Horse McDonald takes the stage on Pavilion rooftop
The stage of Glasgow's Pavilion Theatre has been well-trodden for more than one hundred years.From Billy Connolly and Charlie Chaplin to the man who gave the theatre its nickname as the Devine Shrine – Scottish country and western star Sydney Devine.But no one had sung from the rooftop until today.While Horse McDonald has her own concert at the theatre lined up for 18 April, she was still determined to carve out her own corner of this illustrious venue.
"No-one has ever performed on the roof," she said. "So I decided I was going to be the first."But the performance wasn't without its challenges. It required a full health and safety briefing from Trafalgar Theatre which owns the Pavilion, a steep ladder to reach the space, and a minimum of six people there which meant she had to give multiple performances, including one streamed live online.
One of the songs, Careful, seemed particularly apt for the setting.But her latest single Superpower also benefited from the rooftop location on Renfield Street."It feels symbolic," she said. "It's a song about resilience, strength and self-belief."I can't think of a better place to sing it than high above the city that has always supported me."A further challenge was the blazing sunshine which - combined with the asphalt roofing and Horse's black suit - meant iced water in plastic tumblers was a necessity."If I was to tell my teenage self that I'd be doing this, the one that got off the train at Central Station under the Irn Bru sign and walked up Renfield Street to the Apollo, she would not have believed it."
Quirky detail
Having achieved the heady heights of a rooftop performance, cheered on by onlookers in the hotel opposite, Horse is happy to return back down to earth with a concert in the main auditorium with her full band next week.But she's intrigued by another little quirky detail in the Pavilion's design. Back in the early 1900s when it first opened as a music hall, the theatre had a roof panel which could be manually pushed to one side to allow the fug of audience smoke to disperse.In the 1970s, it was replaced with an electrically-controlled panel which can be slid across for ventilation. It has since fallen out of use, and proved to be too expensive to repair. But after today's performance Horse McDonald believes anything is possible. The sky's the limit.
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The Herald Scotland
25 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
A Scottish legend says cancel culture is over. Yeah right
He is not alone in his view. The comedian Ricky Gervais was getting his star on the walk of fame the other day and said something similar to Mr Millar. 'We've had a few weird years of cancel culture, people telling you what you can and can't laugh at or talk about,' he said. 'But we pushed back, and we won. I'd love to claim that it was due to my unrivalled genius, but truth be told, it's a cocktail of luck, persistence and a little bit of pushing against the tide.' So that's two big figures in popular culture telling us it's all over. But let's take a minute shall we. For a start, it's significant who's talking here. As I say, Mr Millar sold his empire to Netflix for £25m and Mr Gervais is also someone who's not short of a bob or two. Same thing with another public figure who's spoken out against cancel culture: JK Rowling. The mob did bay for her, and some people did stop speaking to her, and there were calls for her to be ejected from Harry Potter, her own creation. But in the end, like Gervais and Millar, money is a shield and Rowling was too rich to cancel. It's a good thing that Gervais and Millar have spoken out against cancel culture, but their relative immunity to its effects perhaps makes them a little too prone to declaring that it's over before it actually is. Because it isn't, not really. You may have seen the story about the comic Andrew Lawrence who's had shows cancelled after making a joke about the horrible incident at the Liverpool football parade. This is a sensitive area, and the joke was crass and in my view not funny. But I've been in many audiences where the comic has touched on sensitive areas and made jokes that are crass and in my view not funny, and people laughed. And if we cancel comedians for doing jokes some of us don't like, we risk ending up in a place that is, to use Mark Millar's words, safe and benign. Yes, it's awkward to defend someone like Andrew Lawrence but that's how freedom of expression works: it's awkward but important. There are other problems with the idea that cancel culture is over. One of the most high-profile casualties of it all was the comedy writer Graham Linehan, whose career was effectively ended because of his opinions on trans issues. I spoke to Graham about what happened and the effects were absolutely real: jobs fell away, virtually no-one in the media would return his calls, and his plans for a musical version of Father Ted ended when the producers asked him to stop talking about the trans issue and he refused. What's remarkable now is that we can see his opinions were not unusual and are shared by the majority of the population and yet they ended his career and there's still no prospect of Graham working again in British comedy. So if cancel culture is over, it isn't over for Graham. Read more Britain is Scottish: a truth from history that's still true today A Pride hate crime on Arran? No, just a sign of where we are now The best building in Glasgow, and what we can learn from its tragedy But even if we accept the premise that cases such as Graham's are becoming rarer, or will no longer happen, that doesn't mean cancel culture is finished because its effects do not always operate openly. I was speaking to a friend of mine last week who's working on a play that's about to tour the country and he was telling me about the pressures he's been under over script, casting and production, specifically on sex, gender and race. It's clear that anything that strays from the progressive viewpoint sometimes called 'woke' is out of the question and might jeopardise the future of his project and so he finds himself self-censoring to ensure he keeps his job. It's happening in theatre, and it's happening in movies and telly too. And the result? Safe and benign. Perhaps the phrase we should use to describe the phenomenon here is self-cancel culture although it amounts to the same thing as cancel culture because most people don't have as much money as Mr Millar or Mr Gervais or Ms Rowling and worry about losing their job, or the chances of promotion. You see it in academia too, where there have been plenty of examples of overt cancel culture, with speakers de-platformed or forced to withdraw because of protests and so forth. But equally insidious is the self-cancel culture that goes on, the self-censorship. One of the academics I've spoken to about this, Neil Thin, honorary research fellow at Edinburgh, told me how it works. What happens in practice, he said, is that because of overt, aggressive or denunciatory attacks on individuals, people at universities start to monitor and edit their own behaviour. They see what's happened to other people and think 'I don't want that, I'll avoid that topic'. And so freedom of speech is affected and damaged. As I say: self-cancel culture. Doctor Who (Image: PA) It's all of this kind of stuff, plus more recent and more overt cases such as Andrew Lawrence, that make me very wary of accepting Mark Millar's argument that cancel culture is over. What may help his case a bit is that the sort of people who've toed the line are starting to struggle. I'm thinking of the recent Snow White movie, which was heavy with cancel-proof progressive messages and bombed spectacularly at the box office. Same with the recent series of Doctor Who: on message certainly but also on course for the worst viewing figures in the programme's history. And it has now, probably, been rested. Or to use a better word: cancelled. The point is that the situation is probably a lot more uncertain than Mark Millar thinks it is. He may be right that the world is more relaxed again and we're about to see more dangerous stuff on screen and in print. But then again, someone who was working on a television drama being made in Glasgow was telling me last year about their Christmas party and how they'd been issued with a list of do's and don'ts including 'no swearing' and 'no sexual advances'. Relaxed is hardly the word I would use. But let's end by being hopeful shall we. The cultural moments that linger in my mind aren't the cosy ones, they're the crazy ones. The moments where I've been appalled or amused (or both at the same time). The best and most exciting television, movies and books are also much more likely to emerge from a culture of freedom than they are from a culture of fear. So let's hope Mark Millar is right. Let's hope cancel culture is over and writers have indeed regained their freedom to produce edgy material. Let's hope.
STV News
40 minutes ago
- STV News
Boom or Bust: Could this new Scottish video game be the next Grand Theft Auto?
A Scottish video game hailed by some as the next Grand Theft Auto is set for a release on Tuesday, but the build-up to its launch has been marred by controversy and lack of clarity. MindsEye is an ambitious big-budget single-player title developed by Edinburgh-based Build A Rocket Boy studio. Headed by a former GTA producer, Leslie Benzies, the studio's upcoming maiden title has created a buzz on both the local and international gaming scenes, in no small part due to the scope of ambition they have set out for their game. But recently the project has been attracting attention for all the wrong reasons. Last month, a group of journalists and content creators were given access to a limited preview of the game. Their reaction? Less than positive. Some of those given access to the preview went as far as to call on the developers to postpone the game and use the time to fix and polish it into a finished product. The overwhelmingly negative reaction has made the studio double down on confidence in their title, with Build A Rocket Boy's co-CEO, Mark Gerhard, claiming that people are being paid to 'trash the game' before it launches. 'There is a concerted effort by some people that don't want to see Leslie (Benzies) or Build A Rocket Boy to be successful that are making a concerted effort to trash the game and the studio,' Gerhard said. 'It's pretty easy to see the bots and the repeated replies to any content that we put out.' If the negative reaction, be it genuine or paid for, was not enough for the studio to deal with, two executives have left it just a week before the game's release. As expected, the departure of their chief legal officer and chief financial officer did nothing to help alleviate the pressure piling up on the studio, with questions popping up about whether they would be leaving if they genuinely believed MindsEye is going to be successful. And while it's entirely possible their departure has nothing to do with the game's potential fortunes, it only adds wind to the rumour mill that has been with the project for a while. The lack of clarity seems to stem from a relative radio silence about the project from the get-go. Before AI became the new buzzword, everyone was talking about the metaverse. MindsEye was initially described as an 'experience' taking place within one such metaverse, the Everywhere platform that was supposed to rival the likes of Fortnite and Roblox. Apart from that, very little is known about it, with the platform seemingly falling off the radar while the studio focuses on MindsEye. However, one cannot say that here, Build A Rocket Boy have done a much better job explaining exactly what the game is really about. That leaves gamers wondering what it actually is that they may be buying come Tuesday. Build A Rocket Buy Players take on the role of a former soldier, Jacob Diaz. For the record, MindsEye is billed as a linear, narrative-driven, single-player third-person shooter set in a future where artificial intelligence and human greed bring Earth to the brink of collapse. From trailers, the game gives an impression of something between Grand Theft Auto V and Cyberpunk 2077, with players taking on the role of a former soldier, Jacob Diaz. For their part, the studio have never tried to position MindsEye as a GTA competitor, but instead aim to create a unique title, something that has not been seen before. Whether they have been successful in pitching that to the players is up for debate. In a recent interview for Leslie Benzies has opened up on their vision for MindsEye and beyond. One of the key takeaways from it is that the game should act as a gateway into a much larger 'epic universe'. For the next ten years, the studio plans to evolve the game through regular content updates, ranging from standalone ones, like races, with others serving the larger narrative. 'Once players have experienced the full ten-year arc, they'll understand the shape and scope of the MindsEye universe,' Benzies explained. User-generated content will also have a big role to play, with players being able to create their own levels, races and missions via tools called and and share them with others. Those tools were originally part of the aforementioned Everywhere project; what it means for the project itself is unclear, but Benzies insisted that all will become clear 'very soon'. What's not as clear is why the studio decided to wait until a few weeks before launch to reveal those, arguably crucial, details. Build A Rocket Buy MindsEye is billed as a linear, narrative-driven, single-player third-person shooter. Unclarity and controversy aside, there is every chance MindsEye will turn out to be a great game. Those in the industry believe the fact that the title attracted perhaps the most funding out of all the Scottish video game projects ever and the amount of talent working on the game should ensure a high level of quality. Should MindsEye not be in tip-top shape upon its release, Build A Rocket Buy can take slight comfort in the knowledge that other games, such as Cyberpunk 2077 or No Man's Sky, managed to move past 'disastrous' launches and turn their fortunes around. A success would undoubtedly mean another boost in prestige for the local video game industry, but should the game prove to be less impressive, those in the sector believe it's robust enough for its reputation not to be damaged. Players won't have to wait long to decide whether MindsEye is a boom or bust. The game releases on Tuesday, June 10, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Scotsman
7 hours ago
- Scotsman
‘Significant challenges' in use of AI within UK screen sector
Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images Scottish researchers were among those to create the report Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the UK screen sector raises 'significant legal, ethical, and practical challenges' such as the use of copyrighted material being used without the permission of the rights holders, a report has warned. Other issues highlighted by the British Film Institute (BFI) report include the safeguarding of human creative control, the fear of jobs being lost as positions are replaced through the use of AI, and investment in training in new skills. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad High energy consumption and carbon emissions, and the risks to creative content around biased data, are also described as being of concern. The report, which has been carried out in partnership with CoSTAR universities Goldsmiths, Loughborough and Edinburgh, analyses how the screen sector is using and experimenting with rapidly evolving generative AI technologies. It warned that the 'primary issue' was the use of copyrighted material – such as hundreds of thousands of film and TV scripts – in the training of generative AI models, without payment or the permission of rights-holders. 'This practice threatens the fundamental economics of the screen sector if it devalues intellectual property creation and squeezes out original creators,' the report said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But it added that the UK's strong foundation in creative technology – as it is home to more than 13,000 creative technology companies – means that the UK screen sector is well positioned to adapt to the technological shift. Getty Images The report – titled AI in the Screen Sector: Perspectives and Paths Forward – said generative AI promises to democratise and revolutionise the industry, with the BBC, for example, piloting AI initiatives. Meanwhile, projects such as the Charismatic consortium, which is backed by Channel 4 and Aardman Animations, aim to make AI tools accessible to creators regardless of their budget or experience. It said this could empower a new wave of British creators to produce high-quality content with modest resources, though concerns about copyright and ethical use remain significant barriers to full adoption. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The report sets out nine key recommendations it suggests should be addressed within the next three years to enable the UK screen sector to thrive in using AI. These include establishing the UK as a world-leading market of IP licensing for AI training, and embedding sustainability standards to reduce AI's carbon footprint. It also calls for structures and interventions to pool knowledge, develop workforce skills and target investments in the UK's creative technology sector, while it urges support for independent creators through accessible tools, funding and ethical AI products. The BFI's director of research and innovation, Rishi Coupland, said: 'AI has long been an established part of the screen sector's creative toolkit, most recently seen in the post-production of the Oscar-winning The Brutalist, and its rapid advancement is attracting multimillion investments in technology innovator applications. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'However, our report comes at a critical time and shows how generative AI presents an inflection point for the sector and, as a sector, we need to act quickly on a number of key strategic fronts. 'Whilst it offers significant opportunities for the screen sector such as speeding up production workflows, democratising content creation and empowering new voices, it could also erode traditional business models, displace skilled workers, and undermine public trust in screen content. 'The report's recommendations provide a roadmap to how we can ensure that the UK's world-leading film, TV, video games and VFX industries continue to thrive by making best use of AI technologies to bring their creativity, innovations and storytelling to screens around the globe.' Professor Jonny Freeman, director of CoSTAR Foresight Lab, said: 'This latest CoSTAR Foresight Lab report, prepared by the BFI, navigates the complex landscape of AI in the screen sector by carefully weighing both its transformative opportunities and the significant challenges it presents. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The report acknowledges that while AI offers powerful tools to enhance creativity, efficiency, and competitiveness across every stage of the production workflow – from script development and pre-production planning, through on-set production, to post-production and distribution – it also raises urgent questions around skills, workforce adaptation, ethics, and sector sustainability.' CoSTAR is a £75.6 million national network of laboratories that are developing new technology to maintain the UK's world-leading position in gaming, TV, film, performance, and digital entertainment.
