Guest blog by Doncaster raised @TimIneaux
You can probably imagine a lot of reasons why spending a week in a tent in Wales during the wettest April on record might leave you in tears. I promise you can’t imagine a better reason than the life changing event that is the Do Lectures.
I first came across Do Lectures whilst seeking inspiring online presentations to show at YourTubes, the crowd sourced online video screenings I organise.
If you’ve not heard of Do then I guess I have to draw a parallel with TED. They bring together some of the worlds most inspiring and influential speakers to present to a specially selected audience of like minded folk, and put the resulting presentations online. That is pretty much where the parallels end. For starters, there is the tent in Wales thing. The resulting experience means speakers are less put on a podium, more put on a camp bed, albeit a posh one inside a Yurt. You’re more likely to swap philosophy and enterprising ideas than business cards.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I turned up. The speaking roster was a who’s who of entrepreneurs, tech wizards, makers, philosophers and crusaders. Some amazing people who all danced to their own tune. But then the same could be said of the delegate list.
It was fascinating to note the change in conversations over the 5 days of the adventure. On day one it was very much ‘Where you from and what you on?’ information gathering stuff. Mid way through the conversations melded into discussions about what the speakers had presented. By the final day we were going meta, and working out for ourselves the meaning of what we had heard.
I didn’t take any real notes, just a few one liners stabbed into my phone. I was more acquiring information via osmosis during the day and discussion at night. And what great nights they were. The onsite pub knocked out pints of real ale through into the wee hours, whilst the fire infused every conversation with wood smoke. This, combined with the great company and a smattering of savvy folk music and spoken word artists made for a heady brew.
And then it happened. The secret speaker, Colin Greenwood, couldn’t make it, so they had a spare slot which they gave over to the audience. There was a pitching process, followed by a humm-o-meter to judge who was going to speak. All of a sudden I was sat at the back of the tent, suffering from being in the pub til 3am, with people slapping me on the back. Look up the words tired and emotional, and there’s a picture of me with a hangover, so I knew the likely result.
True to form as I finished my 10 minute presentation, about how remixing content streaming live from the internet will become as ubiquitous as a guitar or pair of decks, I stumbled over the long list of thanks. I managed to squeak out a brief “Thank you” and made a tearful bow, before scuttling off to the realisation that yes, I had just blubbed onstage. But more was yet to come. My new bezzie mate, Lydia Slack, of Bettakultcha fame had them rolling in the aisles with tales of growing up a sheep farmers daughter, leading to the first standing ovation of the event. For a 20 year old there on a sponsored student seat. Outstanding.
The rollercoaster wasn’t over yet. The final speaker was announced, and I was somewhat perplexed to see it was Shaun the cool Californian surfer dude I had shared a couple of Craics with. Nothing from his previous demeanour could have prepared me for the emotional onslaught he unleashed. It turned out Shaun was behind the Falling Whistles campaign, which aims to be a whistleblower for peace in Congo. Please. Just visit the site and contribute http://www.fallingwhistles.com
And basically that was my head and heart shot through. I could barely speak to anyone until about midnight that night, which was just plain rude considering everyone was complimenting me on my presentation. It was only during the post Scritti Polliti gig dadrave ™ that I managed to work through enough of my emotions on the danceflor to lighten up and smile again.
So that was it. The presentations will all be online eventually, maybe even mine, who knows. The friendships and insights I had over the 5 days will be with me forever. If you ever get the chance to go, don’t let it slip you by. Little tents like this one in Wales are few and far between.
Take a look at the presentation notes
Tim can also be found here