Day-long sound recording workshop focusing on Glasgow’s urban gull population, led by Chris Watson
Wednesday 18th September, 10-4pm
A special one-day workshop facilitated by acclaimed field recordist, Chris Watson. Focusing on Glasgow’s urban gull population, the workshop will provide a unique opportunity to explore the gulls’ aural perspective in relation to their everyday lived experiences. Ambisonic field recordings will be gathered from key locations across the campus, extending from the campus down to the Clyde.
The workshop is free and open to all levels of experience, but places are extremely limited (8 participants max). To apply please email a short statement (250 words) about why this workshop would be useful to your research and/or practice. Statements should be emailed to Sarah Neely at sarah.neely@glasgow.ac.uk by 5pm on 6th September. Successful applicants will be notified by the 9th of September. A minimum of 4 places will be reserved for University of Glasgow students, but we also encourage applications from outside of the University.
The workshop is presented by Dear Green Bothy and is part of a larger film project currently in development, directed by Marissa Keating, in collaboration with Dr Ruedi Nager (School of Biodiversity, One Heath and Veterinary Medicine), Prof Sarah Neely (School of Culture and Creative Arts) and Prof Alison Phipps (School of Education). Field recording from the workshop will also feature in an ambisonic work, edited by Keating and mixed by Prof Nick Fells (School of Culture and Creative Arts). The immersive sound piece will map a route from the city to the sea focusing on urban spaces used by humans and gulls, presenting the perspectives of either species.
About the artists
Chris Watson
Chris Watson (b. 21st November 1953) was a founding member of the influential Sheffield based experimental music group Cabaret Voltaire during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Since then he has developed a particular and passionate interest in recording the wildlife sounds of animals and habitats from around the world. As a freelance composer and sound recordist Watson specialises creating spatial sound installations which feature a strong sense and spirit of place.
His television work includes many programmes in the David Attenborough ‘Life’ series including ‘The Life of Birds’ which won a BAFTA Award for ‘Best Factual Sound’ in 1996, and as the location sound recordist for the BBC series ‘Frozen Planet’ which also won a BAFTA Award for ‘Best Factual Sound’ (2012)
Marissa Keating
Marissa Keating is a multimedia producer and director who worked for 15 years at the Guardian producing award winning photography film and podcast series. She has made short films and audio installations for the V&A, National Galleries, Red Cross and Scottish Documentary Institute. She is passionate in capturing intimacy within municipal life and giving a platform to the everyday. Her films have been installed and screened internationally and her short film Between the Dog and the Wolf was broadcast on BBC4 in 2023.
The Gulls
Commonly perceived as an invasive species, Lesser Black Backed and Herring Gulls are in fact on the amber and red list. Despite their maligned status, the Gull’s extraordinary resilience and adaptability as a 23-million-year-old species has much to teach us, particularly at this critical moment of ecological and environmental change.
