The first month is done.....

Well I've just completed my first month as a full time employee of Reece Productions, and so thought it would be a good reason to get someone other than James on a post.

The first week was relatively quiet, I would say giving me time to settle in but having worked with everyone so much in the past there was no need for that, straight down to business!
Week 2 saw the start of an installation for a good friend of ours, Ray Cornish, Landlord of The Warwick in Maldon. A complete refit of his AV install was in need, I won't bore you all with the details but it was pretty much the first pub install James, and to an extent Gary, had really taken part in, so was a good learning curve for all involved, pubs are never as easy as a nice clean venue! James tried to continue his ongoing argument with me, in that he believes sticky back conduit is better but I think I might be slowly winning the battle, having had a few bits not quite stick where they were supposed to! But thankfully the majority of it was non sticky, but this caused the problem of arming Gary with an SDS drill, quite a scary sight! The project has gone well, Ray is very happy with his ever-growing collection of screens and flexible audio system, James and Gary realise why I take so many tools and fixing kits to installs, and we've now got a nice pub installation under our belts to show further clients.

The rest of April saw a lot of jobs being quoted and sorted, along with sourcing some new suppliers, including a shipping account with UPS to enable RP to easily ship it's growing pro-av sales, and a new supplier for plasma and laptop hire. There was also some more popup's for WS allowing me a couple of days in Manchester & Newcastle.

May looks like it will be a different story, with only 3 days currently free from site to be in the office until the 24th, at which point I'll be heavily involved in the production management of the Essex University Summer Ball for KI, which is happening in early June.

So overall it’s been a good month at RP, with many busy months ahead. The future is looking very positive.

Chris (Wiz).

Busy-ness

It has been quite a start to the year for RP. Five weeks of European Roadshows for our friends at HW, lots of 'Popups' for WS, and two new staff in the office...

So, welcome to Shona Murdoch who joined us part time in February as office admin (yes, finally I admit I need help!), and from today Chris Wisbey (Wiz) joins us full-time as Technical Project Manager to look after Charter Hall and keep us up-to-date with the latest toys, whilst adding a lampie to our skills set. Chris has been a freelancer and key part of our work for many years, it is great to have him on board in this new role, which can only make our little company stronger.

The Roadshow went rather well, taking us to Barcelona, Berlin (via Amsterdam and a French ATC strike), Poland (by train from Berlin, which really was a lot of fun), Reading and ending in Abu Dhabi. Oh, that was all after Cannes trip in my last post, which incidentally, we managed to get stuck in for an extra day when Nice airport closed due SNOW. Apparently that only happens in the Riviera once every 10 years or so, so I must just be lucky! I must say the Carlton Hotel was very accommodating...

It also seems to be the end of another Financial Year here at RP (how does it go so quick?), so this week is full of accounts, reviews and forecasting. Early results show us growing the business this year by a whopping great 63% compared to FY08/09, but we are forecasting a more modest growth of 23% this year. Let's all see shall we?

Oh, and finally, I'm off to Monaco next so I'll let you know if we have any snow this time...

James

we nearly did, but now we are glad we didn't...

...move over to channel 38, just yet anyway.

In January, JFMG, the organisation for managing the radio channels for PSME use sent us all an e-mail letting us know that channel has been added to our license, and that, in most areas, we can start using it.

Except in Cambridge, where I am now... Radio Astronomy (which they have a lot of in Cambridge) is busy probing the depths of space on channel 38, so I could of accidently shown up as ET on someone's latest work.

Anyway, this event in Cambridge (once again with our Penguin friends), is, in this directors diary anyway, sandwiched by some more foreign crusades for Hart Wilcox. Last week you could of found myself with lots of our lovely Kv2 EX series speakers in Budapest (at -14 deg c), and this weekend myself, and the same kit, will be turning up in Cannes (at +12 deg c).

Then, after a short rest, it's Barcelona, Warsaw, Berlin, and Abu Dhabi. Proving I think that, at least for Motorola, times are not too hard, or at least if they are, they recognise the importance of visiting their regional teams and communicating one-to-one...

Obviously, for us a RP, and my air-miles card, this is another great start to the year alongside the continuing success of the Edexcel 'Popup' events, of which we already have 40 booked, and certainly more in the pipe-line. Thank you White Space for that one...

James

Welcome to our Blog.

And, hello from me, James Reece-Ford. I'm the founder and director of Reece Productions.
I'm hoping the other boys will join me here with their thoughts, both of life at RP and the industry at large, although, if you already know us you will also know that Gary will probably have some ramblings about rambling in t'north.

So I sit here, happily at home thanks to 'Poets Day', recovering from the first corporate party of the year, thanks to Penguin Events. When a well-know and large-scale wine merchant has their new years party, you can imagine they like a drink, and they need a party to equal. Penguins always achieve that, and it has been a pleasure for us at RP provide audio know-how for the last 7 or so years. I, in my element might I add, was on monitor duties last night for two great bands, the Empire State Band and the Bogus Brothers. Both put on an excellent show. I have to admit, however, it wasn't the easiest mix I have done, a few more high up squeaks than I would usually allow, but, having dragged Matt Manasse down from the balcony to have a shout through the wedges with me, we decided it was just 'as loud as it's going to get'. Sometimes, it's just like that... but I have been looking longingly at at OM7 radio mic kits today; now there is a radio with "ultimate gain before feedback"!

To be honest, the whole gig was a bit of a shock to the system, because of the rather inclement weather we have been suffering in the UK lately, I left at 6:15am and didn't get home till 5am (although I will confess to the little sleep I had in the layby on the A12 - I know Wiz saw me there...). Been a while since I had one of those, but great to be back where I feel at home behind a mixer.

And so the years begins...

James