Sound Recording in Sweden with Chris Watson

A unique opportunity to spend several days recording the sounds of spring in Sweden in May with Chris Watson, a leading figure in the world of wildlife sound recording. Our base will be Ängskärsgården, a group of cabins in a remote location away from unwanted noises! Ängskärsgården is a couple of hours drive north of Stockholm. There is a wide range of different habitats and recording locations in the vicinity with lakes, forests and the ocean all near at hand. There is also a nature reserve nearby - Hållnäs.

We will have the entire Ängskärsgården base at our diposal for the four nights, with a chef and minibuses to allow us the greatest flexibility for recording trips. The range of habitats will enable us to experiment with surround sound techniques, hydrophones, contacts mics and the range of stereo and mono recordings. We will also have a surround sound system at our base for reviewing recordings and group discussions. It is expected that you will have some recording experience and your own equipment to bring (although we will have some extra gear with us that everyone is welcome to try).

Some of the many species we may encounter: Sea Eagle, Herring Gull, Black Tern, Turnstone, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Three-toed Woodpecker, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Red-backed Shrike, Montagu’s Harriers, Cormorants, Grey Herons, various Owls, Pool Frogs...

Day 1 (Thurs 10th May): Travel to Ängskärsgården, Sweden (for those travelling from the UK: British Airways London Heathrow plane BA778 departs 1130 and arrives Arlanda, Stockholm at 1500). Aim to arrive in Ängskärsgården by 6pm. Settle in, upack, meet the team and discuss the recording activities for the next few days.

Day 2: Recording activities

Day 3: Recording activities

Day 4: Recording activities

Day 5 (Mon 14th May): Depart. Early brunch and pack to depart base approx 1130 (for those travelling to the UK: British Airways London Heathrow plane BA779 departs Arlanda at 1540 and arrives Heathrow at 1715)

Chris Watson - experienced sound recordist specialising in wildlife - Chris also runs courses in wildlife sound recording and post production at the BBC Natural History Unit, and lectures internationally on location sound and sound design. He has worked closely with two of the most high-profile natural history presenters in the business, David Attenborough and Bill Oddie. He is Oddie's favourite sound man and the TV veteran says of Watson: "I don't know anyone who is so intense yet so splendidly frivolous." Chris became a sound recordist in 1981 when he joined Tyne Tees Television and is now widely regarded as one of the most creative sound artists in the business. His recent credits include the hugely popular Springwatch and Autumnwatch, and he received the Wildlife Film Asia Award for the BBC's Galapagos: Born of Fire. Watson also creates for the radio, with credits including Soundscape: The Sea Swallow, Watersong and The Estuary all for BBC Radio 4. See www.chriswatson.net

Jez riley French is a composer, artist & audio specialist whose output involves elements of intuitive composition, field recording (using conventional & extended methods) photographic images (including their use in photographic scores) and improvisation. He has performed, exhibited and had his work published widely across the world and also lectures in both field recording and intuitive composition as a guest lecturer. Recently he has been artist in residence at organisations in Japan, Korea, Italy, Belgium, the Czech Republic & the UK.
Jez also makes & sells his own hydrophones and contact mics (http://hydrophones.blogspot.com/) + runs the ‘in place’ project with a website exploring various aspects of field recording & related work. In recent years Jez has been working closely with specific architectural spaces, capturing a sense of place that is both highly personal and yet offers the audience a fascinating opportunity to look and listen anew to the environments in which we spend our time. http://jezrileyfrench.blogspot.com/

Piers Warren - Principal of Wildeye - Piers is well known throughout the wildlife film-making industry as the editor of Wildlife Film News and producer of wildlife-film.com, which he created in the 1990s. With a strong background in biology, education and conservation, he has had a lifelong passion for wildlife films and has a wide knowledge of natural history. He cut his teeth in the industry as a sound engineer and multi-media producer, running a studio for many years. He is one of the founders of the international organisation Filmmakers for Conservation and was Vice President for the first three years. Piers is the author of many magazine features and several books including Careers in Wildlife Film-making and Go Wild with Your Camcorder - How to Make Wildlife Films.

Visas: Please check if you need a visa to enter Sweden (holders of normal British 'European Community' passports do not need one).

Insurance: It is essential you take out comprehensive travel insurance. Whichever insurance you choose please ensure it provides adequate cover for both you personally and also for any equipment you may be bringing with you.

Dates:
10-14 May 2012 - Fully booked but let us know if you'd lie to go on the reserve list

Costs:
UK£595 (6,400SEK) plus travel to/from Ängskärsgården and international flight to Arlanda if required (which you book yourself). We can help with travel to/from Arlanda airport if required.

Includes activities, accommodation and full board (apart from expenses of personal nature like alcoholic beverages).

Booking: If the home page shows that there are places available please complete the online application form and send in your deposit/fee as detailed.
Places are strictly limited so early booking is recommended.