What an interesting semester, so far in my learning I’d definitely say it was the greatest extent of collaboration I’ve been met with at university so far.

I felt that my performance in the studio, (for the final project at least) by design was not as intensive as I would have liked. By that I mean in that as Jordan was essentially DOP (Ellie and I were able to consult on ideal shots), Ellie did most (me and Jordan were also involved) of the edit, and we all worked on sound in the sense that we made sure it was all good. It meant that essentially my role, as this all-rounder extended to something like a production assistant, as I spent the time filling the gaps really.

This extends to but doesn’t just include

• making sure the edit was rendered
• ensuring the slightly tech stuff like the issue with the media server
• being the Vietnamese voice interviewer to get some extra interviews
• being part of the location and social actor scouting
• undertaking levels of research by engaging with members of the Vietnamese community in their native tongue

Like I don’t think I was being completely useless, but certainly in the scheme of things I feel like I had a bit more to offer and maybe learn within the context of the media production side of things. Especially as with our decision to not use a lapel mic essentially rendering one interview more or less useless (I thought it was a pretty good interview and talk) I think it goes to show that we probably had room to improve there with like sound. I certainly do feel like I did my bit, as much as it made sense to, which was good. I think one of the major things I wanted to stress, which I was able to stress was that I felt that it would be crucial for us to include the audio of the Vietnamese interviews in their original audio, as one thing that was discussed was providing a voiceover summary in English. I felt pretty firm about this due to the nature of the subject matter that we were broaching, about a Vietnamese market at the heart of the Vietnamese community, and this proved really important I feel once Long’s interview came along, which was maybe the best one. That one was facilitated through my desire to walk into the grocery around the corner, broaching the subject, which I feel like is something I really came to become more comfortable with this semester, making sure that I was okay with just being straight with strangers with what I wanted to achieve or what I wanted from them, and this facilitated some good film moments.

I think at my most inquisitive points as a sleuth was speaking in depth with members of the public and shop owners in Vietnamese and trying to find out more about the Little Saigon Market, as what we as a group all felt it was of the utmost importance that we could deliver a documentary that was focused more on the market and how it’s loss affected members of the community, rather than say the loss of the market, and the potentially suspicious nature of it all. My attempts to avoid this involved essentially asking in depth about what the market at the time offered, and how it now is. It was important to note that the Little Saigon Market was open essentially 7 days a week, which is something that Footscray Market does not have. It was also interesting to learn that locals of the West now drive to Springvale to do their groceries, something I learnt from my parents but an extension of what Long mentions in the film.

I think key insights I’ll take away from this is it really goes to show how synergistic a group of people can be when you’re all on the same page about intentions, but also how chaotic it can be before this synthesis is reached. I think I kind of threw Ellie under the bus by accident one of those weeks, and I hadn’t really considered I was broaching a sensitive thing, and I think we solved it pretty amicably once we came to, and we then made something really nice. We made the right decisions I think, like in the same way if you begin to write a draft and you change your mind about the idea that you have, with Gigi it seemed like interviewing her would not only take us a few steps in the wrong direction, we would also be strapped for time due to the time constraints that exist.

I think I could have definitely dome more in this studio, but really, if anyone goes into a studio, especially for this course, and leaves without feeling like the want to learn more, that to me would be so peculiar, because it seems so vital for us, to make sure that we continue to strive for our own personal development. One thing I’m slightly bummed about is that I feel like my idea for a documentary, one that concerned these obscure film locations, definitely possessed some sort of meat that would’ve been worth looking into if not making a project. I guess though, what that really means is that I just kind of have to do that on my own accord, with the knowledge that I’ve learnt here in this studio, in the future, which I feel like I certainly can.

what a wild week to end the semester! after doing this fill in, i watched this movie yesterday, and Etihad Stadium’s naming rights have been sold.. to DISNEY???!! — M A R V E L Stadium – atrocious, maybe they should change the name of the MCG to the DCG ….. it made me think of previous names of this place marking a different meaning every time

the movie was really cool because i think it made me think a lot more about how i want to make movies, something that was special about it was that so many of the shots kind of milked the fact that it was a film, and the construction of character could be stunted in this way that really benefited from the fact that it was a film – the film was called the Other Side of Hope and for instance this wild scene, bordering on dead pan slapstick in which the restaurant decides to opt for japanese food, made me laugh so much, because of the stark delivery of it all, especially the several dollops of wasabi in the mix, it was just such a good film.

What a way to close out the semester, I went to this show to close out Next Wave festival on Sunday, to see Lit Queens, then all of a sudden I received a phone call from Bec Hornsby to do a fill in for POCness, a really great radio show and I took it up!

It was funny because I was planning out my night, to do elaborate amounts of study to catch up on the tailend of this semester, but instead i just spent the entire night trying to work out what music I wanted to play on radio last night. It was really funny because I was so entranced in this obvious distraction. Something I feel like I’ve been spending a lot of time in this world where I listen actively to music to make sure if it suits the radio, so other purposes or something

Have you watched Paddington 2? It’s really good, i’ve watched it a couple times now and I reckon it’s just so abrasively wholesome, highly recommend it.

Anyway in the lead up to my Graveyard shift with Charlie I actually prepared by watching Paddington 2 in a slightly sleepy state. Good Morning was really great too! My friend’s dad played saxophone live on air. The Graveyard shift went really well I think too!! Me and Charlie were slightly too self-aggrandising, but apart from that it was really quite alright, can’t wait to do my next show, I think I’ll do one while I’m still here in Coburg, because they’ll probably be just so much better than the trek home after while in Elwood

It’s been an interesting active relationship I’ve had with Triple R since April, just over a year ago, filming videos, and recently broadcasting on air, and building my relationship with people working there, it’s been really exciting coming up for another Graveyard on Friday night, with my friend Charlie, who I also intern with at chapter music as well, I think it’s going to be really fun.

It’s slightly concerning though, last time I did a graveyard shift, I went to see Angel Olsen, and this time I am going to see Good Morning before, and I feel like it really isn’t that smart that I do this, but also I don’t think I know any other way, I hope it goes well !

i went to the first ever Essendon Bombers VFLW game at the home of football (Windy Hill) yesterday and it was pretty fun. I’d recently come to understand that the inner-north-west, like Moonee Ponds and Essendon connected so well with Brunswick and Coburg, like it’s so close, it was just a 10 minute drive. it was especially cool because it was undeniably a historic moment, but also was such a nice vibe seeing football again at this place that once was where the Essendon Bombers of the past used to play games, i remember when i was first starting to “barrack” for the “mozzies” I’d go to the library at my primary school and read these really old books from the 70s/80s/90s – whenever it was it was old – catered towards children, about the essendon bombers, and going to the Windy Hill to barrack for the team and see the BOMBERS FLY UP!

pretty cool i thin,k.

i also filmed the first ever goal.. unfortunately kicked in the third cos we got smashed

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/video/2018-04-30/essendon-vflw-team-song

sitting in class right now listening to this TEDxNew York talk regarding the topic we’ve heavily discussed in class, or at the very least has constantly been brought up, in gentrification, but it was intriguing because i’d just been discussing with my friend Zac about areas, or suburbs that we liked and didn’t like, and more or less the overarching issue wasn’t the matter of gentrification itself, in a way but more or less what occurs when it flows or happens to eventuate when the suburb stops being nice to live, theres an influx of expensive fusion food places that aren’t necessarily good, and a decline in food places that lends to its culture, and i guess this is an issue in areas that don’t already possess an preexisting culture that can supplement the gentrification that is occuring. like at the moment it is undeniable that Footscray and North Richmond is gentrifying, but i feel like that it is an area of vietnamese culture so it is not being diminished as a nice suburb as much as places with less existing culture, like Thornbury. Brunswick is kind of getting effected by the influx of gentrification in the midst of the culture, and coburg still can maintain this

gentrification as displacement

it’s interesting Sutton raises this because in the North as a hot spot for young people to rent, are starting to continue to move further north as the inner north and slightly more north are getting way too expensive meaning people are going to need to move to Reservoir and Broadmeadows

moving into a sublease tomorrow in coburg which i’m quite excited about as i have been saying, because it’s so lovely there, and it is a place that i am constantly being at, and have a, at least i think rather extensive understanding of coburg, i know where my favourite falafel is, i know where some cool night places are and i know my way around, its quite good

that said i’m really intrigued as to how this will all go, especially with my experience iwth my parents cos i spend so much time away from home anyway but now i’m literally not at home and i feel like my experiences with them will be more wholesome or something. cool.