09 May Craig Fergus – Audio Package Workbook
AUDIO PACKAGE WORKBOOK
WEEK 1: Today I was taught by Damien how to use the portable microphones that come with the iPod kit – because I done this, I can now rent out the equipment using Siso for my audio package.
WEEK 2: This week I began with three ideas for my audio package. These were young people vs. social media, alcohol dependency in students, and the lack of UK Undergraduates wanting to experience studying abroad. I have decided to go with the third option, because I think I can expand on that the most. I recently read an article about how there is a steady increase in the amount of American students studying overseas, so I can compare it to the decreasing number of British students and possibly look into why this is happening.
WEEK 3: This week I began research into the subject of my audio package. I am going to use the following two articles for my basis, as I found them very engaging; one is a report from November 2017 (consisting of all British students) and the other is a survey from late 2018 regarding only American students. I think it’s very interesting that British students are reluctant to leave the UK for their education, as opposed to more Americans wanting to travel for it.
WEEK 4: On February 22, I done a training session in the London Road radio studio. From this, I am now able to rent out the studio if I decide to record my audio package in there.
WEEK 5: This week I wrote the draft script for my audio package, however left out the parts where I will be speaking to other people because I have not figured out everyone who I am going to speak to. I’m going to try and include three vox pops, an expert opinion and an interview with someone who has experienced studying abroad first-hand. I also attempted to call several London Human Resources companies over the course of the week, but so far none have been able to speak to me. I wanted to speak to an employer about whether studying abroad actually makes a persons CV stand out.
WEEK 6: This week in class we learnt how to prepare for interviews, and wording a question to get the answer you want out of the person you are speaking to. I have contacted other HR companies in an attempt to get an interview for my audio package, but they all say they cannot give interviews for security reasons. Because of this, I have contacted the London South Bank University study abroad team, who I could ask if they have noticed a decrease in the amount of LSBU students showing interest in study abroad programmes.
WEEK 7: This week, I recorded the vox pops for my audio package around the LSBU campus, asking UK-national students if they are interested in doing an academic year or semester abroad. I recorded their answers using a microphone that I rented from Siso.
WEEK 8: I have arranged to interview Sophie, the coordinator for LSBU’s International Exchange Programme, this week – I am going to ask her questions regarding the statistics I seen in the report I found in week three, and also ask if she feels that the impending fate of Brexit is causing British students to feel reluctant to study internationally. (contact: studyabroad@lsbu.ac.uk)
WEEK 9: This week I have rented a microphone from Siso again, and recorded all of my own dialogue for the audio package. I also managed to get an interview with a student I know from Sunderland University, Jessica Peverley, that recently returned from an academic year abroad in North Bay, Canada. Although she loved her time abroad, since returning she has struggled to re-adjust to life back in the UK, and feels as though she does not want to return to university in September. Also, in class, we learnt about pod cuts and back announcements, and when to use them. (contact for Jessica Peverley: 07507630478)
WEEK 10: For the final week, I have edited my entire audio package together and ensured it met the criteria on Moodle. On Adobe Audition, I had to alter the sound levels for each clip so that they were all the same and some didn’t seem louder than the others. Also, I got royalty free music and sound effects from the website Bensound. Now, it is ready for submission alongside my VT package work. (Bensound Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music/track/jazzy-frenchy)
