{"id":2142,"date":"2017-10-09T12:03:26","date_gmt":"2017-10-09T12:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/westminsterradio.net\/?p=2142"},"modified":"2017-10-09T12:03:26","modified_gmt":"2017-10-09T12:03:26","slug":"simon-woolcott-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/radio\/simon-woolcott-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Simon Woolcott"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blog Post One<\/strong><\/p>\n

Because this module has been updated with a new brief and a new name – Digital Entrepreneurship – we are required to seek a commission rather than just go ahead and make a piece of audio.\u00a0This is to bring the module more in line with industry practice.<\/p>\n

Much of what BBC Radio broadcasts these days, particularly in the form of documentaries, has been pitched to them by independent production companies who are seeking commissions.<\/p>\n

\"\"Last summer I was fortunate enough to intern at Wise Buddah, who produce a fair amount of BBC Radio output. I was invited to put forward some ideas during a particular pitching round. Two of my ideas made it to the second stage of that particular round but sadly no further. Nevertheless, the experience gave me a real insight into the process.<\/p>\n

Although the weightings on this module leans towards the piece of audio (70% practical – 30% essay) I have the impression it is the process of securing the commission for the said piece of audio that we are being assessed on, more so than the actual artefact. Nevertheless, I shall endeavour to make my final documentary, podcast, narration or drama the best it can be.<\/p>\n

I have already put some feelers out among contacts, as well as emailing a coupled of local charities (suggesting great ideas for an audio component to their respective websites) to seek a commission, but sadly to no avail thus far.<\/p>\n

This afternoon I shall make an appeal on social media, I must know someone (or someone who knows someone) who wants a great piece of audio made for nothing!<\/p>\n

Not being able to just get on with the process of making the piece is frustrating. I’m not one to leave anything to the last minute, let alone the second week of the module.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Blog Post Two<\/strong><\/p>\n

(part 1)<\/p>\n

Having heard nothing back from either charity I had previously contacted, on Monday Oct 9th I decided to make an appeal on social media<\/a>. I figured among all the people I knew there would be someone who was looking for (or knew someone else who was looking for) a top-notch piece of audio to be made, particularly if they knew they could get it for free! I attached a link to my Eurovision – Can We Ever Win Again<\/a>? at the bottom of the post as an example of what I was capable of.<\/p>\n

This appeal yielded two possible leads.<\/p>\n

The first was from Jamie Wareham, at Gay Star News<\/a>, who heads up the student section of the website. He told me they\u00a0were looking for podcast episodes for Student Pride<\/a> with which Gay Star News are affiliated. The second was from an old colleague, Ian Elmslie, who had written an autobiographical book which he thought would make a good listen.<\/p>\n

I discussed both of these leads with Aasiya (my tutor) during our tutorial on Tuesday 10th October. I suggested that perhaps one or two of my fellow students, due to their comparative youth, might be more suited to the Student Pride podcast angle and that I thought I would be more likely to plump for recording the audiobook.<\/p>\n

She suggested I explore both leads while making it clear that a simple recording of a book, read by its author, would not be considered a large enough project for this module. However, she did suggest perhaps taking a \u2018dramatisation\u2019 angle may be an option.<\/p>\n

I went to Gay Star News for a meeting with Jamie on Friday 13th to discover more about what they were looking for. He reiterated that they were seeking podcast episodes connected to Student Pride for the Student section of their website. He suggested I listen to some of the podcasts from the previous year\u2019s Student Pride to get some topic ideas. He also suggested I check out some of the NANCY podcasts<\/a> for a style reference.<\/p>\n

I also had a telephone conversation with Ian Elmslie during the weekend and he told me his publisher had expressed an interest in commissioning a \u2018talking\u2019 edition of his book but was unsure about budgets and therefore cost-effectiveness. I arranged to meet up with Ian the following Tuesday to discuss the matter further. In the meantime, I put together a draft proposal to show both him and his publisher, Ignite Books<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(part 2)<\/p>\n

On Tuesday 17th, back on campus, we were invited to share our ideas, thus far, with the rest of the class and any documentary evidence of pitch proposals.<\/p>\n

I had tracked down a selection of previous Student Pride podcasts to share with the class, alongside a link to some of the NANCY episodes. I had also sought out two current best selling autobiographical audiobooks to make an attempt at \u2018dramatising\u2019.<\/p>\n

The first was Robert Webb: How Not To Be A Boy<\/a>, the second was Matt Lucas: Little Me<\/a>. Both are read by the author, both have excerpts available online to listen to (and therefore record).<\/p>\n

After sharing information on what Gay Star News were looking for with regard to Student Pride podcast with the rest of the class it was time to show off my \u2018dramatisation\u2019 skills.<\/p>\n

I had recorded a short section of each book and then went about mixing in sound effects and other actuality over the passages I had obtained. This was to demonstrate how effective my proposed approach would be. I initially played the dry clips from the audiobooks, then followed these with my \u2018dramatisations\u2019. Here’s a playlist with the before and after of How Not To Be A Boy.<\/p>\n

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