tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12098293886845511492024-03-18T22:38:50.747+00:00Theo DurrantWelcome to the blog written by Theo Durrant, graduate of Bournemouth University and an all-round good chap. Keep up to date with his day-to-day ramblings and follow the latest news from Cafe Studios team.Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.comBlogger4551125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-14054220912053552712024-03-18T22:38:00.001+00:002024-03-18T22:38:11.473+00:00Snacks and Stationery I returned to the studios that I remember wistfully saying goodbye to about 6 months ago. My new job has begun, I'm mostly just getting the office all set up and happy, snacks and stationery basically. Saw a few chaps from my team which was fun and overall the vibe seems pretty good so far. This has the makings of a very nice gig, I just want to pace myself a little better than I did in the last one to keep my enthusiasm and my energy high.<br />Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-79360362076783134442024-03-17T22:40:00.002+00:002024-03-17T22:40:25.477+00:00Baklava in the Rain<p>A nearby London farmers market tempted us to brave the drizzly weather. The customary meats, eggs and cheeses were there but what really caught our eye was the Middle Eastern gazebo with their trays of glistening baklava. We couldn't resist (and the prices were hilariously agreeable too), so with a coffee we took a bite and all locked eyes and smiled.</p><p>That was certainly the days highlight, we spent the remainder of the day traveling home where I begun packing my work bag. I'm not kicking and screaming about returning to work but I will miss my cosy routine. New challenges are welcome though and first days have the tendency to be easy breezy, I just hope tomorrow goes well and I get good vibes from the project.<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-1665202756277121362024-03-16T23:36:00.000+00:002024-03-16T23:36:03.869+00:00Featherweight Taproom <p>A light breakfast was all that lined my stomach from a very dark pint of stout from a London taproom. We went out to stay with our friends who have recently moved to a place with a significantly larger footprint. We walked through a muddy trail in a nearby park to get to said taproom, I spent most of the journey back pretending to be sober. </p><p>Dinner with our hosts brought me back from the brink though, that and a few board games and watching Stanley Tucci sample the delights of Italy (they saw the book I was reading and hit play on the program, there was no protest from me). I'm already sad tomorrow is Sunday, I'll have to make the most of our time with our chums before we head back to a new reality.<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-48540065302289428212024-03-15T23:20:00.000+00:002024-03-15T23:20:01.387+00:00Writing Flow<p>I was not ready for the sudden flow state I found myself in as I sat down to try and finish my current writing project. All week I'd been chipping away at it, like a sculptor using a toothpick, but today I busted out the hammer and went to town on my work. I blocked out my day but all that went out the window as I found myself writing, editing and sharpening - all making the end product better and more cohesive. I dragged it to 95% completion before backing away to give more thought to my conclusion... Which came to me while reading a book on the subject a few hours later. I basically had one of those thrilling days where you end up smashing your goals. More of those please!<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-81242096846403359152024-03-14T22:41:00.005+00:002024-03-14T22:41:42.298+00:00Pi Day<p>I'm doing a wee bit of research into films about food so I woke up extra early to watch Like Water for Chocolate. I think I did anyway, the movie kinda passed me by as if I was in a fever dream. I was super on board for the magical realism at the beginning but it lost all momentum by the second half. But you got to hand it toexican filmmakers, they know how to make something explosively emotional and allegorical.</p><p>Seeing as it was Pi day too (03.14, hohoho), it felt apt to watch Waitress, a movie that concerns itself mostly with pies. This one was much more watchable while dripping with mid-life crisis revelations and that cosy early 2000's small town comedy feeling. It's a cult classic with the heart of an angel.<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-9656779114012923002024-03-13T22:59:00.002+00:002024-03-13T22:59:49.007+00:00Halcyon Days<p>Continued to peck away at my keyboard, writing and rewriting one more short project before I'm back to work on Monday. I'm going to miss the freewheeling days of quietly sitting at my desk, sipping coffee and stroking the cat. But then again, I miss financial security more.</p><p>Still, if I have to stop writing I'll at least keep reading - that's my resolution to myself. It took me a while to get back into the swing of being an unpublished nobody, but if I keep reading I'll at least keep my hand in. I got Stanley Tucci's biographical cookbook from the library and Blood Meridian to keep my mind sharp, very much looking forward to starting one of them this weekend.<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-41577853779454965762024-03-12T22:55:00.002+00:002024-03-12T22:55:20.154+00:00Numbers Go Up, and Up<p>The iconic mizzle in Bristol kept me locked indoors when I should have been out running. Eventually it staved off and I completed a 3.7k - not bad for a third run since a hiatus. The rain was unbelievably fine throughout the run though, I felt like a pampered vegetable, getting continuously misted in a posh grocery store.</p><p>I ticked off a new game (Dordonga) and a new film (Mrs Doubtfire) today too. I certainly do derive some reptile brain satisfaction from updating my online databases, but really they just feel like another body for the pile. Why do I feel compelled to record every film I watch? I guess I like seeing that little number go up and up but is that a healthy way to treat art - as something to consume rather than consider? I need to find people to discuss these things with really, otherwise I watch movies and impress no one but myself.<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-60142845709070071172024-03-11T23:09:00.004+00:002024-03-11T23:09:45.701+00:00Breakfast at Tiffany's <p>Endured a few weeks of speculative waiting, but this evening I got the deal memo for my next job land in my inbox. I'll be back in a job starting next Monday going up to the end of the year. It been a long time before confirming this so I feel mentally prepped, but also a little surprised - I'll have to remember all the steps, just hope I haven't lost my touch in making other people coffee.<br /></p><p>I caught up on a famous film I'd never seen til today: Breakfast at Tiffany's. Lord it was ropey. It's been a long while since I felt so numb to a movie, even the bits that were 'funny' I didn't feel like laughing to. The romance was non-existent too on account of fundamentally intolerable characters. <br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-23497753336319925592024-03-10T23:05:00.002+00:002024-03-10T23:05:42.818+00:00Mother's Day 2024<p>For Mother's Day Mum and Dad made the trip out West to see the Bristol collective. I made reservations at a Lebanese place that none of us had tried before, so it only made sense to try all the mezze heavy hitters like falafel and baba ganoush. Dad helped himself to the mixed grill, narrowly dodging the meat sweats while the table chatted away. We saw the restaurant advertising a free desert for mothers on mother's day - what none of us for saw was Rebecca and Rachel getting a free pud as well. As Rebecca lifted a spoonful of free panna cotta up to her grinning lips I had never felt so jealous in all my life.</p><p>Once the family dispersed back home Rebecca and I did one of our quietly favourite things: channel surfing through the Sunday Night telly. It's dire, but in a way that's easy to make fun of, our commentary making each other laugh before unironically getting more invested in Crufts than we'd expected. Monday tomorrow, and what could mark the last full week off I have before returning to work (fingers crossed). Time to make it count.<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-61120670010737681492024-03-09T23:05:00.001+00:002024-03-09T23:05:27.828+00:00Julie and JuliaLittle Victories by the Harbourside do some amazing coffee. I was craving a cuppa so Rebecca and I did a tiny pilgrimage there for a long black and a flat white. Sipping it while watching the weekend rowers glide along the water is a Saturday pleasure. It was back to business at home as we cleaned and hoovered the house within an inch of its life. Always nice to step back and admire the fruits of your labour though, it made for a great space to watch a film in. Julie and Julia was my vote for movie tonight and it was a charming little surprise. Every book about screenwriting drills in the notion that conflict = story, yet this is one of those rare examples where even a frictionless plot can make for an engrossing watch. It won't change the world, but it's heart is firmly in the right place and sometimes that's enough.<br />Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-60382770417145068582024-03-09T07:53:00.001+00:002024-03-09T07:53:10.927+00:00Sofa Scribbler I drafted up some new video ideas, but I didn't want any of them to feel forced. So I joined our cat on the sofa with my notebook and scribbled away before landing on what I think is a fun little project. It low-key looks like I'll be back to work again fairly soon so I'm wondering how's best to carve up my remaining time off. Part of me wants to write and part of me wants to bucket list a bunch of films, games and friend hangouts. I just want to spend my time well but that thought is oddly crippling.<br />Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-77572818631538929592024-03-07T22:52:00.001+00:002024-03-07T22:52:21.878+00:00Updated Website <p>My sports watch informed me I completed my longest run ever with it this morning. It was only a little over 3K but in already jazzed to see that new record pop up again very soon. </p><p>I finished up moving over all the bits from Sick Critic over to my website, plus a little extra review I completed this week. Again, I've been meaning to do this for years so it feels super to finally have a home for all my older work - a fair amount of it still holds up too! <br /></p><p>https://eyebrowowl.wordpress.com/<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-29849050508704245762024-03-06T23:00:00.003+00:002024-03-06T23:00:48.123+00:00In the Bag?The great article transfer nears its completion! By a inexplicable stroke of luck I managed to reclaim all the words and pictures from my old posts, some were saved in the metadata, others I had to boot up my brick of an old laptop and others I managed to splice together from The Way back Machine. In between all this I was accosted by the good folks at Malory Towers who asked if I could hop on a new project. I'm still technically waiting to hear back from my big Bristol job but I learnt today all they're doing is finishing up the wording on people's contracts before sending them out very soon. I think it's in the bag?<br />Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-48654961592381569052024-03-05T22:49:00.001+00:002024-03-05T22:49:18.454+00:00Training for Training's Sake<p>Laced up my new shoes for another run. Shame on me for not going out sooner, but better late than never in this case. I winded myself a little bit early on going uphill so I got home panting, but after a power shower I felt like a million dollars. I'm keen to get back to a good level of fitness where a a quick and easy run feels... quick and easy. Just gotta keep training and it'll come. </p><p>I finished writing up a quick game review for my website, again in an effort to keep my practice up. I haven't posted it in there just yet but I'll link it here when it's there. Not my finest work, but it was written at a pace I'm significantly happier with. Mostly I just want to prove to myself that I've still 'got it'.<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-50154263283229060472024-03-04T23:02:00.001+00:002024-03-04T23:02:16.989+00:00Plundering for Pictures I continued the effort to transfer my past articles onto my personal website. I got all the text ok which is great, I am missing a lot of the old pictures is the only wrinkle. I'm weighing up how much effort I go to in order to recreate them as I don't want to get overly bogged down in the weeds of that task. In the meantime I'm writing a small review for a game I recently played (not a video mind). I'm doing it as a small palette cleanser after my latest effort on YouTube as that project was so lengthy and manicured, I want to do something quick and fun - a joy to work on in other words. <br />Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-71363028855912236362024-03-03T23:08:00.000+00:002024-03-03T23:08:09.493+00:00Sunshine and Cake Slices<p>Threw the curtains wide to find the sun shining down on the world - the first nice day of the year as far as I was concerned. Lucky then that it also happened to be Lucy's Birthday party by the Harbourside, we took in the sunshine in the walk down and made merry with all our good friends. Even Dan came down for the occasion. We all just chatted for what felt like a few minutes but before we knew it a couple of hours had passed by. Time really does fly... <br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-64025592880349633252024-03-02T23:22:00.002+00:002024-03-02T23:22:46.645+00:00The Zone of Interest <p>We wanted to take advantage of every second we had this weekend so only an hour after we finished breakfast we were off to the cinema! The Zone of Interest had been on our radars for a while now and seeing it on the big screen was 100% the right call for this film, mostly because the sound design was a sensory feast. It was almost like witnessing an art museum installation at times as the camera work and imagery evoked darkly cerebral energy. At times it knocked my socks off, but it plays everything in such an understated way that it never feels like it's going guns blazing to force a thought. Great stuff.</p><p>We discussed the film the entire walk back and even while we finished painting the kitchen. Completing a task like that warrants a humble reward so we got some warming fish and chips for tea. Productive, thought provoking and nutritionally beige, what more could you ask for on a rainy Saturday?<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-48379762821222455152024-03-01T23:51:00.004+00:002024-03-01T23:51:52.922+00:00The Great Transferral<p>I was pleased to see my video gaining a little bit of traction overnight - with any luck it'll pull in a few more views over the weekend. it's certainly a more personal video but the topic does seem to resonate with those who have stopped to watch. <br /></p><p>I started the big task of transferring over all my articles from Sick Critic. That website has gone the way of the dodo and I always felt a bit sad my work couldn't be accessed anymore. The Way Back Machine caught most of my posts thankfully so I've copied everything over so I can post it onto my EyebrowOwl website soon. I look back on that period fondly, some of my best work was done then so giving it a more permanent home will be a great comfort to me.<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-34954361633823028132024-02-29T23:12:00.002+00:002024-02-29T23:12:54.547+00:00The 29th<p>On my extra day this year I did the same thing I do any other day. Chipped away at the games I'm playing, thought about which films I want to watch next and brainstormed smaller writing projects I want to start. In between that I are breakfast, lunch and dinner, drank two cups of coffee and one green tea. I got dressed when the sun came up and got into my pyjamas when it set. Did I squander my extra day by simply living it as I normally would? Should I have seized it as an opportunity to do something special, or does that put an unnecessary pressure on a thing? Perhaps I didn't move the needle today but that's ok isn't it? I honestly don't know.<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-69534724465879233432024-02-28T22:49:00.001+00:002024-02-28T22:49:13.110+00:00Seven Years and Nostalgia <p>With the video done and dusted I decided to use the day to do a bunch of things I've been too busy to do otherwise. I played a new game all the way through, I watched an old movie from the 30's and met up with Rebecca during her lunch break. Just a good reset day to purge out all the 'work work work' mentality I've had recently. </p><p>But all that hard work has paid off in the form of a new video, I'm very pleased to present Seven Years and Nostalgia - a deep(ish) dive into why we collectively love Ocarina of Time and how nostalgia helps maintain the continuity of our identity. <a href="https://youtu.be/lUi1rI-FWcU?si=7pE_NEsB2vIjE-W-">Watch it here.</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8A9WZ40W2ePunykoRFJhUTe8XRig2vrw9NQ1yg08JgmAs8hh8bs2mC9FFytAKBlPubElGon4Qlpu_UAkpR3pyyGzhCYZMToQ8pqYeyMMlVE7xC25bIbx5xEih7qXHGo_aLaDqO3AMhDKgOKuCM5fmE2FlBXo49nI_raZU7qmNu4AI7HYmHP-gSSbRcM/s1920/Zelda%20No%20Pixels.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8A9WZ40W2ePunykoRFJhUTe8XRig2vrw9NQ1yg08JgmAs8hh8bs2mC9FFytAKBlPubElGon4Qlpu_UAkpR3pyyGzhCYZMToQ8pqYeyMMlVE7xC25bIbx5xEih7qXHGo_aLaDqO3AMhDKgOKuCM5fmE2FlBXo49nI_raZU7qmNu4AI7HYmHP-gSSbRcM/s320/Zelda%20No%20Pixels.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-78310717250144822122024-02-27T22:20:00.000+00:002024-02-27T22:20:05.313+00:00Photos to Camera<p>Crunched my way over the finish line for my video. I did have to make a quick video call to my Mum to ask for some old pictures of me, she held them up to the camera and I have them the thumbs up or down. They were the last piece of the puzzle so I spliced them in them awaited Rebecca's vote of confidence. The video is uploaded now but undergoing it's processing to HD which takes a bit of time. I'll launch it tomorrow afternoon I reckon to cast a wide net for viewership. More than anything, I'm just glad it's all done and dusted.<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-39191653088076059082024-02-26T22:14:00.005+00:002024-02-26T22:14:52.233+00:00X2 Shop Trip<p>Did the embarrassing thing where I went out to do the big shop, then completely forgot to get the main ingredient for our dinner tonight. A second skip to the shops for me I guess but at least that broke up the day of video editing. I am so very nearly there now, I'm mostly just fine cutting now and mixing in the music. I might be in a position to share a draft with my producer, Rebecca. She'll tell me what works and doesn't while there's still time to fix it. Just hope she likes it.<br /></p>Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-24326826282121405162024-02-25T22:46:00.000+00:002024-02-25T22:46:10.831+00:00Richmond Sausage I was comatosed until mid morning, enjoying a soft pillow and warm bedsheets. I hadn't even heard Rebecca get up before me so I dragged myself out of bed to join her family at the breakfast table. I couldn't have a big meal though as we were due out for a late brunch with Rebecca's school friends in Richmond. We sipped americanos and popped the yolks on poached eggs before going on a walk around the affluent waterfront. There are worse places to be on a Sunday that's for sure. <br />Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-15501610572150157702024-02-24T23:21:00.006+00:002024-02-24T23:21:43.063+00:00A Quiet London Pub Since I've been waking up increasingly early recently, I figured I was due a little lie in on the weekend. We woke up in London at Rebecca's parents house which served as a great excuse to meet up with Dan. We caught the train to meet up with him in South Bank to find a quiet pub to chill out in. Perhaps it was naive of us to expect to find a cosy place for a pint in Central... During a 6 Nations rugby game so we settled on a bustling street food place instead for beers. I brought a few games to play with Dan and we spent most of the time chatting about video games, same old Dan. Miss hanging out with him in a regular basis.<br />Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209829388684551149.post-47390603502649512712024-02-24T00:03:00.004+00:002024-02-24T00:03:43.988+00:00Editing CommunityFor the longest time I've had an idea to use a specific editing technique in my video. Alas, all the methods I employed proved fruitless so I turned to YouTube for a tutorial. The helpfulness of strangers online, especially for video editing tips and tricks, never ceases to amaze me - I was up and running within 3 minutes after faffing around with my alternate means. Once I dropped that new bit in my timeline it suddenly dawned on me that I'm approaching the homestretch. Just a little longer cooking and it'll be ready for the world!<br />Theo Durranthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15763578257248960047noreply@blogger.com0