Key Moments of WBL

Kinky & Quirky - Placement out of the Blue!

For me, this placement really showed me at my best. It forced me to think quickly and adapt to the situation as it changed. I had no prior warning of this placement, but I took the opportunity to grab it with both hands. I am perhaps most proud of the fact that I did myself justice. I have always prided myself on my professionalism and determination when I am working. The moment I accepted the offer of a placement I proved that my skills come naturally now, not through prior preparation or planning.

This placement also showed my enthusiasm to work. I prided myself on sacrificing a day off to gain experience in an area which I have not explored before, as well as trying to give a good name for myself in the hope of possible further experience and work in the future.

In conclusion, this moment really confirmed my commitment to gaining experience in the greater world of work and of the arts. While stewarding may not match the glamour of the stage itself, it is none-the-less an important part of the arts industry. By gaining experience now, it will benefit both my employability and my understanding of the workings of the arts industry at large.


Sharpham Barton Children's Workshops - No pleasure without pain...

As I drove home after the first day of workshops, I honestly thought about how much I don't like working with children. It has always been somewhat of a weakness of mine. I have never been brilliant with young children. Below a certain age, I just don't seem to be able to deal with their needs effectively. This was part of the reason I took on this placement. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but it was a chance to learn.

Amy could see that I was having something of a moral dilemma over the placement. She kindly said that I didn't have to come back if I didn't want to. However, I knew that I had to see this through, mostly to prove to myself that I could do it and partly so as not to let Amy and Sandy down.

By going back the next day, it really showed my commitment and maturity to my work. As far as the module is concerned, I definitely confirmed my commitment to learning new skills and bettering myself as a person. I identified my weakness and pushed myself to overcome it. By seeing the placement through to completion, I got a real sense of accomplishment that I am truly proud of.

Deadmoor - Who says work was boring?

I have always said that a career in the arts makes for one of the most enjoyable ways to earn a living. This project really sums that statement up. It was the second night of filming. A late night and a very long day had lead us up to the filming of the last major scenes. We huddled around the fire with the cold weather laying a thin blanket of snow across the moors outside. The fire was burning low. Someone asked me to re-light the fire. The song lyric fell straight out of my mouth, just as the director standing behind me did the exact same thing. It was in that moment that I truly appreciated the joys of working on a project with friends. What other profession can you claim to have such a good relationship with your colleagues. In an ideal situation, you could argue that you are being paid to do what you love!

In reality, the hours are long and the stress does get to you from time to time. However, it has always been an objective of mine in any placement to enjoy myself. The moment really cemented for me how important this really is. Laughing gives you such an emotional boost which is critical when mustering your energy for the final push to finish. If I was ever in doubt about my career, this moment did much to convince me that a career doing what I love seemed like a good choice to me!

Films Films Films (and Plays)

A still from MacBeth

On top of all of the various placements I have had over the last few months, I have also been keeping VERY busy with filming with the 2nd Year Creative Digital Media students.

It all started back in October when we were offered a chance to act in a film project on Dartmoor. The film was a classic Zombie film called "Deadmoor". The CDM students wrote the script, but needed actors to bring it to life. So we were given the chance to play the roles. It was a fantastic experience and we made great friends over the 3 days of filming.

It was from making these connections that I was given the chance to act again in 2 of their Final Major Projects. Firstly, we took part in the filming of the music video "Deity" for Kirsty Anne Symonds, which involved dressing up as futuristic soldiers and marching through the woods near Brixham. All the filming was done over 2 days with an interesting cast and crew

More recently, I have just finished filming "Betrayal" for Richard de Young. This involved a trip to a cow-filled field in the country, a trip to the Drum Inn at Cockington, two trips to the cliffs at Babbacombe and also a day in Richard's home in Buckfastleigh. This project was much bigger that "Deity", but the end product shows the divedends of the hard work from the team.

I was also involved in another CDM project (albeit only as a chauffeur!). This was the film "Justice in Hollywood", a black-and-white 50's American film shot entirely on Green-Screen and in the recording studios of Wildcard Production Studios (courtesey of Mike "Whisky" Gartley). Despite not being involved directly, it was great to see something being shot on green-screen first hand!

In between all this, we have had a run of "Bouncers" and a performance of "Sink the Belgrano!" to work on. Chris and I have also had our successful workshops for Small Scale Touring building on our initial workshop last year. There is talk of reviving the workshop to take out to local businesses!

Most importantly (and most time-consuming) was my Final Major Project - The Interactive Locative Narrative project run in partnership with Emma Whittaker. My role of writing the script and recording the audio ran alongside a continual involvement in the project for over 3 months.

So its been a busy year to say the least, but I have certainly benefited from all the new experiences, professional or otherwise. I am now more convinced than ever that a career in the arts is the right career for me!

I will turn my hand to anything!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkGXMnEZDo0 - Blooper Reel from "Betrayal"

Ruby Slipper's Retro Romp - Stewarding 01-04-2011

“Kinky & Quirky’s burlesque nights are a breath of fresh air, a night of fabulous entertainment which appeals to people from all walks of life. Beautiful and talented performers, great music, all wrapped up in a friendly fun atmosphere which makes K&Q the best night of the month on my calendar!”

(Quoted from http://www.kinkyandquirky.com, 2009)

This particular work-based learning experience happened by chance more than anything!

The 3-day Retro Romp event run by the Burlesque company "Kinky & Quirky" had just started in Club Rainbow, Torquay. I had heard about it and was very interested in going to see the stalls, so I dressed in my suit and bright red waistcoat and took Claire (a First Year who has worked for K&Q before) down at 11am to start her days stewarding.

When we arrived, we were greeted by Sarah Bell who runs the company with her husband. She cheerfully explained the layout of the stalls and the structure of the day. Claire went and took her place behind the counter ready to take the £1 entrance fee.

Sarah gave a cheery smile and said "So you are both OK to work today?"

I looked over at Claire. I have never been one to pass up on an impromptu work placement. Either that or I was too polite to say no. So as I had nothing on that day, I took off my jacket and got to work!

On reflection, it was both an enjoyable and an informative work placement. Although I had no chance beforehand to agree on and Aims & Objectives, I have an idea of what I wanted to achieve based on my first impressions of the day and for my peers who have had similar stewarding experience.



Aim:

To fulfil my role as a Steward and Front of House for the "Kinky & Quirky" Retro Romp event

Objectives:

-To familiarize myself with the layout of the venue (to include Fire Exits, Toilets, Smoking Areas, First Aid etc.)
-To introduce myself to the other staff and owners
-To clarify my duties within my role
-To always be polite and helpful when dealing with customers and fellow staff

Despite this placement being sprung upon me, I still treated it as professionally and as seriously as I have done for all my other placements. My first objective required me to explore the layout of the event, which was spread over 2 floors. When I arrived, the event was just starting and was as such pretty quiet. I took the opportunity to survey the area, making a note of the major stalls, the location of the exits, toilets and refreshment areas. I also took posters and menus from the relevant places to display by the entrance to show potential visitors. This reconnaissance trip made me more confident in dealing with the queries of the customers, which in turn allowed me to come across as more professional.

The event owners Mark and Sarah were busy dashing around all day. I offered my services to them whenever they passed, insisting that they ask my help whenever it was required. I feel that it is always important to give a good impression of yourself to your employers. Although there was little time for small-talk, I feel I achieved my objective by making myself known and making myself available for service.

As part of my introductions, I took the opportunity to clarify my duties. I was told that it mostly involved taking money at the entrance desk and explaining to visitors what the event was about. I was also to act as an information point to direct customers to the toilets or to a specific stall. By clarifying my roles, I felt I was better prepared to deal with the customers. This allowed me to focus more on my professionalism in my role. I always pride myself on my professional and diligent attitude when undertaking a role, and I feel that this showed through due to my knowledge of my role.

The final objective relies heavily on the achievement of the previous objectives. As I felt confident in knowing what my job is, I feel much happier with myself. This naturally passes on the customers, who will have hoped to receive a confident and useful service from the staff at the venue. My years of having parents who work from home has allowed me to develop my “telephone voice” when dealing with potential clients. This plays in my favour in a situation like this, showing its worth as a transferable and desirable skill. As I have said in previous evaluations, enjoying your job is crucial when dealing with the public. Laughter is, after all, highly contagious!