Journalism Production and Multi-Platform Techniques

Reflection

This unit enabled a variety of different skills and techniques to be learnt and developed which were relevant to specific media platforms, but also some which were transferrable between platforms. The first of our taster sessions was covering the ever developing online platform, and it was this section of the unit in which I felt that I learnt the most. Although I had some prior knowledge of creating material for online, these sessions allowed me to see the more technical side, learning techniques such as embedding and manipulating images for the correct production.

We then moved on to focus on print. Personally, this was the least enjoyable part of the unit, as it is not an area of work that appeals to me greatly, and felt that I could adapt to the skills quite easily. It was good to use industry software with In Design; however, it was fairly simple to pick up and didn’t provide too much challenge. Even though I enjoy writing, this first semester has made me realise that the printed press is not the industry that I would like to work in.

Radio was next, and is the area that I am most passionate about. Having worked in the industry for four years previously, the workshops were fairly basic, but this was to be expected, as other students have never tried it before. Radio will be my first choice to develop as a speciality.

Television rounded off our first unit taster sessions. This is an area that I have always wanted to try my hand at, but due to lack of facilities at previous colleges, I have never had the opportunity. I really enjoyed the sessions and believe that TV is still something that I would like to tackle and will be my second choice for specialising.

So, it was an interesting first semester, and I’m now looking forward to cracking on with some real project work after Christmas when I can focus on my selected two areas of work.

Su Pollard Interview

I caught up with actress, singer and comedienne Su Pollard as she prepared to play the role of Miss Hannigan in the classic musical of Annie at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking.

TV News Programme Analysis

Sky News produce a three minute news bulletin for their website regularly throughout the day. The package presents the major news stories that are making the headlines, but does so in a short, sharp fashion. Sky is largely recognised as one of the major sources of news throughout the world, and indeed within the news industry. This package shows the corporation to be delivering a multi-platform product, which helps them to reach an online audience.

Within the three minutes allocated to this bulletin, Sky News address six different stories. By analysing the types of story that have been included, it becomes clearer as to the nature of the programme that they are attempting to deliver, as well as identifying a particular audience. In this case the news stories covered are as followed:

-         North Korea’s attack on a South Korean island

-         New Zealand minors trapped following a blast

-         At least 378 people dead following stampede at Cambodian festival celebrations

-         Irish Prime Minister putting final touches to economic plan

-         Update on the situation with Qantas

-         Burma pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is re united with her son

These stories are quite clearly, by their individual subject matters, the major news headlines in world news. This is interesting and shows that Sky must be aiming to reach a worldwide audience. Sky is a British broadcasting company, however, out of six stories, only one has a direct effect on a British audience. This being the economic plan of the Irish Prime Minister. The remaining stories may still be of interest to a British audience, however, news stories originating in the UK are obviously not top priority on this three-minute, news headlines bulletin.

The presenter is a female, however, Sky decide to use a voice of god narration method. Being a package purely based on delivering the headlines of major, world news stories, this method is effective. The reason that it is effective is that the camera shots shown are not focussed on a presenter, but on the news story. This emphasises the point that these are the major news stories, as it is the footage associated with the story that you can see. The only voice heard, is that of the presenter. No vox pops or interviews are used because it is a news bulletin that wishes to simply tell the story. The stories would then be covered in more depth via the Sky News digital television channel, or in specific parts of the website devoted to individual stories.

The footage used is generally B Roll with many shots taken with relation to the news story subject. Some footage shows people, other footage shows objects. For example, the story about the Cambodia stampede is accompanied with footage of the people of the area, to display emotion and the hectic situation is portrayed through the surroundings. On the other hand, when the bulletin provides an update on the development on Qantas airways, they use archive footage of when the original story of an engine exploding broke. CCTV footage is also used to show the moment that a blast caused minors to become trapped in New Zealand. Sky also uses contacts with overseas organisations. An example of this is when the main headline is reported with regard to the North Korean attack on South Korea. The video footage is accompanied by titles, but these are written in Korean, therefore this must have originated from a Korean media source.

The bulletin sets out to deliver a short and sharp insight to the main headlines in world news, and does this effectively with insightful footage into the stories as well as a narrator broadcasting the story. The bulletin reaches a mature audience and allows viewers to catch up with the day’s top news stories in the space of time that they are making a cup of tea. Perhaps, a couple more stories of British interest would make it a more complete package, however Sky is reaching a multi-national audience, so addresses the major news, and does it very effectively. 

Shane Lynch Interview

Shane Lynch by Lewis Mason

I caught up with Boyzone's Shane Lynch to talk about his forthcoming role in the pantomime of Sleeping Beauty at Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

Radio News Item

My news item would be broadcast on a local radio station which covers Guildford as part of its TSA

Radio News Item - This year's Guildford panto announced by Lewis Mason

Would you like...

Picture the scene. Saturday afternoon. Your favourite shopping town. Countdown to Christmas has begun.

Got it?

However, before you have reached your first shop (or coffee outlet!), you have already been offered the chance to sign up for a paintballing session, the chance to win a once in a lifetime holiday or even to change your car insurance provider. Does this sound familiar? Of course it does, because our town centres are swarming with on foot sales personnel. Despite the fact that these ladies and gents are most probably very lovely people, we, as their customers, have grown to dislike them. Often, we don't listen to more than their first two words, as we have already adopted an unnatural burst of speed to act as if we never saw them in the first place.

But, then you find yourself on the other side of the fence. This is when you can really see the impatience and often ignorance of people.

I wasn't trying to sell anything. Quite the opposite. I was giving the public the chance to win two tickets to see this years pantomime of Sleeping Beauty at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford. However, as soon as I approaced anyone to offer them the chance to take part in a little competition, before I had finished saying the words "Would you like", I had been shunned and they were off to fight their way to the cheapest knickers/pants (no sexism, I won't have it!) in the town. So, that wasn't working. So, I obviously needed to change my technique. Keep the politeness, but get to the point quicker. Only one way to do it. Speed up! Then, the ignorance came to the fore. "Would you like free..." At the mention of the word "free", people took a look back at me. However, realising that they had already snubbed me and they had to save face, they couldn't possibly return, even though they knew there was in fact, something in it for them!

So, anyway, was I successful. No. If you have taken the time to read this, then why not have a go at winning the tickets! Just listen to Eagle Radio's Curtain Call Panto Special, listen out for the competition question, and you could be at Surrey's most traditional pantomime, this winter. The cast includes Boyzone's Shane Lynch, CBeebies' Sarah-Jane Honeywell and Eagle Radio's Peter Gordon.

To listen to the podcast, click here

The Royal Wedding - Reaction

Sarah-Jane Honeywell Interview

I caught up with CBeebies' Sarah-Jane Honeywell as she comes to Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre to play Sleeping Beauty in this years' pantomime.


Sarah-Jane Honeywell Interview by Lewis Mason

It's Panto Time...Oh Yes It Is!

This year's pantomime at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. An all star cast includes pop star Gareth Gates and actor Cliff Parisi. Join me as I meet the cast!


Meet the Cast - Snow White Woking Panto 2010 by Lewis Mason

The Bible That Is...Facebook

Social Networking has become a worldwide phenomenon with Facebook surely leading the way as the favourite avenue. I went to see the new film, The Social Network, last week, starring Justin Timberlake. It was a fantastic film, and it was really interesting to see how the Facebook revolution came about. Now, I use Facebook regularly, and since investing in an iPhone, I have used it more and more. It's very easy to check into other people's worlds when sitting bored on a train! However, I'm starting to become really frustrated with how everything is taken in a literal sense and how information can only be true...if it says so on Facebook. Hence my title, it is almost becoming a religious, sacred word! Only, the information changes! I believe a problem with Facebook is the number of friends that you have and the way in which a person interprets information. For example, at the time of writing, I have 693 friends on Facebook. That means that for everything I write on Facebook, each of those 693 people are able to interpret the information in their own way. So something that is supposed to be funny, can be seen as rude, nasty or irrelevant to somebody else. However, a person will believe their opinion or interpretation is correct, which potentially, could lead to disagreement and argument. There is also the 'Relationship Status', function on Facebook. You can be having a pint down the pub with your best mate, having a chat about your love life. Then, all of a sudden, they'll pipe up with 'but, it doesn't say that on Facebook'. I'm going to stick to boring status', and try not to put other information on there, because, let's be honest, Facebook already knows that 'It's Complicated'!

In the words of Elton John, "it's a sad, sad situation"...

This week, The Metro  revealed that a survey, conducted by PRS for Music, has unveiled REM's Everybody Hurts as the song most likely to make a grown man cry! More than 1,700 people were surveyed as men named Eric Clapton, U2 and Elton John among the artists whose work is most likely to make them shed a tear or five. I strongly believe that emotions are evoked through music due to personal matters related to the song. The chairman of PRS for Music, Ellis Rich, agrees with this, stating that, "A well-written tear-jerker is one that people can relate to and empathise with". So, what is it about the songs that came in the top 10? Have they gained an overwhelming amount of airplay, allowing them to be exposed to so many people and allowing this truly personal connection? In fact, it seems that men are a very soppy breed, who have been heartbroken many times! Nothing Compares 2 U  by Sinead O'Connor, Robbie Williams' Angels and the age old lover's classic Unchained Melody are all in the top ten. On the other hand, the latter two have also featured heavily amongst survey results for Britain's top funeral songs. With so many fantastically emotional songs out there, what is it about these tracks that get blokes blubbing! I guess that's for another survey! Anyway, here is the list in full:

1. Everybody Hurts - REM
2. Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
3. Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen
4. Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
5. With or Without You - U2
6. The Drugs Don't Work - The Verve
7. Candle In The Wind - Elton John
8. Streets of Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen
9. Unchained Melody - Todd Duncan
10. Angels - Robbie Williams


On a happier note...post a comment with your top 5 happy songs!!! The tracks that can put a smile on your face no matter what!

Hayley Tamaddon Interview

While she was preparing to play the role of Lady of the Lake in Monty Python's Spamalot, Hayley Tamaddon took a five minute breather to talk to me about her career and, of course, her Dancing on Ice victory.

Lauren Samuels Interview

I caught up with Lauren Samuels who came 3rd in the BBC's Over The Rainbow search for Dorothy. We chatted about her new role as Sandy in the West End in the musical favourite, Grease.
Picture: Matt Crockett

John Challis Interview

John Challis, aka Boycie from Only Fools And Horses, joined me for a chat as he goes on tour with new show Boycie & Marlene

Gemma Atkinson Interview

Former Hollyoaks & I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here star Gemma Atkinson chatted to me about her career and performing in the hit show Calendar Girls

New Beginnings

Two weeks into this new university life. About the right time to make some comments on first impressions! This period of a person's life is probably the time where they are going to notice a really prominent amount of change in a very small space of time. This theory has not been proved wrong in the past two weeks!
Moving out...
The most difficult thing about beginning university, is always going to be the moving away from home stage. For many, this will be the first time that they have lived away from their family for a permanent duration of time, so a daunting prospect for anyone. Ok, so moving to the sleepy town of Farnham isn't quite the bustling, bright lights of London, but a big change all the same. However, this change instantly helps people to find a new side to their personality.
People...
Another daunting prospect for some is meeting new people, however, everybody seems to have embraced this phase as an exciting part of the process. The view that the same boat is currently being shared by everyone seems to have helped this situation. The funny thing is that even though everyone is at the same stage, in that same boat, a familiar pattern is noticeable. You will see this in every primary school, secondary school, sports club, work place, and of course university as well. Little groups. Already, two weeks in, you can see little friendship groups starting to form! I have spent much of my time with the Upper Hale Crew (us outcasts who were rejected from uni halls of residence!). It has been great that just two weeks in, so many personalities have developed, common interests have been raised, and everyone (touch wood), is getting on really well!
Taking the plunge...
Now, it is down to the business end, and getting out of uni what you set out to. Many people have great ideas, a student newspaper is well under way, a student radio service is also being talked about, and so many people are so enthusiastic about getting involved and really adapting to this major change! One of my highlights of uni so far was seeing an old friend of mine at the Student Union. She was performing as part of the comedy bill, and her name is Luisa Omielan. I met her on a radio course in 2007, but she felt her talent lay elsewhere and has since worked hard developing a career in comedy. Having played Brighton Fringe Festival and Edinburgh already, she is off to America shortly to develop herself even more. She found her new beginning, and embraced it! Now, she's tipped to go all the way to the top! So, a great example to follow. If you want it, go and get it!    

Welcome!

Hello, and welcome to my blog!
Coming soon, I'll be adding celebrity interviews, showreels, and course work as I study Journalism at UCA Farnham.
Best Wishes
Lewis