Friday, April 25, 2008

BBC Test Card F



Information straight from WIkipedia:

Test Card F is a test card that was created by the BBC and used on television in the United Kingdom and in countries elsewhere in the world for more than four decades. Like other test cards, it was usually shown while no programmes were being broadcast, but was the first to be transmitted in colour in the UK and the first to feature a person,[1] and has become an iconic British image and is regularly subject to parody.

The central image on the card shows an eight-year-old girl, Carole Hersee, playing noughts and crosses with a clown doll Bubbles the Clown, surrounded by various greyscales and colour test signals needed to ensure a correct picture. It was first broadcast on 2nd July 1967 (the day after the first colour pictures appeared to the public on television) on BBC2.

The card was developed by a BBC engineer, George Hersee, father of Carole Hersee, the girl in the central image. It was frequently broadcast during downtime on BBC1 until that channel went fully 24 hours in 1997, and on BBC Two until its downtime was replaced entirely by Pages from Ceefax in 1998, after which it was only seen during engineering work, and was last seen in this role in 1999. Test Card J and Test Card W, which are digitally enhanced and widescreen versions respectively, have replaced it, although they are very infrequently broadcast due to the fact that the BBC now broadcasts BBC News and Ceefax pages on its terrestrial channels during downtime.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Mouth to mouth we lie.




The good news is that previously disastrous, doomsday-like thoughts have subsided in the wake of shorter working hours, summery weather, and midday walks. So what I am trying to say is that I am still afloat. Which is a very good thing.

Last night we went to a bit of Icelandic Cultural Hour (as I called it) in the form of Hjaltalin and Mum performing at some theater space. Don't even bother to say it, I already know I am obsessed. The truth of the matter is that I borderline stalked the former as they just so HAPPENED to be on the flight with us and I just so HAPPENED to read about their lead singer/songwriter (who I now claim to be in love with) in the Reykjavik Grapevine we took back with us and this band just so HAPPENED to have been nominated for 5 music awards recently and when I looked them up on line they just so HAPPENED to be playing in New York in two days. And I decisively made a purchase to attend. Which, if you know me, you'll note is a rarity these days. REGARDLESS, I am sort of blown away. Like maybe the very best show I have seen in a long while?! Oh, Icelandia.

Today a shoot I worked on (in the loosest sense) came accompanied with a story from the photographer of the subject in question... crying.

And in other news I am as vapid and shallow as usual but trying a little bit harder not to watch as much tv (Gossip Girl being an exception) and be productive. Which, at 10:30 is coming thirty minutes away from my bedtime. It's the least I can do.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

a tiny video project i worked on...




This is a link to NYTime's coverage of the Bjork video I worked on over the summer. Note my blond head at work when the yak skin is being moved to and fro. I am always very thankful that (thus far) no footage of photography has shown me frontally as it was usually about 500 degrees fahrenheit at all times.

simultaneous return




We are back from Iceland since Friday. Since then have been trying to be a bit more mentally productive. Still uncertain as to whether or not Helge will ever come back to life but am trying to be optimistic that, at the very least, I will think of things to do outside of work, work, work.

Very inspired by the music of the Icelanders... both to listen to (and not watch television and therefore to read or think) and to spend money on CDs and tickets (and not just on them).

Tomorrow is back to the miserable gray cubicle - which I am lucky to have? - and I am really realizing that most of what I'll dread about being back there centers on the fact that everyone is unhappy and I'm not particularly inspired to challenge myself... a.k.a. to fail. Which is a very negative outlook, I realize.

Still fantasizing about moving far away.

And by the way, HELLO!