Richard Shepherd

For some reason, traffic for my site is going through the roof.

Well, “going through the roof” is a bit of an exaggeration. I’m conservatively guesstimating that it’s about 20 – 30 unique people per day. But still, this time last year that number was about 3.

I have a sneaky suspicion that many people are looking for another Richard Shepherd. And whoever that Richard Shepherd is, I’m glad he’s sending people in my direction! So welcome to all of you! Pull up a chair and sit yourself down. Grab a hot chocolate, tea or coffee. Perhaps a biscuit. It’s getting cold out there (I’m in the southern hemisphere, so our seasons are the wrong way around), and my winter wardrobe has made it’s way into the public. Lots of jumpers and long sleeve shirts. I digress…

The edit for the youCan2 commercials is over. Or thereabouts. We’ve handed over the footage to the sound designer and the composer. Sound is one of the most exciting parts of the production process for me. It’s where the ads really come alive. Have you ever noticed that you can snooze on the couch while still listening to a TV show and still get an idea of what is happening? The music tells you the emotion, the sound design tells you the action. Try watching a show with the TV on mute and it’s much more difficult to tell what is happening. Writing music which complements the style of each ad is so much fun, so I can’t wait to hear what the composer comes up with.

We have also added two visual effects shots to the ads. But I’ll keep those to myself, and see if anyone spots them in the final product.

Speak of music, I’m slowly assembling a basic home studio. I have a small mixer, a guitar interface, instrument microphone and stand, and a growing collection of great sequencing software and software instruments. My first composition, called ‘Upwards’, is a feel-good Craig Armstrong type track. Basic, because I’m still only piecing things together, but hopefully melodic and easy on the ear. At just under two minutes, all it needs it some final polishing over the next few days.

Finally, I watched a great film the other day called Crude Impact. There seems to be a proliferation of films like this at the moment, kick started by Michael Moore a few years ago. Like The Corporation and An Inconvenient Truth, Crude Impacts examines our dependence on oil and it’s effects on the environment. Sobering viewing indeed, but forewarned is forearmed – with so much happening in the world and to the world at the moment, I think we’re best off knowing as much as possible. I’m not preaching a point of view, but I am preaching that we educate ourselves. There’s no point being pro or anti anything unless you know some or all of the facts.

Intelligent debate is something we sorely miss in the world at the moment. I hope it makes a speedy return…