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RO !

rolandbearne

About Me

About 3 Million years BC, I staggered out of a small country in the middle of Europe called Luxembourg where I had spent my "formative" years, headed back to the UK, land o' my birth and started training to be an actor. Thus begun the train of bewildering events which makes up my "adult" life. I'm an actor and voice-over artist (when anybody lets me !), an Audio Describer (I'll explain.....), I have been a Sales Manager, Call Centre Manager, doormat delivery person and been paid to hunt aliens!!! (True !) I have a lifelong obsession with Rock and Metal music and have met some of my very best friends through going to gigs... I'd better explain Audio Description. This is my main day-job. I work in Soho in London for a company called Visiontext where I have been involved in starting a new "AD" department. "AD" is a narration which helps those with sight problems enjoy a movie, DVD or TV programme. A script is written, then recorded which describes what is going on when there is no dialogue. The setting, the scenery, people's reactions etc. I write the scripts, record the voice-overs and have been involved in setting up the technical side of the service as well... (that's been scary, I'm NOT tekky !!!). I'm also the main "AD" producer and co-ordinate freelancers... :o)

My Interests

Both kinds of music ... Rock AND Metal! Playing guitar (however badly!), acting, commentating and doing Jousting Shows with the Knights Of Royal England (check them out at www.knightsroyal.co.uk ), BUT, first and foremost, talking complete and utter wibble over a drink or 10 with friends. Nothing beats that... Nothing !! (so there :o)

I'd like to meet:

I'd still like to sit down over a Macallan and have a chat with Neil Peart (Rush drummer...), Find out if Bruce Dickinson likes the Goon Show, play toy soldiers with John Schaffer, go flying with Steve Morse and find out if Steve Vai is human !! (for a start!)... But a lot of the people I would love to have met have "shuffled off": Richard Burton, Spike Milligan, Tony Hancock, Dylan Thomas, William Shakespeare, Richard Harris, Jimmy Hendrix, Bon Scott, John Bonham (hmmm, strange how many of my heroes were incurable boozers !!)Balance of Power... British and sadly underrated!

Music:

This list would be too long... but I'll have a go: Rush, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Savatage, Malmsteen, Dream, Theater, Pagan's Mind, Evergrey, Threshold, Rhapsody, Nightwish, Stratovarius, Royal Hunt, TNT, Ayreon, Children of Bodom, In Flames, Thin Lizzy, Giant, Journey, Foreigner, Lynyrd Skynyrd, TOTO..... I'll leave it there but not without mentioning the mighty TEER !! ;o)

Movies:

Star Wars (all), Monty Python Movies (All), The Omen, Seven, The Philadelphia Story, Tootsie, 4 Weddings and a Funeral, Paint Your Waggon, The Good The Bad And The Ugly (All Clint movies really...), Where Eagles Dare, A Bridge Too Far, A Day At The Races, Le Mans, Platoon, all the Aliens movies, Outland, The Italian Job (The original please !!), Full Metal Jacket, Spinal Tap, The Last Boy Scout, As Good As It Gets, Slapshot, Zulu, A Fish Called Wanda, Bullitt ..........

Television:

24, Green Wing, Doctor Who, Spooks, Hustle, Lost, Scrubs, Frasier, House.

Books:

All the Flashman Books by George MacDonald Fraser. Steven King (especially IT), Tom Clancy, the joyous works of PG Wodehouse, the 13th Valley by John M Del Vecchio, Chickenhawk by Robert Mason, Ghost Rider and Travelling Music by Neil Peart. Stephen Coonts, Dale Brown, Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas. The Dirt, Motley Crue w/ Neil Strauss.

Heroes:

Geddy, Alex and Neil from Rush. The fine gentlemen from Led Zeppelin. Eddie Van Halen, Spike Milligan, The Pythons, Rob Halford, Glen Tipton & KK Downing, Tony Hancock and the great acting triumvirate: Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole and Richard Harris... And my Son Lawrence ... just for existing.

My Blog

Grandparent

It's brief but it has to be shared. I met my 4 day old grand daughter yesterday and I have never felt anything in my emotional life to compare with this experience. It's that simple and at the same ti...
Posted by RO ! on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 04:54:00 PST

New Voice Over

As I'm now out in 'the market place' as a freelance entity I thought I'd share this with whoever cares to have look! It's a voice over/ narration I did a couple of weeks ago for a well kown UK Airline...
Posted by RO ! on Wed, 24 Oct 2007 06:47:00 PST

My Audio Description has finally reached DVD !

Well, with little or no fanfare and after what seems like an age, some of my work has finally made it to DVD. I actually came over all funny when I saw 'Miss Potter' (Renee Zellweger & Ewan McGregor) ...
Posted by RO ! on Tue, 01 May 2007 08:27:00 PST

A Night At The Opera

Back to comedy !!! The Marx Brothers were, at their best breathtakingly funny and when you read the material written down and remember the pace at which Groucho delivered this stuff... it truly is com...
Posted by RO ! on Wed, 04 Oct 2006 05:28:00 PST

Not a funny this time ...

Am I alone in wondering, on accasion, what IS going on ?? I awoke this morning, sun streaming through the curtains, feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the tasks and challenges of the day. The firs...
Posted by RO ! on Tue, 03 Oct 2006 03:52:00 PST

What Time Is It Eccles ??

What time is it, Eccles? I just came across this and felt an uncrontrollable need to share !! For anyone who knows me, you will be aware that Milligan and Co. had/have a profound impact on me fro...
Posted by RO ! on Mon, 02 Oct 2006 10:17:00 PST

The Orthus Electric Onion

My Brother forwarded this to me earlier. The guy who writes this blog is an information security expert but I believe has a dark and chequered past !! It's a fascinating glimpse into the world of wit,...
Posted by RO ! on Mon, 04 Sep 2006 08:59:00 PST

Daft way to open my Blogging Career !!

6 Weird Things about myself ... The 1st player of this "game" starts with the topic "6 weird habits/things/about yourself" and people who get tagged need to write a blog about their 6 weird habits/thi...
Posted by RO ! on Fri, 18 Aug 2006 03:20:00 PST