This morning I went for a run in glorious spring sunshine. ‘I must start promoting the next 10-day Business Book Proposal Challenge a bit more strenuously,’ I thought to myself as I trundled along. ‘I know, it’s such a lovely day, I’ll record a quick video outside to tell people what it’s all about. People love video. Plus it’s a reason to be outdoors again.’
So after I’d showered and changed, I headed out in the back garden with my iPhone and lapel mic. Just as I was clipping it to my jumper, a goods train rumbled by just beyond the end of the garden. Hm.
But no problem, I know a thousand quiet country running routes round here, I’ll hop in the car and find a quiet country lane with a field behind and film there.
Found a likely-looking field, stopped the car by the side. Didn’t even get as far as clipping the mic on this time before two cars burned past at national speed limit and a couple walking a dog hove into view.
No problem, there’s a nice big park in Sherfield, away from traffic noise, I’ll go there.
It’s surprisingly hard to find a quiet place in a park, where you can clip on a mic and talk into a camera without feeling an utter fool. I found a beautiful secluded tree in full blossom and hid myself behind it. This time I got as far as the opening sentence before there was an ear-splitting shriek: the nursery across the way had just opened its doors and a riot of small children tumbled out to play.
Rather grimly by now, I walked over to the other side of the park, and found another equally secluded, slightly less lovely tree, well away from the nursery.
This time I got about half way through before a light aircraft flew directly overhead.
I did consider coming home. Maybe this was the universe’s way of telling me that today wasn’t a day for outdoor videos.
But I decided to give it one last try, fully expecting a brass band to march up behind me, and incredibly, got all the way through.
Here it is. It may not seem much, but let me tell you, I worked for this one.