A Final Note...

Wow, so It has been a while.

After this post though, the Weekly Changy will end. 

With 'Weekly' being the big laugh on this blog here, as quite frankly, it never really was weekly at all. I realised that one time when it came to the point where I had a dissertation to do and I was instead writing a post, I decided to carry on and I sat there, typed it up, then when I finished I realised that it had taken me around 4 hours. This wasn't even for Uni and wasn't even being marked, it was just me rambling on and for some reason, it took me that long to type up! upon realising that I kind of thought:

"Yeaaaaaaah, maybe I should concentrate on my uni work."

Then as time went on, other projects, other bits of work, or anything else that required my attention had me deserting the Weekly Changy. Considering that it was just for 1 university module, to create a blog, I had a really good run on it. Alas, I move onto other projects and other things. I have actually already done that, I just hadn't written a goodbye post. 

This obviously isn't the end of me and my work. I actually have some things to announce very soon. As far as web based projects go, I can confirm to you now that I am moving my 'business' to an actual website. When I mean 'website' I don't mean something Im coding myself from scratch, don't be silly! Im not Lewis Carter. 

No Im moving my web space to an actual website I open sourced and edited the code all by myself (and with some little help via Lewis Carter). Be sure to look out for my website. I can't say that the Weekly Changy will be on there but I will try and attempt to do smaller briefer posts that might suit my timing needs, just so posts won't take me 4 hours to do again.

This is the link to my new website:

Don't all rush there at once...

www.jameschang.co.uk

Further more, I have one other huge announcement to make. As a tribute to the Weekly Changy, I have recorded, mixed, edited and produced audio episodes of myself going back on the Weekly Changy to give out an exclusive read through and give out idiotic audio commentary on them. I re-read one of my first posts, and I cringed so bad I thought "Huh, It's kind of funny though, I may as well make the most of them." I will be bringing them out on my SoundCloud, which I will show on my website too.

Here's the first episode:

The Weekly Changy Tribute Show Episode 1

The Weekly Changy tribute show will hopefully be coming out with a new episode every Monday and Friday for the next 12 weeks! (Approximately). 

I would finally like to thank all of you, the gorgeous readers, for your reading support. I didn't get to over 5000 views over nothing. 5000 views isn't much as far as the internet's concerned, but it is something Im very proud of, so I thank you all. I hope you enjoy my other bits of work I have coming to mainly your ears soon!

Thank you and goodbye, x.

Sneak Peak

Hello Everyone

Yes I know, It's been a long long while. I feel now is a good time to update you all on my previous work. I don't really wish to speak about my current and future work, as it's all up in the air at the moment. Nothing is certain.

What I can tell you though, is that I have been busy to the point where the Weekly Changy has practically been abandoned until typing again on this post. Which is a shame to be fair as I do take enjoyment in rambling to you all.

So from finishing University, I can state the obvious and tell you that, like practically everyone else, I have been in search of work. Whilst doing that I have also been working on my major solo project, where since the last post which was posted in January, I can thankfully say that I have made a considerable amount of progress on it. 

Although with that in mind, I have recently slumped in the progress of it because other work related circumstances (not my part time job work by the way!). It's still not ready to the point where I wish to announce it to you, but I can show you the progress of some of it.

So as you can see, this is only some of it. So there's a lot to go through.

Aside from my project I can confirm to you all that I have been searching for all types of opportunities, and some have come and gone. Previously about 1-2 months ago, I actually went quiet...not a lot was happening, and because of that I got this instant fear that nothing was going to happen, and so I picked up the pace in searching for opportunities.

As a result of that I received the annoying dilemma where you don't hear anything a while, and then all of the sudden everyone gets back to you wanting your services.

What also hasn't helped is that in my 'part' time job, we are severely under-staffed and so I am having to do full time hours whilst trying to fit other work around it. Recently I can tell you that I didn't have a full day off for approximately 8-9 days. 

I am standing on a tightrope, juggling various jobs whilst trying dodge jumping tigers and having to jump through fire circles. Thats the best way of me describing to you what I've been like recently. 

Before I stop typing and resume other work, I can also tell you that amongst all of that, I am still making music.

 I haven't released any in a while, but do not worry (if you ever were). I have two complete tracks and two more that are still to be worked on.

I am sat here, pretty tired but also excited, as I am to attend Hideout festival next week and I fly out a week today. This is something else I have been preparing for. I am to go with no one better than Dave Collins, and before you ask, YES, I will be writing a review(s) of my time there, as I'm sure it will be eventful.

I can imagine the next post will be a Hideout review so until then,

I'll speak to you soon.

With Love,

James Chang

The Moonshine Project

What What?

Yes.

This is the Moonshine project that I worked on with Kenneth Barnett in our final stage of University. This was one of the last projects I ever did for the University and it was for the 'Radio Production 3' module.

So, It's a radio thingy?

Indeed.

Moonshine is a radio western drama, a 20 minute episode which we had to produce for a final radio module. The aim was to produce a high quality radio broadcast standard drama, of 20 minutes no more, no less.

A project, in which we actually finished earlier last year, has been on my SoundCloud only on private for only a number of people to listen, and now I thought the time was right to fully release it for all to hear.

Of course I believe there are some things in it that could have been improved, and many of you may feel the same, but I wish to keep it as it is. I might later on down the line re-master it, add more sound effects and perhaps better dialog, but for now I am to leave it exactly how we finished it last year. If you can even count these as reviews of the episode here's what some well known people to me, thought of the drama:

Mother

"ACE!, That's really really good. Simon! Get over here and listen to Jim's radio thing."

Father

"mmmmm .... Really good."

Dave Collins

"Huh, that's dead good. Whens episode 2 coming out?"

So What is it about? Drinking Moonshine?

Nope!

Moonshine is based on a Native Indian man, living in the west of the United States in 1868.

Moonshine succumbs to the immediate tragic loss of his tribe and his family in a vicious ambush by a rogue confederate gang. Moonshine is the so called fortunate one to have survived the brutal attack. From waking up to realise what has happened, his only life goal from there, is to seek revenge.

Listen Here:

Moonshine Episode 1

The Mechanics of Moonshine

I will admit, it was difficult to simulate the sound of the west, when residing in Derby. There was always the option to simply download free sound effects to make the task easier, however in my opinion, if that is all you are doing to get your sound effects then your project isn't exactly original. Albeit there are 3 sound effects used in this that were downloaded, but the 24 (approximately) other sound effects were all done by myself and Kenneth.

All of the outdoor sounds you hear, were done on the Elvaston Castle grounds (Pictured above with a very cold Kenneth). This was due to being the best suitable location to gather 'natural' forest and animal ambient like sounds. Although the swans were being annoying as they kept shrieking every time we were trying to record.  

All the saloon minor sounds such as glass handling, sipping, swigging were all done in my old terrace house kitchen. The introduction harmonica audio was also done in the house.

The horse sounds were recorded at a nearby horse riding grounds. Which I remember well because it was so cold, and for some reason we seemed to be the only males on the site, which was odd. The pair of us found also found it difficult to gather horse recordings at the time because those whom were riding were in the middle of their lessons, and didn't want to help us.

Bonus Content

Believe it or not but when it came to completion of this module, this was the first time that we finished it early and had time to create more content for it. There was an extended edition made for hand-in, a 'Next-Time' audio advert created (which was added to the end of the episode) and finally an outtake compilation of Kenneth talking. This was the result of going through all the raw audio files and finding that Kenneth had been talking and messing around in some of the files, and others were simply outtakes. My favourite clip would be the outtake of Kenneth trying to swallow water. How he managed to mess up I don't know:

Kenny Talking Collaboration