3D

For the very first time I went to a watch a 3D film at the cinema. I have never wanted to do this but a ticket had been purchased and it seemed rude to say no. Next I find out that the film is about Pina Bausch - a dancer and choreographer. Again not something I have ever been interested - but it would seem rude to say no.

Quick google revealed Pina as a contemporary dancer/choreographer who died in 2009 before they finished the film directed by Wim Wender (he of Paris, Texas). I was still not sure what to expect. A quick look at the trailers didn't really help convenience me this was going to be a good thing - but it seemed rude to say no.

Made our way to the Electric (actually holding hands!), were given our 3D glasses and we sat down to see what this was going to be all about.

Oooooo the 3D effect is something else when seen for the first time. But as the film settled down and got going it didn't really give me anything a beautifully presented 2D film would have done. However what a 2D film would give me is high definition and clarity and no headache.

The 3D glasses are very heavy and for a 2 hour film were digging a groove in my nose. I think my eyes and brain got a bit tired and confused - towards the end of the film I was seeing ghosts of the dancers and no amount of head repositioning would get them back properly into focus. This is what created the headache - I hate not being able to get everything in focus.

And the film - well that was really sweet - I am no lover of contemporary dance - but this was - well - great. Some bits I did not understand, but some bits were tremendously sweet, tender, aggressive, powerful. I loved that the dancers, in some cases, had been with Pina for upwards of 30 years. They were all ages and from all parts of the world. Men and women alike were gifted, athletic, slightly bonkers and, although I know nothing, extraordinarily good dancers. Beautifully filmed and I actually think I would like to see it on a big screen in 2D.

Although the Electric has unique 3D glasses which are obviously not cheap I still don't think the 3D technology has advanced enough to make watching a 3D film entirely comfortable.

Glad I went - because one should always experience things before spouting on about it. And the bonus was that I had a delightful tea cooked for me - homemade paella and homemade bread. Yum

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Reasonable Words

"One ought, every day at least,

to hear a little song,

read a good poem,

see a fine picture,

and if it were possible,

to speak a few reasonable words".

Goethe

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Time-Lapse - Part Two

Tonight I am off to do a second shoot for a time-lapse movie. Yesterday I captured 1500 images of the start of a piano restoration. Tonight the keys should be going on and that will look fabulous. All appearing triumphantly.

The innards of a piano

The plan is that this restoration time-lapse movie will appear on my show-reel for selling this idea to small businesses. Once I have created the movie I will post - but for now it's off to work I go.

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Temptation

...oh you've got green eyes,

oh you've got blue eyes,

oh you've got grey eyes...

Blooming brilliant. Love the light show - particularly when they materialised on stage.

OK this was Paris and not Birmingham

One of the movies shown whilst they played 'The Perfect Kiss' was part of a film by Amos Poe (Empire II). In its entirety Empire II is a 3 hour long film about New York and consists mostly of time-lapse photography. I am off to do some research.

Ooooo oooo oooo

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Deliveries

It was suggested that I write this down as a way of dealing with how badly I feel I have been treated by a shop.

I went along on Saturday to spend (rather a large amount of) money on photography equipment. People that know me well know I do not do shopping at the best of times (and this was not a good time). I asked simple questions about complicated equipment trying to decide what the difference was between a seemingly similar item costing £399 and another costing £1075. The shop assistants did not know. I know I am asking about new technology but honestly "I don't know" from a Saturday shop assistant is really not good enough from a specialist camera shop.

I decided to give up on my quest for LED lighting kit and chose some off-the-shelf items that were on my list. One of them would have to be ordered in from their head office/warehouse in Milton Keynes. "Would you like that delivered?" "Yes please," I said, not realising this was adding £6 to the cost of the item - oh well it'll be there by Tuesday I thought.

Tuesday I was out. FedEx tried to deliver. I filled out the online tracking dealy. 'Please leave the item in my greehouse' I said. Wednesday they tried to deliver again. I was out. There was nothing in my greenhouse. Again I filled out the online thing and said 'please leave in the greehouse'.

Well today they haven't even bothered trying to deliver. FedEx will not leave it anywhere without a signature from a person. I can go and fetch it (a 40 mile round trip) but I have to go in person as I have to sign for it.

Grrrr ... I phoned the shop I purchased this little item from. "I don't know why they need a signature", they said. "Can I have my money back and I'll buy it from somewhere else?" I asked. "I don't know, call head office". There is a theme developing here! So I spoke to Head Office.

Head Office are asking FedEx to try and deliver again tomorrow. "Can a neighbour sign for it?" Hang on I thought I needed to be there in person if collecting so why can my neighbours suddenly sign for it - and if they can why didn't they do that the very first day. My neighbours are brilliant and we are always collecting and signing for post for each other.

So tomorrow I am going to try and be in - all day! If they fail to deliver again tomorrow the item goes back to the shop - at that point I will ask for my money back (including the delivery charge) and buy the item from somewhere else.

This might be end of this tale - but does anyone else feel that this is not good customer service?

Does anyone else feel that as customers we are all treated like imbeciles, thieves or the same as everyone else?

Companies say they have systems and procedures to deal with people - but they seem to have forgotten that it is people they are dealing with.

I am NEVER buying anything from that shop again. They have missed out on a great deal of customer from me - for this year definitely and for future years as my business takes off.

I would love to be able to treat my customers with the contempt and disregard I have been treated with over this. And do you know I stick by my opinion that shopping is horrid. I'm staying at home.

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