Thomas Bryan

How much news is in a newspaper?

2010-02-08T22:43:00.012Z

Imagine my reaction this morning when I sat down, cracked open a can of pop and opened up the Daily Mail to read this headline:

Is pancreatic cancer in a can of pop?

I checked the list of ingredients and was thankful to find that it was not. Stupidly obvious you may tell me but not when you consider what was once in one fizzy drink.

So why was The Daily Mail asking me if fizzy drinks increased the risk of cancer?

It turns out that some poor folks from the States had spend 14 years doing some observing. Namely that some people that they observed (who drank fizzy pop obviously) had got pancreatic cancer.

You may think that, given half a page in a national newspaper that this is a groundbreaking study?

Well the author of the research certainly thought so...

"...the absolute risk from sugary soft drinks is small. Smoking is the biggest cause."

WOW!

That's 14 years of hard work there!

Even some girl from Cancer Research UK was confused:

"Although this study included a lot of people, very few of them developed pancreatic cancer so it is difficult to know if soft drinks do increase the risk.... The evidence in this area is still inconsistent."

So the guy who wrote it doesn't believe it and the girl who deals with cancer on a daily basis doesn't even know why she's been asked to comment on this.

What was the a point to this article?

Well it seems papers like the Daily Mail have to fill pages. This is to please their commercial contributors and keep the public believing that there really is this much news to consume.

In the same edition of the Daily Mail, other articles included:

"The daily pill that heals brittle bones"

"The tomato with double the power to fight cancer"

"How the French could seize Dover"

But why do we never hear of these stories the next day, or ever again?

It's because usually they claim this and claim that - when really - there is no substance to their claim.

Notice the "research claims" which is conveniently put after each top line to ensure any mistruth never comes back to them.

In the same paper that makes me believe fizzy drinks may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer, was an article that told me how I could keep my fizzy drink fizzy:

So now at least I can keep my drink fizzy while I ponder whether drinking it will give me cancer or not.

I do not usually buy the Daily Mail.
This is why.

Preston's Festive Litter Lights

2009-11-22T00:37:00.033Z

Preston City Council may decided to spend extra money on this years christmas street lighting – but only if they could send a message to the public at the same time…

It seems their anti-litter campaign doesn’t stop during the Christmas period.

Turn On

On Saturday 21 October Preston Christmas Lights were switched on.

A week before, a ferris wheel was erected in the Flag Market in the city centre. On Thursday it opened to the public. It spins pretty fast...

I went around the wheel during the day and night - it rained on both occasions - thankfully the capsules were enclosed. Oh wait - they're not.

Turn Off

Despite the poor weather large crowds still gathered on Saturday in the city centre. Huddled in front of Real Radio's stage, acts such as Hollie Steel, Mini Viva and some local bloke with a guitar provided entertainment for the night.

Jamie 'Afro' Archer came on stage and don't think quite realised that the public voted him out of the X-factor. It was quite tempting to chant: "You're not singing any more"

He ripped out an (average) version of Mr.Brightside before turning into his pub singer roots by informing the crowd their sex was on fire. Family day out anyone?

Countdown

All the entertaining guests gathered on stage and the countdown for the lights began: 10...9...8....7 - I suddenly had a panic attack believing I was spending my new years in PRESTON...

But thankfully not.

6...5...4...

Why am I counting down with everyone?

3...2...1...

The Christmas lights ironically came on before the people on stage could even flip the switch - suggesting the acts booked for the event couldn't even be trusted with the simplest of tasks - and there was actually no point in booking them anyway.

The lights gave the public a second of two of awe until they realised it was pretty much the same as last year - and off they trudged - completely ignoring the feeble fireworks which went off behind a tree which couldn't be seen anyway.

Jenson's piggy-back to pay increase

2009-11-16T13:45:00.003Z

Today comes the announcement that BRAWN GP will become MERCEDES GP.

This news is sure to see the departure of Jenson Button - who's been part of the Brawn-Honda team for three years. Jenson Button has struggled to renew his Brawn contract with rumours that Brawn will not budge on the high salary rise the current world champion's requested.

But do Brawn really need Jenson Button to have a championship contending driver next year?

Looking back at Jenson Button's career - it's surprising anyone's ever remembered his name. With only one win in Formula One in the previous nine years - there must have been something special that gave rise to his 2009 race winning streak...

Something special?

Did it come from that white, black and fluorescent yellow seat with wheels that gave him a piggy-back around the track all year?

Brawn have produced an amazing car this year. It was fastest back in March pre-season testing - and it remained so until the latter part of the season. No one could touch Jenson and Rubens at the start of the year - because no car could touch the Brawn.

Stick Jenson in any other car and he'd crumble.

So what does next year have install?

If Jenson does move to McLaren - what a beast of a car he'll be given. McLaren's budget overpowers that of Brawns this year and McLaren's car was the most improved over the entire season - coming out at the end as one of the fastest.

And Jenson may be back to his multi-million pound salary (tipped to be £6m+). But who catapulted him there? Sure Brazil was a fantastic drive by Button - making 9 places to seal the title. But all thanks should go to BRAWN. What a car and what an easy ride Jenson's had.

His luck my transend to the McLaren car. But no one can drive a McLaren better than Hamilton. He's been under the McLaren wings in their Young Driver Support Programme since the age of 13. And some would argue Lewis was physically born in a McLaren car (I have completely made this up!).

Who'll win in a contest of Jenson vs. Hamilton? Well as long as the fight's at McLaren - nobody will put Hamilton in the corner - good luck Jenson.

Hello World

2009-11-07T12:18:00.000Z

Good afternoon,

It's 12:11 on Saturday 7 November 2009.

I have created this blog as a platform for my work. Through this blog, you'll see many videos, audio clips and maybe a few written pieces - although I've never been good with pen and paper...

Anti-Gravity Car

2008-11-17T07:59:00.000Z

Mike Tighe, Head of News at Fuse FM (2008-2009) brought on a fantastic guest onto the Fuse News show - a student who had invented the anti-gravity car.

Vernon Kerswell was a student studying Business at the University of Manchester. During his study he set up his own business, Extreme Fliers. This business did so well that Vernon quit university as he felt he could learn more if he committed to the business world.

Extreme Fliers specialises in remote control toys. Vernon brought one of them into the studio on the live show.

Natty

2008-10-13T07:59:00.000+01:00

After missing an interview with Natty at Pritchattsbury Festival, I had to snatch him up for Fuse FM.

He came to our studios when we were off air and performed two songs for a pre-recorded session.

This marked the beginning of the BASEMENT SESSIONS.

This was the first multi-camera music session I filmed and edited. Jazza helped filming - I gave his camera a black and white tint - which made the lyrics of 'Coloured Souls' every more apparent.

Coloured Souls:

Bedroom Eyes:

Freshers' Fair 2008

2008-09-21T07:59:00.001+01:00

Freshers' Fair - a time for societies across university to pounce on wide-eyed students with a busting bank balance.

Any face is a member - every member adds £5 to the funds - so each fresher counted.

And here's how we promoted Fuse FM at Manchester University's Fresher's Fair:

Apache Helicopter

2008-09-14T07:59:00.000+01:00

During the summer 2009 I worked for Extreme Fliers as a Creative Director.

Amongst spending hours selecting individual pixels on Adobe Photoshop for the companies graphics, I was commissioned to produce an advertisement for one of their products:

The Apache Helicopter...

Backstage @ Pritchatsbury Festival

2008-06-08T07:59:00.000+01:00

After the unforgettable events at last years Pritchattsbury Festival I HAD to go back.

This year it was backstage presenting with the line up, which included:
- The Holloways
- The Runners
- Natty

My sister filmed the interviews, but was a tad drunk on vodka.

This was my first attempt at PSC editing and also my first editing project using Adobe Premiere Pro.

I'm in Heaven

2008-03-08T07:59:00.000Z

Seriously - Market Street has some MIGHTY talent!

Meet NEIL THE BUSKER - he's a man with an electric guitar - and some BRYAN ADAMS classics under his belt.

Performing live on the show on 7th March 2008:

High Five Challenge

2008-02-23T07:59:00.002Z

A feature on our radio show was the High Five Challenge.

What is it?

- 30 seconds
- any means necessary
- most high fives win.

James Pole went first:

Aaron 'Polite' Morris followed:

Then I came and demolished everyone!

Ernie's Rhythm Section

2008-02-23T07:59:00.001Z

The streets of Manchester are alive with musical talent. On a busy saturday you'll find loads of buskers down Market Street. I found this Blues band playing in St. Ann's Square. They're called Ernies Rhythm Section and I immediately snatched them up.

They performed on the my show on 22 February 2008

School Girl:

Shortnin Cakes:

She Done Got Laid:

Inertia Blooms

2008-02-23T07:59:00.000Z

In February 2008 we began the second series of our radio show, 'Stay on the Scene'.

On Friday 22 February 2008 Inertia Blooms, from the West Midlands, came on our show and performed 2 songs.

Pilgrims and Monuments:

Shine to Cracked Buttons:

Fuse FM Basement Sessions

Dr. Karl Kennedy

2007-12-21T07:59:00.000Z

After just 3 months involved in student radio, I sent one of the most important emails of my life at the time and was very thankful that this guy said YES to letting two keen students push themselves to produce something that no-one at the station had ever done before...

The interview took place on Wednesday 12 December 2007.

This was the very first time I had done a multi-camera video production.
The camera framing isn't the best but we were more concerned about capturing good audio and producing a seamless interview.

This is one of the proudest things I have ever done. As two budding students, we were unaware how to go about producing a televised interview. But that didn't stop us trying. We thought hard about the questions, thinking carefully about what the answers could be. We learned our lines to ensure the interview ran smoothly. There's no fancy editing been done.

Chrismukkah

2007-12-19T07:59:00.000Z

During second year of university, I lived with two Jewish guys.

One of those (Aaron) happened to be (much like me) a massive fan of The O.C, and a certain fuzzy haired jewish character.

SO, you can guess what we did at christmas time...

Porthmadog

2007-12-13T07:59:00.000Z

July 2007 I went to Porthmadog with school friends from Wolverhampton for a few days.

We set up camp right next to the sea and the bad weather wasn't to put us off having a good time together.

Ripcord

2007-10-13T07:59:00.000+01:00

In September 2007, I said YES to getting involved with the University of Manchester's student radio station, Fuse FM.

On Friday 12 October 2007, our third show, we got the band, Ripchord, to present the 2 hours with us.

They played 3 songs, which I filmed. This marked the start of my live acoustic session filming at Fuse FM, called The Basement Sessions.

My Precious Valentine:

Just Another Bad Day:

The Boy Who Wears a Thousand Million Masks:

First Year University

2007-06-25T07:59:00.000+01:00

On Monday 23 April 2007 I purchased a Sony DCR-HC37 Handycam Camcorder for £185.90. This was my first video camera and is the source of the majority of videos I produced for the next few years.

I wanted a video camera as life in first year university was so good - I wanted to document it in some way.

I lived in an awesome flat - with Dave, Pippa, Kat, Lizze, Stu, and two others (who weren't around as much).

After a month or two of filming life, I had enough footage to do this:

The footage may not mean much to you, but I managed to make my housemates laugh out loud and one girl even cried a little from remembering the good times we had.

Evoking these emotions is the main reason why I love to film and edit videos.

Donny Tourette

2007-06-10T07:59:00.000+01:00

On Saturday 9 June 2007 I went down to Pritchattsbury Festival at Birmingham University.

Pritchattsbury was a free music festival hosted every year by the university halls of residence. Over the years, the festival has grown and been able to pull in big names such as Natty, The Towers of London, The Holloways, Lethal Bizzle. It's got so big in fact, that now they have to charge for entry - but it's always an awesome day so well worth it.

In 2007, The Sunshine Underground headlined and put on a massive performance.

Supporting them were the very controversial Towers of London. Donny Tourette heads the band (yes the blonde one they ripped in Buzzcocks).

Now I have a friend named, Tony.

Tony dislikes Donny.

Tony may have made his dislike for Donny public knowledge whilst The Towers of London were on stage.

So during the Tower of London's first song, Donny came off stage and this happened:

I made a video of the whole day.

This was one of my first attempts at video editing using Pinnacle Studio 9 - so it's pretty basic. But it tells the complete story of Tony vs. Donny.