IT was a busy weekend for me at Ryedale Book Festival, having with fun with my technical “toys” and providing a feed to the school of the poetry slam and of Michael Morpurgo.

The weekend was an enormous technical undertaking for me, and but thoroughly enjoyable. There were four cameras feeding into a vision mixer, with performances from Craig Bradbury, Stuart Reid, Cat Weatherill and Andy Seed on Friday, which were not wasn’t broadcast, but we used for camera rehearsal.

The poetry slam was streamed to one school and then, on Monday, we were ready for the main event. On that Monday, Michael Morpurgo presented to a gathering of about around 300 schoolchildren and a potential audience of 1,000 more via the online broadcast we provided.

There were of course, many more events over the weekend, but these two were the focus of my attention, as they were the ones that were the most technically demanding technically.

We also played the film version of Michael Morpugo’s book Private Peaceful, which proved to be exceptionally popular at the cinema, selling out in two screens. In comparison, the film didn’t get that many viewers when we played the film for a week when it opened – so it was very pleasing indeed.

As well as an audio visual at the book festival, I provided the public address for the food market, before assisting at the the launch of the Talbot Yard and some assistance at also the war weekend with the Scarborough Amateur Radio Society tent. I also completed did some display boards and some flyers, so anyone interested in amateur radio could take something away with them.

Amateur radio is a long way from the image that has grown up around it (thinking about Tony Hancock and the Radio Ham). There are a lot of very dedicated people to the whole thing that is described, somewhat demurely, within the group that I am a member of, as simply a hobby.

There are some very dedicated people within the group, who are either engineers or have been in a working world where Morse code was a serious part of their careers. At the war weekend, we were exhibiting and operating a “Type 19 Set” used in the Second World War, within a Sherman Tank. It was quite innovative in its tune and was instrumental in maintaining communications for the D-Day landings.

Also on display was the latest computer driven amateur radio transceiver. A special event station was run with the Call Sign of GB4NYR. It was NYR for North Yorkshire Railway as it was from the railway in Pickering). We had contacts from around the world, as the station ran throughout the day (and a little into the night with a few dedicated souls who stayed onall night). Of course, I took my turn.

Films this week

The Maze Runner (12A) – this is the film based on the book by James Dashner, and the immediate response is that it has been true to the original story in the book. The Maze Runner cast includes Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Will Poulter who plays Gally – Poulter was in Son Of Rambow playing Lee Carter and was Eustace Scrubb in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Dylan O’Brien plays the lead role of Thomas. Reaction to the film has been excellent.

Dolphin Tale starts its run with us on Friday. The team of people who saved Winter the dolphin’s life, reassemble in the wake of her surrogate mother’s passing, in order to find her a companion so that she can remain at the Clearwater Marine Hospital.

What We Did on Our Holiday (12A) – the audience seems to be building for this film and the reaction is still excellent very good.

Gone Girl (18) continues for another week.

For the weekends, we have kept The Boxtrolls (PG and number four in the top 10) and One Direction (U) – there are two showings on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Looking further ahead The Judge is getting a lot of interest from our film booking team, where Robert Downey Jr plays a lawyer and his father, played by Robert Duvall, a Judge. Despite their strained relationship, They are not at all close andRobert Downey Jr’s character ends up having to defend his father.

Love, Rosie is a film where two lifelong friends from an early age grow up together, but can’t struggling to make the right decisions when it comes to love.

Live stage productions Manon is live from the Royal Opera House tomorrow (Thursday).

ROH Live Opera: I Due Foscari shows on Monday, October 27.

NT: Frankenstein, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the Creature and Jonny Lee Miller as Frankenstein, plays on Thursday, October 30.

However, only two seats remain available at the time of writing.

We can also announce The Crucible from The Old Vic. More to come on that next week.