Theo Simpson in Exeter, two walks on Flickr

The unexpected has arrived in Exeter, starting with the less than expected. In fact yesterday I managed to do the walk suggested for Lesser Known Architecture without seeing one of the Theo Simpson images. Maybe I was too early or maybe I was looking in the wrong place. Some help from the Phoenix let me know that the images are as adverts on bus shelters etc. So most were there when I looked again. I think the one opposite the Odeon has not yet arrived. so the first walk has photos of buildings etc near the sites on the map. and the second includes the images as expected. 

 Walk Two

Walk One

couple of examples

The return of Blackwell's to Exeter University

I have done a video to show the route from the Forum retail units to the new space above the student bar. Partly this is a public service as the route is not that easy to find. Also it is a genuine curiosity. Exeter is possibly the only university to spend millions of pound to demolish a bookshop. Of course there are many other aspects but in terms of function it is clear that before the new Forum there was a permanent bookshop. Now there is not. 

Couple of things may be speculation but have not been denied. The bookshop has always been viable and Blackwell's would prefer to have a space. The decision appears to have been based on design criteria for modern retail environments. It is thought that a bookshop is not the latest thing on the high street or contained shopping experience. For similar reasons there was no box for posting letters in the relaunch of Princesshay. There is still a Post Office on an upper floor and you can still post a letter but in a discreet sort of way so the design style is safe for gadgets and headphones. 

Of course I welcome the new digital technology but it can be blended with classic items. The university and the bookshop have been associated for a while now. It may be that digital technology can assist the bookshop future. In Charing Cross Road there was a print device for one off books. This seems to be discontinued but in a previous short term bookshop there were editions in a run of 150 for a specific Exeter course. there may be other ways to combine hard copy and digital technology.

As the unexpected festival continues in Exeter it is hard to know which is more unexpected - a university without a bookshop or the low level of publicity for the bookshop return. 

DJ Buttons September version

DJ Buttons              txt by Will Pollard    @will789gb

Intro

This is an outline script for a sound version of roughly half of the Cinderella story, transferred to episodes in the life of a radio presenter. Some performances may be recorded on video but the main aim is to edit at least one version for radio. On social media the “not making of” can be as interesting as the “making of” style of additional content as promotion.

Background

This document started as an attempt to promote the 2012 remake of Sparkle ( see previous versions ) eventually considering changing the sound context to folk as a way to reach a wider audience in the UK. The current approach with a choice of rock and roll on radio has turned out to be the most viable at this time.

Some of the names are real. This may avoid copyright issues. No infringement is intended.

Warning Fair

This txt is on offer as open source / creative commons. There is a version in production but other versions as well as variations are welcomed. However part two - Six O’Clock Somewhere - will be heavily copyrighted and not much developed till there is a significant advance for the novelisation. There are a few notes on the second part at the end of the script below.

Recent Changes

There is a new character, social media editor for the radio station. there needs to be a confidant for DJ Buttons, someone to talk to and explain state of mind as situation develops.

Also there could be a narrator, a story teller to explain the situation. Otherwise we need lots of dialogue to start each scene.

The characters

DJ Buttons     Trainee presenter

Wil       )          Presenters         they have been doing much the same show for quite a long time

JD        )

Rita the Tweeter        Social Media Editor

Chris             Station Manager

Fred                     Event Organiser

Princess              Visiting Vocalist

Scenes

------------------------------

Talk during broadcast

JD and Will introduce each other

then DJ Buttons

only bit of dialogue so far

“Listen, we do the talk, you do the buttons”

-----------------------------

DJ Buttons meets Rita the Tweeter in cafe. Attempts to get a mention on the station tweet feed.

Explains interest in Wolfman Jack and plays examples. Hints at some resentment on situation in studio so far. Rita is friendly but not able to do anything as DJ Buttons is not fronting a show.

( Sound example from Wolfman Jack has the same function as Cee Lo Green in Sparkle, early example of mentor sound)

------------------------

more broadcast off air . things get worse. JD always talking about other studios where things were more reliable.Will playing slower music though it is supposed to be daytime disco. DJ Buttons suggests rock and roll but has no influence

-------------------

Chris ( station manager ) talks to Fred ( organising big event ) Fred wants to contract Will and JD to introduce Princess, guest vocalist at forthcoming event. Chris agrees to arrange this but warns that they are getting argumentative and boring though still with an audience.

Also discussion of rock and roll compared to pop. (Sparkle has a theme of gospel contrasted with R&B though also resolved with certain songs. The songs in DJ Buttons can start with contrasts but also show rock and roll that works as pop, on radio)

-------------------------

JD and Will build up the event on air

DJ Buttons offers opinions but not allowed to say much

-----------------------

DJ Buttons meets Rita the Tweeter in cafe. Explains he has songs that would suit Princess

but not sure how to get them to her. Sympathy from Rita but no actual help.

------------

JD announces he has to be at the South Devon Arts Centre on the evening of the event but will phone in his contribution. Demands remote control of the mixing desk. Fred not happy with this but reluctant to cancel. Claims that actual being there is in the contract.

Will suggests that Princess should cover “I’ve Never Been To Me” by Charlene. Chris not happy with this as thought much too slow and likely to lose the audience.

-------------------

( this is several scenes but running out of time to write them at the moment)

Princess arrives and objects to the song “I’ve Never Been To Me”. Dispute with Will. Fred talks to Chris claiming that the presenters have no role in suggesting songs. Will continues to insist that slow songs are ok for a general audience. Fred decides that as an intro for Princess this is not going to work. Fred avoids argument with Will but uses the JD non appearance as a pretext to cancel the contract.

--------------------

Fred talks to Chris about what to do next. Eventually they decide that DJ Buttons can introduce Princess but only very quickly with minimum fuss. Fred explains this to DJ Buttons and also that no fee or contract is involved.

-------------

DJ Buttons has a chance to hand over his songs to Princess. They get on well, even though time is short.

( The songs written by DJ Buttons will not appear in sound till the next part  - Six O’Clock Somewhere)

Princess sings several songs that are ok with the audience   ( need to find out what they are)

-----------

JD phones in with announcement of legal action for cancelled contract. Supported by Will. Chris not sure if he has to support this but tells DJ Buttons to go home and stay home till legal issues resolved. DJ Buttons is working for the radio station but not allowed on the premises. Will and JD seem to have a sound legal case.

---------------------

DJ Buttons meets Rita the tweeter in another cafe somewhere else in the same city. He explains his situation. Rita says “Thing is, I can’t help you. In radio, you might as well not exist.”

==========================

In Six O’Clock Somewhere Princess manages to find DJ Buttons and work on some of his songs. He then gets his own show on television with a mix of archive and new material. More songs needed, combining rock and roll / pop .

Six O’Clock Somewhere will not yet be much explained but the songs could be released ahead of the production. They need to be hits so the audience knows them.

------

http://youtu.be/8kKv2rZ0cV4

Wolfman Jack sample

http://youtu.be/hfht-xFUMAk

Charlene, never been to me

London map, Open House, finding ExCel

Now back in Exeter and checking out news from Print 13 in Chicago. I am even more convinced that time and space are converging. The next two weekends are Open House in the UK, in London but first everywhere else. I have stopped booking and mostly see it as a chance for a walk. Gradually I spend less actual time in London but think of it more as a scheme of a map rather than easy to travel. 

If IPEX 2014 started with Chicago Print 13 then it won't matter for a while that ExCel is hard to walk to. There still could be a walk along the canal and River Lea but the final section is still missing. I think. More on this next year. But meanwhile have done a map with two ovals. Actual places not shown but this started with a walk between the Work Foundation and the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) . This could be an area where general policy is worked out. the outer oval is more for tech support. I don't think this is just the magic roundabout. There are lots of sites somewhere close but not too congested. 

Not sure how this would work as a map guide. Probably needs more detail to work as a visit to London Open House. 

King's Cross still interesting for the changes. Futurelearn is in Camden and the canal route is clear enough. Not sure how the British Library is involved in Futurelearn if you turn up in person. The walk to Islington Green was investigated last year. the canal is underground but there is a connection so Cross Media Live can be imagined.

The walk to the Olympic Site is also clear and I think more of the park is open. but how to get to ExCel. One possibility seems to go to Limehouse and then follow the river. 

Seems a lot for one weekend. A route I don't know is between the Elephant and Victoria. I realise the river is not straight so this may be shorter than I imagine. The London College of Communication and the Work Foundation may have some connections but I don't think either is open for the weekend.

So mostly ideas to be followed up later, probably. Depends what else is suggested.

The analogue art and digital art may be valid but are shown to relate to Exeter. Analogue tends to be Fore Street and digital tends to be Sidwell Street. My guess so far. 

UK Universities, Technology. #mooc

The Guardian today has not got anything about online education but there is a promotion for their online discussion about university rankings. Editor Brand Dissonance occurs when there is a major mismatch between the apparent direction of the brand and the content opinions. There is still a series of negative opinions about the MOOC though meanwhile the Guardian is trying to move the readers to the online networks. Presumably some form of learning is possible through these networks. One day they might explain this in print.

Finding the original site, there is also an article - Tech Schools Dominate Rankings - showing that it is not just MIT going to the top position. Tech universities have done well including some fairly new ones based in Asia. I notice that the word "Technology" often appears in the name, outside the UK. Here the Polytechnic has appeared to vanish. Only Anglia attempted to hang on to it.

I wonder if it still happens that a discussion about online learning starts with someone stating that this is not about technology. It may turn out that online learning develops through sites where technology is assumed as part of the structure. The UK universities that are not involved in a #MOOC may have a good research reputation at the moment but miss out on some experience.

MIT have been putting free content online for a while. I'm not sure how these tables are worked out or how much to value them, but it would be interesting to see how online social media effect reputation. I am still trying to find some theory about content marketing. Any clues welcome.