Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1335892
M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S I 71 which were particularly unique to this lockdown period, were the various 'clap for carers' recordings. From Brockley to Brooklyn to Buenos Aires, they were the only sounds within the library with any sense of human contact and community in them. The library has ended up with 35 different recordings of these displays of compassion. By May, the library had continued to grow, and by May, we had well over 1,000 separate recordings from more than 100 different individuals. Whilst most people used the lifting of movement restrictions to go to local parks, my daughter and I took these opportunities to cycle around London on recording trips, going to locations that would usually be buzzing with thousands of shoppers and tourists. Our favourite of these trips was one that started with us going to Abbey Road Studios and the zebra crossing made famous by the cover of The Beatles album, which is usually swarming with tourists pausing dangerously in the middle of the road for their 'cover' moment. After recording here, we continued into the deserted shopping streets and business areas of Central London. Anyone who knows London will be aware that being able to cycle down the middle of both Park Lane and Regent Street, seeing only one or two cars and a couple of policeman on foot, is something straight out of Danny Boyle's film 28 Days Later. Toward the end of May. I begun to identify what would be described as 'normality' beginning to creep back into our lives. This was also reflected in the recordings we were receiving, and because this project was started with the intention of being an audio record of the lockdown, it sounded like it was time to wrap the project. This was was a difficult decision to make as we were still receiving amazing recordings and numerous emails and Tweets from people showing interest in participating. However, as much as I would have been happy to continue, I was also finding that trying to keep an 11 year old with a new smartphone engaged in an audio project, daily, for two months was becoming … how can I put it ... challenging. It was "good fun," I was told, but I realised it was no longer competition for Spotify, House Party, and YouTube. On June 1st, we accepted our final submission, leaving us with a library that contained 1,500 separate recordings from nearly 190 different people. We had recording formats ranging from stereo (of varying flavours), through LCR and Quad, any number of different Ambisonic formats all the way up to 5.1. The full library has ended up being an incredible and unique audio record from around the globe in a moment of time that we won't ever forget, and I don't believe (fingers crossed) will ever be repeated. Although I had made it clear at the beginning that this was a library to only be shared amongst those participating, the sheer scale of the library meant that it was now much more than the sum of its parts. After we halted submissions, there was still daily interest in the library. Not only from those wanting to participate, but also those wanting to gain access to a copy. I knew of a great field recording collaboration being run by Kai Paquin, where 43 sound editors and recordists had come together to create a library of cartoon sound effects. They were selling it with all the money going directly to one of three charities of the buyers' choice. This seemed a great model to follow, so after contacting Kai and asking a few questions, I went back to everyone that had participated to see if they'd agree on a similar route for our library, asking everyone who agreed that this could happen to sign a license agreement, stating that 100 percent of any money donated from any purchase of the library would go to charity. We were aware that, at this time, most charities would be struggling to raise money they would usually be receiving during the summer months, either through the lack of fundraising events such as marathons and coffee mornings, or down to the fact that everyone was donating less as they reconsidered their personal finances in the light of uncertainty surrounding their jobs. Rather than start an impossible conversation between all participants, to see if we could come to a consensus, I decided to allow myself the pleasure of picking a charity myself, so I chose the National Autistic Society here in the UK. As a family, we were very fortunate during the lockdown. My son coped really well with the restrictions we were living under, mainly thanks to my amazing wife's work with him. However, we could easily see how hard it must be for other families living with autism that maybe didn't have access to the resources or space that we had, whilst having to deal with family members who were struggling with the extra pressures and anxiety caused by the pandemic. When it comes to pricing a library Portobello Road, London, UK. Photo: Alastair Sirkett