shot at dusk on 24th February 2007 at Raglan – was there for annual reggae festival SoundSplash, the year Dub Syndicate played!

I was reading this article by Derek Sivers the other day: How to hire a programmer and I got to thinking that there is a little start up to be created which I would certainly use occasionally, and that would be a site for commissioning sound recording. I think someone set up a site for freelance sound designers to bid on projects, but that has no appeal to me as sound design isn’t something I would consider farming out – I value the relationships I’ve built over the years with the local team I work with and there is a LOT to be said for sitting in the same room, listening & having a chat about work in progress that remote scenarios will never fully replace – whereas there are many occasions when we need a specific sound recorded for a film and it may be too far to travel… But finding a local recordist can at times be tricky… As per Derek Sivers article these sites exist for programmers eg Elance.com or guru.com or odesk.com or vworker.com but what about one for sound recordists?

I’m aware that there are production/film crew agencies in most cities but I’m talking more specifically for post and gathering sound effects & ambiences… If each registered recordist listed the gear/recorder/s and mics they had, along with their experience & especially their location then it could make for a powerful network of resources… As a simple example I need a good FX Recordist for some work in Johannesberg – please email me if you can recommend someone…

But to also try to solve the larger problem – is there a platform or existing solution? I don’t have the time or inclination to develop such a thing, but I’d happily be a customer!

Shot on September 2nd 2004, soon after getting my first digital camera, a little Sony point & shoot…. dead & buried six cameras ago… but the photos live on!

> The John Peel archive went online this morning starting with A….

> When it comes to designing creature vocals you simply cannot have enough source material, so if you’re working on a creature project these two new libraries are an essential purchase: Colin Harts Gator library and Frank Brys Devil Dog – have a listen:

Hart a Gator Library Demo by Colin Hart

Devil Dog HD Pro SFX Library by therecordist

> a 3D printed programmable Kalimba!!

“Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda has developed a digitized installation entitled ‘data.anatomy [civic]‘ which has been formed from the entirety of the data set belonging to the latest model of honda’s civic. detailed instructions for the….. more at designboom

Music by: Dustin O’Halloran & animated by Phil Borst

> “Our keyboards are programmed with the hum of distant planets”

> No doubt you’ve seen/hear In Bflat (if not then you’re in for a treat) but I was unaware of a more recent project: Marker Music – more info about the making of here

Han Bennink via NPR

> These images from The Outer Limits are awesome – especially this one:

Music by Toob and video directed, designed and animated by: Mr Kaplin