Newsday Feature: Pinioning

Today I've been working towards our newsday assessment at uni. I'm going to be working on a TV package regarding pinioning with my friend Beth. Originally I was only helping with the research side, until I offered to film and edit.

TV is not my preferred medium, but I feel the story would work great with moving images. I think it will be really interesting to get behind the camera again. I'm also really looking forward to working with Beth. We've worked together creating radio talk shows in the past and she always works hard. One thing I often have trouble with at university is people who don't want to pull their weight. You'd be surprised by how many people still behave that way in HE!

The picture above is from my lecture. In between slides Beth and I emailed charities, zoos and campaigners to arrange filming. Once I get started on a project, I make sure I see it to the end and do a damn fine job of it! I'm glad I've got something new to throw myself into.

Paper and perfume

I mentioned a few posts ago that I have started my new Christmas job at Lush. The training has been absolutely fantastic and I've genuinely enjoyed every moment of it. I originally knew a lot of their products, but now I understand them on a whole other level. We've learnt the science of hair care and skin care, how to work with different skin types, dying with henna; I feel like I should have a Lush degree!

I'm most looking forward to getting out on the shop floor. I think the more face to face interaction I have, the more I am going to grow and change. I've had shop jobs here and there, but I've been waiting for an opportunity like this to really explore sales and social interaction. I am also greatly looking forward to Christmas. Our new range looks incredible and I can't wait to show you all! Pop into Lush Arndale for a consultation with me! 

Yesterday I also attended a meeting for the new student newspaper. It's our first year making the jump to online so things have been hectic. Having said that, I am greatly disappointed with the organisation of our recruitment drive and although I take my features editor role seriously, I am feeling exasperated by the whole situation. For now, I'm operating in my own bubble. I want to make content that students will love reading and those that don't will still talk about. I don't want the paper to be ignored in the same way that it has been in the past. We have great writers involved already, it's just a shame they may not be able to show and nurture their talent in a structured way. 

I will do what I can but at the end of the day it's a team effort!

Latest feature: Male suicide

My final module piece will be a 2000 word feature for a North West based audience. An extremely broad brief allowed me to explore many social issues. Originally I considered teen pregnancy, anorexia and drug abuse. However, these seemed to be part of a more national issue and it was hard to squeeze them down into one region.

Don't get me wrong, male suicide is a serious national issue, but I feel that particular traditional lifestyles in the north create a social barrier for men suffering in silence. Thus, I've been exploring what can be done to tackle this issue and what makes NW men at risk.

It's been a real challenge for me. Not only is this issue quite close to home, but obviously I'm also not a man so I can't instantly relate to traditional male roles. In the past, I've focused heavily on women's issues but I feel being a feminist goes beyond standing up for your fellow females. It's about gender equality. That's another reason why I was particularly drawn to this subject. We hear a lot about how gender roles effect women, but little about how they effect men. Breaking down these social constructions allows us to create a better world for both men and women alike.

I've yet to finish my piece. I'm currently writing up a very personal interview so it's been rather tough to get through. A friend told me the worst thing you can do with a story like this is to get emotionally involved, evidently I didn't get that memo! 

I'll probably put my piece on here after I've received feedback.

Ever fancied being a club promotion girl?

My latest feature went live on Allié Magazine today! This piece was originally written for a university assignment. I received a high 2:1 grade, but being only 2% away from a first was admittedly rather annoying!

My aim was to find whether being part of a promotion team was all it's cracked up to be. Having lived in university halls in my first year, I was constantly receiving flyers offering jobs in club promotion. Since it's a popular earner for students, I was interested in finding out more!

My interviewee was very open. In the piece we discuss drinking, relationships and sex. Before interviews I often panic about asking awkward questions, but during interviews, it's best to just be up front!

I'd appreciate it if you could take a look and leave some comments! Maybe even your own experiences?