UK film, VJ & moving image atrticles Cornwall, South West England - Practitioner Profile - Tom Harding (AV3 Media)
Practitioner Profile - Tom Harding (AV3 Media)
Tom, based in Penwith, works in new media, film and video in collaboration with creative organisations and other practitioners.
Your Practice
I work mainly as a VJ, mixing digital images, live cameras and animations live at events, music festivals, and concerts - but this is mixed with making films and documentaries, graphic design and animation.
How long have you been a creative practitioner?
I started AV3 Media in November 2002, but I have been VJ-ing at events since 1996.
What were you doing or working in before that?
My fascination with visuals first really began while studying A-Level Photography. My degree was Electronic Imaging and Media Communications, which covered many areas of digital video production including filmmaking, animation and multimedia production. I then moved to London for 3 years to work as Technical Director for Bloomberg Television in London, whilst continuing to work at Festivals and gigs.
Describe your work for us!
I started working with Creative Partnerships in March last year, with projects ranging from VJ-ing, dance/VJ performances to Flash animation, video production and even pasta making! Every project has been different, working with primary schools, secondary schools, skaters, teachers, dancers and more. This has included working with Kneehigh Theatre on Skulduggery, Mount Hawke Skate Park alongside CYMAZ musicians, and on dance and multimedia projects like Virtual Hurlers.
What has recently been the most revelatory or transformational moment for you?
Most recently one of the best things to have come out of working with Creative Partnerships has been Skulduggery with Laura Hardman, Simon Harvey and the Kneehigh Actors. We worked with students from each of 4 secondary schools in their local village halls doing film making, pasta making, storyboarding, writing, and acting and generally trying to enable a creative space for these students to work in over the week. It was amazing to look back and see the impact that the residencies had on some of these students, and a fantastic experience for us working with them. I have also recently been working for DAISI in Devon, where myself and Naomi Ross have been teaching pupils in referral units and secure units – a challenging but really rewarding project. The work the students produced has been outstanding.
Who or what has had the most profound influence on your career?
I have always been interested in music and producing visuals to music, but probably my most profound influence was a video by The Orb - a mix of images of clouds, underwater footage, space all mixed together and the first time I had seen visuals mixed like that. This inspired me to do the same.
What is the best aspect of your creative work with school children?
I think the best aspect of my work has been seeing how creative children naturally are - reading their stories, seeing their artwork and seeing what they come up with whilst filmmaking.
What is your ambition?
I want to work alongside The Orb, but failing that continue working with Festivals and bands.
If you had three wishes for the future what would they be?
Peace on Earth
A House in Cornwall
Free Chinese food for life
What simple advice would you give creative people setting out on their careers?
Approach people with what you can do, and don't expect opportunities to just appear.
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