I just left Auckland after attending the amazing Semi-Permanent 2010.
Was wonderful to meet so many enthusiastic attendees and also the incredible speakers I shared the stage with. thanks to Jessica Hische, Katrin Sonnleitner, Adrian Shaughnessy, Chris Allen, Sarah Estens, Gareth O’Brien, Dick and Otis Frizzell, Nic Roope, Andrew Gordon and Storm Thorgerson for all the inspiration and insights.
And of course thanks to all at the Church, SemiPermanent and British Council for being such welcoming hosts.

CLICK HERE for information and sign-up details

Audiences were invited to download an MP3 and turn up at a secret location to listen to the track at a specified time.
On the soundtrack the audience would hear a specially composed score along with narration and instructions.

Two MP3 files were made available, so the audience were divided in half. While one group was instructed to perform a simple scene the other group heard this described as if it were a film scene, but they could actually see it happening around them.

Throughout the piece these roles of watcher/performer alternated between the groups, ever increasing in pace until by the end they are all performing/watching simultaneously.
The work is a snapshot image of contemporary Britain, allowing the audience to watch it, reflect on it, and live it. It explored ideas of how mobile technology can create social disconnection in shared public spaces. It also looked for ways to use those same technologies to create connections between strangers and friends, to savour the moment and the temporary space that was created during the performance.
This is no requiem, this a celebratory slow dance, a chance to savour the world you live in, and to see it with fresh eyes.”

‘as if it were the last time’ is the second subtlemob.

Information and videos are at http://subtlemob.com,

I’m still trying to work out what subtlemobs are exactly, but these are the current thoughts -

Imagine walking through a film, but it’s happening on the streets you live in

Subtlemobs usually happen in public spaces

This is music composed for those spaces

This is about trying to make films without cameras

It’s about integrating with a social or physical space, not taking it over

The audience listen on headphones, a mix of music, story and instructions

Sometimes they just watch, sometimes they perform scenes for each other

A subtlemob is not a flashmob

try to remain invisible . . .

[ mailed from mobile ]

posted from mobile using flickr

extract:
‘The Tally’

‘breathing is important’

[ for emilie ]

construction workers in Bristol chalk out their latest existentialist
epic

posted from mobile using flickr

extract:

more fun with gumstix, arduinos, and phidgets. working with Tim Redfern and Kathy Hinde on portable realtime audio tools

posted from mobile using flickr

‘what we have done’ imagines a film being made in a dystopian soho of the future. As the dust settles on a post credit crisis world what’s left of our trust and values when everything is ‘to let’.

This work was commissioned by the Soho Theatre as part of ‘Everything must go’.

To experience this work one participant should download the soundfile [ LEFT ] and the other person should download [ RIGHT ]

(right click if you’re on a pc and choose save as or hold down the CTRL key and click if you’re on a mac. )

Both of you should then start outside the door of the Soho Theatre on Dean St. and press play simultaneously. The walk is approximately 18mins long. Please bring something of personal value with you.

‘what we have done’ by duncan speakman

[additional voice] Jane McCarthy [script editor] Emilie Grenier [thanks] Nina Steiger, Sheena Bucktowonsig