Luke Power - Sound Recordist Blog

New contact details

2010-08-19T15:32:00.004+01:00

My home / office number has changed to 01326 376637 - this is shared with our other business, Property Videos, so don't be alarmed! Check out Property Videos here if you'd like a look www.propertvideos.org.

Talking of new business... I'm taking the music and multi-track location recording to a new level and Power Sounds will be born vrey soon. Watch this space www.powersounds.co.uk.

Luke

Busy boy

2010-04-28T12:16:00.002+01:00

I've just added a few recent jobs to the work section of my website. I've still got plans for the site buzzing around in my head but work and life is getting in the way. As I mentioned in my previous post we're getting married on the 21st May so preparations have hotted up as the big day gets closer... I almost wrote 'looms closer'! That would be the wrong way to phrase it!

Luke

Spring has sprung...

2010-03-10T11:30:00.003Z

...well it has where we are anyway. What better time to start blogging again. Why did I stop (again)? Must be a personality thing, I've never been able to keep a diary as much as I'd love to so I guess blogging comes under the same category. I'll try harder again... and set calendar reminders.... AGAIN.

It makes absolute sense to blog, particularly for a sound recordist. Our websites are famously static as there is only so much information we can provide. Have you tried getting DVD's from project you've worked on? It's really hard to create a show-reel with only limited material. I received some great responses from the blog last year because, as an extension of the website, you can hopefully gauge a little about the kind of person I am. Can you?!

I've got some updates for the site up my sleeve including a music show-reel to give you an idea of what I've done with different bands, genres, both internationally renown stars and local legends. Keep an eye (and ears) out for that.

Family are great. Amy and I are getting married in May this year and moving home in July so things are fairly hectic. You may remember that I announced the birth of my first son, James, back in December 2008, well he's now a strapping 16 month old with a massive personality and a brain and wit bigger than he should be allowed at his age! Here is the little man with his dad:

A short film makes it, yay!

2009-11-19T12:49:00.002Z

It's great to see a (well deserved) short film make it to TV:

00:20 DANCE FOR ETERNITY 15 MINS
Sunday 22 November, Channel 4, [S]
An award winning atmospheric drama from first time director Michael Gilroy. Two lovers (Anna Bolt and Michael Gilroy) make a promise to each other that will change their lives forever.

I'm a bad blogger - Update

2009-09-07T16:49:00.006+01:00

Somehow 4 months have slipped by without a blog, I even toyed with becoming a 'Twitterer' but I think that's unrealistic!

Things have been busy... and not just with location sound. The Eden Sessions in Cornwall were great fun and I was lucky enough to be involved in a couple of capacities. I worked alongside our director, Julius Brighton, and producer, Anna Meneer, to capture the backstage goings-on and to interview the bands. I had the pleasure of meeting Kasabian, Razorlight, The Kooks, Florence from Florence and the Machine, The Hours, The Maccabees and Ladyhawk. How's about that for a name drop?!

The second part of my involvement takes me back to my post production and music roots; I'm mixing the live gigs for future use on DVD or broadcast. It's been great to spend some time in one place and work with material belonging to some of the biggest names out there BUT..... I'm looking forward to my next location job to get some fresh air!

For 6 weeks during June and July myself, Rob Sissons and Morgan Lowndes from Dogbite Film Crew embarked on a massive, and slightly overwhelming, project. We designed and constructed an outside broadcast van for community use in the Penwith area of Cornwall. The 'Spriggan' is fully kitted out to industry standards and is capable of 3 camera live shoots in full HD and (more importantly) can record 16 separate tracks of audio! We worked alongside Jigsaw 24 in Nottingham who were great at helpings us kit the van out with every concievable peice of kit we needed. The van also acts as a mobile screening facility and as a large workspace. I'm working on a mini website to promote the build team and hopefully do more of the same work as its a fantastic challenge with loads of variety and great fun.

In the meantime if you'd like to take a look at a few pictures please head to the Dogbite home page and click on the blog headed 'Spriggan OB VAN'.

Luke

Site and CV update

2009-04-29T13:34:00.005+01:00

I've tidied up the site and CV.

Also, a little off topic but, I've just returned from shooting a documentary on the phenomenon of 'hyper-parenting' and learned something really interesting during one of the interviews. This really only applies if you have a young child or know someone who does. Did you know that it's recommended that children under 2 years of age should receive no exposure to TV or any kind of moving display?

I had no idea! But according to this study it directly contributes to ADHD in later life. So the reason that your 7 month old is transfixed whilst watching his 'Baby Einstein' DVD is not because of the educational or developmental qualities of the film, it's actually because his brain is being shocked into coping with the changing colours, cuts, pans, zooms etc. So prolonged exposure turns 'real life' into something quite slow and boring; also reducing attention spans and impairing speech development. Apparently a baby gets far more education and useful stimulation from just playing with blocks or some finger food.

It's seems very informed and quite a logical study - worth mentioning if you're in the same boat as us. Sorry James, no more Baby Einstein for now!

All for now,

Luke

Busy busy

2009-03-23T16:57:00.008Z

I've added a kit list to the font page of my website www.lukepower.co.uk.

Things have been really busy and it looks like the rest of the year will be too, plenty of great film and TV is being made and the economic slow-down isn't having too much of an effect on my role....not so much of a gloat but more to say that I'm extremely extremely grateful. (I know that producers and ITV workers may have a very different view. Fingers crossed for everyone really.)

Briefly, here are some of the things I've been up to...

A children's Cornish language DVD.
Swindon library's promotional film staring the fabulous Paul Lavers.
A interview with historian James Moore for a worldwide Charles Darwin documentary for UKTV History in this country.
Recording brass band sections with Ralf McTell for an exciting new release.
A documentary following an avid lorry spotter.

...it's been quite a varied mix and looks set to get even more interesting as the year progresses.

Luke

Getting the blues.....

2009-02-02T15:18:00.008Z

Hi there,

I've recently completed a couple of recordings for Blues Connection - a fantastic four-piece band who gig regularly around the South West. Their recent work has been alongside a six-piece brass band; this makes for a magnificently grand sound and enhances an already tight and accomplished band.

For the recording of their album we revisited Sancreed Village Hall (the rock and roll capital of Kernow). Their original album was recorded here and the additional brass sections were to be recorded and added by me. The set-up involved dragging along my faithful PC so that I could use Cubase as a playback device for the players and also for recording. I set-up each project track in advance so that the mixing process was made easier down the line. Seven pairs of headphones were supplied to the brass boys and girls but, alas, no click track as the original recording was made live.

Mark Wilkin, world-class drummer and creator of the project, introduced me to a new friend, Mike:

Never ask a drummer to take a photograph!

Mike is a binaural head; this basically means that he has a microphone in each of his ears. Binaural recording is a technique that tries to reproduce sound as we would hear it. In theory the sound waves reach the head, pass around it, and behave as they would do around a human head; the shape of Mike's ears also replicate our own external ear flaps and lobes.

The recorded brass sections needed very little tinkering - I added a little compression on some tracks and a very small amount of EQ. The rest of the mix was tidying up room noises and 'riding the faders' through each track to, hopefully, make the brass sound as if they were always there. I am really pleased with the results and they sound particularly magnificent through headphones.

On Saturday (31st Jan) we took the whole show on the road for a live performance. The results from the recording are a work in progress but I'm pleased to announce that Mike came along and lent me his ears for the evening... that's right, the whole gig was captured on just 2 channels. 'Mixing' the recording was a case of adjusting Mike's position and orientation. Preliminary listening back sounds good so far - hopefully a successful experiment!

Now, it would be a real tease not to add a sample of this fine production for your own listening pleasure. In fact I've gone one better and added an entire track for you to download. This is 'Cheap Sunglasses' from the album 'A Lighter Shade of Blues' - available via the Blues Connection website. Get it quick before my wrists are slapped!

Click the album cover below to download the mp3.

Luke

Re-designed website

2009-01-11T18:24:00.002Z

My new website is up, please take a look!

www.lukepower.co.uk

Revamped CV to follow.

Luke

New website on its way & Happy New Year!

2009-01-09T10:21:00.007Z

I'm right in the midst of finishing a website re-design which I'd like to get launched ASAP before work gets too hectic - so to keep the blog ticking along nicely I've included a few magazine scans to keep you busy!

My face has appeared in 2 local glossy magazines in the past few weeks; firstly Cornwall Today and their coverage of the 2008 Cornish film fesitval:

Also Cornish World's article on 'Golden Brown', a super 16mm feature I was involved in during the summer..... remember the summer?!

Keep an eye out for the new site, it should be appearing early next week (that's it, I'm committed now). Happy New Year, I hope everyone is feeling refreshed and that any bouts of flu (the man variety or otherwise) subsides quickly!

Luke

Stargazey Pie, Babies, Credit Crunch and Holiday Flat!

2008-12-05T16:13:00.010Z

Things have been quite busy in the Power household - we now have a son! James was born 7 weeks ago; after 10 hours in a birthing pool Amy was transferred by ambulance to the local hospital where she was given every drug available (after doing so well with nothing) - James arrived another 12 hours later. Phew! I thoroughly recommend the experience to anyone... .honestly!! He's absolutely amazing and I'm pleased to say that he passed his hearing test at 2 weeks - maybe he'll take after his Dad and become a sound recordist?! Maybe not eh?

Well done Amy, I'm so proud of you. We made a beautiful little boy!!

On the work front things have been nice and busy but are dropping off towards Christmas as usual. I did a short doco at the local hospital (back there again!) - we explored the hospital experience from young people's perspectives. It was a real eye-opener and I've gained even more respect for the people who work in such a hectic environment. They gave up their time to talk with us and have obviously spent a lot of time considering how to soften the harsh, clinical environment of a hospital to put young people at ease.

Amongst other things I worked on a short film for the BBC's One Show. The film is part of a series looking at traditional and local foods. This particular example was for a dish called Stargazey Pie. I won't ruin the surprise but watch BBC One on Monday 8th and you'll understand the peculiar name. Mmmmm! (transmission times are subject to change).

I've yet to experience the effect of the credit crunch on our industry but I have heard stories of film funding being withdrawn. Its a worrying time. I'm hoping that (as in previous times of recession) people will turn to TV, film and entertainment as staying in becomes the new going out. There are plenty of local projects being discussed for the early new year which can only be a good thing. Fingers crossed.

And finally an advert! We have a small holiday flat available for rent in the town of Marazion in Cornwall. Marazion is famous as the home of St Michael's Mount and is a beautiful place to unwind. Visiting Cornwall off season gives a whole new perspective on this great part of the world. Marazion, Penzance and the Penwith area in particular have a unique rugged charm perfect for daytime coastal walks and cosy evenings in traditional pubs. The town is also home to many water sports and is the perfect place to sit and watch kite boarders and wind surfers.... or have a go yourself!

That's enough promotion for now. We've set some cheap winter rates at £250 per week to make things more affordable in these crazy times: Marazion holiday apartment

All for now,

Luke

Dogbite!

2008-11-10T15:49:00.006Z

This weekend saw the seventh annual Cornwall Film Festival. The event has grown considerably in a short space of time; the quality of the films were fantastic... as were the contributing professionals...

I attended the festival representing 'Dogbite Film Crew' - we are a complete crew for hire consisting of myself, Morgan Lowndes (DoP and Stedicam owner/operator, pictured on the right), and John Crooks (Gaffer, Camera Op and Jimmy Jib owner/operator, pictured on the left). The response to our display and drop-in workshop was fantastic and I'd like to thank everyone who came to visit us over the weekend.

We've worked together on many projects over the years and perform exceptionally well as a team. We created 'Dogbite' to offer a complete package to producers and directors who have a project in pre-production and are looking for a crew who know their stuff and can produce fantastic results.

email info@dogbitefilmcrew.com

Do you feel like you've just read an advert?!

Luke

Updated CV upload

2008-10-13T18:36:00.001+01:00

An updated CV can be found at http://www.lukepower.co.uk/CV.html

An update

2008-09-30T19:18:00.010+01:00

OK, so I very quickly fell into the bad habits of the casual blogger; somehow nearly 4 months have passed since my last addition. The idea behind the blog was to add some visual life to what would otherwise be a fairly static website. Whoops. Must try harder!

For the majority of July and August I've worked as recordist on a Cornish feature. The film has been shot on 16mm by the legendary Adrian Warren and features an incredibly strong cast ranging from the completely unknown through to some international icons. I'll reveal more as soon as I'm allowed to. I've had the pleasure (yet again) of working with a fantastic, upbeat and helpful crew so if any of you guys and girls read this - thank you.

Photo credit goes to Frances Speedie

I spent a whirlwind 5 days in Swansea recording sound for a 20 minute drama commissioned by Pembrokeshire Police and destined for the BBC. The world of 'single-person shooting on a Z1' collided with 'full production drama' and somehow met in the middle to cram in nearly 5 pages of script per day (2 pages is the norm). It was a great experience and a real learning (and compromising) curve for all involved; we shot some great stuff and spent time in beautiful surroundings with another superb team. The 2 mile walk uphill from the waterfall carrying the kit on a stretcher is a memory I wont be forgetting for some time to come. All I can say is 'thank you Kevin'!

I'll save some of my other work for the next post.

If you happen to visit this year's Cornwall Film Festival come and say hi, I'll be representing 'Dogbite film crew' in the main Princess Pavilions building with a hands-on display alongside the crew's other 2 members. The festival has become a serious contender in the UK circuit and attracts some great contributors from Cornwall, the UK and abroad with some amazing films, often made for a low budget, proving that Cornwall has what it takes to compete amongst the big boys and girls!

And finally... our first child is due to be born on 7th of October. All my love to Amy; fingers-crossed for the water birth we're both hoping for.

Luke

Recent work

2008-05-10T12:05:00.003+01:00

A quick update of what I've been up to as the CV and website haven't been updated.

I'm just finishing the final animation and sound mix on a 10 minute pilot episode of an adult animation - Knight-Time. It features all of your favourite celebrity knights (Connery, Moore, McCartney et al) doing battle with a sinister force. Its a great script and, as you can probably imagine, there is great scope for comedy and a future series; fingers crossed it will be received well when it does the rounds!

I've also recently worked as sound recordist on a 35mm short for Henry Darke called The Lobster Trap. I've worked on 35mm before but it still amazes me how much of a different experience and discipline it is. The camera is like a needy child with 5 or 6 people constantly buzzing around it. I think working in this environment (or 16mm for that matter) is a must for people who have only experienced working with DV.

All for now,

Luke

New addition to kit!

2008-02-19T09:35:00.006Z

We've been on the lookout for a practical but fun vehicle for a long time; they just don't seem to exist. We'd almost plumped for an estate car when I happened to see a VW camper for sale during my (then) regular bike ride... I really must start that up again. So here she is....

So why am I telling you this? Well, aside from being very excited about the prospect of travelling around Cornwall, the UK and further I can now carry my sound kit, myself and my duvet - and provide low-cost accommodation to a production. Simple yet effective.... and fun!

Test post

2008-02-15T14:14:00.008Z

Hello there and welcome to my blog, this is the obligatory test post; I thought I'd make it slightly more interesting by adding a picture of a celebrity and me! I wish now, in hindsight, that I hadn't opted for the 'young Jack Nicholson' pose, but never mind.

I was fortunate enough to get a couple of weeks work on the ITV series 'Doc Martin' during July 2007. Aside from getting some great experience on a large drama series I had the opportunity to hang out with Martin Clunes.... OK, I say hang out but maybe the correct term is 'say hi and briefly chat about classic VW's'... either way it was cool!

During my time working on film I have had the chance to work with actors of various stature from bitpart TV stuff through to legendary film icons and, as I'm sure most of you will associate with, I like to think that I am in no way a swooner or celeb-pest. I am, after all, a pro! Martin Clunes has been my only exception so far - I have a very fond memory of myself, my Dad and my two brothers watching and enjoying 'Men Behaving Badly' and I think, as a bonding experience, must have actually meant more than I ever gave it credit. Anyhoo, Mr Clunes, what a thoroughly lovely bloke...