Ready Camera One:

Reflecting on the works my studio did, I decided to talk about “Liar Liar” Pants on Fire! and Are You Smart, Even? In our studio, we learned about the surprisingly large umbrella known as multi-camera television productions and how to create, produce and develop them occasionally “Live”. We were given the freedom to experiment with the creative possibilities and tackle the challenges posed. 

Due to the size of productions, we were also able to participate in other groups’ work as crew or even cast. “Liar Liar” Pants on Fire! Was a game show, where participants were explicitly meant to answer questions wrongly. I was given the opportunity to participate as one of their contestants and from a participatory perspective, it showed me the challenges that “non-scripted” shows can have; participants laughing and going off, camera shots not panning out and having to retake and find contingencies. From a viewer’s perspective of the final product, I think that some of these challenges were apparent in the final product; graphics coming in slowly and some shots moving. 

Are You Smart, Even? Was a quiz show format falling into the comedic genre. I think this piece showed the creative possibilities of multi-camera productions; it expanded on a format that has been used time and time again but harnessed casting and creative direction to create a production that I genuinely think is one of a kind. It reminded me that these two factors are important parts of making media. 

 

Room With A View:

The other studio I’ll be engaging with is ‘Room with a View’. This studio’s goal was to explore the role of radio in a globalised media environment dominated by screens, to explore the forms and formats modern radio takes and to create compelling content for both “live” broadcast or streaming radio and on-demand listening. Groups from this studio hosted live shows each week on 3RRR, interviewing various profiles like Pearl Best, on her perspective of how Covid impacted education. I actually found the studio’s work rather interesting and enjoyed the conversations and topics showcased. Using only audio, they were able to create an environment that pulled you into the conversation. 

The two works that spoke to me the most were ‘Popping Kpop’ and ‘Tactile Citizen’. 

Popping Kpop – 

This radio feature was my favourite. I found it engaging and cohesive to listen to, I found myself hanging to the content wanting to know more about the world of K-pop dance crews in Melbourne. I really liked how they mixed in Kpop, I feel that this made it a joy to listen to. I feel like this piece managed to showcase an interview-style format in a compelling way.

Tactile Citizen –

I felt like I was there as Lucy took me on a journey through the City. However, I found this perspective to be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it was an immersive experience not only being brought along the journey, but it also felt like we were being put in their shoes for a day like an audio-only simulation of sorts. On the other hand, I did find myself confused for a good part of the feature about what I was supposed to be listening to until I read some of the comments on the SoundCloud recording. 

I liked how Tactile Citizen brought me into their work with how their “story/ interview” flowed and their use of audio mixing to create an immersive soundscape. I especially appreciated the use of environmental background noise while Lucy was talking. I think this group’s feature did exceptionally well harnessing its medium to educate and bring light to issues and challenges faced by the vision-impaired community. 

I think overall watching the works from ‘Room with a View’ really changed my perception of what it means to create for radio as a medium. It reminded me of how one of the best parts of radio is feeling like you are there; not just as a spectator watching, but as part of the conversation.