AV News 187 - February 2012
Days like this don't just happen - such events call for much forward planning
and administration and this is carried out by Bryan Stubbs. Attendees are
welcomed in the foyer by the ever delightful Mary Stubbs and delectable Janet
Spence before Keith Scott opened the proceedings. He did extremely well in
quickly becoming familiar with the complexities of the computerised lighting
controls even to anticipating the time required to travel the distance to reach the
controls and so precisely turn on the house lights as the projectionists Tony
Colinson and Howard Taylor ended each sequence.
Bryan then briefly introduced the guest of
the day, Colin Balls, who explained that after
a lapse of many years this was his third visit to
Yorkshire in a short time.
A chance encounter with a self taught artist
of military and aviation subjects led to an
unplanned and unexpected sequence
featuring the times and work of the artist and
the audience experienced an Audio Visual
presentation in real time. The timing of the
images slickly matched the live presentation
which explained the construction of the
sequence leading to the somewhat gradual
emergence of a presentation which could not have been envisaged at the outset.
From the strong relationship
which followed, each became
enthralled and involved with the
others skills, exploring the depths
from which the final production
emerged.
The painting dedicated to the
New York Fire Department's role
following the destruction of the
twin towers, inspired Colin's
deeply emotional and poignant
production comprising minimal
images progressively illustrating
the detail and magnitude of the incident.
Reinforcing the production was the very presence of not only the artist but
actual examples of his artistry which contributed to the finished sequence.
Being Sunday, Colin closed the day with a much more abstract production
derived from the stained glass of a church. As with the first production, low key
and reeking of atmosphere and emotion, the sequence flowed without pause of
the barely perceptible transitions, creating the illusion of movement with static
images. To the writer this was no surprise, in the knowledge that we were in the
presence of one of the masters who laid the ground rules of AV production in
the pioneering days when, along with John Edson, blazing the AV trail, they
brought their road show to nearby Otley...on 21st October 1978.
Who are the doyens of today who will be on the scene 33 years hence?
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