Last weekend’s Secret Garden Party had a few usual suspect guests absent from the festival. Brands were nowhere to be seen, and if they were there, they were virtually invisible to the human eye.
The brand-less festival let a few hundred artists emerge for attention, and allowed the mass of quirky creative ideas shine through. Instead of tribute banners to lager, you’d find Action Camps inviting guests to make their own superhero costume, listen to an experimental musician or watch a performance.
I peeked at one tent, a retail outlet for cigarettes, one of the more unpopular destinations, who was forbidden to showcase any branding, and was so minimal that you didn’t even realize that the venue was selling cigarettes at all. I thought 02 or Orange may have been secretly sponsoring the mobile charging stations, but it turns out that these were also independents, staffed by volunteers who were running the gadget-charging facilities on solar power.
Nope, no brands in sight.
Did I miss them? Hell no!
With Glastonbury becoming a parade of brands and many attendants getting irritated by the brands-in-your-face that some festivals has become, the UK’s summer festival lovers are seeking out new places to enjoy a goodtime without the brands. Want proof? Check the ticket sales that for the first year in a long time did not sell-out for Glastonbury immediately, and consider the number of artists that decided to tour The Secret Garden Party, Bestival, Latitude and The Big Chill – instead of Glastonbury. The Independent is calling some of the smaller festivals examples of “Poshstock”.
Granted, smaller size (Secret Garden Party had about 7K attendants to Glastonbury’s 200K +) means the organizers don’t need as much sponsorship as Glastonbury requires to manage the masses. The Secret Garden party does trump its horn about its brand-less status, and, as a guest artist performing at SGP, my own suggestion to get a sponsor for our bit of the festival – an all-female revue of The Wind in the Willows, was not accepted, with good reason. Still, the festival has to be funded somehow, and here is a breakdown of how they split profits from ticket and drink sales:
Music and Performance: 19% Sound, Stages and Lights: 10% Decoration and Sculpture: 6% Event Staff: 17% Facilities: 23% Mangement Team: 10% Event Running Fees: 11% Marketing: 4%
What’s the secret to success? Seems this formula is working for Secret Garden Party, and the other secret to success is having private land to party on semi-legally. The secret location is at Abbots Ripton Hall, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, and the property belongs to wealthy land holders of the ancestral family of 4th Baron de Ramsey, specifically John Ailwyn Fellowes, who's son Freddie Fellowes, is one of the Head Gardeners who makes the festival possible.
Here’s ten quick peeks at what I did enjoy at the beautifully brand-less Secret Garden Party:
oOOo Dancing in the sunset on top of the lake at the Pagoda venue to the tunes of up-and-coming DJ Marshall Hackett, who was dressed up like a cuddly cat. Top favourite were his re-mixes of 70s classics like Funky Town. Listen to Marshall’s set here.
oOOo Skanking to the brassy funky soulful beats of The Fontanas , and having a fireside chat with lead singer Gavin Skeggs and finding out that he is also in a band called The Tarantinos, inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s films.
oOOo Getting a huge kick out of the performance antics and musical skills of The Ratfinks who delivered big sound and big fun.
oOOo Watching the pyro-technical extravaganza of the Pirate Ship getting blown-up, a very Burning Man-esque moment.
oOOo Checking out the legendary Grace Jones.
oOOo Hanging out in the tree house of the Where The Wild Things Are venue.
oOOo Making a cape at the Superhero Action Camp, making a carnival hat at another Action Camp and listening to Green political talks at the Green Action Camp.
oOOo Not spending endless amounts of time waiting in queues for food, drink and loos.
oOOo Bumping into many friends, something that is less likely to happen at Glastonbury, where everyone gets lost in the crowd.
oOOo Unwinding in the Lost Horizons sauna.
And…performing in my company Hai Media Group’s all-female revue of The Wind in the Willows – we were a hit! The cast and crew presented adventures of the lovable Toad, Ratty, Mole, Badger and supporting Weasels and Rabbits, festival style, including inviting the audience to feast on a banquet at our make believe Toad Hall. Here’s some quick peeks from our show:
*Photos courtesy of photographer Jim Hanner
Still grooving on the Secret Garden Party,
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Would, Kenneth Grahame, the author of The Wind in the Willows be delighted or disgusted to know that his fairy tale classic for children has had a makeover? His four main anthropomorphised animal characters Toad, Badger, Ratty and Mole will be played by a cast of entertaining women who are hell bent on making their own version of the tale rock.
My company the Hai Media Group has produced and cast a new cabaret show that takes inspiration from the lazy days of life along the river in the very English countryside adventure story. I’m playing Toad of Toad Hall and will present this magical story, that evokes the best of pastoral English settings for summer, to quote the book:
"Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." –The Wind in the Willows
oOOo Who’s Who in the Cast?
We are merrily on our way to The Secret Garden Party, bringing a cast of colourful, loveable, characters who will treat guests to a scrumptious feast of sight and sound at none other than that magical childhood place Toad Hall. Greeting weary travellers who come from far and wide across this great green land of Britain, and beyond, will be our joyful celebration, of dancing, and a spectacular banquet table, in a place to revel.
We’ll debut our all-female revue of The Wind in the Willows at The Secret Garden Party, arts and music festival this week, where Grace Jones is the headline act. Our show is among a talented line-up of music acts that will be part of the ‘Come and Play’ area of the festival – a collection of tents that invite guests to play with arcade games, or interact with the performances happening around them.
Grace Jones:
"The Mole was bewitched, entranced, fascinated. By the side of the river he trotted as one trots, when very small, by the side of a man who holds one spell-bound by exciting stories; and when tired at last, he sat on the bank, while the river still chattered on to him, a babbling procession of the best stories in the world, sent from the heart of the earth to be told at last to the insatiable sea." –The Wind in the Willows
Spread before our guest's eyes will be a dining table, gigantic banquet table, as only would suit Toad of Toad Hall to entertain, along with his friends, all evoking the magical memories of childhood favourite tale The Wind in the Willows. White table cloth, OTT décor and upon this marvellous display, unexpected delights – of poetry reading, dancing and comedy skits, played out spontaneously, between sets of live music.
If you are planning to attend The Secret Garden Party, please plan to see our performance – scheduled for 8 PM, this Thursday, July 24th, at the ‘Come and Play’ area. We’ll plan to keep in character and costume for the night, so stop by after setting up your campsite and dive deep into this festival’s creative spirit, and come play with us.
"Animals arrived, liked the look of the place, took up their quarters, settled down, spread, and flourished. They didn't bother themselves about the past--they never do; they're too busy." –The Wind in the Willows
Here’s the night’s line-up:
19:00 hrs - 19:30 hrs Simon Harris aka DJ Bomber 19:30 hrs - 20:25 hrs The Ratfinks 20:30 hrs - 20:50 hrs The Wind in the Willows by Hai Media Group 20:50 hrs - 21:45 hrs Kid Id 22:00 hrs - 23:00 hrs The Fontanas 23:00 hrs - 00:00 hrs DJ Bomber/ I Heart What? 00:00 hrs - 01:00 hrs Chin Supressor 01:00 hrs - 02:00 hrs Symmetrik
‘Come and Play’ is an exciting new festival venue, which has been put together by the team responsible for bringing Eco-Arcadia to events throughout the UK for the last 5 years. Join in the welcoming feast of the festival, or just sit back, relax and unwind after your travels, to watch the silly, festive antics unfold, enjoy the music, and dine! Dine! Dine! Upon festival delights.
The only question is – are you a Rabbit or a Weasel? Pick one or the other, and join us! Whiskers and bunny ears will be supplied, or bring your own to be a participant in our version of The Wind in the Willows.
"It's never the wrong time to call on Toad. Early or late he's always the same fellow. Always good-tempered, always glad to see you, always sorry when you go!" -The Wind in the Willows
Many thanks to Kate Risker, aka the fabulous Miss Risk, who invited Hai Media Group to present this performance at The Secret Garden Party.
A proud & stupid Toad am I,
-Lisa
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Ben Pullen is an independent filmmaker in London, who’s company Sentinel Entertainment released a short film for mobile earlier this year called Walker Stalker.
Ben Pullen With Fan of Horror Film Walker Stalker:
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Walker Stalker, is available for download to your mobile phone:
Text HORROR to 63456
I caught up with Ben this week to find out what he’s been getting up to with new films, and to get some feedback about his first experience in venturing onto the Third Screen mobile phone format. Here’s a peek at our conversation:
oOOo What’s new with Sentinel?
At Sentinel, right now, we are a little bogged down in shepherding through two short films for the UKFC – it's a hard slog but we are working with some really, really talented people.
We’ve just finished filming a five-minute short directed by Vanessa Caswill, who’s “Pudding Bowl” short film was well received at Cannes Festival. She’s a 4Talent award winner, and has been announced as a finalist in this year’s Moondance Film Festival, Reykjavik International Film Festival, and Filmstock International Film Festival. She is going on to bright things I reckon – she has a very unique eye on the world.
The film was also designed by Livi Vaughan who does some of the design for Punch Drunk Theatre's amazing London theatre "experiences" at the BAC.
We are cutting a wonderful 10 minute film written by Billy MacKinnon (Small Faces/Hideous Kinky) with a truly fantastic score by the preposterously talented Johnny Flynn, one of the spearheads of the "new folk" vibe. It was shot on a RED camera and the results are breathtaking - it's a real breakthrough for digital film formats.
Otherwise a bunch of features are in development - we are still busy getting Walker Stalker into shape in it's feature incarnation of ICU - on draft three and still it still has a way to go. There is a really exciting tie-in with the game we are developing for Walker Stalker, with a Brighton company, to compliment the film. It's important to get it right because the film revolves around this game...which is basically like Pacman, with knives.
I'm also very excited about a Bollywood project we have based on a best selling book about a young English rose on the make in Bollywood, it's Borat meets Bridget Jones!
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I'm putting finance together on a Spanish thriller set in Barcelona about a mute hitman who wants to go straight – this one is...
Kill Bill meets Old Boy!
Kill Bill meets Old Boy
oOOo How long have you been in the business and what titles have you produced?
I’ve been making films since 93’ when I graduated form drama school. I acted until 2004 then set up Sentinel Entertainmenet, with partner. I’ve produced two series for mobile phones, CORPSE and WALKER STALKER, which went out on ZoneHorror's WAP site domestically and also through Player X internationally.
I’ve also just done two short films for the UKFC's New Cinema Fund which promotes and backs new talent.
oOOo Who are your favourite film directors?
Wes Anderson, David Lynch
oOOo Why mobile?
We thought it was a legitimate route into the film industry – and we didn't want to make shorts that no one would buy and we wanted to raise finance on the back of a convincing business plan. In 2005/6 it was still a brave new world in mobile, when this project started, and we were excited by the possibilities of a new platform for film distribution as was the whole of the Telco Industry. The possibilities were endless, and remain so, for filmmakers producing content for the Third Screen.
oOOo What has the consumer response been for mobile?
The consumer response for our content has been modest! I attribute this to having micro budgets to work with and very limited marketing spend – the rules of the established audiovisual industry have applied themselves here. If you are not an established brand and do not have significant marketing spend you can easily get lost. We have stuck to horror genres to make the word-of-mouth easier to generate and to ensure the target audience was the right demographic, ie. young. However, a good month for us is still only 1000 downloads, it's not great.
oOOo What was the biggest challenge in producing for mobile? And can you share tips for others who may be contemplating working in this medium?
Our challenge was to produce not just for mobile but to have a 360 degree take on our projects. Being able to deliver to Mobile/Internet/TV/Film is quite a task and requires a good degree of planning. It's also expensive if you don't monetize thoroughly. If it were just for mobile it would be very different and we would be out there with handy cams and laptops churning away. If you are a commercial film maker then knowing the mobile content market is all important.
Keep it short and lively, so people won’t put the phone down, format being – two minutes of laughter/violence/sex/animals/live anything is great mobile content. We have a killer app. In terms of content which entirely breaks that rule, but I think it will go down a storm - early days at the moment but we are convinced its going to satisfy a need.
The biggest tip I could pass on is to know the audience and to be able to make the content for next to nothing!
oOOo Do you think the 'third screen' as the industry calls it, will be a viable new format for indie filmmakers?
Companies have bet huge R&D budgets on it! Everyone thinks it will happen and have done so for the last four years. Sentinel are moving away from it now, except as a marketing element. Making money in Mobile video content for filmmakers are a long way off – unless you are a Bob Guccione sort of filmmaker. Indie filmmakers who want to make stories that redefine the way we think about the world and move us deeply should stay on the Internet I would have thought.
oOOo Is it a viable format for advertisers to support with their brands, and how might you see this incorporated with a film like Walker Stalker?
Yes, yes YES. It's all about the branding! As I mentioned, we now look at mobile as more of a marketing tool, and we write off our costs as marketing costs for the rest of the 360 picture. It's a great platform for established brands I reckon and we have only seen the tip of the iceberg. As people begin to look at their phones in a less exclusive way this will open up – but it's a very delicate manoeuvre to access people through their mobiles – it's a very personal space.
Walker Stalker is a tricky one because it involves a stalker mashing innocent people's heads in with a mobile – its Red Bull who want to play ball with us right now.
oOOo Is the new medium being discussed among filmmakers seriously?
I think people still talk about mobile as a sort of panacea for the film business – like an untapped wealth, which is waiting there to be minted. The indies hope that it might afford them a brand new route to their audiences without the gate keepers they are so used to on other platforms. The studios want to make sure it becomes as safe a window as the established platforms, and want to control it ASAP.
I think the studios will win – the mobile seems to me to be the very essence of mass entertainment – if its titillating/hysterical/wow factor or just
pure escapism, it'll do well on mobile, and that's studio land. Likewise, if it's a global brand, it'll do well on mobile, and that's studio land. Having said that, the numbers are just too big to be too prescriptive with what will and wont work - there is just such huge saturation out there of this little 3rd screen that who knows. Sound’slike the lottery doesn't it? It could be you.
In terms of what filmmakers are talking about - I think the internet is still a bigger fish to fry for filmmakers. It has almost the same saturation as
mobile, and you can command someone's attention more readily with it. The internet might just yet revolutionize the film business, mobile never will.
oOOo Will you make another film for mobile?
Not likely. Unless it's commissioned by a brand – we'll make viral/ads for mobile and do it wonderfully - but we wont be stepping in that arena again on a prospecting footing... having said that, never say never!
(PS: Bond is a great brand for mobile!)
Keep it shaken, not stirred, Ben,
-Lisa oOOo
Normal 0 This week in The Guardian, the annual MediaGuardian 100 list is chock full of plenty of talented media people, and includes a number of truly innovative digital types who are shaping the emerging media landscape.
The ranking is top heavy with choices from the BBC, and has a smattering of new media types such as Eileen Gallagher, Chief Executive of Shed Media, and hails a few personalities like Simon Cowell, Katie Price and Ant & Dec. I’m not in disagreement with the choices for this highly influential people list, but I do feel there are some people missing.
Toiling around the fringes of the mainstream media is a busy, creative and working-hard-in-the-trenches community of small entrepreneurs. Many are ‘doing their own thing’ when it comes to media, in all the forms it takes. I’ve cherry picked some folks from my immediate sphere of influence, and some who I think The Guardian just missed the mark on, because they are a bit more behind-the-scenes, but are leaders who I think are having an impact on the emerging media landscape.
Do note, these choices are entirely my own, and I’d love to hear your feedback about some of the people you think are rocking the media world these days. Let’s applaud them, and celebrate all those who are contributing to an ever-changing information delivery system, and who are making being informed, being entertained via whatever form the media medium chooses to take. So without further ado, please let me present my list of Other Media Peopl:
Music Media People
oOOo Peter Gabriel for his investment in emerging media companies, including his current project The Filter.
oOOo The Last.FM founders Felix Miller, Martin Stiksel, Michael Breidenbruecker and Thomas Willomitzer.
Multimedia People
oOOo Jon Gisby, head of new media at Channel 4, and caretaker of the new £50K 4iP Fund.
oOOo Steve Taylor, the ideas guy at Carat Media, part of Aegis.
oOOo Katz Kiely, founding director of Just-B. Productions and the brain’s behind the b.TWEEN festival.
oOOo Sarah Platt, mistress of all things video and director of Kinura.com.
oOOo Dr. Richard Barbrook , media theorist, author and professor of political science at the University of Westminster.
oOOo Anne-Fay Townsend, pop cultural blogger and co-founder of BigShinyThing.com.
oOOo Darrell Berry, photographer and co-founder of BigShinyThing.com, who is slyly documenting London's nightlife.
oOOo Lloyd Davis, social media master and founder of The Tuttle Club (also known as the London Social Media Café).
oOOo Daniel Appelquist, who works for Vodaphone, is always a friendly face to see at Mobile Mondays, and had great success in bringing the BBC sponsored Over the Air to London. He is also a contributing author to the new Mobile Internet for Dummies and is also the UK representative for W3.
oOOo Helen Keegan aka Technokitten, a mobile media specialist who may have the longest history with the mobile industry of anyone working in the industry, in London, given her legacy with Zag Me, that begins waaaay back in the 90s.
oOOo Kieran Wyatt , who holds the editorial power over selecting what the absolute best things for Londoners to do each week as the editor of Flavourpill.net.
Green Media People
oOOo George Manbiot, author, journalist, and green political activist.
oOOo Dan Ilet, a freelance writer and the head of the blog Greenbang.com.
oOOo Tracey Todhunter, a blogger who overs practical tips for individuals and communities for keeping low on carbon.
oOOo John Grant, author of The Green Marketing Manifesto.
oOOo Shawn Chamberlain the dark optimist.
AND:
oOOo Gordon MacMillan, the editor of Brand Republic, who kindly allows this Quick Peeks blog to exist!
…and many more!
Who are your favourite Other Media People?
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Well slap me silly with the latest ridiculous legal mumbo-jumbo ruling against Google’s YouTube, that favours Viacom.
It seems my, and your, IP address, viewing habits and YouTube login information are going under scrutiny by Viacom soon.
At the heart of the matter is content viewing of Viacom’s Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon.
I’ve checked today and it looks like the Viacom bots are already combing through YouTube’s content, as few clips from some of the top favourites appear today.
Well, Viacom, I’ll just save you the trouble and let you know what I’ve been watching that might piss you off:
If the BBC is now offering up free content on YouTube -- why can't Viacom?
YouTube fans have not been shy in sharing their opinions about the ruling, and the mood among viewers is:
Given the millions of YouTube fans who post and view videos, it looks like Viacom’s lawyers have won themselves secure employment for the next few decades, and will be immune from the threat of the Credit Crunch. It does seem like a silly endeavour to try and police YouTube, and the majority of clips being shared -- Viacom property, or otherwise, are not for commercial purposes. I guess Viacom has a new sign to hang out the shop window:
HELP WANTED!
BIG BROTHER LAWYERS PLEASE APPLY
I asked a media-savvy professional in London today about this and his response was:
"The lawsuit is very American isn't it?" said Gual Barwell, Business Development Manager of Contagious Magazine. "It is the easy way out, without figuring out a creative solution to sharing content, or addressing an existing problem."
Dearest Viacom, I don’t care if you monitor my viewing habits on YouTube – and to make things easier for you, here are my YouTube Channel stats:
LadyEleanorRosakitty
Joined: June 23, 2006
Last Sign In: 20 minutes ago
Videos Watched: 780
Subscribers: 38
Channel Views: 3,474
Go ahead and check me out, because frankly Viacom, I don’t give a damn,
America's birthday is today and folks in my country will be enjoying BBQs, watching parades in their communities, and selecting a spot to go and watch fireworks tonight.
oOOo How do you feel about the relationship Britain has with America?
Well, I guess we all have to face the fact that:
"Get used to it, you're stuck with us, so we might as well just have some fun!" said Cheyne Pride, also American.
She once topped the USA dance charts for her 80s pop single Call Me Mr. Telephone, and, together, we have been busy getting ready for celebrating this big American summertime holiday, here in London. You can hear her singing on her MySpace site.
We both have a mutual mission to passionately bring Londoners some of the great music and entertainment style that we think our country is best at.
We'll leave the politics, the War, and the Credit Crunch mess to Gordon Brown, and whoever George Bush's replacement is going to be, for them them to sort things out, or muck it up some more.
oOOo Take a peek at Cheyne on stage:
London's Country Western & Rock Singer Cheyne Pride
Please come out and join us as we have a HEE HAW! of a goodtime tonight as we present:
In Co-Dependence Day
*Part of Cheyne's new London club night A Little Bit Country A Little Bit Rock n Roll
oOOo Have a peek at the line-up!
We've pooled some fantastic entertainment with everything from an Opera signing hillbilly, as part of my comedy cabaret act House of Hee Haw!, to band -- including a debut night of Cheyne's new band Wildcat Tamers.
We've also got Cheerleaders! And guests get a FREE hot dog from the grill, and a complimentary cowboy hat to wear for the night.
Featuring...</
