Leigh984, The creative portfolio of Leigh Spencer

   I visited Corby Hazel and Thoroughsale woods to witness artist @lukejerram7742 's emotive piece #TippingPoint. The work created to simulate a forest fire raging uses smoke lights and and immersive soundtrack to bring the horrors of this natural disaster to life for visitors. In collaboration with award winning composers Dan Jones and Simon Birch the artwork includes an immersive soundtrack which includes audio of trees burning, chainsaws whirring, animals running and birds flying away, to bring the reality of deforestation to life. As I explore the explore the piece we also hear peoples recorded experiences of real forest fires. We see the strange juxtaposition of visitors taking photos with their phones whilst the forest seemingly burns around them !. Tipping Point was commissioned by University of Bristol Botanic Garden and the charity Make My Money Matter.  

  Several months in the making this film takes a look at a selection of the heard of Elephants that appeared across Leicester this summer to draw attention to and raise vital funds for the work of Leicesters @LorosHospice. The herd of 40 giant Elephants and 82 Baby Elephants stampeded around Leicester from 14th July. challenging visitors to Discover them all before 21st September when they will be returned to the hospice to be auctioned to those wishing for something a bit more unique for their garden than the average Gnome !. Stomp Round Leicester sees LOROS Hospice and Wild in Art join together to create the BIGGEST art trail the city has ever seen to raise vital funds for the hospice as it celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2025. Whilst I did visit EVERY Elephant on the trail this film contains a selection hoping to give a overview of the trail at a number of Leicesters recognisable locations around the city, from the newly opened Jewry Wall Museum to the Space Center and L...

A look at Standing With Giants  a community project, set up in 2019 by Oxfordshire community artist, Dan Barton, and a group of local volunteers. Creating large scale art installations using recycled building materials they provide meaningful spaces for people to visit and reflect At the 20th edition of The Victory Show in Cosby Leicester visitors where invited to walk through and experience one such installation. As the walk through begins we see the black silhouettes positioned on the banks of a small lake posed as if heading into battle, the sound of a simulated skirmish in the woods adds to the impact of the shadows of past heroes heading into conflict. The silhouettes create a reflective atmosphere and area in direct contrast to the living history displays just meters away on the busy showground. We then cut to a second display at the event featuring giant cutouts of people and soldiers celebrating victory, as a marching band passes we end on a cutout featuring Sir Winston ...

  The annual 1st Newbold Verdon Scout Gala takes place in the village this year celebrating a very special 70 years of Scouting in the village. We start the film as a steam roller makes its way toward the event at the primary school before a parade lead by a marching band arrives including a very special car, a Rolls Royce which was presented at a Jamboree in 1929 to mark 21 years of Scouting to Baden Powell who was honoured with a number of gifts including a Baronetcy by King George V, BP took the title of Lord Baden Powell of Gilwell, other gifts included a set of Braces and from the 50.000 Scouts of the World attending, a very special gift of a Rolls Royce Car and a touring Caravan. We follow the band and parade through the village and arrive at the gala itself on the playing field at the primary school. The gala is officially declared open and the fun begins, first up is the there and back miniature railway before we see a chance to try out more active pursuits like rock climbi...

 For it`s 20th show the Victory Show returned to Foxlands Farm in Cosby Leicestershire featuring hundreds of reenactment displays from various theatres of conflict the even takes place over a 100 acre site and gives visitors a chance to fully immerse themselves in the 1940's era. The event has expanded over the years to include a full airshow programme alongside the static displays and has seen displays from the Red Arrows and even the Vulcan over the years. New for 2025 was an area made to simulate conflicts in colder areas of the world, which gave a unique contrast to the otherwise mild August weather on the Sunday that I visited. My film starts in this snow covered environment before a marching band passes the spectacular handmade cut outs of ‪@standingwithgiants3599‬ who had two moving displays at the event (see separate film coming soon). Next we're asked "Have you seen Dave ?" who it appears is a carrier pigeon sat on a lamppost above the sign !. Communication...