Unrealised Projects

A few years ago our friend and collaborator [and now Associate Artist] Christopher Hall started making a documentary called 7 Short Films About Third Angel.  Chris being Chris, there were going to be more [or less] than 7 shorts films made to go together under that title.

It never actually got finished, and some of the shorts he made have kind of become Third Angel films - or at least we show them at Third Angel screening events, and given Chris' heavy involvement in nearly all of our film work, we don't worry to much about the 'authorship' of them.  There's probably more to say about that, another time.

Anyway, one of those shorts, Unrealised Projects, is included in Issue 8 of online magazine /seconds.  You can watch it here.

Watching it again now, it's worth noting that one of the unrealised projects I talk about in the film, Evidence, is back on our to-do list, having been re-invigorated by our work with Teatro Praga in Lisboa [we made a piece called Off The White for the fourth installment of their great collaborative project Shall We Dance].

It is also worth noting that we've tidied up the making space that it was shot in since then, and that I don't have that goatee any more.

Alex

Goodbye Psalter Lane

"You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone".  That's what it says, painted in big white-on-pink letters above the entrance to what we simply refer to as 'Psalter Lane'.  Specifically we're refering to Psalter Lane Campus, the part of Sheffield Hallam University that houses the fine art, design and film courses.  And we will.  Miss it, that is.  The final degree show has just closed, and although the car park still looks busy, that is, in fact, it.

I was asked to write a few thoughts down about my memories of Psalter Lane, for the Sheffield Telegraph. Here's (a slightly rewritten version of) what I wrote:

Psalter Lane
My first experience of Psalter Lane was Monday morning film theory classes when doing my MA at the Northern Media School (then based in The Workstation) back in ‘94.  Walking up that hill from Nether Edge... Since then we’ve had an ongoing relationship with the place.  I couldn’t believe how busy the first degree show opening night that we went to was – drinks in the Wham Bar, and also in various students’ workspaces.  You always have to go back the following week to actually see the work – and spend the day there.  

I remember making some nice discoveries: Two video monitors showing the same bloke talking to himself, then he popped up live to join in the conversation.  An installation underneath the main building, film projection, turning mirrors, a figure running in the distance. Some great painting. A couple of lovely pieces we recommended for the National Review of Live Art in Glasgow – a performance of knitting with strips of carrier bags and a microfiche crowd scan.

We did the Wednesday afternoon artists' lecture once, and for a few years Rachael and I did a ‘Welcome to Sheffield’ lecture for the new first years at Psalter Lane – telling them about life in Sheffield as artists, what the cultural life of the city is like, and gave them clues where to find the best coffee. And of course we always recommended buying the Sheffield Telegraph for its arts coverage...

So that's it.  They're moving to new facilities in the city centre, which will be good for the Cultural Industries Quarter, I think.  But up around Psalter Lane, we'll miss it when it is gone - most of it knocked down for new houses and flats, apparently.  We'll just have to wait and see how it affects the surrounding area.

Alex

Presumption at The Drum

A couple of nice mentions from Lyn Gardner in The Guardian in advance of our 5 nights in Plymouth this week - in The Guide and on her blog. 

The show opens tomorrow night (Tuesday 17th) and you can get tickets here. We're doing a post-show discussion on Thursday night.

I know this is a rather brief post, but I *am* on holiday.

Alex

Entertainment

Passing on best bits of advice to graduating students at Leeds Met.  My friend Teresa, quoting Pete Brooks, who taught us both at Lancaster at the start of the 1990s:

I entertain an audience, so that they will entertain my ideas.

Bill Bailey on Desert Island Discs this morning, quoting Bob Mills:

The thing with comedy is... keep saying funny things.

Alex

New Web Site, New Blog

Well, here it is - the new Third Angel blog to go with the new Third Angel website. 

The plan is that this blog will be about the processes of making and showing our work, along with other stuff we're thinking about or seeing that might be of interest.  But, like most of our projects, we'll see how it evolves.  As well as the new website, we've also set up a Flickr account.   

We are out on the road with Presumption at the moment.  Just back from two great shows in Moscow, next stop will be The Drum Theatre, Plymouth (17 - 21 June).

Alex