It was a meeting of two former SAFM panel-operators at my house this week as Sam Mac came to visit, where he was immediately presented with a copy of “David M. Green: The Radio Adelaide Years” by the one and only (as is the custom with all visitors to Casa de Verde), the moment snapped up by his personal paparazzo (Tim Wray). Needless to say, Sam Mac couldn’t conceal his excitement, as can clearly be seen in the above photograph.
But seriously, but still in a funny way, Radio’s Sam Mac took a bit of a risk by agreeing to team up with local sporting/comedy personality Alex “Shooter” Williamson and myself to film a sketch for no reason. Sam was in Adelaide for a few days, taking a well deserved break from hosting breakfast on Perth’s 92.9. Shooter and I were, naturally, doing nothing. The three of us actually got together December 23rd 2009 to film some stuff. Turned out pretty funny (I reckon, anyway). I thought we all meshed really well with each other. We met up again this week to take a look at a rough cut version of the sketch and to put the finishing touches on. So the good news for YOU is that the sketch in question, yet to be named (but heavily DMG-focused), will be appearing on the Internet for your viewing pleasure sometime very soon…
In the mean time, here are a couple of still images (or stillies) with some cryptic clues and references to the somewhat anticipated up-coming Mac/Green/Williamson audio-visual creative debut:
Okay, possibly a chair?
Right, so something about music and chairs. Hmm… what COULD that possibly be? What are you, an idiot? It’s clearly to do with musical chairs… Jesus…
So to quote Dutch street-fighting sensation Bas Rutten: Watch out for that. Very dangerous.
Kind regards,
David M. Green
For YOUR copy of “David M. Green: The Radio Adelaide Years” simply turn up unannounced at my house!
It’s been a while since I’ve done an interview, and hey, I’ve just bought a new microphone, so for no other reason than to pursue the TRUTH… I stormed right up to Parliament House and demanded to speak to the Prime Minister. However, Kevin Rudd was busy. Think he was out to lunch. But newly elected opposition leader Tony Abbott had nothing better to do… I’ll also take this opportunity to test out this new embedded audio player, which should help to make podcasting fun, instead of the tedious chore that it presently is. Enjoy.
[display_podcast]
Kind regards,
David M. Green
The Star of David is his Kryptonite
Frustrated by the lack of support I’ve received from the majority of Adelaide radio stations (community, commercial AND government), I loosened my extremely tight belt and forked out $254 for a decent microphone: The Zoom H2 Portable Audio Recorder.
Since I began my love affair with radio and audio-based comedy circa 2006, I’ve never actually had my own microphone. I’ve always relied on the facilities of which ever radio station on which I was currently broadcasting, or at times resorting to sneaking into a station on which I was NOT broadcasting (Some of our recent Triple M show was recorded at Radio Adelaide! Funnily enough I think neither radio station wanted us on their property). But now… screw them! I’ll make my OWN DAMN RECORDINGS!
Verdict: I LOVE this microphone! As these photographs clearly demonstrate:
The Zoom H2 is incredibly versatile. I takes 2 AA batteries and it’s portable so I can record anywhere. It’s actually got 4 small microphones inside it, so it can record stereo in 2 different directions, allowing for surround sound recordings. I can hook it up to my PC using a USB cable and record directly into Adobe Audition, which is great because I’ve had a lot of trouble in the past with Vista and microphones. And I’ve finally solved the problem of recording straight off the sound card. Ever since I upgraded to Vista in 2007 I haven’t been able to record what’s playing through the speakers into Adobe Audition. Why would I need to do that, you ask? Sound effects for sketches. You can’t always download an audio file. Sometimes you can only stream it, or it’s in a weird format, or you want the audio from a video. With Windows XP I could just change a setting in Audition and press record and get an instant recording. With Vista they changed the “Windows Mixer” or something and it just didn’t work. But now I can use the Zoom H2 almost like a mini broadcast panel, and record onto the SD card from the computer speakers, and then copy the recording back onto my PC. And this is great that this has happened now, right at the start of my first summer in 4 years where I’m NOT doing a radio show!
I have to admit, there’s no creative motivation like having 60 minutes of air time to fill every week. But even when I’m not doing a show I still get ideas for sketches and segments. I’m at my happiest writing, recording, editing and listening back to radio sketches. In that order, obviously… I mean, I’m hardly going to listen back to it before I’ve recorded it. So even though I’m not doing a show on radio this summer, I still plan to make some new sketches. I’ll still call them radio sketches, because that’s what they are. “Off-Air Radio Sketches,” if you will. So to kick off David M. Green’s “direct-to-Internet” summer of podcasting, please enjoy this sketch, which I did mainly simply to test out my new microphone…
Overlooking the appalling singing, I think the audio quality is excellent. It sounds like it was recorded at a radio station like all my other sketches. And apparently it’s not just me who thinks the same. I went to a music industry charity luncheon yesterday for the SALSA Debonairs, hosted by Radio’s David Day. To my total surprise, resting on the podium in front of him was a Zoom H2 recorder. The exact same model I’d just purchased. Not only that, another radio/production veteran, Greg Clarke, had one too! They’ve both had them for years, and I had no idea! I mean, I’ve already decided I like my Zoom H2 based purely on performance, but knowing that these two legends of the industry also use one confirms my suspicion that this was $254 well spent.
Kind regards,
David M. Green
Unemployed radio comedian
Until recently, I was just like you; I thought that Internet TV was something that only existed one time in my mind when I thought up the concept myself a few years ago. Foolishly I did nothing about it and turns out someone else invented it. Not only that, but Australia’s first Internet TV station, Australia Live TV, is based right here (where I am, at least) in Adelaide, a mere 17.8km (via road) from my house!
After perusing Australia Live TV’s extensive list of 5 shows (4 of them sports-related), I was just about to close the web page forever, when I noticed that they’re launching their new morning show, to be called “Mornings Live.” Furthermore, they need a couple of hosts. Hey hey! Now it’s personal. And seeing as though applying for the position required little effort on my part, I figured I gotta get in on this, so I threw this demo video together in an afternoon…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJsmw6IAceo
I certainly enjoyed myself. In all seriousness, I’d love to do it. but if it doesn’t go beyond the demo-filming stage, hey that’s okay. I’ve also enjoyed watching the other entrants (Check those out here). There are about 5 with which I have been legitimately impressed. I must say, SOME of them are absolutely shocking… I’d love to put together a 30-minute TV special where I critique all the entries. But I don’t have the resources for that, so I’ll just do it here: For starters, about half of them either didn’t read the guidelines, or completely ignored them, as the demo video was supposed to be no longer than 60 seconds. Granted, my own is 69 seconds, but if you only watch the first 60 seconds, I was essentially through. But other entries range from 20 seconds to 10 minutes long! And most seem to be around the 2-4 minute range!
Furthermore, some of them are not directed to the specific position. Okay, fair enough, a few people have just put up a generic showreel. No harm in that. However, some have gone further (or shorter, rather), actually using their demo video for a completely unrelated talent search conducted earlier this year by the new ABC3 digital children’s channel. Hence several demo videos on the Mornings Live website feature hopeful presenters pouring their hearts out about wanting to work with children on the ABC! I myself also applied for that (and actually re-used part of my ABC demo for this one!), but I was clever enough to sneakily splice in new footage, which explains why my hair subtle changes length throughout the video, hehehe!
Another trend I noticed: Of the 90 or so video entries submitted so far, the most popular choice of background music seems to be “Clocks” by Coldplay. I can’t help but notice I was the only one to include both “Conditioning” by Howard Jones (stereotypical hilarious ’80s music) AND “Menuet From String Quintet No. 5 Op 13” by Luigi Boccherini (stereotypical hilarious “rich guy” music).
Lastly, I’d love to share just a few specific entries with you (who ever YOU are…). Please don’t get me wrong. This is not a mean-sprited dig at others’ expense, but merely me pointing out a few entrants’ “interesting choices” with regard to making their demo. Behold…
5. Jason Kemp: Evidentally a keen user of Movavi Video Converter’s fabulous trial version. Also, which one is Jason Kemp?
But of course, for maximum enjoyment, I highly recommend you watch EVERY entry. Thanks to guidelines not followed, what should be 90 minutes of entertainment, is more like 200 minutes of entertainment. And darn good watching!
Kind regards,
David M. Green
What’s next? Internet books?
PS. Oh yes, by the way, if you like, feel free to vote for me on the Mornings Live website. I’d very much appreciate it and be happy to email you a signed photograph of something.
David M. Green once again, speaking to you via the medium of blog, not to be confused with the medium of log. Although you could be forgiven for making that assumption, considering the topic of this particular entry. Behold my latest straight-to-The-Internet sketch!
In this short visual motion picture film, I attempt to find the answer to the age-old question, if a tree falls in the middle of a forest and no one’s around, does it make a sound? I spared no expenses, excluding ‘money’ of course… and ‘time’ I suppose… But I can assure you I spared no amount of ‘thinking.’ But why did I make this sketch? You just can’t leave it alone can you… Na, you’re ok. In fact it was my audition video for a new Zapruder’s Other Films/ABC TV show to be aired in late 2009, code-named “Project NEXT.” Alas I was not successful. I’m guessing they were looking for someone who took the audition seriously… But no loss. At the very least it was an excuse to finally get around to filming this sketch, which I actually wrote back in 2004!
So please enjoy, if you haven’t played the video already, “Trees: A Sound Experiment” by me, David M. Green.
Kind regards,
David M. Green
Who I just said I was
