I thought a story on how this all began would be an appropriate first blog.
Every week I shall be updating this blog, what's new, my views on business, life, hobbies, youth activities, the online radio station I run and some of the amazing people I meet on my personally enjoyable adventures.
- Ross Arrowsmith
When I was a little boy, I was a shy, day dreaming child that was either intensely bored by something or engrossingly amused. I don't remember an awful lot, but I do know that as I grew up my day-dreaming got worse, I constantly moaned about how boring school was and my parents couldn't find any after school activities that I enjoyed.
I never took to any interest in Sport - playing or watching, I was never any good at football or any of the typical 'lad' games, and I think that's part of the reason activities were so difficult to find. Cub Scouts - got bored of that. Archery Club - became tedious. Swimming club - I'm a weak swimmer. Air Cadets - Just didn't enjoy being bossed around.
However, it wasn't all as bad as it seems. In primary school, I had some really good friends who I was to stay with throughout secondary school, and one, even through college. There were others that didn't enjoy football - and I couldn't get enough of Thunderbirds.
From a young age I had always tried to write stories and always drew pictures. My Grandad was a very apt engineer, and my dad did some boring marketing job. My mum ran a cafe in Bicester for over a decade, and my Grampy was the most practical person ever to walk the planet.
Secondary school came and I met some more very nice friends. After a few years, I had decided I wanted to be a mechanic in the RAF. Nearly a year in the Air Cadets changed my mind, (I wasn't good at being ordered around!) And I just wasn't cut out for engineering and mechanics.
I always love learning about History, so I decided I wanted to become a history teacher.
Meanwhile, A friend who lived in Hereford, near my Nan was always doing crazy little things with a camera, filming lego men and putting it together in a sequence. It was called stop-motion, and I was absolutely fascinated by it.
As year 10 Approached and our GCSE courses moulded, I realised how much I actually hated school. An 'E' grade in our History mock changed my mind, and again I was a bit back to square one.
In the meantime I had been making little lego videos of my own - it was fairly frowned upon and nobody, but nobody considered it as a 'proper' hobby.
Science and Maths were by far my worst school subjects. I never mis-behaved at school, but I did find most lessons extremely boring. My dad used to sometimes shout after a while, if I couldn't work something mathematical out. My chemistry Coursework also proved quite a hassle, which I was glad to be rid of.
By this point, my parents had more or less let me do my own things - this included more lego videos, and a sudden urge to watch Thunderbirds and all things Gerry Anderson.
For my 15th Birthday, a picture my Nan and I had drawn, (We have a very special relationship!) was framed, and she'd captioned it on the back, 'Spare Moments'. I hung it in my bedroom and thought nothing more of it.
As 'Endless Day Productions' continued Lego Videos, a conversation with a friend changed everything. As we discussed what we wanted to do with our lives, it hit me in the face and I blurted out;
"I want to set up a film production company!"
After a few days of thinking for a name, I remembered the picture caption, and decided to call it 'Spare Moment Studios'. Back in those early days when your aims are innocent, I was going to be the next Gerry Anderson and bring back Stingray and Thunderbirds. I instantly bought Gerry Anderson's biography and read it within a week.
Then came some plasticine - my Nan and Grampy led a fairly hectic life for two pensioners, and so we made a series about it. Only one episode would come out of it, but still, it was a learning curve. I then bought a tripod, started a Facebook Group and Spare Moment Studios was operational on March 1st, 2011!
My close friend Stevie, whom I had known since 2003 helped with my first film - 'Terror at Midnight'. Neil and Alex, close friends also were to have appearances in more shows.
One friend Daron, whom I wasn't so close to was doing a course in Media for two of his GCSE options. I wished I'd picked the course, but it turned out it didn't really matter. A discussion in the school library soon led to him appearing in some embarrassing comedy films.
One bored lesson in Chemistry, I drew a story board for a big horror film that would include all of my friends. 'The Lockdown'. The Chemistry teacher almost received it as my homework.
By this point - Sam - someone in my form, who I was friends with (He loved Star Wars too) came to the filming as well. A war film was made, the Encounter as well as the Lockdown. Several others came, Liam, another friend came, Nicholas, and of course Neil.
Following this rather fun film shoot, we shot two more war films - both substantially poor in quality - but for a group of 15 year olds it wasn't bad.
After these films, our YouTube presence slowly ground to a halt, and some internet radio shows we had done on Spreaker were soon boring to everyone.
Sam, Daron, Neil, Stevie and Charlotte, (Sam's girlfriend) stayed with me on the lows that were to come. Liam, Zac, Tom and Alex also made their best efforts, and throughout late 2011 and into 2012, I was told by many we were going to fail.
I knew at some point something had to come - so I held on, and thankfully, so did my dedicated friends. Other departments we had opened, Spare Moment Games, Music, Vlogs and Radio weren't doing so well either.
Until Stevie told Ross of Bicester Internet Radio.
They were going on it - until it didn't work out to well. A few months later, it was still on a low, so Steven and I decided to set up our own.
This was where everything changed.
I met Ben Jackson, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce on terms of 'Fanderson'. (The sad people obsessed with Thunderbirds!) Which I thought nothing much more of.
When we had to start looking at Music licenses, I decided to play local bands instead of mainstream music. The idea had excellent response, and thanks to my mum being good friends with the Bicester Advertiser main journalist, 'Spare Moment Online' (What we had called the Radio Station) Got a feature in the Bicester Advertiser, and unknown to me, in the Oxford Mail as well.
On Sunday 24th June - we broadcasted for the first time. With a fairly low listener base, we weren't great. However, that same day, I had an email from a Ben Molyneux, founder of the Oxfordshire Project. Despite not being eligible to enter due to the age requirements, I was an exception for an entry into the Young Entrepreneur's Competition.
During our second show, Ben Jackson invited me to Bicester Speaker's to improve my presenting skills. I gladly took up the opportunity, having just beforehand had a wonderful meeting with the Oxfordshire Project.
From there on I joined some Facebook groups to do with Bicester Business, and attended a 4N Networking meeting, with an independent film-maker as the speaker.
Unfortunately, I did not win the Young Entrepreneurs Competition - but it did go to a very deserving Zoe Smith, with her Fashion Business. However, the Oxfordshire Project still welcomed me and I was very happy at that.
Ben Jackson then gave me a lot of advice and mentoring into the world of Business. My parents, particularly my Mum, was fairly astounded that from someone who had never liked doing anything had turned to doing something like this.
I had decided that I was going to do a job I damn well loved, and became even more determined.
My friends, still helping me to no end were with me on everything and I couldn't have done much at all without them.
The Idea struck me to ask the lovely people that made up Bicester Business Network Facebook group if I could put some Spare Moment Online posters up. Jason Slaymaker of the Bicester Youth Council was happy to put one up, and allowed me to stay for their meeting.
Following that interesting meeting, I was invited to the Bicester Community Games, where by chance my luck was about to increase dramatically.
Along with Stevie, we spoke to Charlie Henry of OYAP (Oxfordshire Youth Arts Partnership) and got on to the subject of Bicester's Youth Needs. Eventually it came up who we were - and about five minutes later we were touring the Courtyard's facilities, showing us around potential studio spaces.
The Computer Clinic Bicester and Brunch, the coffee shop had agreed to advertise. After a weeks work experience at Bubble Production, where I got a good insight on promotional/marketing video production, we met with Charlie again.
We discussed everything in detail, and after OYAP won the bid for the Courtyard, we were definitely going to have a studio. With funding for equipment, there would be six days of broadcast slots, a full music license and something Bicester needs.
Ben Jackson went through my Business Plan with me, and Charlie, Stevie and I discussed funding and precise equipment needs.
We hope to move into the Studio in September, and as always, my friends were very happy about what had happened.
Our future plans are to provide a promotional videos company for Bicester, and a music video service for local bands. Also, we hope to get people at the courtyard involved with film production - and screen them at the Courtyard, films made locally by local people!
The Funding would hopefully come out of the Radio Station profits, from advertising and sponsorship.
We will be broadcasting on 22nd August in Crown Walk, at a popup shop. Once the radio studio is finalised, films will alongside it begin, and presenters will be needed to fill up broadcast slots.
My next blog will be no where near as long as this!
