Cunning Media

28/09/2024

It’s with a mix of sadness and gratitude that we announce that Cunning Media is now officially closed.

We've had an incredible journey filled with creativity, collaboration, and loads of fun.

We're proud of what we accomplished together, and it's been a privilege to share this experience with our clients, partners, and friends.

James Dalby and Sarah Bright will continue working from the same office as sole traders offering Workflow Consultancy and DIT services.

We also continue to offer our equipment for hire, ensuring that the high-quality work you've come to expect from us remains available.

In this ever-changing industry, we’re reminded that while some chapters must come to an end, the connections we've built and the passion we share will continue to shape whatever comes next.

We want to extend our deepest thanks to everyone who has supported us along the way.

Thank you for being a part of our story and please do keep in touch.

07/10/2023

🪚 Handmade Britain's Best Woodworker Series 3 IS BACK! 🪓

Cunning Media's tech & expertise streamlined the post workflow for this season.

Sarah Brighty Bright , our standout DIT, flawlessly managed the offloading, logging and dailies from 10 cameras plus sound as well as liaising between the crew and the post house.

Kara Karinauskaite flawlessly handled remote ingest and edit prep on Avid Media Composer using our bespoke V***n kit with proprietary software created by Dalby James, this supercharged the workflow enabling us to process ~40 hours of footage a day or ~120 hours per episode!
It was a joy to collaborate on a show that celebrates the art and craft of woodworking.

🍿 So grab your snacks and join us this Sunday on Channel 4 at 20:00 📺

31/08/2023

Our head of Pup-lic Relations, Willow, is officially in the 'Doghouse'! 🐶

She kept Sarah company whilst hard at work editing the captivating BBC documentary series, "Big Little Journeys."

The series uses state-of-the-art camera systems, advanced surveillance tech, and specialised lenses like probes and borescopes. This unique setup allows us to see the world through the eyes of our small animal heroes, elevating them to the cinematic grandeur usually bestowed upon larger wildlife.
It's airing this autumn - watch this space!

Doghouse Post Production

11/08/2023

Cunning Media is looking to expand its team of Edit Assistants, and we are actively seeking individuals with an intermediate skill set in syncing and grouping within Avid Media Composer.

We will provide comprehensive training before your start date on our specific workflows and in addition, you will have the opportunity to join our supportive Cunning Media Edit Assistant network.

Job Description:
✔️Assist editors on a diverse range of shows throughout the year
✔️Remote or in-house work options are available
✔️Thrive in a fast-paced multi-camera environment, including syncing and grouping
✔️Manage efficient workflows
✔️Troubleshoot technical issues
✔️Provide support across multiple edits

Find out more and read the full job description here: https://www.cunning.media/cunning-media-edit-assistant-pool

30/06/2023

What a MARVEL-lous moment for the Cunning Media and The Great British Bake Off teams when Deadpool and Wolverine (in full costumes) entered the Bake Off tent!

Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman paid a surprise visit to us mid-filming, as they're huge Bake Off fans and happened to be working next door! A day we definitely won't forget!

05/06/2023

🌈 Proudly Celebrating Pride Month! 🌈

We are honoured to have Sarah as one of our founding partners. As a proud le***an, her unique perspective and unwavering pride inspires us to be better, do better, and grow our company with inclusivity at its core. 🌈

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

This Pride Month, let’s support the LGBTQ+ community and all those who have fought and continue to fight for equality. Together, we can create a society where everyone feels seen, heard, and respected. 🌈❤️��

30/05/2023

Get ready for a whole new level of Cunning creativity on Springwatch!

Sarah is the Digital Editor for the first week of the live lunchtime show ‘Watch Out’, cutting VTs, editing the mind-blowing series promo, live cutdowns, and creating eye-popping graphics. Check out the series promo here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0fqv3jx

Our magnificent Edit Assistant, Kara, is back in action as well, not only supporting multiple edits on location but also editing together those beloved ‘Mindful Moments’ that viewers love so much. Enjoy never before seen encounters with mischievous critters!

The main Springwatch show airs every day at 8pm on BBC One, and make sure to catch the thrilling and hilarious ‘Watch Out’, Monday to Thursday at 1pm.

Can't catch it live? Springwatch is available on BBC iPlayer and ‘Watch Out’ can be viewed on Facebook at BBC Springwatch so you can dive into the action whenever suits you.

Springwatch Live Cameras: https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/eqb84f/live/c2wnc8
Springwatch iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b007qgm3/springwatch

25/05/2023

📣 Exciting News! Our office dog, Willow, is ensuring perfection as we deliver our top-notch kit, including our custom-built Avid NAS server, to our client! 🐶🎬

The NAS server is the key component of the kit, allowing seamless shared editing for up to 6 people in Avid Media Composer, even in remote locations.💻

Whether you need a pop-up post house experience or on-location support, our kit has got you covered!

Contact us today to inquire about our kit rental options and elevate your post-production projects to new heights!

📧[email protected]

24/05/2023

The hunt to find Britain’s best amateur sewer is back on!

Brace yourself for the triumphant return of The Great British Sewing Bee, hitting your screens TONIGHT at 9pm on BBC One.

Big shout out to our sensational Edit Assistants, Barbara, Kara, and Rusne who worked their absolute magic behind the scenes using Avid Media Composer! They've flawlessly synced, expertly grouped, and meticulously crafted the contributor timelines.

Hold onto your bobbins as a new electrifying showdown begins! Twelve fiercely talented home sewers clash needles in the most iconic sewing arena the country has ever seen.

It's going to be a whirlwind of fabric, creativity, and unadulterated sewing brilliance!

Say hello to your new pin pals.

The new series of Sewing Bee starts Wednesday 24th May at 9pm on BBC One.

23/05/2023

We are thrilled to share with you that Cunning Media is now accredited as a Living Wage UK Employer!

Cunning Media is based in the South West of England, a region where almost a fifth of all jobs (18.1%) pay less than the real Living Wage - around 424,000 jobs.

Providing the Living Wage of £10.90, as the minimum hourly wage for our contract workers, demonstrates the value we place in their skills and contributions to our company. We are willing to pay more than just the legal minimum wage as recognition that fair compensation is essential for attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive industry.

The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum.

Katherine Chapman, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that Cunning Media has joined the movement of almost 11,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Cunning Media, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay."

19/05/2023

Cunning Media is looking to expand its team of Edit Assistants, and we are actively seeking individuals with an intermediate skill set in syncing and grouping within Avid Media Composer.

We will provide comprehensive training before your start date on our specific workflows and in addition, you will have the opportunity to join our supportive Cunning Media Edit Assistant network.

Job Description:

✔️Assist editors on a diverse range of shows throughout the year
✔️Remote or in-house work options are available
✔️Thrive in a fast-paced multi-camera environment, including syncing and grouping
✔️Manage efficient workflows
✔️Troubleshoot technical issues
✔️Provide support across multiple edits

Find out more and read the full job description here on our NEW job's board: www.cunning.media/jobs

17/05/2023

It's Mental Health Awareness Week, and here at Cunning Media, we're committed to fostering a supportive environment where emotional well-being is valued.

🌍 We proudly support Mental Health Awareness Week and believe in the power of open conversations and understanding. We are committed to ensuring that our staff and partners have a safe space to work and thrive. We understand that mental health is as important as physical health, and we actively promote a culture of compassion, understanding, and open dialogue.

As we celebrate this important week, we encourage everyone to check out the invaluable resources provided by the Mental Health Foundation. Their guidance can help us all better support ourselves and those around us.

🧠 Remember, it's okay to not be okay, and seeking help is a sign of strength. Let's break the stigma surrounding mental health and create a compassionate space where we can support one another.

🔗 www.mentalhealth.org.uk

16/05/2023

Get ready for this all-new BBC series 'Rookie Nurses'!
This series dives into the incredible lives of mid and west Wales' newest nurses, as they embark on their life-changing careers.

Our extraordinary Edit Assistant Barbara, worked her magic behind the scenes as the EA and spent time curating the Editors' 'wish lists'. She meticulously sifted through the rushes, hand-picking the jaw-dropping moments the Editors were looking for, and organised them into ready-to-use bins.

Tune in to BBC Three at 9.00pm on the 17th May and on BBC One Wales on 22nd May at 10.40pm.

Seven Welsh nurses, fresh out of uni, must be ready for whatever comes through the doors.

12/05/2023

Prepare for an extraordinary adventure as we give a special shout out to Cunning Media's James Dalby, who was the Technical Supervisor behind this series! His expert guidance ensured a seamless workflow which helped bring this captivating show to life.

Sarah, alongside our exceptional Edit Assistants, Kara and Barbara, also played pivotal roles, meticulously handling the conforms within Avid Media Composer.

'Drain The Oceans' unveils hidden secrets and lost worlds by pulling the plug on the ocean itself. Through ground-breaking technology, breath-taking photography, and insights from top marine archaeologists, this series offers profound new perspectives on the epic history of human civilisation and the deep history of our planet.

Get ready to discover sunken cities, shipwrecks, and the mesmerising wonders of the deep. Don't let this captivating journey pass you by!

Tune in every Sunday at 8pm, exclusively on National Geographic TV, available on Sky and Virgin Media.

https://www.natgeotv.com/uk/shows/natgeo/drain-the-oceans

20/04/2023

Cunning Media’s James Dalby is always coming up with ideas for bits of kit that help when he’s out on DIT jobs, brought to life by his 3D printer!

Pictured - a memory card holster which James used on The Great British Bake Off, it lived in his pocket and made it easy to grab memory cards while keeping them protected and he could easily feel or see how many were left.

He also 3D printed this micro-SD memory card holder. These cards are TINY and really easy to lose so this solved the problem!

13/04/2023

Sailing through pack ice and filming polar bears: A DIT's unforgettable Arctic adventure for Disney+

Throwback to July 2019 when Sarah was the DIT for one of Silverback Films summer shoots in the Arctic for the Disney+ documentary, 'The Polar Bear.' As the DIT, Sarah was responsible for the crucial tasks of offloading the media, logging, ingesting into Avid Media Composer, troubleshooting and doing selects.

As you can see from the stunning footage in the film itself and from the photos here, the views were nothing short of breathtaking.

Sarah's experience in the Arctic was "truly mind-blowing", as she spent four weeks sailing through pack ice, capturing the remarkable lives of polar bears in their natural habitat.
A truly remarkable adventure!

05/04/2023

📸🎥 Lights, camera, action! 🎬🎥

Today Cunning visited the Visual Impact open day at Bottleyard Studios. They had a range of broadcasting equipment on show for us to get our hands on!

From 8K Red Raptor to 1000fps Phantom 4K Flex and lighting rigs.
Some amazing kit plus great coffee too!

01/04/2023

🎉 Introducing RAV-bot's NEW Avid Media Composer Translator! 🎉

🔗 www.ravbot.cunning.media/ai

Tired of cryptic error messages ruining your edit? RAV-bot is here to save the day!

Simply input any error message you encounter, hit "Go" and watch as our clever AI deciphers and resolves the issue in no time! ✅

Be warned, programming RAV-bot with thousands of Avid errors has affected his core programming and rendered him a little grumpy. 😅 But don't worry, he's still dedicated to helping you out! 🛠️

Give it a try today at www.ravbot.cunning.media/ai and let us know your thoughts in the comments b

Avid Media Composer

31/03/2023

NEW MUG ALERT!

Feast your eyes on our new RAV-bot mug, designed by the talented Lee O'Connor*
And, get this: there's a handy little QR code that takes you straight to our web tool:
🔗 http://ravbot.cunning.media

But wait - "What’s Remote Avid Video?", we hear you ask?

Well, paste in a text list of desired Avid bin names (one per line) give it a click, and let RAV work its magic. Before you know it, you'll have freshly generated Avid bins, all named and ready to download so all you have to do is drop those bins straight into Avid MediaComposer!

Don't just take our word for it, give it a try yourself!
🔗 http://ravbot.cunning.media/
☕ Be on the lookout for RAV-bot mugs at your friendly Bristol neighbourhood Post House!

* instagram.com/leeoconnor_art

19/03/2023

🎂📺 New series of The Great Stand Up To Cancer Bake Off starts TONIGHT at 7.45pm on Channel 4! Brace yourself for mayhem, mischief, and culinary surprises!🍰✨ With D.I.T James Dalby! 🎬 Don't miss it! 🧡

19/03/2023

Today we want to celebrate the 'mother' of all machines, our mighty V***n!

We have 3 V***ns of different colours with two built into anodised aluminium - teal and red.

✔️ They ingest 8K media into Avid Media Composer at lightning speeds
✔️ Are transportable and suitable for airplane carry on
✔️ Available for dry or wet hire
✔️ Perfect for Edit Assistants
✔️ Perfect for Editors

With the V***n by your side, edit & ingest has never been quicker and easier. Book one now!

🔗 www.cunning.media
📧 [email protected]

15/03/2023

Stand Up To Cancer The Great British Bake Off is back this Sunday 19th March, 7.45pm Channel 4 - with Rose Matafeo, David Schwimmer, Jesy Nelson and Tom Davis.

The filming of this series was done in the heatwave last July, with James Dalby as DIT and Barbara and Kara both Edit Assistants. Barbara also joined DIT James where she experienced first-hand all the processes which happen on location.

Going above and beyond, James 3D printed a stand for his super-fast SSD drives so they didn’t overheat and even saved the day by fixing a failed RAID Hard Drive on location! Cunning also ingested 90 hours of footage into Avid Media Composer with our prototype 3D printed ‘Fennec’ machine which handled the 39°c weather temperature due to its custom water-cooled components.

We hope you enjoy this series which is always a lot of fun to be involved in, especially as it Is for a fantastic cause.

08/03/2023

International Women's Day is a day to celebrate and empower women all over the world.

At Cunning Media, we proudly recognise the strength, intelligence, and creativity of the inspiring women we work with every single day:

Sarah Brighty Bright
KMG Management

Kara Karinauskaite
and Barbara!

We want to take this opportunity to celebrate the incredible resilience of women everywhere!

28/02/2023

Our last, but by no means least, LGBT+ History Month featured filmmaker is Chantal Akerman.

Chantal Anne Akerman was a Belgian film director, screenwriter, artist, and film professor at the City College of New York.

Akerman was a pioneer in feminist and experimental filmmaking. Born to Holocaust survivors from Poland, the generational trauma of this experience was a continuing theme in her work and in recent decades she explored her own Jewish identity. She made over 40 films during her lifetime and is considered to be one of the most important European directors of her generation.

Through her work, Akerman also conducted examinations of modern feminism by comparing the female condition to the monotony of domesticity.
According to multiple critics and film scholars, Akerman's influence on feminist and avant-garde cinema is substantial, with at least one scholar calling her "one of the most significant directors of our times.’

She did not like the labels of “Jewish” or “le***an”, choosing instead to immerse herself in the identity of being a daughter; she said she saw the film as a "generative field of freedom from the boundaries of identity."

Sources:
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/15-brilliant-lgbtq-filmmakers-you-need-to-know/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chantal_Akerman
https://www.mariangoodman.com/artists/25-chantal-akerman/

, , Le***an, Gay, Bisexual, Trans History Month UK

27/02/2023

As LGBT+ History Month draws to a close, this week we are featuring our last two filmmakers who are sadly no longer with us but who had a lasting impact on the film industry.

Rituparno Ghosh, was an Indian film director, actor, writer and lyricist.

A remarkable pioneer of Indian cinema, Rituparno Ghosh was one of the only openly q***r artists in the country’s film industry. Influenced by the likes of Satyajit Ray and Rabindranath Tagore, Ghosh pushed Indian filmmaking to new heights.

Ghosh reflected, “Ever since I was a copywriter at Response Advertising, Kolkata, I was an avid watcher of films by Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Mrinal Sen and Tapan Sinha. Viewing their films I learnt a lot about the language of filmmaking. In my heart of hearts, I also desired to direct films one day.’

According to filmmaker Goutam Ghose, ‘His films, with their sensitive portrayal of human relationships, anguish, trauma and love in a fast-changing, post-liberalisation India, charmed audiences. His brilliant storytelling reflected contemporary society like never before. While his death creates a tremendous void that can never be filled, Rituparno's work blazed a trail that has paved the way for an entire generation of filmmakers who have dared to be different. It was Rituparno who gave them the courage.’

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rituparno_Ghosh
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/15-brilliant-lgbtq-filmmakers-you-need-to-know/

, , Le***an, Gay, Bisexual, Trans History Month UK