I was scrolling on my mobile phone when I came across a post about Gordon Ramsey the restaurateur. Ramsey has had, shall we say, a difficult relationship with food critics especially A.A.Gill. Gill was known for his ability to destroy using wit and sarcasm. He had reviewed one of Ramsey’s restaurants but instead of simply critiquing his food Gill found it necessary to describe Ramsey as a ‘Failed Sportsman’ who often acted like a child. When Ramsey found Gill dining at his Chelsea restaurant with Joan Collins he threw them both out. Ramsey said he didn’t mind his food being criticised but took objection to the personal attacks.
Gordon Ramsey has just opened a series of restaurants at the top of 22 Bishopsgate London, a 62 storey skyscraper that towers over the City of London. To launch the venture Ramsey took the promotion into his own hands.
Firstly he decided to make a TV show which went behind the scenes as he tried to balance a global food empire with family life whilst battling against all of the obstacles trying to build a restaurant at the top of a skyscraper entails.
The second thing he did was invite a group of people to visit the site prior to opening, in fact prior to completion. But these weren’t food critics in the usual sense, the ones who write witty and often scathing reviews for a newspaper or magazine. No, Ramsey invited 100 of the most influential food influencers bypassing the old guard in favour of those who have an immediate worldwide impact.
Ramsey explained that for most of his career he had been beholden to food critics who could make or destroy what he had so lovingly created. Yes a good review might be able to help fill his restaurant in 6 weeks but these influencers with their mobile phones and cameras would take pictures and videos that would travel the world in seconds and usually they just love being invited to taste new food in great surroundings.
The world has changed and whether you are a chef, food critic, musician or film maker you had better realise this and evolve or possible fade away.
This week saw the online launch of the Film ‘IVOR ALLCHURCH – Golden Days’. The film was made by the Swansea Award winning writer David Brayley and cinematographer Max Webborn. This is how the film is described on YouTube…
‘In 1944 a young boy was discovered on a local Swansea football field by a legendary player of Swansea Town. That boy would go on to set goal and appearance records for his club and country, score the goal voted as the best in the 1958 World Cup, and become regarded by people like Sir Matt Busby as the best inside forward in the game. His name was Ivor Allchurch. This film tells Ivor’s story through the eyes of those who knew him best, his wife and sons. It’s an extraordinary footballing story of the most humble and modest of men’
It’s a wonderful story but I think in times gone past it might not have easily seen the light of day. You would have needed to find a commissioner who shared the passion for the project who also had a slot in their schedules to broadcast the finished film. These days things are easier in some ways whist also being more difficult too in other ways.
David and Max had already made a film ‘Wonderland – The Alice Street Story’ which told how one street in Swansea produced 5 world class footballers. The Swansea City Supporters’ Trust approached the filmmakers urging them to build on that success and the decision was made to make a film about the Golden Boy of Welsh Football, Ivor Allchurch.
Working with the Trust and funding via Swansea Council’s COAST fund the boys set to work chatting to Ivor’s widow, and in my opinion one of the country’s leading soccer pundits, Esme Allchurch as well as Ivor’s boys John and David.
In the past this would have been one of the most difficult parts of film making followed very closely by distribution. Its all very well making a film but how do you show it. Locally the Trust was able to organise a number of screenings at the Stadium and also at The Taliesin Theatre at Swansea University. These screenings with an enthusiastic crowd are great communal events but what about those who don’t live in the area? Now it’s possible to share the film worldwide via video platforms like YouTube.
The film was launched this week to mark the 73rd anniversary of Ivor’s first Hat-trick when Swansea beat Brentford 3-2 at the Vetch. And in the first few days has already been viewed nearly 4,000 times. A great idea which has come to fruition.
It’s not just film, the same is true with the music industry.
In the old days I would write a song, my publisher would pay for me to record it in a demo studio. Then it would be heard by 3 or 4 other people at the record company who would decide if they thought it was good enough to record ‘properly’. Now they had years of experience and the knew the markets they were working in but as the years passed I realised that in fact, although occasionally someone might have real insight, usually no one really knew.
There are countless stories like the guy at Decca Records who heard the Beatles demo tape and said, ‘guitar groups are on the way out’. Now obviously not every rejected group is the Beatles or rejected TV or Film idea is a ‘Steven Spielberg’ but at least these days everyone has a chance.
Recently I recorded a song, made a video and released it on the streaming site. This week I found out that Moving On has received thousands of streams on Spotify and reached NO 11 in the Mike Read Heritage Charts, one position ahead of Bruce Springsteen…and before you say anything…I KNOW!
So what am I saying? Well there’s no guarantee that what you want to create will be any good or will find an audience, but the world has changed. The Gate Keepers have lost a lot of their power. As Gordon Ramsey has illustrated critics are now being replaced by Influencers. Whether you like it or not the genie is out of the bottle so if you have a ‘brilliant’ idea there’s no reason now not to give it a go, you just never know.