Podcasts about producer giles edwards

What do Artificial Intelligence and digital technology mean for actors and their relationship with audiences?Leading acting coach Geoffrey Colman, who has spent his working life on the sets of Hollywood movies, in theatrical rehearsal spaces, and teaching in the UK's most prestigious classrooms, wants to find out. AI, he says, may represent the most profound change to the acting business since the move from silent films to talkies. But does it, and if so how are actors dealing with it? What does that mean for the connection between actors and audiences?Geoffrey's concern is rooted in acting process: the idea that the construction of a complex inner thinking architecture resonates with audiences in an authentic almost magical way. But if performance capture and AI just creates the outer facial or physical expression, what happens to the inner joy or pain of a character's thinking? The implications for the actor's technique are profound.To get to the bottom of these questions Geoffrey visits some of those at the cutting edge of developing this new technology. On the storied Pinewood lot he visits Imaginarium Studios, and is shown around their 'volume', where actors' every movement is captured. In East London he talks to the head of another studio about his new AI actor - made up from different actors' body parts. And at a leading acting school he speaks to students and teachers about what this new digital era means for them. He discusses concerns about ethical questions, hears from an actor fresh from the set of a major new movie, quizzes a tech expert already using AI to create avatars of herself, and speaks to Star Wars fans about how this technology has allowed beloved characters to be rejuvenated, and even resuscitated.Producer: Giles Edwards

As the government prepares a major reorganisation of Britain's railways, Daniel Brittain asks what are they for. It's a question which has been ignored in previous reorganisations - which typically take place after a crisis or a disaster. So Daniel travels to Greater Manchester, meeting people on trains, people who want to be on trains, and those who run the railways, to understand how the rail industry has changed, and what its place in Britain's society, economy and culture might be in the future. Producer: Giles Edwards.

In the final episode of Four Thought, Sheila Cook reflects on what she has learned from producing it for eleven years. Sheila, who left the BBC in 2022, produced around 150 episodes on Four Thought, and in this reflection on the power of hope she looks back at some of the talks which have reminded her that - amidst bad news - we are often surrounded by remarkable people, doing remarkable things. Producer: Giles Edwards

Three years on from her first appearance on Four Thought, Dr. Dina Rezk returns to Four Thought. Her first talk was about the shocking and unexpected death of her mother; this time, as she describes another bereavement, the tone is unexpectedly positively, even exultant, as Dina reflects on the difference between the two experiences. Producer: Giles Edwards

Writer and broadcaster Lindsay Johns completes his exploration of South African food, as he discusses the national dish, and what it says about the Rainbow Nation. South African cuisine is as varied as South Africa itself, and in this set of Essays, Lindsay has delved into its different cuisines for five personal and lyrical ruminations on what these foods evoke for him. Each Essay - covering one of South Africa's racial groups - offers distinct memories of different aspects of his many experiences in South Africa. We'll sample the different cuisines, and experience these nuanced and complex communities through Lindsay's eyes, ears, and taste buds. In today's final Essay, Lindsay strolls through the picture postcard community of Bo-Kaap in Cape Town, on his way to eat a personal favourite - tomato bredie. His lunch companion, meanwhile, orders bobotie - a meal which originated in the country's Cape Malay community but has now become the national dish. And as he reflects on the series, Lindsay wonders what this development says about finding a balance between acknowledging South Africa's troubling past and making a future together. Producer: Giles Edwards

Writer and broadcaster Lindsay Johns explores the food of South Africa. South African cuisine is as varied as South Africa itself, and in this set of Essays, Lindsay will delve into the foods of the Rainbow Nation for five personal and lyrical ruminations on what these foods evoke for him. Each Essay - covering one of South Africa's racial groups - offers distinct memories of different aspects of his many experiences in South Africa. We'll sample the different cuisines, and experience these nuanced and complex communities through Lindsay's eyes, ears, and taste buds. For this second Essay, we find Lindsay walking up Table Mountain in Cape Town, and munching on biltong, what he calls "the most regal and masculine of all amuse-bouches". We'll hear, too, about the importance of the braai, and about the central place of meat in white South African cuisine. But as Lindsay chews this all over, he mulls an important question: for many years this cuisine was seen as the ‘Oppressors' food' – so should he still be reluctant to eat it? Producer: Giles Edwards

Writer and broadcaster Lindsay Johns explores the food of South Africa. South African cuisine is as varied as South Africa itself, and in this set of Essays, Lindsay will delve into the foods of the Rainbow Nation for five personal and lyrical ruminations on what these foods evoke for him. Each Essay - covering one of South Africa's racial groups - offers distinct memories of different aspects of his many experiences in South Africa. We'll sample the different cuisines, and experience these nuanced and complex communities through Lindsay's eyes, ears, and taste buds. For his first Essay, Lindsay invites listeners to join him as he samples the cuisine of South Africa's Xhosa and Zulu township communities – smiley (a boiled sheep's head in a drum), amangina (chicken, cow, pig, lamb and sheep's feet served with hot sauce), and pap – a cornmeal porridge so popular it appears on the menu at South African branches of KFC. Lindsay says it does what it ought to do - "placate the belly and nourish the soul." Producer: Giles Edwards

Writer and broadcaster Lindsay Johns explores the food of South Africa. South African cuisine is as varied as South Africa itself, and in this set of Essays, Lindsay will delve into the foods of the Rainbow Nation for five personal and lyrical ruminations on what these foods evoke for him. Each Essay - covering one of South Africa's racial groups - offers distinct memories of different aspects of his many experiences in South Africa. We'll sample the different cuisines, and experience these nuanced and complex communities through Lindsay's eyes, ears, and taste buds. For his third Essay, Lindsay will describe the cuisine he knows, and loves, the best: Cape Coloured cuisine. We'll learn about snoek (barracuda), pickled fish, mince and cabbage stew and the Gatsby steak sandwich. It is, he says, the quintessential poor man's fusion cuisine - and the most under-rated and overlooked food in the whole country. Producer: Giles Edwards

Writer and broadcaster Lindsay Johns explores the food of South Africa. South African cuisine is as varied as South Africa itself, and in this set of Essays, Lindsay will delve into the foods of the Rainbow Nation for five personal and lyrical ruminations on what these foods evoke for him. Each Essay - covering one of South Africa's racial groups - offers distinct memories of different aspects of his many experiences in South Africa. We'll sample the different cuisines, and experience these nuanced and complex communities through Lindsay's eyes, ears, and taste buds. In today's Essay, Lindsay introduces Bunny chow, a dish made from a hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with curry, which was created in Durban, and is today the most famous dish of Durban's Indian community – one of the largest in the world outside India itself. Born at a time when Indian restaurateurs were prevented by law from serving food to black workers - the dish was served surreptitiously so that passing police forces would see only a loaf of bread - today it is a national staple. Producer: Giles Edwards.

Farrah Jarral explains why she believes we need to put care at the centre of our society. Sharing a story about how her beloved grandmother's lifetime of caring for others - family members and others - meant many people wanted to care for her when the need arose, Farrah reflects on what care does for us as individuals. Producer: Giles Edwards

Ted Harrison argues that only art can truly capture the essence of spirituality. Ted is a former journalist who, close to turning sixty, decided to turn away from using words and instead chose art. It was, he says, because he realised the limitations imposed by words, and the way in which art can capture the ineffable, the spiritual. Producer: Giles Edwards

Philosopher Virginie Simoneau-Gilbert describes a change in how philosophers are beginning to think about the moral capacity of animals, and asks us to think differently about our pets. Beginning with her own pet dog showing compassion for her when she is injured, Virginie explains why new research may fundamentally affect some of what we have long held to be true about animals. Producer: Giles Edwards.

Author Rachel Genn describes her fascination with regret. Rachel tells stories of regret, beginning in her earliest childhood. “An early adopter of regret,” she says, “I was displaying the prodigy's irritating flair for it.” Producer: Giles Edwards

Anna Wardley argues that we should better support children whose parents kill themselves. Beginning her talk in the dark waters of the English Channel as she attempts to swim non-stop around the Isle of Wight, Anna describes darkness of a different kind as she explains the need for children whose parents kill themselves to be better supported. And that should start with counting them. Producer: Giles Edwards

Author Joe Nutt argues we need to fight back against what he calls 'linguistic piracy'. Joe is concerned that activists are challenging the commonly-understood meaning of words. "The trust which becomes naturally embedded over time in any shared language, is under threat," he argues, and now "the English language itself is creaking under the strain of a sustained barrage of abuse". Producer: Giles Edwards

Novelist Richard Owain Roberts shares a story about a friendship. Producer: Giles Edwards

Chloe Juliette welcomes the movement for those with 'lived experience' of public services to share their stories, but says more stories are needed. In this extraordinary talk Chloe, a social researcher who has experienced the care system and been invited many times to share those experiences with professionals, takes us inside one of those talks. She tells us the stories she shares with professionals, and explains why she feels now is the time for more voices to join the conversation. Producer: Giles Edwards.

Laura Simpson argues that online meetings have good for individuals and companies, and that we should be wary of returning to the status quo. The meeting, says Laura, is the fundamental unit of white collar working life. And in the last couple of years it's undergone a revolution - out have gone the suits, glass tables and rigid hierarchy; in have come moments of vulnerability, the hand raise function, and unannounced visits from children. It's happened in plain sight, but its consequences have been little discussed. Laura is a Global Director at advertising and marketing company, McCann Worldgroup. As she shares stories from some of the meetings she has been in, she explains why she believes this change has created a re-imagining of what meetings could be, and a rebalancing of power within them - with more people, and in particular more junior people and those who previously felt marginalised, empowered to contribute. Producer: Giles Edwards

Jonathan Evershed argues that we should re-imagine how we think of the Irish Sea. Jonathan is a political anthropologist who has been studying the relationship between Ireland and his native Wales since Brexit. And he believes it's time to start thinking of the Irish Sea not just as a space between the two, but as an important place itself - a place with its own history and natural history. In this talk, Jonathan invites us to join him on cliffs, in ports and on ferries, looking at the Irish Sea, as he asks us to think differently about it. Producer: Giles Edwards

Ai-jen Poo argues that we should all value caring, and carers. Ai-jen, a MacArthur Fellow, is Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, an advocacy organisation in the United States representing domestic workers, many of them carers. In this powerful, intimate talk, she tells the story of how two of her grandparents' very different experiences when they needed carer emphasised the importance of valuing caring. Producer: Giles Edwards

Beth Stevens talks about the brain cells most people have never heard of, and suggests what they might have to teach us. Beth is a neuroscientist and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, who in 2015 was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship - the so-called 'genius grant' - for her work on microglial cells. In this talk she describes the connections between her research and her own family history, and explains why these cells - for so long overlooked in favour of neurons - may be the key to understanding much about the brain we don't yet know. Producer: Giles Edwards

Angela Frazer-Wicks tells her extraordinary story of being a mother. Years ago, Angela's sons were taken into care and adopted, and in this powerful talk she describes her heartbreak as they gradually lost contact and she lost faith in the future. But as she explains, with support from some very unexpected places, Angela is now in a position to help other women and families going through similar experiences. Producer: Giles Edwards

Simon Morden argues that we should resist the privatisation of space. Simon is a scientist and science fiction writer, and in this talk he reflects on what science fiction has taught us. "We know about the hubris of science through Frankenstein, we know of totalitarian state-controlled media through 1984, and we also know it's a terrible idea to break quarantine protocols through the film Alien," he says. "Science fiction doesn't prevent us from doing those things, but we can't say we didn't know what the results would be." Simon is concerned that science fiction has also shown us a dark future where the coming era of space exploration - and the exploitation of extra-terrestrial objects - is dominated by private companies. And having recently written a non-fiction book about the natural history of Mars, this is a future he is keen to avoid. Producer: Giles Edwards.

Jessica Barker argues that we should rediscover overlooked sculptures of women. She didn't know it at the time, but as a child Jessica spent part of every Christmas day looking at a famous medieval monument. Later, when she became an expert in medieval art, she was angered by the phrase 'and his wife', so often associated with such monuments. Yet as she dug into the stories behind the women depicted in them, she discovered a more surprising, more subversive, and more interesting story. Producer: Giles Edwards

Steven Dowd's life changed in an instant one spring morning in 2016. In this inspiring talk, Steven describes what happened, and how a promise to his wife enabled him to regain control of the change - and his life. Producer: Giles Edwards

Luke Rigg argues that more young magistrates will improve justice. When Luke told his friends and family he wanted to be a magistrate aged just 20, they all had one question: "Why are you doing that, Luke?" In this talk Luke takes us inside the magistrates' courts where for six years he has been convicting, sentencing, and acquitting offenders, many of his own age, to explain how he answers that question. Luke is introduced by host Olly Mann. Producer: Giles Edwards.

Tracey Follows explores how virtual assistants can help us survive after death. Tracey is a futurist who has become fascinated by the memories of people after they die, and in this talk she asks who and what is being memorialised - is it us, or something else altogether? Producer: Giles Edwards

Dr Shona Minson argues that we shouldn't punish children if their parents go to prison. Years ago, as a barrister specialising in care cases, Shona was familiar with the Children Act, and in particular its central principle: that the child's best interests are the paramount consideration of the court. And so when she was asked to write about what happened to children when their mums were imprisoned, she assumed something similar would apply, or at least that she could find some research about what happened to them. She was shocked to find almost nothing, and even more shocked when she started doing the research herself. In this talk she describes some the change she believes is needed - from major institutions thinking properly about the problem, to the judgement children face from their schoolmates' parents, and how she works with judges and other criminal justice professionals to achieve it. Shona is introduced by host Olly Mann. Producer: Giles Edwards

Dr. Tamsin Ellis is a GP who looks for ways to improve her patients' health and the environment. Welcoming us into her consulting room to meet her patients, Tamsin describes her journey to climate activism, and why she's convinced that looking for 'double wins' is the way forward. From giving a lecture about the environment to a sea of faces all sipping coffee from plastic cups, to the challenges of winning over already hard-pressed colleagues, in this witty talk Tamsin describes the realities of climate activism on the NHS frontline. As she prescribes health interventions with positive side-effects for the planet, she offers a new way to talk about climate change. Tamsin is introduced by host Olly Mann. Producer: Giles Edwards

Geoffrey Colman invites us to join him on a walk through a day as an acting coach. Geoffrey is an acting coach, educator, broadcaster and former professor of acting at the Royal Central School of Speech of Drama, and in this series of Essays he takes listeners inside the rehearsal rooms and onto the stages of his professional life to address key questions about acting. In this final Essay, Geoffrey describes a series of interactions inside the world of acting - a pop star trying to get in to the business, an actor trying to perfect a role, a stage star who keeps getting stuck on a particular line, and an out of work actor who's obviously struggling. As he does, he brings together all the ideas from this series of Essays, to present a picture of acting and the acting industry today. Producer: Giles Edwards

Geoffrey Colman describes the ways in which reality TV has changed acting. Geoffrey is an acting coach, educator, broadcaster and former professor of acting at the Royal Central School of Speech of Drama, and in this series of Essays he takes listeners inside the rehearsal rooms and onto the stages of his professional life to address key questions about acting. In this Essay, Geoffrey describes the many ways in which reality TV has changed acting, discussing reality, truth and constructed reality. Producer: Giles Edwards

Geoffrey Colman explores the differences between acting on stage and on screen. Geoffrey is an acting coach, educator, broadcaster and former professor of acting at the Royal Central School of Speech of Drama, and in this series of Essays he takes listeners inside the rehearsal rooms and onto the stages of his professional life to address key questions about acting. In this third Essay, Geoffrey discusses the differences between acting on stage and on screen - the difference, according to Sir Laurence Olivier, between handling a sword and a cup of tea. Geoffrey argues that they are completely different propositions, with completely different technical skills required to master each. Actors who can do both stage and screen are, he concludes, truly exceptional artists, because they are very much working in two different art forms. But if they are done well, no one even notices. Producer: Giles Edwards

Geoffrey Colman asks what students learn in drama schools, as he continues his series of Essays on acting. Geoffrey is an acting coach, educator, broadcaster and former professor of acting at the Royal Central School of Speech of Drama, and in this series of Essays he takes listeners inside the rehearsal rooms and onto the stages of his professional life to address key questions about acting. In this second Essay Geoffrey asks what students learn in drama schools. Taking us inside the rehearsal rooms and drama school auditions of his professional life, he'll show how the history of acting tuition continues to inform practice today. But he also reveals how recent movements have upended some of that received wisdom, and challenged the intensely personal way in which graduates are assessed. Producer: Giles Edwards

Geoffrey Colman considers the art of acting, and in this first of a new set of Essays asks: what makes a great actor? Geoffrey is an acting coach, educator, broadcaster and former professor of acting at the Royal Central School of Speech of Drama, and in this series of Essays he takes listeners inside the rehearsal rooms and onto the stages of his professional life to address key questions about acting. In this first episode Geoffrey asks what makes a great actor. With awards season approaching, he's interested in asking what makes for an award-winning performance. As he touches on acting technique, building a character and even an equation for great acting, Geoffrey discusses vulnerability and an actor's ability to make the audience believe. Producer: Giles Edwards

Ranjit Saimbi explains why he doesn't want to be defined by his cultural heritage. In this talk, by turns intimate, by turns expansive, Ranjit describes the disconnect he felt from the Sikh culture in which he was born and raised, and proclaims his wish to be able to assert his own identity, free both from the constraints of that community and those in the rest of society who wish to put him in a particular box. Producer: Giles Edwards

Writer and broadcaster Lindsay Johns continues his tour of great cities influenced by their relationship with Africa in Fort-de-France, the capital of the Caribbean island of Martinique. On an island where, as he puts it, Gallic efficiency and Cartesian rigour rub shoulders with local Creole flavour, all in the enervating tropical heat, Lindsay examines the question of identity. Fort-de-France, says Lindsay, looks to Paris for her modus vivendi and to Africa for her raison d'être. So was the decision of Martinique's most famous son - the poet, playwright, polymath, founder of the Negritude literary movement, politician and former Mayor of Fort-de-France, Aimé Césaire - to stave off independence and remain part of France, the right one? On his walk around the city Lindsay encounters French waiters, BMW-driving witch doctors, and a decapitated lady, as he considers this question. Producer: Giles Edwards.

Writer and broadcaster Lindsay Johns ends his series of essays on cities influenced by African migration in Cape Town. Making his way around a city he knows intimately, respects abundantly and loves profusely, Lindsay asks what it means to be Capetonian. From the city's tragic racial history and its legacy, to the wave of migration from elsewhere in Africa, this is a place whose identity is constantly shifting. And as he concludes his series of essays, Lindsay ponders his own ambivalent feelings towards this demographic, political, social, spiritual change. Producer: Giles Edwards.

Writer and broadcaster Lindsay Johns continues his series of essays examining five great world cities through the prism of their relationship with Africa. In the Jamaican capital, Kingston, this different lens leads to a focus not on pristine beaches, sunshine and cricket, but instead on rebellion and spirituality. Lindsay considers Jamaica's history, intimately inter-woven with the tragedies, iniquities and horror of slavery; but also one defined by those who have refused to accept that status quo, from Queen Nanny to Marcus Garvey. And as he walks the city's streets, from downtown to New Kingston, where Jamaica's thriving community of entrepreneurs, business people and scientists is based, he ponders Kingston's spiritual connections with East Africa - and Ethiopia - and how profoundly they have affected the city. Producer: Giles Edwards

In the second of his essays on great cities which have been influenced by African migration, writer and broadcaster Lindsay Johns takes a walk around Philadelphia. It's a city whose history is tied up with notions of America and of freedom, and as he wanders the streets of Philadelphia, Lindsay ponders the relationship between these two powerful ideas. They're not always easy to reconcile in Philadelphia - where the chronic racialised street homeless situation, the city's poverty and stark racial divide leave him feeling a distinct lack of 'Brotherly Love' - in a city which takes that as its moniker. As Lindsay considers some of the philosophical questions which arise, he also reflects upon a community of African migrants making their home in the city with its own fascinating and surprising relationship with Philadelphia. Producer: Giles Edwards.

Writer and broadcaster Lindsay Johns introduces his new series of essays on five great cities which have been influenced by African migration, as he discusses Marseille. Looking for inspiration to Ian Fleming's 'Thrilling Cities', Lindsay wants to eschew the loud, brash main avenues and explore instead the quiet back alleys, abandoning tourist sites in favour of lesser known, more local and edgier haunts. But he also wants to ditch the colonial mindset always looking for European influence, and instead examine how these cities have been affected by migration from Africa. And in Marseille, the first of his five, Lindsay finds it all: a truly Franco-African metropolis, infused with gastronomic, religious, linguistic, musical, sartorial and literary influences from the other side of the Mediterranean. Producer: Giles Edwards

Anne-Marie Douglas discusses her own experience of empathy-infused services, and why we need to see more of them. Anne-Marie's charity, Peer Power, works with children, young people and adults who have experienced significant trauma and adversity, using an empathy-focused approach to support them. In this powerful, personal talk, she outlines how her own experiences prompted her to focus on this approach. Producer: Giles Edwards.

Lydia Furse looks at the personal and political benefits of playing women's rugby. Lydia has long played rugby, and in this passionate talk discusses the harmony of bodies working together, a well-executed try, and how being in a scrum has made her feel differently about her physical image. She argues that women's rugby - much more than a game - is empowerment, it is boundary breaking, and it needs to be feminist. Producer: Giles Edwards.

Rufaro Mazarura discusses what the graduating class of 2020 have learned from the pandemic. A year ago, Rufaro carefully marked 23rd March in her diary - the day on which she'd be printing out and handing in her final year dissertation, and starting the transition to her new life, out of full-time education. But when the day arrived, she instead submitted her dissertation by email, and travelled home on an empty train, arriving just before the coronavirus lockdown. Rufaro has always been interested in transitions, and so she decided to make a podcast about the experiences she had in common with fellow members of the Class of 2020. In this talk, Rufaro shares some of the insights which she gleaned, and in particular the way in which their proximity to the edge may have shaped their worldview. Producer: Giles Edwards

Sammy Wright asks why we put such weight on exam results. Sammy is a deputy headteacher of a large secondary school. He spends his days teaching students knowledge which will uplift and enrich them; he demands rigour and high standards; and he wants to help his students succeed in their exams. But why, he asks in this talk, do we elide success in exams with some moral quality? And why do we put such weight on the exam results? In this powerful talk, Sammy suggests that much of it has to do with a certain set of expectations from those in charge. Presenter: Olly Mann. Producer: Giles Edwards.

Emma Hayes explains why the fit of our clothes matters, particularly for women. Inviting us to join her journey from fitting rooms to advising on the latest innovations in technology, Emma describes the many failures of size to capture a woman's body. And with many more of us now buying clothes online, and unable to find out before buying it whether a garment which appears to be the right size actually fits, the problem is getting worse. The costs, as she explains, can be serious for the individual, for the business, and for the environment. Producer: Giles Edwards

Alice Moloney discusses how best to express negative emotions in the digital realm. When Alice's father was diagnosed with cancer, she found herself at a loss as to how to communicate with him digitally. One solution was sending more personal objects. But Alice works in digital communication, and in this talk at the Shambala Festival she describes her journey to improve the tools available to communicate grief and sadness. Producer: Giles Edwards

Andrew Hankinson tells the story of a boy who died, and his parents, who wanted him alive. Recorded at the Shambala Festival in 2019, this is also an extraordinary story about Andrew's quest to understand the family's story, his feelings of discomfort, and his reasons for wanting to tell it in the first place. Producer: Giles Edwards

Anna Della Subin takes a journey with a man once worshipped as a living god. Anna Della has been writing a book about people inadvertently turned into gods, and in this bewitching talk she describes a journey across Morocco with one of them. She discusses what prompts people to regard others as gods, and what it might tell us about our society. Producer: Giles Edwards

Sarah Gristwood is worried that the vogue for tidying will make history harder to uncover. Sarah is an historian herself, and in writing her books has relied heavily on documents which might easily have been discarded. But that's not all: she wonders, too, how her successors will access our digital clutter in 500 years' time. Producer: Giles Edwards

Judge and historian Jonathan Sumption discusses modern apologies for historical events. Starting with Tony Blair's apology for the Irish potato famine and Pope John Paul II's 94 such apologies, he argues that the trend is turning into a tide. He argues that such apologies rely on a concept of inherited guilt, and asks whether the benefits ever outweigh the serious moral and philosophical objections.Producer: Giles Edwards.