Does it ever make you nervous to think too far ahead? To
think about all the things that could go wrong, the things that may succeed and
the things that will need more planning? Just thinking about our community partnership
and how it will end up, come June, makes me panic slightly. I’m panicking
because the team of four radio students- BK, Mike, Steve and I- will dwindle to
only me. I panic because the Upstarters might not know as much as I hope they
will, and can we keep this group of six Upstarters interested in the project
for the entire year? Panic as I may, there still is hope. That hope is in the
success of this week.
Wednesday arrived this week, as Wednesdays do and I found
myself less stressed and dealing mainly with the smaller details required to
kick the Upstart radio project into action. All my planning and delegating had
finally paid off as BK took the reins and prepped for the workshop. She covered
interviewing skills again and began looking into scripting for radio.
The highlight of the workshop was when we grouped the
Upstarters into threes and got them to interview Jeanne duToit (our fourth year
radio lecturer) and Jude Mathurine (the fourth year new media lecturer). I was
as nervous, if not terrified about how Jude and Jeanne would treat the
‘newbies’. Jude somewhat lived up to my expectations, making it quite difficult
for Roche’, Anesipho and Ziphozihle while they tried to interview him. When I
say difficult, I mean: he took FOREVER to settle down, went off course with the
questions, analysed their questions a little too harshly and then gave a
mini-lecture after the interview. I felt sorry for my Upstarters and wanted to
get them out of there ASAP! But hey, I suppose they learnt something from that-
life doesn’t have any rehearsals.
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Saturday’s show saw Roche’ and Thobani on the airwaves for
the first time. Roche’ couldn’t even write his script he was so panicked! But
the show went off well as our anchor Xoliswa was there this time and his
interaction with the six was great! They read their re-written Upstart scripts on air and then after a
break, we posed the question to them: “If you were Mayor for a day, what would
you do/change?” We had answers ranging from Roche’ wanting skating parks, to
Thobani wanting all Upstarters to get free Blackberries. Issues we could delve
into in later shows? I’m sure we could work on it- or rather raise some
interesting debate about some of these and more in-depth issues these
Upstarters face. The four girls were very relaxed this time round.
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As the Upstarters become more acquainted with the fourth
year radio students, the anchors, studios, equipment and idea of the community
partnership, I am getting the feeling that they are also starting to open up.
With them becoming more comfortable with us and each other, the potential for
interesting and solid show ideas/topics will start to flow. Currently we are
driving the ‘show bicycle’, but by second term, I want to see us (Mike, Steve,
BK and I) holding one handle bar and Sinovuyo, Thobani, Ziphozihle, Roche’,
Anesipho and Anelisa holding the other bar. Come June, I want them to be
holding the bars and breaks, while I help them steer the bike and apply brake
pressure when needed. It is not a distant goal at all and that makes me panic
even more! But one thing at a time- or in keeping with my bicycle analogies,
one grip at a time.
Once the Upstarters have taken over from the radio kids, I
would like for the show to sound or at least contain elements of the Upstarters
with a hint of the radio students. I see a jingle being produced with their
voices running throughout and a few stings to identify the Upstart slot on the Yung
Amplified show. I want the show to be an honest, fresh, and prepared
segment that reflects these youngsters’ personalities. Last night (Saturday),
my friends and I were chatting about Carlie and Sade’ from Yo-TV in our younger
days. We all knew who these two presenters were as we watched the show
religiously, entered all the competitions and played all the games daily. I
want our Upstart show to be as
interactive, and as familiar to the Grahamstown youth as that show was to me.
It will take time, but it will happen!
How will they be able to produce a show like this? I’m still
working on that answer but I know that, they will at least have all the skills
in place to record, edit, interview and produce content for a show of this type
by June. The trying periods will be the vacation times- as they will have to
run their hour slot without us there. That crash course will prepare them for
what may or may not come and how to deal with it as a team. Let’s hope that
experience is a good one- I’ll keep you posted in the meantime though.
Nadia
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