Hospice Shop Volunteering

My friend Gemma mentioned the other day that our local Willow Wood hospice shop is having to shut early or not open at all due to lack of volunteers :(.  Now I've finished my A levels I have more time on my hands so I decided to get back into doing 'my bit' and helping out when I can.

I've not long finished this morning's shift, it was easy enough getting back into the swing of things - even though I haven't volunteered since last summer. It was a bit quiet and lonely today, not so many customers, so I tidied up and dusted then sorted through donations.  Not had a chance to do my favourite job yet - 'steaming', don't know why but everyone fights for their chance with the steamer... :o

I'm back in tomorrow, looking forward to it - plus Gemma works Saturday's.

The Fault in our Stars....sniff, sniff...

Finished reading John Green's 'The fault in our Stars'........pretty heartbreaking to say the least as it's about two teenagers who fall in love when they meet at a cancer support group.  So not to do things in half measures,my friends and I watched the film today, (nothing like a double dose of angst...) I won't give away the ending..... WAAaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

Needless to say I watched and evaluated 'The fault in our Stars' purely for media research - it had NOTHING to do with the main character 'Augustus Waters'....

Who am I kidding - Love you Ansel :) :), here's the film trailer - get the 'Kleenex' ready.

A2 Fine Art Exhibition

I went back into college yesterday to prepare some of my Unit 4 artwork for tonight's private Fine Art Exhibition.

Here's a couple of photographs displaying some of my 'Multiple Images' Fine Art final pieces.

As you can see my friend and model Gemma, features quite a lot in my work :).

The bottom piece of work is my 15 hour exam piece, featuring multiple images of Gemma.  Displayed in a 'Triptych' style, using acrylic paint and gold embossed metal sheeting -  inspired by the artist's Gustav Klimt and Alphonse Mucha.

Influenced by Renaissance and more modern imagery, I used adapted traditional and Photoshop digital techniques, plus some iPhone Applications, to help produce several interesting and unusual multiple image artworks.

Friday 13th - Salford Uni and Jeremy Kyle = Lucky for some :)

Today has been a very LONG but interesting day - spent entirely at Media City - Salford Quays.  I had to get up really early this morning and take the Metrolink from Piccadilly to Media City so I could be at Salford University for 9am.

I'd enrolled on their 'Create at Salford Festival 2014 - Enquirers and Applicants Discovery Day, together with their Television and Radio undergraduate course Taster Session'.  I was really lucky to grab the last taster session ticket as this was only for a limited number of applicants.

I was really excited and nervous to begin with but felt a little easier as the morning progressed with a tour of the uni's £2 million studios and their HUGE green screen.  'Ash' our tutor, let us familiarize ourselves with the cameras and other equipment, which I jumped at the chance to have a play with, then found out the camera's alone cost MANY tens of thousands of £'s!

Today's taster session was so much fun, giving me great insight to the types of equipment used in television production - something I'm unfamiliar with as having only just finished my 'Media Studies' A level course, the only equipment we used was a Canon camera - still made a great film trailer with this though :).

Trying hard not to be intimidated (the uni's television camera's are HUGE, but surprisingly quite easy to navigate), I'm glad I was 'hand's on' as it didn't take me long before I felt comfortable using the camera.  I only panned and zoomed in on a subject, but really happy I had a go, I had a great time :). 

The added bonus of this morning's taster session was meeting and chatting with tutors and staff plus like-minded potential applicants :).

After a quick lunch, it was time to queue for ITV's Jeremy Kyle show.  I couldn't believe how quickly I received 'first come first served' audience tickets - I only enquired  last week :).

The only drawback was having to queue in the ITV building for what seemed like hours.  My feet are still 'killing me'...  Thankfully we all got through the checkpoint to take part in the afternoon studio audience :) :).

The studio team took our group photograph for the Jeremy Kyle facebook page - I'm middle right with 'hands' in front of my face.

Before the show even started this studio experience was a real 'eye-opener'  I noticed there was a large production team, mostly younger people (Runner's I think) not much older than myself, who helped with general tasks such as greeting and showing everyone to their seats, health and safety making us aware of some of the equipment and wires, also warning us about the 'mikes' above our heads - so had to be careful what we said to one another.....(can hear everything :))  They encouraged us to laugh, cheer and boo if we felt like it during filming and took photographs to further make our experience more enjoyable and memorable.

There were lots of different types of camera, including a hidden one looking straight at the audience.  Several 'time served' camera operators - the only female one working the hidden camera.

After the 'warm up' jokes Jeremy came onto the studio floor - he's really easy going and very funny.

'Jezza' image taken from the Internet.

Jeremy then introduced and explained how he'd been working with a famous couple called the 'Speakmans' that morning and how they had used several techniques (to be shown on their forthcoming show on July 14th), to help him overcome his intense fear of spiders, other large insects and snakes.  We the audience were then shown some VT taken this morning, showing Jeremy diving across the other side of the stage when faced with the creepy crawlies etc.  We all laughed, it was funny watching Jeremy actually scared of something when he battles with people on a daily basis.....then the Speakmans were introduced onto the stage, followed by the spiders, creepy crawlies and snake.... I have to say not nice :(.  Eyes fixed on Jeremy, he didn't budge from the stage and was perfectly fine with holding the giant spider.  Something he couldn't have done without the help given earlier by the Speakmans.

Anyway to kick things off we were shown more VT announcing the Speakmans future show showing how they help many people trapped and burdened by their individual fears.  Next we, the audience, had to pretend that we had watched the earlier show and that there had been a break and the show was beginning again, so we had to stand, clap and cheer.  Then Jeremy did his usual 'signing off' speech.

Image taken from the internet.

This happened again when the show kicked off properly and Jeremy counselled/grilled the people who had come on the show to find answers to their problems.

It really interesting how the show is filmed in stages, not always flowing together, and how it's edited with clips showing the audience's reactions to Jeremy and the interviewee's with music and additional VT.  Seeing the show made is totally different to what you finally see on screen - I'd love to have a go at editing again, I find this part of programme making really creative and interesting.

Finally, I think the best part of today, apart from me being let loose with expensive camera equipment, was when Jeremy had his photograph taken with a lovely elderly lady from our studio audience, 'Ivy' - she was 93 and kept saying how much she 'loved him'........:)  (Ivy is front row centre on the above JK facebook page photograph :))

I've had a long but great day, my head is full of magic and my feet swollen but I've really enjoyed myself.  

Thank god for cups of tea!!!! Cure's everything :).

18 and Exams are over !!!!!!!!!!!

18 - Finally.......:)

A double celebration as now completed all my A level coursework and exams, plus no more college :) :) :).