After Effects Workshop

Today we had a workshop at the campus on how to use the softwear After Effects. This was the first of 5 workshops on this. I found it very interesting learning about After Effects as I have not previously used this programme before. 

Here's the short clip I made! 

Final Major Project- More research

Today I was flicking through the channels on the t.v and came across a new show that chef and television presenter Jamie Oliver has started. 

It is called Jamie's 15 Minute Meals. It is a follow on show from his recent 30 Minute Meals television series. Watching this programme has settled some of my worries for my own mini series.

One of the main problems I felt that I had, was fitting everything in to my short 5 minute time frame. I felt like it was a lot to do! 

Seeing Jamie's 15 Minute Meals, made me realise that maybe it was an impossible task as I first thought. This programme is set out over a 30 minute time span with a break in the middle. It consists of Jamie cooking 2 meals that take less then 15 minutes each to cook. After watching a few of these programmes, I realised that he had quite complicated recipes. This made me see that the recipes that i have chosen for my own programme are much simpler and so can fit into the 5 minute time frame that I have. 

Watching Jamie's 15 Minute Meals also made me see a new way of filming a cooking programme. The way in which 15 Minute Meals is shot is in a way which really concentrates on the food and what it looks like/hows its being cooked/ what the finished product if/ what to use rather then on the presenter or such like. This shows that the audience are going to be more intent on seeing the whole process of the cooking and so more shots such as close ups of the food when it is being cooked/ put on the plate is more important then anything else. 

Final Major Project- Recce

So today I went and did a recce of the location I would like to use to film my final major project. The location is a kitchen of my friend who has agreed to let me use it for a day of filming. 

i have taken pictures which are below and added notes on my thoughts about it. 

This is the main part of the kitchen. As you can see it is a very large and spacious location and has great lighting. 

The possible problem I could have with this location is that there is a lot more natural light come from the left hand side- which means it is a lot brighter and makes the right side seem a lot more shadowy and dark. Depending on what the lighting from outside is like on the day i may need to use stage lighting to even out the general tone of lighting on set. 

This is the main window of the kitchen that brings in all the natural light from outside. 

The kitchen has plenty of space to film and for equipment, cast and crew.


When I went and did the recce of this location I also took into consideration important things such as sound issues and health and safety.
Due to the house which which the kitchen is in, being in a very rural location, sound should not be a problem at all. As far as health and safety goes, I could not see any immediate dangers, but of course I will be completing health and safety forms ahead of the filming day.


When speaking to Helen at the beginning of this week I expressed concerns about the possibility of this kitchen being a bit too clean, well kept and 'fancy' for the kind of programme I am going for and audience I am trying to attract. But Helen assured me that i could dress the set up with props to tone the kitchen down and give it more of that 'studenty' feel. 

Work Based Learning- Robbie Williams Shoot

The W Hotel

Another shoot that I did whilst working for Dreamtek was a shoot with Robbie Williams. The location for this shoot was at the W Hotel in London Oxford Circus.
This shoot was a bit different for me compared to the shoot I did with The Killers. This was because I was involved with more of a runners role during the production process, rather then with set building and sound work.
My duties included:

• Tea and coffee runs for the cast and crew
• Cleaning down the set in preparation for the shoot and after the shoot
• Keeping documents for the production day such as schedules and scrips organised and safe and making sure that all cast and crew who needed them had them
• Taking equipment down at the end of shoot
• Doing the lunch run
• Helping with lighting 
• Going and finding props if needed

This shoot was much less complicated then The Killers shoot and more straight forward and i really enjoyed the busy day! 

Work Based Learning- The Killers shoot

Whilst working for Dreamtek I joined them on a shoot which was for Shortlist Magazine. This was an interview of the band The Killers. It was based at the London Holborn Studios. During the production day i helped out on many things including the following:

Setting up studio- this was the part of the day which took the longest- around 2-3 hours. It included duties such as: 

• Setting up the studio for the recording
• Setting up all the recording equipment 
• Helping to find the best places to put the cameras and lighting

Sound- This meant that I was in charge of the boom pole during the actual recording time and listening to the sound making sure that it was clear with no interuptions through out. Also making sure that I was getting clear feedback from each band member when they were talking by holding the boom pole in the appropriate position. 

Taking set and equipment down- this was general at the end of the day duties including putting all props back in the original positions they were found in, taking down all equipment including lighting and cameras and cleaning down things that needed to be. 

I found this experience really fun and learnt a lot about the organisation of a interview production process. There were parts of the day that made it more difficult and less smooth running, such as the band turning up quite late for the shoot, which meant we had a much shorter amount of time to do our shoot then we had anticipated. Also problems with some of the bad members not participating in the interview as much as we would have liked caused problems with filming and the general feel of the interview. But seeing how the crew from Dreamtek dealt with these issues let me learn a lot. 

Work Based Learning- More of my duties

Here is some more of the duties I did for my Work Based Learning unit-

Kit packer- this duty included being given a list of equipment that would be needed on a specific shoot and sorting it all out and putting it all together ready to be sent to the location. I would then get it checked by a producer or camera operator, tag it all with the Dreamtek labels, address it to the location and arrange for it to be collected by a courier.

Runner- this was what I was for most of the shoots that I joined the Dreamtek crew on. This included many duties including, tea and coffee runs, putting together equipment, cleaning sets, keeping documents such as scripts and schedules organised, together and making sure everyone who needs them has them. 

Final Major Project- Meal Ideas

I have been doing some research into exactly what meals I should be cooking on my show that will not only fit the short time frame and also a student friendly budget but also taste, look and are nutritious too.
I have done some research into certain foods and their prices also... looking at what kind of meats are cheaper, which shops to buy from and if it is cheaper to buy some foods in bulk such as vegetables.

I have found out some very useful things from my research including the following:

It is cheaper to buy turkey and pork instead of chicken and beef.

Its is cheaper to buy things such as onions, potatoes and other vegetables in bulk bags or in a selection pack that some supermarkets sell now. 

Certain supermarkets have 'price wars' or 'lowest price guaranteed' promotions, which means places such as ASDA will guarantee your food bill to be cheaper then anywhere else, and if its not you get money back on your next bill. 

Buying larger bags of foods which keep for a long time, such as pasta and rice is much cheaper then buying ready made packs and much healthier too.

Buying spices and things alike is a much better way to save money and keep healthier, rather then going to the ready meal section! 

Final Major Project- Structure of shows

So my show will have a basic structure of 3, 5 minute episodes. In each of these episodes the audience will be shown how to make a quick, simple, cheap, nutritious, easy and filling meal. I am aiming to cook these meals on a budget, of which I need to do some research on. Because these programmes will be on such a tight time frame, I will have the prep for the meal done before filming starts and then take the audience through this and show them what i have done at the beginning of the show. Before going onto cooking the main meals.
The basic idea will be to get all ingredients that are a staple in everyones kitchen cupboards or fridge. Giving Students tips on where to buy food along the way.

Final Major Project- shots

I have been thinking about ways in which I would like to shoot my cookery show. I have been watching many cookery shows including ones broadcast on TV and on YouTube also. I have come to the decision that many cookery shows have basic shots which they use including the following:

Up close shots of food.

This shot is a basic shot to show the audience either how something should be done or how something should look. It is very useful to give detail to the audience and help them in making a meal or a particular part of a dish. Also when food is being cooked, the camera is often positioned close up to give a nice shot of this.

This shot is used to show the audience what the finished dish should look like, with all the finishing touches. 

Medium shot of chef/presenter and kitchen.

This shot is used the most in cookery shows. It gives the audience a sense of the surroundings and also a view from further back of what is happening in the kitchen. 

Finished dinner shots.

These shots are done to show the audience people enjoying the finished meal. These shots can also be used in the run up to the meal being finished to give the audience more detail into what the food should look like.  These shots can also be used to fill in during the ending titles of a programme.

Work Based Learning- Duties

For my Work Based Learning I have been given many duties to perform including the following:

Keeping track of online media based activities- things including Twitter followers, Facebook 'likes' and the Facebook page, updating YouTube meta data and finding appropriate links for the Dreamtek website.

Being sound assistant for shoots- this was for a shoot Dreamtek were doing for an interview with the band The Killers. During this shoot I helped to sort out the set and cameras, fit lighting together and positioning in the correct places and holding the boom pole and making sure sound was good during the actual recording. I also helped de-rig the equipment at the end of the shoot.

Scouting locations- I have done lots of scouting for locations during my time at Dreamtek. This has involved doing lots of research, keeping in contact with companies about prices and dates and visiting locations to do recce's. 

Researching V/O artists and make- up artists- I have been given the job of finding a selection of make up artists and V/O artists for various shoots Dreamtek are working on. This involves going on to websites such as http://www.meetthejoneses.co.uk/ and http://www.mandy.com/

to find suitable talent in suitable locations who have a good level of experience. 

Final Major Project- Title

Decisions, decisions, decisions! Deciding on a name for my shows has been one of the hardest things for my mind to think about for a long long time!
I need something that will do the following:

• GRAB peoples attention!
• Give them a UNDERSTANDING as to what the programmes will be about
• WANT them to watch it!

Making all these things happen when a person sees a simple, snappy and short title to a programme is extremely hard.

I want something which is quick off the tongue, gets to the point and will make students think they could learn something whilst enjoying themselves.

Some titles I have come up with so far include:

• A Scoop of Student Cooking
• Cooking up a Student Storm
• Student Sizzlers 
• Sizzling up a Storm

I think these titles give a good understanding as too what my programmes will be about, but at the same time I do not want to just appeal to students. I would ideally like people of all ages to watch, but if this cannot be achieved then an age range of around 14- 28 years old. So having the word 'student' in the title could possibly segregate the viewing audience and put people who aren't students off just by seeing the name.

I have also been doing some research into cookery names. You do not get a cookery show (that has been extremely successful) that is anymore then 4 words long. 

                                     For example:

Come Dine With Me

Ready Steady Cook

British Bake Off

River Cottage Bites

MasterChef 

Final Major Project- Setting

So for my Final Major Project I have been looking at a series of locations for my cookery show to be filmed and doing some recce's.
When I was first trying to decide where I wanted to film and what kind of space I wanted to film in I had to take some important things into consideration. Not only did I have to make sure there was basic things on the set such as:

• Good lighting 
• Minimal noise from outside
• Enough space for a crew and cast and possibly a small audience
• A presentable area.

But I also had to look at things such as if the set fits in with the overall look I was going for, for my programme. 

A friend of mine works in a local pub called The Downs. I approached him and asked if it would be possible to do some filming in there after pub hours. But when I went and looked at the kitchen it was very much too professional for the kind of set I am going for. This is because I am aiming my shows at students and people of around this age... It is not likely that these kind of people will have flash, posh kitchens, with multiple ovens, dish washers, grills and things like this. This is why I have made the decision that I am going to film in a home kitchen. 

My aunty has a good sized kitchen with good lighting and a decent amount of room that I know will be able to fit a cast and crew in easily. It is also bright and airy with windows. The noise levels will not be a problem either as it is a detached house and not on a main road. 

I will post pictures of this kitchen ASAP. 

Final Major Project- Setting and Presenter research

Jamie Oliver

Presenter Research
I have been doing some more research into cookery shows and the presenters involved in them. One chef and presenter who has caught my eye and is extremely well known in the cookery show industry is Jamie Oliver. He has caught my eye because of his easy going attitude, his laid back style and presentation. He also shows people how to make good food in a simple and easy way. He has an attitude towards food that makes people understand what it is that needs to be done and how it can be done in a easy way. He every much makes sure that he keeps the cooking process easy and as simple as possible. With a laid back attitude which keeps the audience who have perhaps not had as much experience in cooking at ease.
I think if I could find a presenter who has the same attitude and outlook to food as jamie oliver, along with the style and humour he brings to a television show, then I would be able to keep a audience of students and young people around that age attention, along with a general audience who enjoy watching cookery programmes.


Setting
Jamie's 30 Minute Meals has the exact setting that i would like to incorporate into my programmes. It is set in a large kitchen with all the basic appliances that you would need in order to follow his recipes, these basic appliances are the things that you can find in a typical student kitchen. I would like to have my setting in a kitchen, but obviously it would need to be big enough in order to fit a film crew and cast in. Along with aspects such as lighting and noise being key to the filming process.

I will now be looking at possible locations to film in, along with possible talent for my presenter role.

Final Major Project- research

Come Dine With Me

So I have been looking at a lot of different culinary shows for my Final Major Project, all from different times. The ones that stood out to me were Come Dine With Me and Ready Steady Cook.
Both of these shows are from different times (Come Dine With Me being first broadcast in january 2005 and Ready Steady Cook first being broadcast in October 1994.)

Ready Steady Cook

Even though the times in which they first started broadcasting are significantly different, both of these have stood the test of time and kept audiences interested. This is obviously the outcome I would like for my 15 minute series.

Because of the research I have done it has left me doing some very detailed looking into both of these programmes, watching many episodes and trying to work out what it is that has kept the audience tuning in for so long. I have come to decide that both of these programmes are very similar but at the same time have major difference too.
I am going to be explaining these now:

Presenter-

Ainsley Harriot- Ready Steady Cook presenter 

One of the first differences I noticed between these two shows is that both are very much powered by one person, but in two different ways. In Ready Steady Cook the presenter very much has a physical presents at all times, whether it be asking the contestants questions, doing pieces to camera or talking to the audience. Where as in Come Dine With Me, the person who keeps it all together is a voiceover. This is very well done as I consider the voiceover to be the driving force of the programme and gives it a sense of continuation and keeps it all together at all times. I am thinking for my programmes I will have  a physical presenter. This is because Come Dine With Me has contestants that are being shown on the screen to the audience, where as my programmes will be going for the more cookery show feel and so the most typical way to set this up would be to have one presenter on screen with possible some interaction from others at some points. I would like to bring the sense of humour that the Come Dine With me v/o brings to the shows. This would mean choosing a presenter that has a decent sense of humour and is confident with themselves along with some quick yet not offending wit!

Audience-

Come Dine With Me Setting

With Come Dine With Me and the setting it is in (contestants houses) there is no audience members of participation. Unlike Ready Steady Cook which has a very strong sense of audience participation and even has a little competition round which involves audience members bringing their favourite foods to the show for the professional cook to make something our of in a specific amount of time, and also the audience getting to decide who wins the final competition. The fact that I want to keep my shows quite laid back as I want to appeal to students and people of that age I feel that I would not have a audience for mine, but I could possibly have some participation from people, say the presenters friends or other students. I had the idea that I could possibly do a 'Watch and Do' method to my shows. This would mean having the presenter and then 2 other people watching and making what he/she is. Showing the audience at home how easy it is to do.

Setting-

Ready Steady Cook Setting

I want to keep these shows laid back, but not so much so that it ends up being messy or attention to detail being missed out on. This is why it has been hard for me to decide whether or not I want to use a studio based kitchen, or give it more of a homely rustic feel with a home kitchen. I will decide upon this once I have done further research into other cookery programmes that have used both of these methods. I have obviously seen both of these set outs with Ready Steady cook being in a studio and Come Dine With Me being in multiple contestants houses. I am at the moment leaning towards the at home style setting as this gives the show as a whole a more laid back, intimate feeling.

I am now going to look more into things such as the setting I want to use, the shots I would like to use and what kind of style presenter I am looking for. I will look at more cookery shows in order to get this information together!

Final Project

So I've been having huge thinking sessions about what I want to do for my project and after speaking with Helen today I have decided on what my final idea is.
My idea is based around a cookery show for students, showing them how to cook quick, easy, cheap and nice tasting meals.
I am currently thinking of having the durations of the shows as 3 5 minute episodes but this may change to 1 15 minute episode.
The 3 5 minute episodes would be a more fast paced version of the 15 minute episode with a different dish being cooked each episode. I am going to look into how I think is best to film these episodes as I feel it would not be possible or will take a lot of time if I only use one camera, but also if i use multiple cameras it may start to make the editing process tricky.
I will also need to start looking at scripting and location scouting too.
I will firstly get a more detailed plan on to paper!

Work Based Learning

I have been working for a company called Dreamtek for my work based learning. This work experience has continued to improve my knowledge of the media industry greatly with many different tasks on a daily basis. I have been doing tasks that include office based work as well as studio based work and all of these I have very much enjoyed. 

As Live- vt shooting script

Me and Hennie have been working on our shooting script for our Gig Guide VT. This is what we would like to shoot:

Gig Guide VT Script

Pictures	Voice	Music
Welcome to Maidstone sign		Mardy Bum – Arctic Monkeys Instrumental
Intro: Presenter walking up the hill past Hazlitt Theatre, Pizza Express, etc. Stops when she gets to Druid Arms. Walks in. Pan up to Druid Arms sign.	Piece to camera: “Hi I’m Jessica Cootes and welcome to the Maidstone Gig Guide. Maidstone music scene is so diverse from pop to rock, jazz to folk we’ve got it all here and I’ll be showing you some of the best music venues in town. So get your dancing shoes on because your in for a treat.”	Mardy Bum – Arctic Monkeys Instrumental
Photos of other venues in Maidstone pop up.	V/O: Maidstone Facts	Mardy Bum – Arctic Monkeys Instrumental
Pick ups of pints being pulled and people drinking having a good time	Actuality sounds/ Atmosphere	Mardy Bum – Arctic Monkeys Instrumental
Band playing at Druid Arms		Band Playing
Interview with different band in Earls	Piece to camera: “So I’m here at Earls with…. To talk to them about the Maidstone music scene. Hi…. What’s your opinion on the Maidstone music scene? ANSWER…. What are your favourite places to play in Maidstone? ANSWER…. That’s great well you better get set up so we can watch you in action”
Bands performance Earls		Band Playing
Outro: Presenter stands in door way and then walks down the hill.	Piece to camera: “Well you’ve seen what Maidstone’s music scene has to offer tune in next week when we visit Essex. I’ve been Jess Cootes. Rock on!

Fiction adaptation- Update

A freeze frame from my film. 

So I put all of my footage onto the computer yesterday and started editing today! So far I have really been enjoying it and feel the shots are all working well together. Also the lighting of all of the shots seem to be good, which I was most worried about. I have started my rough edit and am hoping to get this finished by the end of today. 

I realise they I will need to go out during the easter break and record some sounds for my background track. Also I am still trying to decide if i want to have the words of the poem on screen or as a voice over. If I did have it as a voice over, the kind of effect that I would be going for is a young innocent voice. This is because the effect of the backing sound track I want is things such as wind chimes, gentle wind, heavy and fast breathing. I feel this will build up the suspense for the audience. The reason I may have the poem as words on screen is because I do not want too much going on in the background as far as sound goes. I do not want the audience to have to concentrate so much on the sound that it takes away from the images on screen. 

I will continue thinking about this and possibly do a few testers to post on here! 

Fiction adaptation- shoot day!

So today was the day of my shoot! I was very lucky to get perfect weather today which made things a lot easier for myself and my actress. We got to the location and did Laura's hair and makeup before setting up the camera and shooting. Everything seemed to go really well and Laura did a fantastic job with her acting! I found it quite tricky setting up the tripod on the uneven woodland floor and so did quite a few shots handheld. I think this may work well though as it will add to the effect of someone following the girl.
I really enjoyed this shoot and hope that I have got all the shots that I need. If not I may have to go back and do a couple more pickups next week.
I'm looking forward to getting everything onto the computer and seeing how it looks on a bigger screen on Monday!

As Live- Location research

So today, myself, Hennie and Maddie went to the venues we want to film our gig guide VT at. We wanted to check for things such as, space, the area the bands would be performing in and lighting.

The first venue we went to was The Druids Arms, this is in a central location in Maidstone and they have bands playing on a Friday and Saturday from 9.30pm 12, as well as acoustic jam nights every other Friday from 6pm-10. They have said it is fine for us to film as long as we get permission from the bands playing. The performance area is outside in the beer garden which I think would give a different edge to the shoot.

We then went to The Old House at Home, they have acoustic sessions every Thursday from 8pm-1am. We have been told to contact the manager about permission to film here and will be doing this tomorrow.

Earls was next and this was an extremely helpful place for us to go. We spoke to the landlord who explained to us he was more then happy to help us with our project and that we could film in Earls no problem what-so-ever. He has told us to visit a gig night on the 5th April so that we can decide on the best places to situate cameras etc. He also explained to us that they do all their own lighting and effects such as smoke machines, this would bring a new dynamic to our shoot and make it look a lot more professional. We would then do the shoot on the 19th April. Earls has gigs Thursday through to Sunday, with the more up and coming bands playing on a Thursday from 9pm-12. Dave the landlord also told us about the business he uses to source the bands that play at Earls. They are called Make Some Noise and they source up and coming music acts for many of Maidstone's hotspots for music. Dave also told us that when we go along on the 5th he would e happy for us to get there a bit earlier and film the setting up for the gig, and even interview some of the band members who are performing that night. This will give us the chance to add a 'access all areas' section to our VT, which would give the viewer and insight into what happens backstage.

We then moved onto the Style and Winch pub. First impressions were that it was quite small, but we were then shown the beer garden and performance area for the bands. This was quite a substantial size. They have gigs on every 2nd Friday. Unfortunately the landlady Debbie was not there and we were told to contact her any time between 10am and 3pm. They also have Splinter Sessions which is an open mic night, and are apart of the Maidstone Fringe, they are having acts all day on the Monday, these are all perfect opportunities to film for our gig guide VT.

I have also taken down the details of the Make Some Noise company so that we could possibly get in contact with them to see if they have any other suggestions of places to film that we have missed out.

Work experience!

So yesterday and today I have been doing some work experience for ITV. It was for a pilot for a the shopping network JML. I had so much fun and learnt so much from my 2 days there. Over the 2 days i did running jobs such as setting up and taking down the props on set, preparing props to go onto set, keeping areas tidy, escorting the audience to and from certain places such as the canteen, but my main job of the 2 days was being the logger in the gallery. This job involved me writing down the start time and finish time of each take through out the day. It took me a few attempts to get used to being as quick as i need to be at it but eventually I got used to it and really began to enjoy it. 

The overall experience was extremely enjoyable and I have taken so much from it. I hope to do more with ITV and JML in the future! 

Fiction adaptation- keeping organised!

So I have been planning everything for my big day of shooting for my fiction adaptation uni. I really want to be much more organised then previous shoots I have done as I think this has been my downfall in past attempts.

The costume that I want my lead role to wear is a white floaty dress with white pumps. Her hair will be down, messy and knotted and her makeup smudged down her face to give the sense that she has been crying. 

I have also been thinking about the kind of lighting I want for my scenes. Because I am planning on having  my film in black and white and i want the sense of a supernatural sense to grip the audience, I would like to have strong bright lighting in certain scenes. This is because it will make shadows and this will then give the sense of there being something there that the audience has not seen yet. 

As Live- VT venue research.

Today myself along with the other members of the VT groups have been researching the best venues to go a look at for the VT's. We narrowed it down to the following places and when the open mic and gig nights are done-

• The Flower Pot Pub- Tuesdays and Sundays 
• The Rose- Thursday nights
• Earls- Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays
• Drakes- Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
• White Horse- Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
• Chicagos- Wednesday- tribute acts
• Druids Inn- Saturday and Sunday
• Pizza Express- gigs genrally spread out through the month
• The Lower Bell- throughout the week

We then contacted these venues over the phone to see if we would be aloud permission to film there. We have been given permission so far from, The Flower Pot, Drakes, White Horse, Chicagos, Druids Inn and Pizza Express. We are still hoping to get in contact with a few more venues. 

We will now go to the venues that have given us the ok and check them out for things such as health and safety, space and lighting. 

Fiction adaptation- research

I have been looking into the supernatural forces used in films. i have decided that due to the fact i do not have a huge budget, I want to make my film have the sense that there is a supernatural force without showing it. I would do this by concentrating on the sounds, lighting and generally trying to build up the atmosphere. It will also depend on the actress I have keeping up the performance of scared, vulnerable, panicked etc.
I have been researching films that use the presents of paranormal forces in films, one that stood out to me was Paranormal Activity 3. This film gives the audience the impression and sense that there is a supernatural force haunting a family but you do not see what it is. i want to do this in my film to build up the suspense and keep the audience intrigued as too what is going to happen next.

As live- research for VT

So I have started to do some research on one of the blogs we want to shoot. The main idea for this VT is a guide to Maidstone's hottest gig venues.

Earls.

I have started by looking at Earls pub. It has been a hot spot for gigs and is a staple in the Maidstone music lovers life for the chance to watch some of not just Maidstone but Kent's hottest bands.

 

In addition to the friendly and lively atmosphere, Earls also has regular live entertainment featuring many local bands. Karaoke is available every wednesday and you can watch live football on our Plasma Screens.

Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are the days to get down to Earls for a chance to see some of the local acts.

Contact Details

Phone number:  01622 751286

Email: info@earlsmaidstone.co.uk

http://www.earlsmaidstone.co.uk/ 

Drakes.

Drakes is a vibrant and lively traditional pub that brings together groups of all ages. The pub has a much younger more vibrant feel in the evenings and at weekends. There is a  DJ on Friday and Saturday evenings with live music on Sundays and the place can get busy. In a central location, it is easy to get to so you can catch the top new bands of Kent of an evening. 

Contact details

Phone Number:  01622 600056

Hazlitt Theatre. 

The Hazlitt if probably the biggest venue in Maidstone for the performing arts. The theatre is serviced by its own dressing rooms, licensed bar and refreshment facilities with seating for up to 382 people. With a wide variety of events including stage productions and gigs, this is the place to find great new acts. With such a vast amount of seating this is a great opportunity to watch a act in a very big and bustling atmosphere to see just how good they are. 

Contact details

Phone number:  01622 758611

Email: andreafrancis@maidstone.gov.uk 

http://www.hazlittartscentre.co.uk/

                                  

      The Old Brewery Store

Already top local bands such as Jam Sandwich, The Crossfire, Loose Change, Rewind, Under the Wood and a host of others have played The Old Brewery Store alongside groups such as The Vintage Corporation, Jailbird and Blighty. Located in Faversham, Kent The Old Brewery Store, is relitively new but working on bringing some of the best local and not so local bands to its stage. It is a wonderfully atmospheric venue for events and entertainment. Composed of three interlinked areas the venue is licensed for 400    people.

Contact details

Phone number:  01795 542285

http://www.oldbrewerystore.co.uk/

The Barge.

Live music is a vital part of life at The Barge - there's a gig of some kind on at least once a week, and on the nights where there's not an official gig you might just find a random bunch of people jamming away on the many musical instruments which are always lying around somewhere. Genres of music played at The Barge include, blues, jazz, folk and acoustic. Along with this selection of gigs, this traditional pub also offers open might acoustic jam nights. 

Contact details

Telephone number: 01634 850485
Email: info@thebargepub.co.uk


http://www.thebargepub.co.uk



                                                              The Flower Pot.

The Flower Pot pub is a traditional pub that hosts open mic nights on a Tuesday evening. This atmospheric pub also has regular live bands playing through out the week and weekends. Many of The Flower Pots customers have a avid interest in music. Right next to central Maidstone, this pub is the perfect place to find out and catch up on the local new talent of Maidstone. 

Contact details
Telephone number:  01622 757705

http://flowerpotpub.com/

I will continue my research into venues in which gigs are played around Maidstone and the surrounding area.