By george it’s chilly! – but very pretty in #Paisley2021
I was thinking this week about the ways we now take in our ‘TV’ rations which have changed so much in the last few years due to the advent of digital streaming. Online entertainment providers are now spending multi-millions on content that perhaps may end up being viewed mostly on hand held devices – cinematic productions which may never get the benefit of the truly ‘big screen’.
I like going to the movies – still find it a thrill – and I remember taking my son to the ‘pictures’ for the very first time. I had booked our cinema tickets online and just as well. The car park was busy to bursting but we managed to park kind of close to the front doors and with a minimum amount of fuss from the occupants of the car we dashed inside. It was a typical summer’s day in Scotland and the rain was bouncing on the bonnet of the car and the pavements alike. In the centre of the foyer there was an almighty queue for tickets, hotdogs and nachos which snaked back and forth across the red carpeted entrances to the 12 screens. Our show was on in Screen 6 which like the car park before was rammed with parents, grandparents, carers and weans.
It seemed like we had got the last two seats that were available together. I took off my son’s coat off and propped him up on the seat which immediately folded back leaving my lad shaped like a capital ‘V’. He recovered to perch himself on the edge of the seat – avoiding the flip up conundrum – and seemed to enjoy the rest of the experience.
As I say it was a first for my son and I was aware that I watched him more than I did the screen for the first hour or so. Essentially throughout the duration of the film I was waiting on him to be scared or upset by something – the sheer size of the screen, the volume of noise, the darkness – but it never came. ‘Maybe’ I thought to myself while the cartoon characters on screen escaped from yet another scrape ‘he’s been desensitized by the 24hr illuminated world in which we live and through repeated exposure to challenging media stimuli he can no longer experience the shock of the new…’ or maybe it’s because most of the homes he had visited had large screen plasma televisions mounted on the walls of their front rooms and sound systems to match.
I remember him visiting my brother’s house the day that a new 50 or so inch plasma had been installed. My boy who was about one year old then and hadn’t been walking long was fascinated by this thing. It had been hung low so it was just a perfect height for him to stand directly in front of. His face was a picture as he stood staring slack-jawed in amazement at this huge liquid colour filled box that was alive with Disney cartoons, Sponge Bob and Scooby Doo. Fantastic picture quality, built in blu-ray DVD, hi-fi sound and High Definition chocolate buttons smeared across the pristine plasma screen…
#OneDigital
I think we all know within the Third Sector that adapting to digital ways of working is challenging but there is an argument that if we don’t adapt we will struggle to remain as successful as we know we can be – the article – ‘Go digital or die’ from the TFN is worth a read and can be seen here:
Zoe Amar’s blog ‘What can we learn from the Scottish voluntary sector’s Digital Call to Action?’ is a good read – be careful though – it features a picture of yours truly…
http://zoeamar.com/2016/11/29/can-learn-scottish-voluntary-sectors-digital-call-action/
‘Stories, Stones & Bones’
We are holding a Funding Spotlight Session on the 8th December 2016 covering Heritage Lottery’s Fund ‘Stories, Stones & Bones’ – see here for details: http://bit.ly/2gfY3z8
Paisley 2021 – Pledge Deadline 15 Jan 2017
And of course – as I sign off I remind you that there’s still time to pledge your support for Paisley 2021 – see here: http://bit.ly/2gfYERF
Good luck to all – speak soon
Alan
Alan@Engage Renfrewshire 