TALKS

My talks have been well-received by a number of community and friendship groups including:

• Probus Clubs
• U3A Groups
• Women's Institute Groups

I supply all necessary equipment to present my talks which are light-hearted and educational. Both talks are richly illustrated with photographs and video clips.

TALK 1: CAVES AND CAVING

Join me vicariously on a light-hearted romp through the world beneath our feet. The underground world is full of excitement, but can also be dangerous for the unwary and inexperienced.

Adventures abound and there is fun to be had. Abseiling down Britain's deepest natural underground cavity, Titan in Derbyshire, at 450 feet deep (as tall as the London Eye) is the ultimate adrenaline rush and there it is a fantastic feeling knowing that very few people ever go to the places and see the sights that cavers are privileged to witness.

I have attempted to capture some of this excitement, danger and fun on video. The tag line for many of these videos is, "Remember we do these caves so that you don't have to." As well as showing a number of clips from my videos, the talk will also be illustrated with photographs from Brendan Marris and Mark Burkey who are both award winning underground photographers and fellow members of Dudley Caving Club.

The talk lasts approximately 50 minutes.

TALK 2: AMATEUR FILM-MAKING

When I made my first film it was actually film, and editing was done by splicing – cutting the film and gluing it back together. How times have changed. Editing is now done on a computer screen and so much more can be done in post-production.

In 2008 I created my YouTube channel which now has over 300 videos, 55 million video views, almost 88 thousand subscribers and over 2000 views a week.

My talk goes systematically through the film production process and covers a number of tips and tricks for budding film-makers, including effective, editing, lighting, sound, music and special effects. Learn how to make people disappear, how to shrink yourself to three inches tall and make inanimate objects talk.

Have you heard about A and B-rolls? Ever wondered what they are? What is a cut-in shot and what are cutaways? How does green-screening work? What makes a successful film? Find out to answers to these questions and many more.
The talk lasts approximately 50 minutes.

2025

FEBRUARY

6th  GEMS, Stoke Prior

14th  Dudley South Ladies Luncheon Club

MARCH

6th  Stourbridge U3A

17th  Redditch Rotary Club

20th  Friends of Dudley Castle

26th  Soupa Talks, Solihull

APRIL

3rd  Fellowship of Retired Ambulance Personnel

MAY

JUNE

4th Harborne & Edgbaston U3A

10th  Olton U3A

JULY

7th  Friends of Williamson's Tunnels (via ZOOM)

AUGUST

1st  Silhill U3A

OCTOBER

29th  Wolverhampton Women's Luncheon Club

NOVEMBER

1st  St. Margaret's, Halesown

2026

FEBRUARY

17th  Kings Norton Afternoon WI

20th  Solihull Widney U3A