iX:iY - July/August Release

HEALTH & WELL-BEING:

‘it’s always good to include your mental health”

UPCOMING TRENDS THIS SUMMER

‘exciting new outfits to fill your summer with style!’

July/August 2023

iX:iY

EDITOR’S NOTE

I’m an undergraduate student from York St. John’s University, studying Media Production. My journalistic passion really took off when I created my first magazine as part of the course. The chance to create something interesting and stylish really inspired me to be creative with my ideas. I studied Media at college before going to university so I already had experience in producing articles and advertising. My study at YSJ has really helped me take my passion for magazine making to another level. My experience in magazines and digital media has got bigger over my three years studying. I have also created adverts and promo videos in the past for a few clients and I created a fashion magazine at the start of this year to expressing my knowledge in writing articles and creating something exciting and visionary.

This lifestyle magazine gives you the chance to keep up with new or current trends and stories as well as having interesting things to read and learn about. The magazine also gives advice for people interested in art or culture from interviews with current artists and people in creative areas. It will keep you updated on new releases when it comes to films, music, and fashion. This first issue features two Q&As to help university students in the creative sector figure out what they want to do after graduation and what they might expect later in their careers hopefully giving some ideas and inspiration.

I specially recommend the artist Q&A article and the feature on the second hand record store - I found the people and their work fascinating.

The theme of this magazine is meant to be captivating, wild and arty and that’s why I love it. I really hope you enjoy reading through the articles and interviews as much as I enjoyed putting them together.

Contact information:

Email- Beth.hannaghan@gmail.com

Phone Number- 07951859998

Instagram- ix_iy.bethany

UPCOMING TRENDS THIS SUMMER

The top fashion trends have been set this season, with exciting new outfits to fill your summer with style! We will be sharing what is in as well as our outfit tips for some summer activities. With it getting hotter in the summer, thinner lighter weight clothes are key, the Y2K vibe is still in and will be throughout the summer. Parachute pants and maxi skirts matched with graphic vest tops and baggy tees are all the rage. Mini dresses and Doc Martin style boots are also a popular outfit for many. Low rise jeans and skirts with a corset top is also a way to go for nights out or pub runs. Cargo trousers and

shorts are also going to be the summer style. Buying a whole new wardrobe is often expensive, especially at the moment. Another way to find trendy clothes that will not break your budget is by charity shopping. By doing this so we are helping slow fast-fashion, supporting good caused and helping the environment. Luckily, with charity shops holding a lot of older trends that people have outgrown or moved on from there’s a lot of stuff to find that is now coming back into fashion.

PICNIC OUTFIT INSPO

PUFF SLEEVED

CORSET TOP FROM SHEIN

£10.49

SQUARE BUCKLE BELT FROM SHEIN

£2.00

HIGH RISE

DAD JEANS FROM ASOS DESIGNS

£26.00

DR MARTINS

JADON 8-EYE

PLATFORM BOOT

£125.50

PUB OUTFIT INSPO

MESH DITSY

FLORAL MIDI SKIRT FROM EMMIOL £20.01

BLUE CROPPED BALOON SLEEVED JUMPER FROM ZARA £35.00

OVERSIZED DOWNTOWN

BLACK AND WHITE KNITTED

JUMPER FROM SHEIN £25.00

BALANCE TOTE BAG FROM PAPERCHASE £3.00

DR MARTINS

JADON 8-EYE

PLATFORM BOOT £125.50

FESTIVAL OUTFIT INSPO

PATTERNED PRINT DROP

SHOULDER SHIRT FROM SHEIN £6.25

HIGH WAISTED BLAKE SKATER SKIRT FROM BOOHOO £10.00

FISHNET TIGHTS FROM BOOHOO £4.50

DR MARTINS JADON 8-EYE PLATFORM BOOT £125.50

Interested in Photography

Ever since Tyril was young photography has been a fascination, the way you are able to capture a moment or mood forever. She says “It was the documenting aspect that inspired me to get into photography”. When she was 8 she first asked for a camera and video equipment and even to this day, for birthdays and Christmases there’s still lenses and new equipment on that list. Due to her interest in photography Tyril went on to study it for GCSE. She learned a lot of useful techniques which really helped her strengthen the style of photography she now loves. (She got a grade 9).

Tyril’s main interest in photography is commercial. She loves the way she can let out her perfectionist side while still being allowed to be creative. But she also has an eye for portraits and appreciates having the opportunity to work with people and style them. Tyril’s says her style is “portrait or product” as that is what she enjoys. The only style she tends to stay away from, however, is landscape as “personally I don’t find it very interesting.”

Tyril’s worked with a few clients but her most memorable one was a family friend’s wedding. She captured the whole day: “this was the bride getting ready, the father’s first look at his daughter, the bridesmaid photos, the car they travelled in, the ceremony, bride and groom together as well as throughout the after party.” She did a 12-hour day and it took 2 weeks to edit the photos which she says was quite a stress as she had the responsibility of the couple’s big day. Luckily,

the pictures turned out amazingly and the family were very happy with the results.

Out of all the photos Tyril has taken, by far her favourite was a shoot she did that produced a series of 3 photos about stereotypes in women’s sport. She captured an amazing shot of a young girl in her football kit with the boots on and a face of determination. Although all 3 photos were meaningful, this one really brought the main point across. There is one aspect of Tyrils photography that she hasn’t had a lot of experience in is fashion. She did a shoot that was based on fashion through the eras. She loved the process and wants to do more shoots like that again even though it wasn’t her strongest area. Tyril says it wasn’t other artists who were her inspiration, it was in fact her teachers at the Northern School of Art. Listening to their st ories of how they grew as an artist in photography. She owes a lot of gratitude for what they taught her.

The next move in Tyrils photography journey is that she wants to move into digital marketing, using her images to promote products for other companies. However, she still wants to do weddings and dance shoots on the side.

“It was the documenting aspect that inspired me to get into photography”.

All photos int his article where taken by Tyril Howes

Top tips:

The industry is vast and competitive. You really need to put yourself out there, anyone can pick up a camera and take a photo and call it photography. You need to be unique, find something that sets you apart from others.

Tyril uses lightroom and Adobe Pphotoshop to edit her photos, these are good as they are constantly adding new things to improve your photos. Taking a good photo depends on what genre you’re into as well as the aims of the photo. For Tyril the image needs to feel complete, she likes it to be bold and have character on its own, not to be joined by texts or other photos.

Tyril recommends the canon EOS 100D as this is what she uses in all her shots as well as university equipment on top. She said it does the job and its very effective.

Tyrils best tip! “Photography isn’t necessarily about what you’re taking a photo of instead, how you take the photo. Be creative and have fun that’s what it’s all about.”

Independent outlet

for new and used records, CDs and tapes.

Bethany Hannaghan interviews the shop owner Steve Probets about the business of trading vinyl records on an up and coming coastal high street.

Steve is an avid listener to musichis earliest memories and interest in music and records started when he was around the age of 5 or 6. His mother Carole would take him to second-hand shops which “used to be called junk shops back in the 70s”, this is where he would find himself looking at the old records. Only picking records based on the look of the covers. Usually bringing home a Billy Fury single because that artist was one of him mum’s favourites.

When Steve was around 7 years old, Carole handed him down an old black Fidelity record player. They used to have handles on the case so that you could carry them around. In its day it had been very ahead technologically as he was be able to stack 5-10 records on a spindle and then the in-built auto mechanism in the player would drop the records on the base in turn after each disk played and the pick-up arm moved back to the start. However, his love for music was not the only factor when setting up a record shop. A careers day at school popped into Steve’s mind when thinking about what inspired him to open his shop and he said he recalled writing “shopkeeper” down to when asked “what do you want to do when you leave school” on a school careers paper. However, Steve never imagined himself running a record shop until he worked at a local record shop in Ashford, Kent. The Covid-19 pandemic and redundancy from a lifelong career meant Steve had to re-assess his future. An opportunity came up to work in the local shop and the experience he gained there with the stock and the customer base is what inspired him to set up Vintage & Vinyl.

Vintage & Vinyl is located near the

bottom of The Old High Street in Folkestone, Kent. Steve reckons it is the perfect setting, being close to the harbour, seafront, and beach. Folkestone is becoming a very trendy and popular place due to high investment over the past years. It was also tagged as the world’s first “music town”.

Steve’s favourite genre of music has changed quite a lot since owning the shop, he has broadened his taste by listening to a wider range of music, including stuff that he wouldn’t previously have “given the time-of-day to”.

After growing up and leaving his trusty Fidelity record player behind, his favourite genre was 80s music. He collected records from this decade this up until the mid-90s by which time he was well into his 30’s. At this time, he “went from listening to the likes of Duran Duran, Human League etc, to Oasis, Blur, and Paul Weller”.

Vintage & Vinyl is a new enterprise for Steve, and after owning and running his shop for 7 months he has seen a wide range of clientele. He has customers of all ages and musical interests. People visit from all over Kent, but mostly the local areas.

However, there are also customers visiting the area from London and further afield, maybe having an overnight stay due to work or leisure and even people from different countries on a vacation there. “Customers have been known to walk in with very young babies in prams, and some with their elderly relatives looking for records that help jog memories” he says. Many people are frequent buyers, or “regulars” as he calls them.

When talking about what genres sell best he said it was hard to pinpoint a type. Steve says that his customers have a diverse taste with the electronica section browsed well along with the jazz section. Reggae and hiphop sections get well looked at too.

Steve’s shop does not just sell records he also sells band/artist T-shirts, framed vinyl art, vintage record players, posters, cassettes, CDs, books and vintage newspapers (Melody Maker etc). Steve has a Hi-Fi dealership, so he can offer a range of high quality turntables, amps and speakers etc. However, the shop does not have them out on display as the space is too small, but Steve orders them online for his customers when someone wants to buy something.

Vintage & Vinyl shop is not yet online, but it does post out some items if requested. Steve is working on plans to have an online store with Discogs. However, he does have Facebook and Instagram platforms where he shows upcoming releases and video reels of new records that are in. Steve also posts fun weekly display boards in the shop and on FaceBook that have challenges on for customers to take up and guess answers.

“went from listening to the likes of Duran Duran, Human League etc, to Oasis, Blur, and Paul Weller”

The main selling point is price, with preloved records going for between £5-£20 these can be seen as a good value against the brand new records ranging between £20-£40. There is also a bargain section – where records do not have their outside covers or are heavily marked. These go for £1 each or six for £5. Finally, there are boxsets which are priced anywhere between £80-£250 depending on rarity or popularity of the artist. Steve sources his records by setting up trade accounts with a few suppliers/distributors/labels that offer new records or items. “Those include Universal Music, Warner, and Proper Music Distribution”, he adds. For the second-hand records he still has many records in the vault from the previous owner, but he also has people getting in touch and seeing if he’s interested in their collection. As an estimate, Steve says that he thinks he sells around 20 new records and 10 preloved records a day.

“We have had a couple of Jimi Hendrix 13LP boxsets in the shop, which although they weren’t particularly rare, they were quite valuable. There’s also a low-numbered Beatles White Album in the shop, which although sought-after, its condition isn’t great.”

Steve says, “In 2022, vinyl outsold CDs for the first time in many years. So, I think it’s safe to say that it’s here to stay for the foreseeable, and no longer “coming back”.”

With cassette sales going up due to the Netflix series Stranger Things Steve also sells a decent number of CDs as they are still relevant. The shop covers all tastes and budgets and he wants to encourage young people and those who aren’t able to afford brand new records, just like when he was young, so he tries to keep it inclusive for all.

Used record shops are popping up and thriving in towns and cities all over the country – Steve thoroughly recommends supporting them and the vinyl-collecting culture, so check your nearest shop out and share the love of the music and old vinyl.

Vintage & Vinyl can be found at: 57 The Old High Street, Folkestone, Kent CT20 1RN https://www.vintageandvinyl.co.uk/ Also in FaceBook & Instagram

All photos throughout this article where taken by Steve Probets

Putting yourself first is not selfish or uncaring of others – it just means focussing on your needs so that you can improve your wellbeing and a knock on will be your ability to achieve what you need to achieve and be more able to help others. When it comes to a health kick, it is always good to include your mental health too. Prioritising yourself, your needs and taking care of your mental health should always come first.

Modern life is so full of pressure, work, study, money, uncertainty about what the future holds, but many sources of pressure and stress are actually self-inflicted such as addiction to social media and with that can come anxiety, loneliness and issues of self-doubt. These can lead to depression and feelings of an inability to cope. This approach is sometimes called Self-care. The World Health Organization defines self-care as: “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.” Self-care can include making sure you eat healthily, have regular check-ups, get vaccinated etc., but it can also mean ensuring you emotional health. And, that’s where “putting yourself first” comes in. There are many ways to clear your head of negative thoughts. So, turn off your tech, put calls to silent and let’s look at practical ways of doing it.

Unnecessary Stress

Avoid the unnecessary things that you know give you stress – take time out to breath, and clear your mind – grab a cup of tea or coffee. A pause in the day can really boost or reset your mood. And if people are demanding stuff of you, make sure they are clear about what you can or will do for them. Do not promise the earth.

Food is Important

Take time to eat well after work or studies, the process of cooking a nice meal can remove the day’s stresses.

Pamper Yourself

Pamper yourself, with a nice soak in the bath or taking time to read a book in a quiet place. Take that “me” time.

Socialise

Socialise well. It is nice to have a good support system like friends and family, so if you’re feeling low having “true” friends over and treating yourself to some snacks and maybe a pamper night can really help with your mood.

Fresh air

Exercise is good. Going for a walk or a run in the fresh air is a great healer. If you’re not lucky enough to live in the countryside, city walks can energise. There are lots of nice scenic walks around York for example, especially round the city wall. Take time to rest maybe have a picnic or take a coffee and watch the world go by before heading home.

Take part in activities

Interests - There are lots of relaxing activities to do if you live in a town. Think about taking up a new hobby or activity - like pottery, or painting. You can go with family and friends or by yourself. It’s good to get out of the house and focus on new / exciting activities. Yoga classes or meditation are good activities to take part in because they help relaxation, and is a social activity if you take a class.

Spa Day!

If you are lucky enough to be able to afford a spa visit, these can really help you relax and unwind.

Tidy room, Tidy mind

Maybe de-junk your room or your house – giving items to a charity shop is doubly good.

Just do more of the stuff that make you feel good about yourself and avoid or reduce doing stuff that makes you feel bad about yourself or about others.

Classes in Yoga or art can be found via leisure centre or library information centres or on line. There are suggested walks on tourist information sites

“Put yourself first to put others first”

New ways to upcycle

DIY and upcycling are an alternative and cheaper way to decorate your home or office. In each issue we will suggest ways to re-style or decorate your house or office by making new objects or furniture, or by using and changing what you already have! It is always a good thing to upcycle - it reduces damage to the environment with less pollution and less use of new materials than are used to create new decorations or pieces of furniture. It is also an easy way to save money. It is usually much cheaper to make your own furniture or take old items and make something new than chucking things away and buying new. It is especially good to re-use an older high quality item as the quality will often still be obvious. Although not everything is reusable, if it is in really bad shape and had it, and there’s no repair possible you could still take it apart and maybe use the materials on something else.

What you need:

You can upcycle nearly anything! If not though, do not throw it away, find it a new home by selling or donating it to charity. If you really cannot find a new use or new owner, then get rid of it responsibly at a council tip as it may be useful for re-cycling into another material and used again!

Ideas on what to upcycle. Bored of a certain rug or mirror? Well we have the solution for you. Whether it is the rug or the mirror you have already, you will need both. You can get a mirror from IKEA for as little as £1.25. If it is a rug that you need have a look on SHEIN, the cheapest we found was £3.75. You will also need a sturdy pair of scissors, some strong glue and if you have any cardboard laying around that would be handy too.

Step 3:

Remove the mirror from the rug and use the tape to create a shape where you want the mirror to appear through the rug from. You could just cut out the shape of the mirror if so, make sure you cut smaller than the mirror so you can stick the rug on the outsides of the mirror. If you want a pattern, create a shape where you will still have most of the mirror showing.

Step 4:

Once you have done this cut out the same as safely you can with your scissors

Step 5:

Get your cardboard and mimic the outline of the rug so that it sticks on in perfect shape.

Step 6:

Glue your rug to the mirror and let it dry.

Step 7:

Once dried stick the carboard to the back of the rug and mirror and let dry.

And that’s it! A new and unique new mirror to enjoy.

Viv and Dom Richards are experienced designers who graduated from university in Bristol back in the 1980s. At first they worked in London, Dom as a commercial graphic designer freelance and for advertising agencies and Viv as a fine artist and silver jewellery design and creation. After they married, they continued to work in their fields but during the late 1990s the advertising industry got smaller and work became scarce. Dom needed to supplement his income with illustration work and Viv moved away from jewellery to fine art. When life got tough in London they decided to move away to live and work in Bude in Cornwall. This is where they are still based and they continue to work and explore new opportunities.

In this Q&A they describe life after university and their process to where they are now. This they hope will help aspiring graphic designers or artists to have a clearer understanding or inspiration on what they could do after university or education. Starting off with Viv who owns an on line jewellery shop but also sells artwork.

What’s the price range of your Artworks?

Prices range from 500-2500 depending on size. The gallery takes 50% of this which is standard industry practice.

Who buys your art?

It must be said that buying original art is not cheap. My art sells to wealthier holiday makers, second homeowners, - older couples.

What advice would you give to an aspiring artist?

Do it because you love doing it. If you have expectations to be rich and/or successful you are likely to be disappointed.

Do you think people are starting to buy original/local over mass produced/poorer quality art?

Visitors to Cornwall will always want to buy something local whether thats a packet of fudge or a piece of art. There will always be a market for both, but the larger the cost the smaller the audience.

What’s the most expensive thing you’ve sold and how much for?

A large seascape for 2,500

How long have you been creating Art for?

Over 30 years on and off, it only became a full-time thing relatively recently.

Where do you get the inspirations from for your Art?

The peace and calm of where I live is a constant inspiration. The weather and light are very different in Corn- wall to anywhere else I have been. I am also inspired by textures: rusty metal, peeling paint - that sort of thing.

What size range of artworks do you sell?

A small piece would be about 6 inches square not including framing. A large piece might be 3 feet square. Framing is very important, and a lot of thought has gone into it. All my work is framed and glazed with non-reflective glass.

How long have you been creating Art for?

Over 30 years on and off, it only became a full-time thing relatively recently.

Where do you see your art going in the future?

I create in the studio, but I would definitely like to do more outside. It’s kind of impossible to collage outside but I have taken collages outside to paint on.

What are your most popular Artworks?

My work is mostly Landscapes (and seascapes) esp of the Polzeath area. Sunnier paintings sell fastest, buyers like to be reminded of their holidays.

How was your business effected during/over covid?

Surprisingly not. The gallery moved online and people had time on their hands to look at it. Usually, people like to visit a gallery as part of the buying process.

Do you get your inspiration from other artists who is your favourite artist?

My inspirations are very broad: from renaissance painters like Massachio for the chalky colours of their pal- lette. Through landscape painters like Turner who modernised landscape art. To modern painters like Anselm Kieffer for his use of texture. I don’t really think about collage artists: for me collage is like underpainting a base layer rather than collage.

What makes you stand out from the other artists?

I paint on top of collage, so it is a hybrid technique - mixed media. Very few people create art this way so hope- fully that makes me stand out.

What are your main critiques on the Art industry as a whole?

Making money from art is very difficult and is an art in itself. Promoting your art is part of the job description and is something a lot of artists struggle with - me included. There is no easy answer to it.

Where are you located and is business good there?

My studio is a converted garage in Bude, Cornwall and the gallery that shows my work is down the coast in Polzeath. Business in 2022 was very good.

Why online greetings cards?

The original intention was to create a company which simply sold cards into shops and greetings card companies, not online at all. But this had little success and was moving too slowly. Shopping habits of course move increasingly online, so It seemed sensible to follow the drift and start a shop.

How did you get yourself in the industry?

Having worked in Graphic Design and Art Direction for many years I managed to accumulate a variety of skills such as artworking, marketing, illustration and photo manipulation - all of which can be used in the greetings card market. It seemed like a viable option to work for myself.

Have you worked for any well-known companies?

I was unexpectedly approached to come up card concepts for well known card company. I did this a couple of times but the reality is they churn through a lot of ideas for their money. It was barely worth the effort.

What education do you have in Graphic design and how did you get there?

I did a Graphic Design Degree at Bristol Polytechnic (as was). To get on that you have to first complete a Foundation Course which I did in London.

For Dom, he worked in graphic design and art direction, but currently produces his own range of greetings cards. This Q&A is to help undergrads with inspiration on what they could do in the future.

Was there a lot of competition when putting yourself out there?

Yes! Because of the advances of digital printing in recent years the start up costs to produce any printed matter has been drastically reduced. Nowadays anyone can basically set up shop and start producing - and they do. If you look online at greetings cards there are literally millions across many platforms.

What sort of work do you create?

I describe my shop as selling quirky cards. To me this means cards that are slightly out of the ordinary. There is no point producing cards which are similar in style and quality to what can be bought cheaper in the supermarket. I also produce limited numbers of prints, tshirts, mugs etc, but have barely scratched the surface with these.

What’s big in the industry right now?

Personalisation. In the digital world customers want something unique, whether it is greetings cards, t shirts or jewellery. Mainstream shops can’t compete at this level so it creates opportunities for a small producer.

Has the Card industry evolved over the past few years?

I have only been involved with the industry for a couple of years but even during that time things have changed. Card sales are generally in slight decline in recent years but it is still a huge market. Christmas cards are in a steeper decline probably due to relative rise in postage costs amongst other things. The in- ternet and social media has also completely disrupted how people communicate. Electronic cards enjoyed a brief popularity as a novelty but in recent years this has faded. Bricks and mortar retail declines year on year with the recent demise of major stationery retailer Paperchase being a recent example.

Would you say it’s hard to get into the graphic design industry. If so, why?

Yes. There are simply more graduates than work opportunites. It has always been like this, unlikely to change. Automation is changing things daily, with things like drag and drop design. AI will also develop; neither are good for job opportunities.

For your designs where do you get your inspiration from?

A lot of my cards are based around pop culture, with elements of humour. The only rules of Greetings cards is they have to be eye catching, this is the industry X factor and is hard to quantify. The only way to achieve this I have found is trial and error.

Would you say it’s hard to get into the graphic design industry. If so, why?

Yes. There are simply more graduates than work opportunites. It has always been like this, unlikely to change. Automation is changing things daily, with things like drag and drop design. AI will also develop; neither are good for job opportunities.

What was your education experience like?

The Foundation Course was the best years education I ever had: Lively, challenging and exciting. I got the chance to experiment with many different disciplines which is what Foundation Courses are all about. My Degree Course experience was mixed. During the Degree Course the first Macintosh computers arrived and with it the start of desktop publishing. No one knew how to use it let alone teach it. I don’t think anyone appreciated at the time how much the Graphics industry was going to change with computing. And it changed again with the emergence of the internet.

Would you say the world of graphic design is increasing, so more people are wanting to get into it?

We are certainly bombarded with more imagery than ever, however this is not the whole story. A UK consumer might find themselves in front of a poster or packaging which originated in Europe or further. Global Graphics is a thing. The actual design team may be small compared to the amount of technicians adapting it.

What advice would you give to an aspiring designer?

The world of Graphic Design is actually very specialised. The people I have seen do best in the industry are those who specialised earliest and directed their attention in a specific direction. This is easier said than done but changing direction after your first couple of jobs becomes increasingly difficult. Whatever direction you go in you have to stay up to date with technology.

They both conclude by saying:

“A career in creative arts will never be a straight line. There will always be changes in direction because of economic factors and technology developments. You will find the field tough and frustrating at times but as long as you are willing to adapt you will find a way to survive but most importantly you will find the work is highly rewarding”.

Despondency - A new short

If you are Interested in new art films? Then why not check out a new release called “Despondency”. This is a short experimental film created by a York St. John student named Ash. They have created an experimental short film, which in Ash’s words is “based on a worker having a breakdown from loneliness and going on a spiritual pilgrimage to try an end it all”. The idea first came from a music video concept that they had, combining their life experiences as well as those of others in the world of manual labour and service jobs. Many different films inspired Despondency but a slightly unusual one was the short-turned-feature ‘Cashback’ the way it captures the

All photos in this article where taken by ash in their production

comedy and fanciful mind of an artist in a working-class job is executed very well. Despondency goes with a similar concept of lone disenfranchised worker but with a more dark experimental tone.

The budget for Ash’s production was £2000, which they are currently under, which is a bonus for the filmmaker.

The actor in this production is named ‘Fire’ who was found on an acting talent website. Ash says he’s a brilliant actor who also helped a lot when it came to getting to each location, due to Ash’s own car being unavailable and with the main locations being 2 hours away

Instagram- Ashproductions73

Website- aeashton73.wixsite.com

“based on a worker having a breakdown from loneliness and going on a spiritual pilgrimage to try an end it all”

from each other ‘Fire’ and Ash’s family where willing to help. That is the great thing about low budget experimental films – everyone involved is willing to help for the good of the project.

A private premiere of the film is planned, but It will eventually be available to watch on Ash’s website called ‘Ash Productions’. The streaming of the film will be free on multiple platforms. Ash says that “due to certain restrictions placed by festivals we need to see if it can have a run first”. The audience for this film isn’t limited, it’s for anyone who can relate, “this is not meant to serve as a major entitled piece of anti-capitalist propaganda.” It’s meant to help those who are struggling with alienation and help them not feel alone in these dark times. It also helps point out that this is a universal issue. There were a few issues along the way, as mentioned before the lack of having a car forced a major strip down in re-writing the script last minute. But these challenges just help increase the determination to succeed.

Ash’s main influence when becoming a filmmaker was about having a concept that needed to be heard. Ash says they’re not the best at filming but thankfully they have an amazing co-producer named Hannah Parton, and that really made everything possible. The thing that keeps Ash going is their impactful vision for the final result. “Filming, it is exhausting, impossible and never goes right but it is still definitely a labour of love.” They like working with new people, “the melting pot of ideas and suggestions carefully cultivated in a specific direction I think is beautiful.” However, the hardest thing is constantly questioning themself when it came to the creation of writing and directing. Ash has worked on a number of earlier projects, including a podcast about the connection of music from oppressed groups with their history. This was called “voices of the voiceless”. They also created a factual storytelling piece about a WW1 Officers POW camp in their hometown.

Some advice for young upcoming filmmakers:

The hardest thing about writing and directing is having to question yourself. When filling both rolls you have to let the writer inside continue to develop the concept free of practicality and the director inside has to find a way to communicate that physically with the options available.

Try to avoid idealisation of specific people and instead try to determine what parts of themselves and their creations to appreciate. With this film they dove into the general attitude and philosophy of Jean Luc Goddard to film making. On the more technical side they was inspired by Sergej Eisenstein and his use of Soviet montage.

Have a short term goal, such as to get your film to a place you are happy with and hopefully use it to showcase your ideas and abilities and what you can offer to the world of film making. Your long term goal could be just to be lucky enough to get to keep creating art, developing your connections and visions as you go along and hopefully make people feel something with the things you create.

Ash’s Future Plans

Ash says they have quite a few ideas to work on but, they think the next might be something a little more upbeat and multimedia based.

Based in York, Ash as grown to like the city a lot but the world is big and they are only just getting started on seeing it. They feel art comes naturally from experience and there is a lot of experiences out there I am yet to have. Ash says they are guilty of not being on the pulse of the climates in which I like to create. From what they can see there are good people doing good work to nurture small budget films and there are a lot more places now to share the work. Although Ash does feel the way the system of film works now will be extremely different in the not too distant future and certainly less hierarchical.

Looking for a brilliant experience when it comes to cafe-style food and drinks?

Coffee Culture in York is the place to go.

The cafe is nestled along Goodramgate, behind the Minster. Their website calls the place the local neighbourhood cafe in the heart of York.

The cafe has a very welcoming look and on sunny days they set out tables in the street.

The cafe has a nice casual relaxed decoration and also has an upstairs floor laid out with cushions in the window that you can see the street from.

They offer great coffee and homemade cakes as well as local produce and freshly baked pastries, sandwiches and more.

When I arrived, I was greeted with smiles and excellent customer service; all the staff were very alert and attended to my needs even without having to ask.

The food was amazing just as I hoped. I had the Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, Red Onion, Carpers,

Spinach & Rocket Ciabatta Sandwich, and it was delicious. Unfortunately, it had quite a lot of butter in it - which I’m not so keen on - so I had to scrape most of the butter off, but this partly my fault as I don’t like too much butter and I should have said so, but they didn’t ask, and I think that all the ingredients should be stated.

I also had an iced coffee with oat milk, they supplied a range of different types of milk to accompany anyone’s requirements. So, I can say they make great coffee just like they claim. Coffee Culture is a one of my favourite cafes around York, and I would tell anyone that it’s worth a visit. I think the only thing that is a slight flaw is the sizing of the café. It’s very small so you have to be lucky to get a table on a busy day if you want to sit in. But luckily, they do have a to-go service but it’s a nicer experience to sit inside. I sat in the window seat, which was very close to the other tables, maybe slightly too close. I could hear everyone’s conversations, but I didn’t mind as it still felt peaceful in a way with business of the street outside.

All in all, I really enjoyed my experience at coffee culture, the location and the value and I feel it’s an upcoming cafe that will become even more popular.