It will definitely be alright on the night.

Over the course of this year, I have accumulated a lot of video footage, and along with it, a few out takes, or 'bloopers' as they have come to be known. There was a time when I used to delete out takes whilst filming. That is, after all, the beauty of digital. I can instantly review and assess the footage I have so painstakingly taken, to see if it is good enough to be considered for the final video. Sometimes there is no need to assess it, I just know it is not right. Such as when I stumble or fall over on camera. Or fluff my lines.

Sometimes those words will not come.

There was one simple reason for deleting such scenes on the spot. Space. Video takes up a lot of memory, and there is nothing worse than a 'card full' message when you are close to the end of a days recording. Carrying a spare card is the answer, of course, and I have always done that, but downloading clips that are not needed to the computer always seems to be a waste of time, especially when they are then instantly removed. Better to keep things uncluttered from the start. So unwanted shots have always been deleted. Until last April.

I was making my Loughrigg  videos, a feat of forward planning of which I was quite proud. The idea was to film on two days, one set of shots from the Langdale and Grasmere side of Loughrigg, and the other set from the Ambleside end. These would then be combined to make two separate productions. I did it this way to ensure continuity, an idea that backfired quite spectacularly as the weather intervened. Day 1 was cold, dry and clear with a dusting of snow on the tops. Day two was warm and humid, and the warmth brought out the foliage. From looking drab in it's winter coat the landscape was transformed in just a couple of days. Then, near the end of day two, the cloud set in. And I made a mistake that I did not have time to delete.

Strolling down to Blea Tarn. But what happened next?

Upon getting home I decided not to delete the mistake, but to put it on Facebook. I thought others may enjoy it as it made me laugh. I expected a moderate reaction, a few comments, and that was all, but it was soon clear that there was an appetite for the sight of me getting it wrong. Ever since, out takes have ceased to be taken out. Instead they are being compiled into a short, but hopefully amusing video that should be ready for the festive season. So, if you like seeing me make a fool of myself, watch this space, or better still, subscribe to my You Tube channel.