Monday 20 January 2014
Friday 17 January 2014
THE DONKEYS OF CLOVELLY LAUNCH NEW NORTH DEVON FILM PROJECT
The Donkeys of Clovelly are the stars of a new short film which launches the North Devon Moving Image (NDMI) film making project.
NDMI is a long term project which has been established to create and share a collection of short films examining everyday life in north Devon today and preserve them for future generations.
Amanda McCormack, founder of NDMI says “I was inspired to set up the North Devon Moving Image project after watching some fascinating archive films in the North Devon Movie bus a few years ago. It occurred to me that despite the fact that most people are regularly recording video on their mobile phones, tablets and digital cameras, no one is actually preserving this valuable resource.”
Amanda added “Coming up with a bright idea is just the start, the tricky bit is actually doing something about it. It takes a lot of hard work and focus to get something like this off the ground but I was delighted to find that once I said it out loud I wasn’t the only one who thought the project was a good idea. With plenty of moral support and some practical help from Jerry Bix at North Devon Plus (who guided us through the business registration) and a grant from the North Devon Coast AONB Sustainable Development Fund, we are now up and running.”
Amanda wanted NDMI’s first film to be a good example of how five minutes of video can capture a moment in time while being informative, entertaining and inspirational. “Working with Sue and Bart Kelly at Clovelly Donkeys was just wonderful. We felt really privileged to be given an insight into their lives with the donkeys. They are lovely people and it goes without saying that having big cuddles with the donkeys was quite a treat!”
Richard Butler, Sustainable Development Fund Chairman commented “This project is an insightful record which reflects on an iconic part of Clovelly’s rich Heritage. We were very happy to support this inaugural film project by North Devon Moving Image and hope it will be the first of many which will provide an informative record of life in North Devon.”
North Devon Moving Image will be building their short film collection in a variety of ways, working with individuals, community groups and film makers in north Devon. 2014 will be a pilot year where NDMI demonstrates different creative film making styles, launches community projects and hopefully inspires other local film makers to get involved.
To find out more you can visit the NDMI website at www.northdevonmovingimage.org.uk or catch up on twitter @NDMovingImage and Facebook North Devon Moving Image CIC.
Photos: Amanda McCormack with Sarah the Clovelly Donkey, Bart and Sue Kelly of Clovelly Donkeys
What viewers have said about the film
Colin Shaddick “A beautiful and quirky film from North Devon.”
Jos Goulding “An absolute delight … well done Sue & Bart”
Jos Goulding “An absolute delight … well done Sue & Bart”
Dion Sears “I loved it! Perfect music at the start and I loved how the donkey was part of the interview and kept trying to nibble things, it must have been hard not to laugh. Hope they find someone to pass the job onto … Great stuff, what's next?”
WATCH THE FILM/LEAVE ACOMMENT ON YOUTUBE HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtHE0hF4szA
Friday 10 January 2014
New Year rainbows, soggy walks. and counting birds.
I am feeling a little “under the weather” so I’m not getting
much gardening done. According to the RSPB this is the best time to cut back trees
or trim hedges before the mating season, which tends to start in February, so
I really am eager to start. After such a turbulent start to the New Year, you’d
think the birds would be quite wet enough but this week both the male and female Blackbirds
were splish-splashing in the tinfoil bath in the back garden and today a
Starling was going at it like a jet skier in a water filled planter in the
front garden. So by the look of it the birds are already beginning to rouse themselves. There
is a little more action also on our bird feeder and on the hedgerows and field
nearby. Spotted two Buzzards today, the Starlings were enjoying the stubble on
the field earlier in December and this week they have been gathering in
quantity on the telephone wires beside
the A39. Last week, after the storm, we took a soggy walk on a debris strewn beach
at Instow on the Torridge Estuary then moved on to a seemingly tranquil Fremington Quay where a small cluster of seabirds, an Egret and one lone Curlew were quietly
drilling down in the mud. We returned via Bideford and spotted a Murmuration
swooping and swirling above Bideford Long Bridge. As light was fading we parked
awhile on Brunswick Wharf to enjoy the spectacle. Meanwhile back in my garden the Chaffinch, Great Tits, Coal Tits and
Sparrows are constant visitors, Mr. Robin is already stating his claim with an
occasional song, and the Blue Tits continue to sneak nuts out from under the
beaks of our resident Doves which plonk themselves on the feeder. Rainy days have been lit up by rainbows after some short bursts of sunshine. The only down side to this perfect little scenario is
a local ginger cat that languishes below the feeder and waits....
What’s the betting that all this action disappears when it’s time for the Big Garden Birdwatch which this year is over the weekend of 25th and 26th
January
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| A little under the weather and ragged round the edges, just like me |
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| The first rainbow of 2014 |
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| Lone Curlew off Fremington Quay |
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