The best thing about my job is …
… that I get the opportunity to travel to so many places, and it often allows me to combine the work with a little pleasure. Last week’s visit to see 7th Sense near Brighton was no exception. They are very lucky to work from a beautifully converted barn near Shoreham-by-Sea on England’s South Coast, so it seemed the ideal opportunity for me to shrug off the usual shackles of the hotel chains and find myself a holiday rental with a sea view. And did I! The family caught the train and joined me after the training was complete, and we enjoyed a lovely few days seeing the sights in and around Brighton, Shoreham and Worthing.
I could wake up to this view every morning!
The house was conveniently furnished with two full-sized fridges. In the first I made sure there was a bottle of mik, butter and some yoghurts, in case the kids got hungry. The other one was, obviously, dedicated purely to the storage of champagne. It’s our holiday treat. Who needs toast and coffee for breakfast when you can have a drop of the sparkling stuff instead? And waking up to a view of blue sky crowning a twinkling sea definitely demanded a celebration! The soundtrack to the champagne breakfasts had to be Prince’s The Gold Experience. Anyone fortunate enough to work with me when I’m programming will be familiar with some of my interesting musical tastes. I’ve recently raided the sale at HMV, so I’m currently armed with some Rock n Roll, 90s dance hits and the Beavis and Butthead movie CD. Mind you, my next job is in Madrid and, knowing the outdated tastes of the Spanish people that I know, they’ll probably just think that it’s perfectly acceptable stuff. In fact, they’ll probably be lamenting my failure to provide any Dire Straits or Mr. Big.
Greetings from the ... erm ... Brighton Bumhole ?
Anyone familiar with Brighton’s Lanes (a collection of narrow shopping streets that thread their way from the beach up to the train station) will be aware of the risks involved in going there with small children. I just knew when I saw the tall, stocky man in make-up, with a fur coat and a bow in his hair, that the youngest (5 year old Clara) would definitely say something very loud as soon as he got within earshot. Kids always do, but her more than most. In the end, though, she was distracted by a watch that she just had to have. Girls! A little further down the road was an interesting shop with a mannequin in the window wearing a red basque and fishnet stockings. Not my cup of tea, really. I’d far rather see my wife wearing something comfortable and practical (honest!). However, there were two tiny little girls staring at it and discussing how they’d like to wear something like that when they grew up: ‘That’s what I want to look like when I’m a teenager.’ My girls won’t be allowed to leave the house when they reach their teenage years (not until they’re 25), so they can wear whatever they like.
So my next trip is to Madrid. Unfortunately, there won’t be any time for sightseeing, but the work itself promises to be exciting: a 360 degree immersive dome experience using a 7th Sense Delta Media Server and a 6 projection blend (hence the need for my recent visit). In addition we’re going to be projection mapping onto the new Audi A3 Sportback and stage. Plus all the usual show lighting, special 4D effects etc. So, great challenges and more fun times ahead.