sound engineering.  And what a week it’s been.  The preparation phase was a battle of distractions whether important or not, and the day itself ran nothing like I had planned.  But what I saw through it all was the passion for what I do taking over the apparent drudgery of preparation and anxieties about how I would deal with meeting and teaching new people, for whom English isn’t their first language.

The night before the course I lead, I found myself doing live sound for a masquerade ball at church.  It was planned to be an enjoyable enough evening and I had been looking forward to it.  On the night, we ended up with a band that was quite unexpectedly good, quite unexpectedly passionate and quite unexpectedly loud.  And we all had a wonderful time.

100 or so people danced in the church and the band played for a very happy hour or so before we all had to head home.

And so at the end of the week on a quiet, cold and sunny Sunday, I’m reflecting on the time that’s been – I can see that I’ve been given the unique opportunity to both DO and TEACH.  And for that I am very thankful.

God is good™.