Leeds Met nursing students busy at work. They helped to staff the festival medical tent as part of their placement hours.
Monday, 31 August 2009
Lucy
Lucy volunteered with Leeds Met on the Lake Stage at Latitude and was then offered paid work as artist liaison on the Festival Republic stage at Leeds.
Tom on the NME/R1 stage
Tom was part of last year's Leeds Met film crew. He made a useful contact while at Leeds Festival, and as a result was filming on the NME/Radio 1 stage this year.
Sunday, 30 August 2009
High Standards
It’s a busy backstage at the BBC Introducing Stage today. As well as Raw Talent and the Leeds Met crew, we’ve got Claire from BBC Introducing who has come up from Reading. The BBC have invited guests to get together in the backstage area and we’ve been talking to Sally Joynson from Screen Yorkshire and Head of BBC Yorkshire, Helen Thomas. They came into the production office to take a look at the film we made of The Frontiers (which you can see on this blog). Both Claire and Helen were really interested and impressed with the footage we’ve got and fingers crossed it will be going up on their websites in Yorkshire and Radio 1 soon.
Creating the short films on site has been really exciting and successful and we’re getting them up in about three to four hours. It’s nice to be able to see the results and share them so instantly because people can then understand what we’re doing and it’s nice to see the improvements as the days go on. Today the crew have been editing footage from The Teeth yesterday and have filmed Milk White White Teeth and the film should be up tomorrow. The crew have been really focussed and the production standards have been really high.
Laura Taylor
Film Crew Manager
Creating the short films on site has been really exciting and successful and we’re getting them up in about three to four hours. It’s nice to be able to see the results and share them so instantly because people can then understand what we’re doing and it’s nice to see the improvements as the days go on. Today the crew have been editing footage from The Teeth yesterday and have filmed Milk White White Teeth and the film should be up tomorrow. The crew have been really focussed and the production standards have been really high.
Laura Taylor
Film Crew Manager
Festeria
I’m having an amazing time being behind the scenes at such a massive event which is running incredibly smoothly, especially when I can see first hand just how massive an operation it is. Last night as I was walking between my temporary ‘home’ in the production area directly behind the main stage, it was funny to see staff battling to reinforce the fencing separating us and the heaving crowds rocking out to The Prodigy, who even from my limited view were brilliant.
People keep asking me what bands I’ve actually seen, but I’ve only really stopped to watch The Gossip who were ace, and seen snippets of others and heard a lot more as I wander round and round and round. I’m spending most of my time talking to our volunteers and staff working and performing here and battling technology to try and update the Leeds Met website from the Press tent where there are constant interviews going on with people that I don’t quite recognise. In fact the only ‘celeb’ I’ve had contact with is Ian Brown, thanks Rebekka for making me go up for a photo of him!
It feels like I’ve been here for years and walked a million miles, although I’m only on my third day here. And I’ve got it relatively easy, the volunteers are working long and intense shifts running stages, DJing through the night, pandering to bands bizarre whims and giving out information to the masses. Then there’s Rebekka, Caroline, Laura and Patsy who seem to constantly be doing circuits of this massive venue sorting stuff out by phone and walkie-talkie to ensure the volunteers are getting the best possible experience. Everyone I talk to is sleep deprived and aching all over but are incredibly friendly, upbeat and having a brilliant time.
There also seem to be Leeds Met connections dotted all over the place on top of our 130+ volunteers, there are guests coming in on day tickets to see what we’re all up to, past and present students and staff on stage or milling around the guest area and arena and Leeds Met hoodies galore. It’s great to bump in to people all over the place and see just how far and wide the University’s tentacles extend.
Having heard, read and written about the partnership since its formation it’s eye-opening to be here and experience it myself and actually see it for myself. The students are making a great impression and being trusted with really important roles giving them valuable experience that they will remember for the rest of their lives and, in many cases, will open doors for them.
People keep asking me what bands I’ve actually seen, but I’ve only really stopped to watch The Gossip who were ace, and seen snippets of others and heard a lot more as I wander round and round and round. I’m spending most of my time talking to our volunteers and staff working and performing here and battling technology to try and update the Leeds Met website from the Press tent where there are constant interviews going on with people that I don’t quite recognise. In fact the only ‘celeb’ I’ve had contact with is Ian Brown, thanks Rebekka for making me go up for a photo of him!
It feels like I’ve been here for years and walked a million miles, although I’m only on my third day here. And I’ve got it relatively easy, the volunteers are working long and intense shifts running stages, DJing through the night, pandering to bands bizarre whims and giving out information to the masses. Then there’s Rebekka, Caroline, Laura and Patsy who seem to constantly be doing circuits of this massive venue sorting stuff out by phone and walkie-talkie to ensure the volunteers are getting the best possible experience. Everyone I talk to is sleep deprived and aching all over but are incredibly friendly, upbeat and having a brilliant time.
There also seem to be Leeds Met connections dotted all over the place on top of our 130+ volunteers, there are guests coming in on day tickets to see what we’re all up to, past and present students and staff on stage or milling around the guest area and arena and Leeds Met hoodies galore. It’s great to bump in to people all over the place and see just how far and wide the University’s tentacles extend.
Having heard, read and written about the partnership since its formation it’s eye-opening to be here and experience it myself and actually see it for myself. The students are making a great impression and being trusted with really important roles giving them valuable experience that they will remember for the rest of their lives and, in many cases, will open doors for them.
Saturday, 29 August 2009
The Frontiers
The Teeth, originally uploaded by Leeds Met Festival Volunteers.
Saturday at the BBC Introducing Stage - another mini film from the Leeds Met film crew
Cool CATs and Fantastic HATs
Arriving at Leeds Festival on Thursday morning, car fully loaded, I will admit to both excitement and trepidation. Camping is something I have not done since Girl Guides but I thought that this was the weekend to give it a go. This was going to be the best bit of my holiday!
With 80,000 people expected, the journey there was surprisingly quick and the CATs (Campsite Arena Team) were extremely cool and welcoming; (did one of the helpers really look like that Rob guy from Twilight or was it just my daughter's friends' imagination?) Their help in carrying all my stuff and then setting up my tent was just amazing. This was very different to the camping I remember!
Equally impressive is the planning and organisation that goes into this festival weekend and being there really brought the sheer scale and complexity to life. No wonder why so many of our students wanted to help out as volunteers. Meeting some of the 130 students in action on a tour of the site provided by Gavin was brilliant. The HATs (Helpful Arena Team) were terrific, students from business, cultural studies, events management and music technology were working on the BBC Introducing Stage with one of our graduates as Stage Manager, as Artist Liaison and on production. All were enthusiastic and valued the opportunity to develop their skills and experience as well as the chance to see the music festival first hand. I missed out the campsite DJ team whose shift ran from 11pm till 5am but I know, from the distant music and cheering I could hear as I sat in my tent later that evening, that they were doing a terrific job.
The partnership with Festival Republic has gone from strength to strength with outputs including internships and employment for our students and crime reduction on site. A great team - talented students, dedicated staff (well done Rebekka, Gavin and Caroline), a fantastic Festival team and terrific partnership.
Now 4am on day 1 and off to fix my tent pegs to stop my tent rising up and blowing away - (the cool CATs did say that they weren't experts at setting up tents!).
Barbara Colledge
Dean of Innovation North
Leeds Met
With 80,000 people expected, the journey there was surprisingly quick and the CATs (Campsite Arena Team) were extremely cool and welcoming; (did one of the helpers really look like that Rob guy from Twilight or was it just my daughter's friends' imagination?) Their help in carrying all my stuff and then setting up my tent was just amazing. This was very different to the camping I remember!
Equally impressive is the planning and organisation that goes into this festival weekend and being there really brought the sheer scale and complexity to life. No wonder why so many of our students wanted to help out as volunteers. Meeting some of the 130 students in action on a tour of the site provided by Gavin was brilliant. The HATs (Helpful Arena Team) were terrific, students from business, cultural studies, events management and music technology were working on the BBC Introducing Stage with one of our graduates as Stage Manager, as Artist Liaison and on production. All were enthusiastic and valued the opportunity to develop their skills and experience as well as the chance to see the music festival first hand. I missed out the campsite DJ team whose shift ran from 11pm till 5am but I know, from the distant music and cheering I could hear as I sat in my tent later that evening, that they were doing a terrific job.
The partnership with Festival Republic has gone from strength to strength with outputs including internships and employment for our students and crime reduction on site. A great team - talented students, dedicated staff (well done Rebekka, Gavin and Caroline), a fantastic Festival team and terrific partnership.
Now 4am on day 1 and off to fix my tent pegs to stop my tent rising up and blowing away - (the cool CATs did say that they weren't experts at setting up tents!).
Barbara Colledge
Dean of Innovation North
Leeds Met
Friday, 28 August 2009
Wonderswan
Wonderswan, originally uploaded by Leeds Met Festival Volunteers.
A short film by Leeds Met film crew at Leeds Festival 2009.
Pulled Apart By Horses
On the Festival Republic stage at Leeds Festival 2009. Guitarist James Brown is a Leeds Met alumnus.
A successful start
So we're here at Leeds Festival, and have just managed to get an internet connection. So much has happened already that our barbeque on Wednesday night seems like a very long time ago. We spent most of Thursday preparing, which involved lots of walking around the site, checking equipment, practising performances, preparing backstage areas, and being quizzed on lots of festival info.
Our HATs (Helpful Arena Teams) are busy helping festival-goers as I write, and our performance artists and campsite DJs have had their first successful night, which included singing to the punters when the PA system failed. The BBC Introducing stage team started off supporting the Dance to the Radio night and are now fully in control on the first full day of bands.
Our HATs (Helpful Arena Teams) are busy helping festival-goers as I write, and our performance artists and campsite DJs have had their first successful night, which included singing to the punters when the PA system failed. The BBC Introducing stage team started off supporting the Dance to the Radio night and are now fully in control on the first full day of bands.
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Volunteering can often lead to something more
Well, gearing up ready for Leeds Festival tomorrow. I have been very lucky to be able to gain a position as Artist Liaison on the Festival Republic stage after volunteering at Latitude on the Lake Stage as Artist Liaison. The position that I was given at Latitude has made a great difference to me not only by being able to gain a paid role at Leeds Festival, but also allowing me to add more skills on my CV and allowing me to gain more events experience towards my Event Management degree at Uni.
I believe that volunteering is a great way to get involved with the great opportunities that Leeds Met has to offer as well as having a fun time and meeting new people. My advice to anyone who is debating whether or not to do a volunteering placement is to go for it. You gain some valuable skills, a great way to meet people, have a fun time and it may lead to something more, in my case it did. So thank you to Rebekka, Caroline, Gavin, Isla and the rest of the team for allowing me to gain a position at Latitude, for without their help I wouldn't be where I am now.
Lucy McCann
2nd year Events Management student
I believe that volunteering is a great way to get involved with the great opportunities that Leeds Met has to offer as well as having a fun time and meeting new people. My advice to anyone who is debating whether or not to do a volunteering placement is to go for it. You gain some valuable skills, a great way to meet people, have a fun time and it may lead to something more, in my case it did. So thank you to Rebekka, Caroline, Gavin, Isla and the rest of the team for allowing me to gain a position at Latitude, for without their help I wouldn't be where I am now.
Lucy McCann
2nd year Events Management student
One more day, one more cuppa
So after 6 months preparation...being over- faced with applications, caffeining through the 3- day interviews, making 200 students volunteer- happy, getting suitably aquainted at a pre- festival social, feeling the stress, loving Team Latitude, sleeping a lot, and then doing it all over again...Leeds Festival is one day away.
We're all sat in the LeedsMet office at the mo having feasted on some top- notch houmous sandwhiches and fruit crumble (it's carby central in here) and getting the last few bits and bobs together for tomorrow. I've put together some mega information packs for each project so that no- one is in the dark (and no excuses for 'forgetting' a shift during the Bloc Party set- we know you wouldn't do that you lovely lot) and am giving out the last bits of merch- volunteers are popping in on their way into town for last- minute Superdrug baby wipe binges. Caroline is expertly making HATs shift spreadsheets and Gavin is finalising guest lists for lucky LeedsMet staff who'll be joining us this weekend- all between jokes, japes and making cups of tea. It's a happy office, as always.
Everyone is excited if a little rough round the edges already. We seem to have had a contagious office this week- Gavin is still necking antibiotics from a dodgy mosquito bite and I for one am batting off some fluey symptoms (oink?) with a Vitamin C- flavoured stick and also hobbling on a gammy foot. You all wanted to know that didn't you?
I'm 'ard though, it's fine. I'll have stage schedule in one hand and some pocket tissues in the other- as you do.
I think it's going to feel a little odd once the festival is over. A definite anti- climax but more than likely some more fab new friends, lots of cringey photos and more rave reviews of everyone's hard work from Festival Republic, BBC and the like (fingers crossed). I realised I probably won't be going to another festival until next Summer and even then, I might have a year off from fields and tents and falafel pittas. This will be my 5th major festival this Summer (although my friend an Oxfam volunteer bunny is on his 10th) so next Summer maybe I should do something else like stay at home with a good book or jet off to Thailand like everybody else. Both very tempting (one very expensive) but I have a feeling I'll decide that England, fields, falafels and rain are strangely where it's at.
I'm supervising the stage team at Leeds which will be a similar deal to Latitude but a bit smaller and a bit more hectic. There's a cracking line- up on the stage, I'm hedging my bets on Lovvers headline set on Sunday being a corker. We'll be working quite closely with BBC RAW Talent which is exciting- being able to network with the professionals does pose real opportunities. One of our Artist Liason from The Lake Stage at Latitude is lucky (and clever) enough to be enjoying some paid work on the Festival Republic stage at Leeds this week. If that's not motivation for volunteering, I don't know what is!
Keep checking the blog for Leeds festival updates from tomorrow.
Exciting times!
Isla Brown
Festival Republic Partnership Intern
PG Dip International Events Management - graduated 2009
We're all sat in the LeedsMet office at the mo having feasted on some top- notch houmous sandwhiches and fruit crumble (it's carby central in here) and getting the last few bits and bobs together for tomorrow. I've put together some mega information packs for each project so that no- one is in the dark (and no excuses for 'forgetting' a shift during the Bloc Party set- we know you wouldn't do that you lovely lot) and am giving out the last bits of merch- volunteers are popping in on their way into town for last- minute Superdrug baby wipe binges. Caroline is expertly making HATs shift spreadsheets and Gavin is finalising guest lists for lucky LeedsMet staff who'll be joining us this weekend- all between jokes, japes and making cups of tea. It's a happy office, as always.
Everyone is excited if a little rough round the edges already. We seem to have had a contagious office this week- Gavin is still necking antibiotics from a dodgy mosquito bite and I for one am batting off some fluey symptoms (oink?) with a Vitamin C- flavoured stick and also hobbling on a gammy foot. You all wanted to know that didn't you?
I'm 'ard though, it's fine. I'll have stage schedule in one hand and some pocket tissues in the other- as you do.
I think it's going to feel a little odd once the festival is over. A definite anti- climax but more than likely some more fab new friends, lots of cringey photos and more rave reviews of everyone's hard work from Festival Republic, BBC and the like (fingers crossed). I realised I probably won't be going to another festival until next Summer and even then, I might have a year off from fields and tents and falafel pittas. This will be my 5th major festival this Summer (although my friend an Oxfam volunteer bunny is on his 10th) so next Summer maybe I should do something else like stay at home with a good book or jet off to Thailand like everybody else. Both very tempting (one very expensive) but I have a feeling I'll decide that England, fields, falafels and rain are strangely where it's at.
I'm supervising the stage team at Leeds which will be a similar deal to Latitude but a bit smaller and a bit more hectic. There's a cracking line- up on the stage, I'm hedging my bets on Lovvers headline set on Sunday being a corker. We'll be working quite closely with BBC RAW Talent which is exciting- being able to network with the professionals does pose real opportunities. One of our Artist Liason from The Lake Stage at Latitude is lucky (and clever) enough to be enjoying some paid work on the Festival Republic stage at Leeds this week. If that's not motivation for volunteering, I don't know what is!
Keep checking the blog for Leeds festival updates from tomorrow.
Exciting times!
Isla Brown
Festival Republic Partnership Intern
PG Dip International Events Management - graduated 2009
Friday, 14 August 2009
An insider's view
I’m writing this blog after I got given the opportunity (thanks Caroline!!) to help the Production Co-ordinator for Reading and Leeds festivals down at the Festival Republic office. I’ve enjoyed going to various festivals in the past, and through my Event Management course and working on a few festivals, including working with the HATs (Helpful Arena Teams) for Leeds Met, I decided that festivals is the route I wanted to go down. So that’s what I’m pursuing right now at Festival Republic.
I’m here at the FR office for all of August up until festival week and then driving up to Bramham Park where hopefully I can be re-united with some of the other lovely Leeds Met volunteers!
So here’s what I’ve been up to so far…
I’ve been emailing bands who will be playing the BBC Introducing Stage and the Festival Republic stage to get to know what they’re all bringing along and sound specifications for their sets. I’m beginning to put together manuals for all of the stages and updating all of the information we have for bands as it changes, and as more acts get added to the bill. It’s slowly but surely speeding up work-load wise so I’m really trying to get organised now so that it’s easier the week before – which I’m anticipating to be a little hectic! I’ve also helped Artist Liaison out during quiet times when I’ve been waiting for bands to email by sending out tickets for people on guest lists. I work quite closely with Artist Liaison anyway because often bands ask me questions about passes which I talk to them about, and also bands ask them questions about equipment which they will hand over to me. I get sent hospitality riders (bands requests of alcohol, food and other weird and wonderful things) which I have a nosy through for my own curiosity and then send them to Artist Liaison too.
The Festival Republic office is in Covent Garden, which if you haven’t visited is really nice – lots of nice shops, restaurants and tempting places to fritter my money away! At the office on a Friday there’s ‘Free Lunch Friday’ – where Festival Republic allow us all to go out for a longer lunch all together as a team building thing. They pay £5 towards each person’s meal, and it becomes all too handy being located here for this, since there are lots of places around with some good lunch time deals on. On my first week we went to a curry house and last week we went to Gourmet Burger Kitchen (one of my favourites!). So that’s a nice end to the week. The staff here are really friendly and helpful too, and going out for lunches on a Friday definitely has helped me get to know them a bit better.
The office is gradually getting more and more empty as more of the staff re-locate to the two festival sites, so I’m looking forward to joining some of them out where all the action is!
I really can’t wait to get up to Leeds Festival… Only two weeks to go until the show starts!
Olvia Sime
Festival Republic Intern
BA (Hons) Managing Cultural & Major Events - graduated 2009
I’m here at the FR office for all of August up until festival week and then driving up to Bramham Park where hopefully I can be re-united with some of the other lovely Leeds Met volunteers!
So here’s what I’ve been up to so far…
I’ve been emailing bands who will be playing the BBC Introducing Stage and the Festival Republic stage to get to know what they’re all bringing along and sound specifications for their sets. I’m beginning to put together manuals for all of the stages and updating all of the information we have for bands as it changes, and as more acts get added to the bill. It’s slowly but surely speeding up work-load wise so I’m really trying to get organised now so that it’s easier the week before – which I’m anticipating to be a little hectic! I’ve also helped Artist Liaison out during quiet times when I’ve been waiting for bands to email by sending out tickets for people on guest lists. I work quite closely with Artist Liaison anyway because often bands ask me questions about passes which I talk to them about, and also bands ask them questions about equipment which they will hand over to me. I get sent hospitality riders (bands requests of alcohol, food and other weird and wonderful things) which I have a nosy through for my own curiosity and then send them to Artist Liaison too.
The Festival Republic office is in Covent Garden, which if you haven’t visited is really nice – lots of nice shops, restaurants and tempting places to fritter my money away! At the office on a Friday there’s ‘Free Lunch Friday’ – where Festival Republic allow us all to go out for a longer lunch all together as a team building thing. They pay £5 towards each person’s meal, and it becomes all too handy being located here for this, since there are lots of places around with some good lunch time deals on. On my first week we went to a curry house and last week we went to Gourmet Burger Kitchen (one of my favourites!). So that’s a nice end to the week. The staff here are really friendly and helpful too, and going out for lunches on a Friday definitely has helped me get to know them a bit better.
The office is gradually getting more and more empty as more of the staff re-locate to the two festival sites, so I’m looking forward to joining some of them out where all the action is!
I really can’t wait to get up to Leeds Festival… Only two weeks to go until the show starts!
Olvia Sime
Festival Republic Intern
BA (Hons) Managing Cultural & Major Events - graduated 2009
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