22 - 26th September

This has been a very busy week, archiving all the material that I have been working on over the past two months and telephoning contacts and potential contributors.

Communication over the phone is an essential part of a research planners’ role. It is important at the early stage to determine if contributors are suitable for various roles on CF.  Telephone interviewing seems to be a natural intuition and skill, as I listen to Anna, Phil and Peter charming the various guests.

I also visited the editing suite this week and met Kate Davis, a Dubbing Mixer from Post Production, where the final phases of making CF occur. The ‘rushes’ (pictures & sound shot on location) are edited together on computer, music and guide voiceover are added and the items are ‘locked off’ (passed) by the Producers for duration and editorial content.  Then, a file containing the audio is sent to Kate and her colleagues in the ‘Dub’(dubbing suite), where they clean up the sync tracks, add sound effects, record voiceover with the presenters, and mix all of these tracks together to create one smooth soundtrack.  The sign of a good job is that the viewer will not really notice the sound; it will just go through smoothly, complimenting the pictures, so it is very important that Kate and her colleagues in post production get it right! 

Kate said “I’ve been here for over 12 years now and I do really love my job.  It is great being able to make things sound better. I can create a soundtrack from nothing by adding atmospheres, spot effects and music to create a suitable ambiance; it’s really satisfying”.

Slight drawbacks are that she relies almost solely on computers for her work (which can, and do go wrong) and she has to sit in a windowless room all day which tends to make you go mad, but nothing that a spot of rollerblading out doors can’t sort out! 

I spent some time searching the archives and finding the clone tape information on fly tipping, a potential theme I have been developing for a future CF programme. The idea is to check what has been covered previously on the programme and on other news items before writing a brief on that topic. Having found two dates (2003 and 2005) when the topic was covered, I noted the angles covered with a view to re discovering the theme for CF.

This week I had the privilege of previewing a forthcoming feature on: ‘The Jane Austen festival’, to be shown on CF sometime in October. This is the very first work that Anna Jones has ever directed!

Anna, rookie director, said “It was a very hectic experience, but lots of fun at the same time. The biggest thrill was seeing a Presenter reading your own script”. Miriam did a wonderful job, even showing her prowess at dancing!

The film was beautiful, with grand backdrops and glamorous contributors; and Miriam even got her choice of man in the end!  Well done Anna, and look out Steven Spielberg!  Anna says that she is looking forward to doing it again, but only after she has fully recovered!

On Thursday night the CF staff were invited to a night out by the post production team to celebrate 20 years of successful country side storytelling. It was a lovely night, reflecting the wide community spirit and good relations that exist within and out with the CF team.  We were all picked up by a 1950s bus and transported deep into the countryside…….

JC gave an impromptu speech at the 20 year celebration event congratulating all staff on working so well together in such a well respected and quality programme. Something I can fully endorse, even in my short time with the team.

On Friday I spoke to JC about his exciting career. John was born in Leeds and started his professional life in print journalism as a junior reporter on the ‘Harrogate Advertiser’ before moving to the ‘Yorkshire Post’. He then worked as a freelance correspondent and writer for various national newspapers. His first position with the BBC was in Newcastle upon Tyne, working on local radio and television, then it was Bristol, and now he is based in Birmingham with BBC CF. However, he still sticks in my memory as the children’s news presenter for ‘Newsround’! He also presented the children’s programmes ‘Multi-Coloured Swap Shop’ and ‘Saturday Superstore’, useful I am sure now when he looks after his grandchildren. In 1989 he first presented on CF, and such excellence in his work was recognised by an OBE in 2000 for services to rural and children’s broadcasting. Well deserved John!

John reflects on his time with CF and mentioned the family type atmosphere and true dedication that keeps the team presenting quality shows week after week. What other programme has such a range of topics so well researched…. It’s not just the weekly long range weather slot that keeps the viewers loyal.

I will miss the regular warmth of the CF team, but certainly will not miss the regular commute and wait in the airport lounges!

I will carry on working with the CF team (as many of the stories that I have been working on are longer term in nature and are part of the forward planning), so I will travel down as and when the on going stories require it ……… I see CF as a giant tree, always developing new leaves and roots, capturing sunlight, nutrients  and rain while  I am one of their newly acquired symbiotic fungal associations, spreading out mycelia to acquire news in the paths that I travel…..…and also completing my initiated missions.

I have only begun on this new journey, as part of improvement of science communication skills….a great experience, and one that I would certainly recommend to any scientist interested in communication - so yes, that should be you!.

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Further info on BA Media Fellows