tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10613954689928365272024-03-12T21:11:01.713-07:00Jodie Shepherd Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-85039916861725308762021-08-07T07:35:00.008-07:002022-07-05T11:34:58.774-07:00IGEM (Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6lUuRMBYnjQr_NkMeFnsMRCBrNMKehEDmfOBglGYZZcvb7uXz2ZQA4Bnw-pxv_LiY8pWED2cwbncxDM61S59bmtPG3BVaN8QJS_e8EElMtQUHKAAvdxxmRWOlPsi5HS3QC_jL_zy0tQ/s225/images.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6lUuRMBYnjQr_NkMeFnsMRCBrNMKehEDmfOBglGYZZcvb7uXz2ZQA4Bnw-pxv_LiY8pWED2cwbncxDM61S59bmtPG3BVaN8QJS_e8EElMtQUHKAAvdxxmRWOlPsi5HS3QC_jL_zy0tQ/s0/images.png" width="225" /></a></div>I currently work at IGEM (Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers). My role as Marketing Assistant involves a significant amount of copywriting and content creation for social media, IGEM's website, weekly e-newsletters and for IGEM's journal, <i>Gas International (Gi)</i> and supplement publications, for example. I also am the editor and project lead on IGEM's new supplement publication, <i>Gas Utilisation (Gu) </i>- for which I received an IGEM Spot Award. Below, you can find a selection of examples of work from my evolving IGEM portfolio. <p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Online content:</b></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/about-us/annual-report-accounts/">Annual Review 2020</a> (download the PDF from the IGEM website)</p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/about-us/annual-report-accounts/" target="_blank">Annual Review 2021</a> (download the PDF from the IGEM website)</p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/member-manager/spotlight-on-women-in-gas/" target="_blank">Spotlight on... women in gas | Laura-Lee Oxley case study</a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/engineering-technician-member-engtech/spotlight-on-engtechs/" target="_blank">Spotlight on EngTechs | Karl Shipp case study</a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/engineering-technician-member-engtech/spotlight-on-engtechs-/" target="_blank">Spotlight on EngTechs | Sarah Parker case study </a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/fellow/spotlight-on-gas-safety/" target="_blank">Spotlight on Gas Safety | John Stirling case study</a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/incorporated-member-ieng/spotlight-on-gas-safety/" target="_blank">Spotlight on Gas Safety | Martin Garbutt case study </a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/incorporated-member-ieng/spotlight-on-gas-safety-craig-ross/" target="_blank">Spotlight on Gas Safety | Craig Ross case study</a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/engineering-associate/spotlight-on-apprenticeships/" target="_blank">Spotlight on Apprenticeships | Craig Thomas case study</a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/engineering-technician-member-engtech/spotlight-on-engtechs-tom-donnelly/" target="_blank">Spotlight on EngTechs | Tom Donnelly case study</a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/engineering-technician-member-engtech/spotlight-on-engtechs-andrew-simcoe/" target="_blank">Spotlight on EngTechs | Andrew Simcoe case study</a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/engineering-technician-member-engtech/spotlight-on-engtechs-adam-madgett/" target="_blank">Spotlight on EngTechs | Adam Madgett case study </a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/engineering-technician-member-engtech/spotlight-on-engtechs-michael-smith/">Spotlight on EngTechs | Michael Smith case study </a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/engineering-technician-member-engtech/spotlight-on-engtechs-marc-owen/" target="_blank">Spotlight on EngTechs | Marc Owen case study</a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/engineering-technician-member-engtech/spotlight-on-engtechs-phil-davies/" target="_blank">Spotlight on EngTechs | Phil Davies case study</a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/engineering-technician-member-engtech/spotlight-on-engtechs-lance-newhouse/" target="_blank">Spotlight on EngTechs | Lance Newhouse case study</a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/engineering-technician-member-engtech/spotlight-on-engtechs-nico-ross/" target="_blank">Spotlight on EngTechs | Nico Ross case study</a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/graduate-member/spotlight-on-women-in-gas-emma-mcquiggan/" target="_blank">Spotlight on women in gas | Emma McQuiggan case study</a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/management-associate/spotlight-on-women-in-gas-alex-pender/" target="_blank">Spotlight on women in gas | Alex Pender case study </a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/incorporated-member-ieng/spotlight-on-engtechs-ryan-mallin/" target="_blank">Spotlight on EngTechs | Ryan Mallin case study </a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/membership/which-grade/member-manager/spotlight-on-women-in-gas-mumtaz-patel/" target="_blank">Spotlight on women in gas | Mumtaz Patel case study </a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/news-and-publications/igem-news/inwed-2022-alexandra-brightman-hydrogen-home-co-ordinator-northern-gas-networks/" target="_blank">INWED 2022 | Alexandra Brightman </a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/news-and-publications/igem-news/inwed-2022-karen-sloan-managing-director-of-heating-and-compliance-liberty/" target="_blank">INWED 2022 | Karen Sloan </a></p><p><a href="https://www.igem.org.uk/news-and-publications/igem-news/inwed-2022-stella-matthews-hydrogen-development-manager-northern-gas-networks/" target="_blank">INWED 2022 | Stella Matthews </a></p><p><br /></p><p><b><i>Gas International (Gi)</i></b></p><p>Please <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PyydFML3z2AfteburcDc8Bqv9mfe34Yz?usp=sharing" target="_blank">click here</a> to view PDF examples of my work from <i>Gi</i></p><p><br /></p><p><b><i>Gas Utilisation (Gu) </i></b></p><p>Please <a href="https://igem.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c45ba34bfa70ab354178ff875&id=c0db7fd5cc" target="_blank">click here</a> to download your free copy of the first edition of <i>Gu</i></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtnFOHKPnNqX3s7tCljUDISpGQLLzyllvwfdnqo8ZILTjRGxK3mfkvVVtMWO-xwPpmN603ahe7O1EDli-5nbF9dmqMZLtN7C7FRMZ99lm4tYrzlVVwyCiwTqivp2YF59VU_7hZLLzcIV3RfLvRMP-cvDTaf0xoIL8DVMxpEuQliuOWUQgH_omLmGH1=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtnFOHKPnNqX3s7tCljUDISpGQLLzyllvwfdnqo8ZILTjRGxK3mfkvVVtMWO-xwPpmN603ahe7O1EDli-5nbF9dmqMZLtN7C7FRMZ99lm4tYrzlVVwyCiwTqivp2YF59VU_7hZLLzcIV3RfLvRMP-cvDTaf0xoIL8DVMxpEuQliuOWUQgH_omLmGH1=s16000" /></a></div><br /><i><br /></i><p></p>Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-89461752006014184572021-01-06T12:02:00.003-08:002021-01-06T12:02:46.604-08:00Sustainable fashion: the biggest myth of all?<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my final assessments at university was the individual project. We were given a choice of format for the project and I chose to produce an extended multimedia investigative piece using Shorthand.com, looking into whether fashion can ever truly be sustainable. Below is the introduction to my piece, <i style="font-weight: bold;">Sustainable fashion: the biggest myth of all?</i>:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3K2zAf_-SilBZ-iuYx4b7rbCX0kwMYWdfsjNVKyFvbHMAd-hWhVaW4JT0scxkLbhu7Nm1XOEC5ZUi88yFqSQOH20gp1hmWUzTaGPY8fcyU8ac4UfI0tPcJlEw_Jv15jofW4fhAHvk_xw/s1261/sustainable+fash.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="1261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3K2zAf_-SilBZ-iuYx4b7rbCX0kwMYWdfsjNVKyFvbHMAd-hWhVaW4JT0scxkLbhu7Nm1XOEC5ZUi88yFqSQOH20gp1hmWUzTaGPY8fcyU8ac4UfI0tPcJlEw_Jv15jofW4fhAHvk_xw/s16000/sustainable+fash.png" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In fashion, trends come and go but there’s one trend from recent years that appears to be sticking: sustainability. The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world and, according to a United Nations study, the industry is responsible for around 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, 20 percent of all waste water <i>and </i>consumes more energy than the airline and shipping industries combined. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With this being said, it’s quite right that sustainability has quickly become one of the most important buzzwords in both mainstream society and the fashion industry. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The industry has been long problematic in terms of its effect on the climate and, with the growth of ‘fast fashion’ (cheap, trendy clothing that copies styles from the catwalk and celebrity culture and is quickly pumped through stores to maximise on current trends), the problems don’t seem to be going anywhere soon. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In fact, if it’s business as usual for the fashion industry, the clothing industry’s climate impact is – according to the Global Fashion Agenda - projected to increase by 49 percent by 2030 and, by 2050, the industry will be responsible for 25 percent of the world’s carbon consumption. So, understandably, there have been loud and consistent calls for change but, can fashion ever <i>really</i> be sustainable? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><strike style="border: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.6000000238418579px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></strike></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><strike style="border: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.6000000238418579px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></strike></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.6000000238418579px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To read the rest of my piece, you can go to the <a href="https://westminsterworld.shorthandstories.com/sustainable-fashion--the-biggest-myth-of-all--/index.html">Westminster World Shorthand site</a>. </span></span></p>Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-45419459584613321992020-08-03T13:34:00.052-07:002020-08-03T13:53:00.845-07:00To swipe or not to swipe: gender differences in the compilation of online dating profiles<div>One of the requirements of my BA (Hons) Journalism degree at the University of Westminster was to produce either a 4,000 word extended essay or 8,000 word dissertation on a media related topic of our choosing. Being a secret lover of theory modules and essays, I opted for the dissertation choice and chose gender representation in online dating as my topic area. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0rLW1CS9TF5gi0GvGVRB2ZluVaWdOORpDuGB4auRUyY2947Z7L6efcrw8xxSE_rDE6Rbi6WJab9TY3VW5LjRj3YtGnDmqj-EPTXLxhOKc3lS_HfMU_a4HXKG9J1d98mkDWExt64drqbk/s1067/0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0rLW1CS9TF5gi0GvGVRB2ZluVaWdOORpDuGB4auRUyY2947Z7L6efcrw8xxSE_rDE6Rbi6WJab9TY3VW5LjRj3YtGnDmqj-EPTXLxhOKc3lS_HfMU_a4HXKG9J1d98mkDWExt64drqbk/w750-h1000/0.jpeg" width="750" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Below is the introduction to my dissertation: <i style="font-weight: bold;">To Swipe or not to swipe: gender differences in the compilation of online dating profiles</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div><h3 align="center" style="break-after: avoid; color: #1f3763; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 2pt 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><font face="inherit"><a name="_Toc38454479"></a><a name="_Toc37170686"></a><b><u><span style="color: black; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">1 – Introduction</span></u></b><b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></font></h3><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;"><font face="inherit"> </font></span></u></b></p><h3 style="break-after: avoid; color: #1f3763; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 2pt 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit"><a name="_Toc38454480"><b><span style="color: black;">1.1 – Background</span></b></a><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></font></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><font face="inherit"> </font></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit">Online dating has become perhaps one of the most popular developments in mainstream society in recent years. The first online dating site, Match.com was launched in 1993 by Gary Kremen and Peng Tsin (Matthews, 2018) and there’s been huge growth in the online dating industry since. In fact, in 2019, Statista published figures that showed there were 39.7 million paying online dating users and over 180.04 million non-paying users (Statista, 2019). <o:p></o:p></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit"> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit">While Match.com may have been the first dating site, there’s no doubt that it’s lost its crown to Tinder – which is now arguably the most popular dating site or app. A SimpleTexting survey of 1,000 Americans found that the most popular dating app, especially for millennials and men, is Tinder (SimpleTexting, date not known). <o:p></o:p></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit"> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit">Founded in 2012, in Los Angeles (Hartmans, 2018), Tinder is now a global platform and its success is worlds away from its original target audience of college students. Within two months of its original launch, Tinder had over one million matches (Hartmans, 2018); in 2014, ‘Tinder was processing one billion swipes per day’ (Iqbal, 2019) and, by 2018, this number had risen to 1.6 billion (Iqbal, 2019). Today, Tinder has a reach in over 190 countries, boasts two billion views per day, over 30 billion total matches and one million dates per week (Tinder, date not known). Additionally, the average Tinder user logs into the app four times a day and there are over 4 million subscribers to the premium packages offered by Tinder: Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold (Iqbal, 2019). <o:p></o:p></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit"> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit">There’s no denying the popularity of the app but what is perhaps most surprising is the success it has experienced in reaching users of various age groups. A study by We Are Flint, found that the user base of Tinder was made up of 27% aged 18-24, 28% aged 25-34, 15% aged 35-44 while 4% were between the ages of 45 and 54, and 2% were aged 55-64. Perhaps less surprisingly, 0% of users were over the age of 65 (We Are Flint, 2018). <o:p></o:p></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><font face="inherit"> </font></b></p><h3 style="break-after: avoid; color: #1f3763; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 2pt 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="color: black;"><font face="inherit"> </font></span></b></h3><h3 style="break-after: avoid; color: #1f3763; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 2pt 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit"><a name="_Toc38454481"><b><span style="color: black;">1.2 - Goals and Aims</span></b></a><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></font></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><font face="inherit"> </font></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit">Tinder works on the basis that it is a requirement, upon account creation, for users to compile their own profiles and hence users have complete control over the ways in which they choose to present themselves on the app. Due to the increasing popularity of dating apps – more specifically – Tinder and, by its nature, the need for self-representation, the main research question for this dissertation is therefore: <o:p></o:p></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit"> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit">‘To what extent is there a gender difference in self-representation in dating profiles on Tinder?’ <o:p></o:p></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit"> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit">The initial hypothesis of the researcher is that male users of Tinder will use more thorough self-representations, with ‘fuller’ profiles and there will be more detailed descriptions of who they are and what they are looking for on the app within their profiles, while female profiles will be more image-based and less detailed in the text elements of the profile. This hypothesis has been formed partially from the researcher’s own prior experience and knowledge of Tinder but, more so, the research and findings from the literature review. <o:p></o:p></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><font face="inherit"> </font></b></p><h3 style="break-after: avoid; color: #1f3763; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 2pt 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit"><a name="_Toc38454482"><b><span style="color: black;">1.3 - Overview</span></b></a><b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></font></h3><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><font face="inherit"> </font></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit">Chapter two of this dissertation begins with the literature review – which introduces the primary areas of study which link to the topic of this dissertation. The chapter explores pre-existing literature and studies in the area of identity, self-presentation, misrepresentation and gender – discussing all separately – both in relation to the basic areas and in terms of social media and online dating behaviours and experiences - and then linking areas together. Theorists and scholars mentioned in this chapter include Goffman, Giddens, Ellison et al, Hall et al, Davis and Mulvey. <o:p></o:p></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit"> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit">Chapter three focuses on the methodology of this research – offering a summary of the background of content analysis, definitions, advantages, potential limitations and justification for the usage of said method for this research. The chapter then identifies three smaller research questions in order to better answer the proposed main research question and then discusses the sampling methods, codings and rules for the research – the latter two being available in full in the appendices. <o:p></o:p></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit"> </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit">Chapter four analyses the findings of the research and discusses them – especially in relation to the previously discussed literature (chapter two). Finally, chapter five offers a conclusion to the research, attempting to answer the main research question. </font><font face="Times, serif"><o:p></o:p></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><font face="inherit"><br /></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><strike> </strike></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><strike><br /></strike></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">I thoroughly enjoyed the dissertation process and was over the moon to have received a first for my work. I found the project to be incredibly fascinating and that it opened my mind and sparked my interest in a number of areas that I perhaps hadn't considered previously. It is definitely one of my favourite pieces of work from my time at the university and also one that I am most proud of. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">If you are interested in reading the entirety of my dissertation, please do contact me and I can arrange for you to receive a copy. </p></div>Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-51791801734520410262020-02-19T08:23:00.002-08:002020-02-19T08:23:29.857-08:00Matthew Bracey: the neon prodigy shining bright in the industry <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">If you look at any recently-published guide of things to in London, there’s a pretty high chance that God’s Own Junkyard will be on there. It’s a family business involving all things neon and wonderful; in fact, the studio is home to the largest collection of neon in Europe and has fans and visitors from all over the globe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">God's Own Junkyard</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Matthew Bracey is one of the curators of the Instagram hotspot, a neon light artist and electrical lighting engineer, amongst an abundance of other things. ‘Giving an exact explanation of my role is really difficult, but I would say lead company representative, artist, designer, think tank, inventor, bean counter and problem solver. If I can’t fix it, it cannot be fixed’, he says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Matthew has been with neon – and the family business that is God’s Own Junkyard – for nearly all of his life. The 43-year-old is the middle son of the late Chris Bracey – perhaps more widely known as ‘the Neon Man’ – and has dedicated his life to continuing his father’s legacy on a day-to-day basis; ‘my dad was always getting me involved with making the signs as a boy and this continued through my teenage years and now as an adult. Neon is in my blood’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Image courtesy of Matthew Bracey.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">It’s clear not only from speaking to Matthew, but even from just a quick viewing of Matthew’s Instagram profile that he genuinely loves what he does, and this passion shines through even more when listening to him speak about his work, but about his family too. He’s quite clearly proud of the family and what they’ve accomplished through the years, but his favourite thing about God’s Own Junkyard being a family business is ‘handing the torch down through the generations and building something that will be cherished and live on with each new generation’. It’s re-telling the history and the family story, and that’s something that is loved by so many people. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">‘Chris Bracey was a legend, and still is. He was unique and has left so much for people to enjoy for years to come. As a family, we will continue his legacy – and that’s something I think is better done with true neon in our blood’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Image courtesy of Matthew Bracey. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Similar to the life of his father, a day in the life of Matthew Bracey varies massively on a day-to-day basis, but there’s a much-needed reliance on consistency when it comes to the process of creating neon signs. ‘Glass bending is a profession that is handed down from father to son, so a cottage industry really’, Matthew tells me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">‘The process starts with the design and, next, it’s picking the colour – neon or argon gas or adding powder to create different fluorescent colours. Selecting the right diameter glass canes or glass tubing to correctly match the font or artwork is a key point – there’s a choice between 8 to 25mm diameters; if you get this wrong, it’s the difference between what looks like a badly heavy hand-drawn word from crayons, or flowing, beautiful, skilful neon art’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Something that Matthew repeatedly emphasises is the importance of preparation – especially when it comes to making sure he has a full-size reverse glass drawing for the piece. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Once the bulk of the preparation is done, it’s time for the technical side and this is where concerns are often raised – ‘every glass bender’s main concern is a collapsed glass tube - you’re 80% of the way through a perfect piece of neon glass with intricate bends and the tube collapses. Hours of work down the drain and the specialised materials wasted’. But once you’ve overcome that hurdle, Matthew makes it seem like smooth sailing – circuits are completed and painting and assembling is finalised. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">To someone like me, the process is complicated and confusing – to Matthew, it’s everyday life and a lifestyle and listening to him talk about it conveys two things: his passion, but also his amazement of his craft – ‘the process has not changed in over 100 years, yet it still remains one of the most eye-catching forms of signage’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">With an endless list of projects and commissions, Matthew’s collection of stories is equally as long. His favourite? ‘The movie: Mission Impossible 1. I was a teenage lad and the family was stretched across three different movie productions at Pinewood Studios and Elstree Studios. I was alone as the head neon engineer on Mission Impossible with Tom Cruise’, he says. ‘Tom was propelling down a 50-inch shaft from a ventilation shaft above. I was asked to create lasers in the ventilation that Tom Cruise had to bypass. This was a huge moment for me and, luckily, I had a full arsenal of neon tubes on the van and came up with a zig-zag laser idea. While Tom Cruise was cutting the laser security and then propelling down, I was above him in the ventilation system, setting up for the next take. Advising about neon lighting in my late teens on Hollywood blockbusters like that… it felt incredible’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Matthew tells me that he thinks being surrounded in colour, at a place like God’s Own Junkyard, improves your mood; his father used to say that colour should be put on prescription. And I think they’re onto something. There’s a reason that neon, and God’s Own Junkyard are doing so well, and are so popular. Ultimately, it comes down to the passion, emotion and feelings of those behind the creations. Matthew’s creations are vibrant, exciting and not easy to ignore – and the man himself is the epitome of his work. </span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-49777673215928096462020-02-19T08:00:00.002-08:002020-02-19T08:00:25.147-08:00Soho Cinders: rags to riches, with a twist <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Following its 2012 premiere and 2016 revival, Stiles and Drewe’s <i>Soho Cinders </i>makes its return to London’s stage with a two-month long run at the Charing Cross Theatre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Set in Soho’s Old Compton Street, the show follows Robbie (Luke Bayer of <i>Everybody’s Talking About Jamie</i>) in a tale of love, politics, drama and scandal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Robbie is poor, working at his late mother’s laundrette and living in a flat with his step-sisters. Life is certainly a struggle for Robbie but his problems get worse when he becomes romantically involved with the show’s Prince Charming - James Prince - who is both engaged and a candidate running for London Mayor. Things are complicated, to say the least, and the media storm that follows the reveal of their secret affair could ruin everything. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Luke Bayer is wonderful as Robbie. He is charming, sweet and, quite frankly, a delight – someone to really root for. His performance of ‘They Don’t Make Glass Slippers’ is moving, emotional and simply captivating. The relationship between Robbie and Velcro (Millie O’Connell of <i>Six</i>) is perfectly captured between the two actors; the chemistry between the pair is arguably one of the characteristics making the show as enjoyable as it is. Chemistry aside, O’Connell puts on a stellar performance as Velcro – perfectly capturing her quirky attitude and witty, sarcastic humour. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Natalie Harman and Michaela Stern (who also co-produces the show) really stand out with their reprised performances as Robbie’s ‘ugly’ step-sisters, Clodagh and Dana. Having previously starred in the show, the two have perfected the hilariously funny nature of the sisters’ attitudes. With tragic dirty dance moves, cheap humour and vulgar jokes and innuendos, the portrayal is top notch; and their performance of the ever-relatable ‘I’m So Over Men’ is quite possibly the best musical number in the show. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Overall, the show is a perfect combination of elements – the traditional rags to riches story, with a twist. It’s nice to see a production incorporating such contemporary (and appropriate to today’s social climate) themes in a plot, and there really is a bit of everything – it’s not all politics and it’s not all scandal. There’s a perfect balance between each theme and some really heart-warming moments buried within the show. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Not only are the cast extremely talented, but the messages portrayed within the show are well-expressed and well-received; be yourself, and love will always win over fear and dishonesty. So, it really does go without saying that director Will Keith has done a wonderful job in reviving the production. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Yes, the show leaves a bit to be desired - most notably, a more accurate representation of the diversity found in Soho - but, on the whole, <i>Soho Cinders </i>is an enjoyable, exciting re-imagination of the classic tale that we all know and love, complete with the rollercoaster ups and downs of life in the other worldly land of Soho; after all, ‘life’s a circus on Old Compton Street’ so maybe we should join the party.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Soho Cinders </span></i><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">runs at the Charing Cross Theatre until 21<sup>st</sup> December 2019. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-71616497695798680062020-02-19T07:59:00.002-08:002020-05-11T06:07:40.642-07:00These are the five wonders of the (fashion) world<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">In the fashion world, trends disappear as quickly as they appear. But fads and fast fashion aside, some things just don’t go away. Some pieces are simply timeless, and you can never go wrong with them. Coco Chanel once said ‘fashion fades, only style remains the same’ – and these items never go out of style. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Leather loving <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image courtesy of Tim Savage on Pexels. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The leather jacket is the epitome of the twenty first century ‘cool girl’ – the unofficial uniform of the off-duty model, the rocker essential and quite simply a staple in every wardrobe. Dating back to the early 1900s, the leather jacket first became prominent as a protective outerwear for the military uniform of German fighter pilots in the first world war. Fast forward ten years to 1928 and Irving Schott was designing the first motorcycle jacket for Harley Davidson – the ‘Perfecto’. Selling at $5.50, Schott had almost revamped the pilot jacket, adding a zip instead of buttons and shortening the length. By the 50s, the leather jacket had well and truly solidified its position in Hollywood as a symbol of ‘rebel culture’ – largely fronted by actor James Dean of <i>Rebel Without a Cause</i> - and, by the 80s, it was all about ‘peace, love and rock and roll’. Women began to embrace the trend, wearing the leather jacket on a more widespread scale, adding studs, pins and other mixed metals to accessorise – a trend largely pioneered by rockers such as Blondie and Suzi Quattro. Today, the leather jacket is quite simply engraved in high fashion. Always at the forefront of celebrity style, the ‘Perfecto’ has influenced designs by Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior and Gianni Versace – and is a favourite of models and musicians alike. As to whether you dress it up, or dress it down – that part’s up to you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Little black wardrobe staple<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image courtesy of Meriç Tuna on Unsplash. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Hurley, Princess Diana, Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss – other than being fashion icons, what do these women all have in common? They’re all well-documented lovers of the Little Black Dress. Thought to be originated by Chanel, in 1926, Vogue described the LBD as ‘Chanel’s Ford’ – meaning that it was simple and accessible for all women of all classes – a ‘sort of uniform for all women of taste’. In following years, various designers have opted to incorporate the LBD into their collections – Christian Dior continued to update the style, featuring full skirts and cinched waists in his designs. Now? The LBD is certifiably iconic in the Hollywood industry – think Audrey Hepburn in <i>Breakfast at Tiffany’s </i>– and adored by designers and celebrities alike. The LBD remains as everything Coco Chanel wanted it to be: versatile, effortlessly beautiful and flattering for every woman. After all, Karl Lagerfeld was right when he said ‘one is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress’. If you don’t own one, you should probably get one – trust me, you can’t go wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">A mini icon<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ghAFsPFFQ__xniQaRPSNr89hLPnfCsZ56uJrcIslIlagzTGelRBS3e1B-5AtAfbOBC4S7ZgESbOSukWduKdVEu5HxhDbcJLZDZZ_-Vt8_fEZpzOueSKhVusY213elSlUnniNYwf4yy4/s1600/IMG_1833+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ghAFsPFFQ__xniQaRPSNr89hLPnfCsZ56uJrcIslIlagzTGelRBS3e1B-5AtAfbOBC4S7ZgESbOSukWduKdVEu5HxhDbcJLZDZZ_-Vt8_fEZpzOueSKhVusY213elSlUnniNYwf4yy4/s1600/IMG_1833+3.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">When we talk about the swinging sixties, we think of the Beatles, Carnaby Street, the sexual revolution and Mary Quant and the Chelsea Set – ultimately, we think of the mini skirt. While hitched-up hemlines and shorter skirts can be seen in fashion dating back to 4700 BC, the mini skirt only really became a trend in the 60s – largely due to the impact of Quant. Following a number of revolutionary movements, including the development of the birth control pill, women were seen to have more freedom; the mini skirt was the epitome of this newfound freedom. Named after Quant’s favourite car, the designer said that both the skirt and the car were ‘optimistic, exuberant, young, flirty’ and, hence, complemented each other perfectly. Models Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton were arguably the figureheads of the miniskirt, but the design has been worn by a number of iconic women – Jackie Kennedy, Debbie Harry (of Blondie fame) and Madonna, to name a few – over the years and continues to be a favourite in the twenty first century, with celebrities such as Paris Hilton and Britney Spears regularly sporting the look that never gets old. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">These boots are made for … <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image courtesy of Taisiia Shestopal on Unsplash.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Ask anyone to name a boot and they’ll probably name the Chelsea Boot. First emerging during the Victorian Era, J. Sparkes-Hall – bootmaker for Queen Victoria – is credited with the creation of the Chelsea boot. Initially only designed as footwear for horse riding, the boots became a popular fashion trend in the 1840s – and remained that way until the beginning of the first world war, in 1914. Making its triumphant return, the Chelsea boot became popular once again in the Swinging London era, gaining their name due to their connection to the Chelsea Set. Chelsea boots were largely seen as the height of mod-fashion and solidified their status as a fashion necessity through their frequent appearances in pop culture. John Lennon and Paul McCartney of the Beatles commissioned the production of ‘Beatle boots’ after seeing Chelsea boots whilst shopping, and the style has been featured in a number of cinematic costumes – most notably, perhaps, in the Star Wars franchise. It’s hard to imagine the Chelsea boot making a disappearance any time soon, with brands such as Saint Laurent and Burberry Prorsum still designing versions of the shoe, and style icons such as Kanye West and Olivier Rousteing frequently donning the Chelsea boot, it seems that they’re well and truly here to stay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">In the trenches <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image courtesy of Masha Kotliarenko on Unsplash. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">What screams British fashion more than a trench coat? Originally developed for officers of the British Army during the first world war, the coat was designed as protection from wind and rain and only given to British Officers and Warrant Officers 1st Class – the coat was established as a luxury item from the outset. Two leading designers claim the creation of the trench coat: Thomas Burberry, of Burberry, and John Emary, of Aquascutum – and their position as leading menswear and sportswear designers at the end of the war added to the popularity of the coat in everyday civilian life. Having been worn by the elite – both in the early 1900s, and today – the coat remains popular, and on runways across the world. Fans of the design have included Audrey Hepburn, Cara Delevingne, Jourdan Dunn and Jackie Kennedy – while Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen have created their own versions of the coat. Burberry, however, is still at the forefront of the trend, having launched a range of the iconic design featuring different colours, textures, prints and fabrics in recent years – proving that the trend doesn’t die out but moves with society. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-35638383614891462232020-02-19T07:37:00.000-08:002020-02-19T07:37:22.497-08:00The new ticket war: why are gigs so expensive? <div style="border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(17, 17, 17); color: #111111; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ticket prices for live music events have been largely debated for a number of years, now. We all know about the war against ticket touts and re-selling sites such as Viagogo and Twickets and, with the help of artists such as Ed Sheeran and Adele, the popularity and impact of these sites seems to be decreasing. However, it appears that there’s a new kind of ticket war on the horizon. In recent years, it seems that ticket prices are rising more generally as legitimate, first-hand vendors have been increasing their prices.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Research from <a href="https://www.pollstar.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #e84747; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Pollstar</a> shows that the average ticket prices for the top 100 worldwide tours in 2017 rose 5% to $84.63 (£61), while a 2018 <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42982769" style="border: 0px; color: #e84747; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BBC investigation</a> found that ticket prices for big arena gigs have doubled since the 1990s and – taking inflation into account – the prices of gig tickets have risen by 27%.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Take the Spice Girls as an example; in 1998, tickets to their Wembley Stadium show cost £23.50 (£39 in today’s money) whereas tickets for their 2019 Wembley Stadium show are selling at £60-£135 for seated tickets, £75 for standing and £199 for ‘Spice Circle’ standing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In a recent poll conducted by WNOL, 74% of respondents said that gig tickets are too expensive. One Twitter user said ‘personally I think that the pricing is way too high – especially in standing arenas for people like Ariana Grande, Little Mix etc. who attract a younger audience of early teens’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Another Twitter user said ‘I think that gig tickets are extremely overpriced for what they are. It’s just another way for corporate bands to leech money from the easily persuaded youth of today’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Others pointed out that, although tickets can be expensive, some artists are aware of this and do try to tackle this. One Instagram user said ‘some performers are aware of how expensive tickets are getting and actively try to keep prices low (like The Vamps) while others know they can charge a lot more and that people will pay it so they go extreme. You can’t blame them because, in a way, their main income is probably from touring these days’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But why are ticket prices so high?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Venue costs rising, promoters’ fees, performers’ fees and the rising costs of logistics (travel, shipping of equipment et cetera) will have all contributed to the rising costs of gig tickets’, says Brighton-based music journalist <a href="https://www.tomsayer.co.uk/blog/" style="border: 0px; color: #e84747; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tom Sayer</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Performers still need to make money from their shows, and often even with high ticket prices and large sell-out shows, they make little to nothing on the shows themselves. They rely heavily on the selling of merch at the shows, and an increased awareness through gig promotion and PR’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Although Tom doesn’t think gig culture will die if ticket prices continue to rise, he thinks it will likely change – ‘At the moment it seems like most shows are either free (open mic nights, pub bands) or very expensive (arena tours). I think they key is offering shows in the mid-range, so people are more likely to take a punt, even if they don’t know the artists’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And Tom seems to be right; if anything, gigs only seem to be getting more popular. Expensive, yes, but with artists themselves – Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and The Vamps, to name a few – opening their eyes to the problems of the live music world, it may not stay this way forever. After all, look at the progress that’s been made in tackling the original ticket war.</span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-18431436156880344722020-02-19T07:33:00.000-08:002020-02-19T07:33:40.341-08:00Scarlett Dixon: Becoming a blogger <div style="border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(17, 17, 17); color: #111111; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Scarlett Dixon is a 25-year-old blogger from London, who is perhaps better known online as ‘Scarlett London’. As the epitome of ‘Instagram goals’, Scarlett boasts over 70,000 followers on the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/scarlettlondon/" style="border: 0px; color: #e84747; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">platform</a><span style="font-size: small;">, along with over 13,000 subscribers on </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIddyPyEzjcsGHhVaCalcTw" style="border: 0px; color: #e84747; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">YouTube</a><span style="font-size: small;">, but it’s really her blog that kick-started her career.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Image courtesy of Scarlett Dixon.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Scarlett set up her blog in 2011, as an aspiring journalist looking for somewhere to showcase her work for future job opportunities but it wasn’t until she’d graduated university (with a First-Class Honours degree) and began interning at women’s magazines that she realised her blog could be more than just a hobby. ‘Magazines were going through a transitional period and there was a general unease about the future of them. It wasn’t the most pleasant environment to start working in and it definitely steered me towards my blog’, she says.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Having made the jump to blogging as her full-time career in 2017, Scarlett considers blogging to be ‘more of a lifestyle career than a traditional job, as you share lots of parts of your life as part of your blog – so the lines are pretty blurred in terms of ‘switching off’. A difficulty for Scarlett is her work/life balance – working for herself, it’s common that she feels guilty if she’s not doing something constantly, despite having frequent manically busy periods.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">There’s no typical 9 to 5 day for Scarlett. Her career involves a lot of behind-the-scenes work – ‘Usually you’re working with brands (as your clients) who have a set brief to follow for each campaign. You have to put together a creative idea, essentially pitch it to them – and ensure it’s still on brief but fits with your audience. Then we plan shoots, find locations, edit et cetera. It’s all very varied and can be very busy and manic’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Being a lifestyle blogger, Scarlett’s online content is heavily focussed around fashion, beauty and travel, amongst other topics – but she doesn’t feel pressured to keep up the image that she portrays online. In fact, her online style is typically what she would wear in her every day, offline life – ‘when I’m out and about with friends/family – I tend to wear the same kind of stuff I’m pictured in on my Instagram. The only difference is that I might not have my hair extensions in. I’ve always been a very low maintenance kind of person’, she says.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But things haven’t necessarily been easy in Scarlett’s blogging career – ‘I think dealing with online vitriol is probably the hardest thing I’ve had to deal with’. Within the last year, Scarlett has come under fire by online trolls who criticised her Instagram for being ‘fake’ – one tweet turned into criticism on a mass scale, through newspapers and national TV. As someone who describes herself as ‘a pretty sensitive person naturally’, Scarlett says ‘It was such a tough time, because thousands of people who have never met you are attacking your character and making wild, defamatory assumptions about you. I’ve pretty much read everything I possibly could about myself and feel I have a much thicker skin.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The biggest lesson she’s learnt? ‘Just to go for it. There’s no time like the present and the best way to learn is through experimenting with different things. My blog didn’t start out looking like it did now – and no-one expects you to be perfect either. Don’t try and emulate anyone else, offer something unique and different. Think about what you are offering to your readers. You are your niche, so let everything that makes you <span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">you</span> shine’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">So, what’s next? For one, she’s publishing a book in April – ‘it’s very exciting and has been in the pipeline for a little while now. I blog a lot about taboo subjects – such as chronic illness and digestive health, so all I can say is that it’s linked to that! Watch this space’. And that’s something she hopes to carry on with – writing is and has always been Scarlett’s main passion and she hopes to publish a fiction book in the future. If her current work is anything to go by, it’s certainly something to look forward to but, for now, you can find her work at </span><a href="http://scarlettlondon.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #e84747; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">scarlettlondon.com</a><span style="background-color: white;">.</span></span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-77197474309813090722020-02-19T07:28:00.000-08:002020-02-19T07:28:19.738-08:00Voice of London <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/">Voice of London</a> - a news site for young Londoners - was a group project that I worked on during the first semester of third year. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I worked in the Arts and Culture team; here are some of the pieces I produced during the project. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZQZhCAf7XktUnEo1XBahvCh9bCrFQDxvmLau8OiWdkpKWM5aUh4ZDsYLKcSkr6RBCglZFfvP6eyCnPeUbwnntAGiylI3VBLi0MIsfcdMWWjsABKO4rIwXzQpAo-yafosDcWhhB1roV4/s1600/cropped-vol-logo-top-small.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZQZhCAf7XktUnEo1XBahvCh9bCrFQDxvmLau8OiWdkpKWM5aUh4ZDsYLKcSkr6RBCglZFfvP6eyCnPeUbwnntAGiylI3VBLi0MIsfcdMWWjsABKO4rIwXzQpAo-yafosDcWhhB1roV4/s1600/cropped-vol-logo-top-small.png" /></a></div>
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<b>Olafur Eliasson: In Real Life at the Tate Modern </b></div>
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<b><a href="http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/olafur-eliasson-in-real-life-at-the-tate-modern/">Read here</a></b></div>
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A review of Olafur Eliasson's long-awaited return to the Tate Modern - the <i>In Real Life</i> exhibition. </div>
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<b>It's the most wonderful time of the year: seven of London's best Christmas lights </b></div>
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<b><a href="http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/its-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year-7-of-londons-best-christmas-lights/">Read here</a></b></div>
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There's no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than by looking at Christmas lights - this piece offers a round-up of London's best Christmas lights for 2019. </div>
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<b>A Prada exhibition is coming to London</b></div>
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<b><a href="http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/a-prada-exhibition-is-coming-to-london/">Read here</a></b></div>
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A news piece following the announcement that London's Design Museum will host a Prada exhibition in September 2020. </div>
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<b>Bored? Time for a trip to this board game café!</b></div>
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<b><a href="http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/bored-time-for-a-trip-to-this-board-game-cafe/">Read here</a></b></div>
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We all love a good board game so what's better than board games, food and cocktails? </div>
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<b>God's Own Junkyard: the Bracey family business full of 'hair-raising neon happiness'</b></div>
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<b><a href="http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/gods-own-junkyard-the-bracey-family-business-full-of-hair-raising-neon-happiness/">Read here</a></b></div>
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An interview with Matthew Bracey, all about London's favourite neon dreamland, God's Own Junkyard. </div>
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<b>We tried to get TikTok famous in a week...</b></div>
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<b><a href="http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/we-tried-to-get-tiktok-famous-in-a-week/">Read here</a></b></div>
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TikTok is the app taking over the world, so we wondered how easy it would be to get TikTok famous... in a week. </div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-28128187101372007872020-02-19T07:25:00.000-08:002020-02-19T07:25:04.695-08:00Why does the boyband novelty never go away? <div style="border: 0px; color: #111111; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.75em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Beatles, Take That, Westlife, JLS, 5 Seconds of Summer, One Direction, BTS, The Vamps. What do all these have in common? They’re all boybands. And we’re all obsessed with them.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Vamps</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It feels like the world has been obsessed with boybands since the beginning of time. There’s just something about a group of boys that can sing. Men, women, boys and girls – we all love it. It all started with Beatlemania in the 60s and, since then, it’s been a bandwagon that nobody can seem to get off.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As pop royalty Take That begin their eight-day residency at London’s O2 Arena in celebration of their 30-year anniversary, it’s time to take a look at why the novelty of boybands just doesn’t go away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">There’s a level of loyalty, when it comes to boybands and their fans. Look at bands like Take That; they’re 30 years into their career and stronger than ever. Granted, they began as a five-piece and are now a three-piece, but Gary, Mark and Howard haven’t been short of success.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They’re arguably one of the only bands that have made their situation work. They broke up in 1996, following Robbie Williams’ 1995 departure but reunited in 2006 (still without Robbie). In 2010, Robbie re-joined the group for their Progress album but his comeback didn’t last long and, in 2014, it was Jason’s turn to hang up his microphone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Take That are perhaps the only band that have evolved as their members have left but, at the same time, have managed to stick to their roots. Fans of the group are some of the most dedicated fans in the world – no matter what, they’re always supporting. And that’s something that goes for boybands in general.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Think about the Jonas Brothers. They disbanded in 2013 and made their comeback six years later, in 2019. Having had successful solo careers, it’s always a potential risk for anyone going back to their boyband roots but, with boybands, one thing’s for certain: the fans. They may have grown up and in some cases married and had children but the devotion doesn’t go away.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">There’s something about having a band that you grow up with. And every generation has one. From the likes of The Beatles in the 60s to One Direction more recently, there’s always a band for people to obsess over. There’s always one you can relate to – whether that be the music, or a member themselves. And that stays with you. The support and connection you feel to a band in your teenage years, for example, will 99% of the time stay with you for a lifetime. And then it becomes about nostalgia. The older you get, the more you’re reminded of the impact these bands and their music had on you – the happy times, the difficult times, the times that you wouldn’t have been able to get through without the support of your favourite band. And that’s why the novelty doesn’t go away; there’s nothing quite like it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So if you love boybands just as much as us (and the rest of the world), have a listen to our Spotify playlist – a compilation of WNOL and WNOL readers’ favourite boyband songs.</span></div>
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Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-5276256335786521872020-02-19T05:26:00.000-08:002020-02-19T05:26:53.572-08:00Swinging back in time<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The Swinging London exhibition is both a journey through time, as well as a celebration of the cultural revolution that took place between the late 1940s and mid-1960s in Britain. Produced by the Fashion and Textile Museum, the show explores the group of radical creatives, known as the ‘Chelsea set’, that fronted the movement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The group included the likes of Terence Conran and Laura Ashley but designer, and pioneer of pieces such as the shift dress and the miniskirt, Mary Quant was – and still is – arguably the star of the show. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The lower floor of the exhibition explores the beginnings of Quant’s career, focusing on her early designs and her first boutique, Bazaar. Muted tones are prominent throughout, as are the prints and patterns we know and still love today: polka dots, stripes, checks and colour blocking. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Elevated toward the beginning of the exhibition is a simple, black, floaty miniskirt, paired with yellow tights. The combination is simply the epitome of Quant’s legacy - the miniskirt being her most famous creation and, according to Quant herself, indicates the fun, youthful attitude the Chelsea set encouraged. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Quant’s emphasis on progressiveness is evident throughout the show. A 1965 striped corduroy velvet trouser suit is one of the most powerful designs on display. Celebrating women’s liberation, the design was ground-breaking and her use of these textures and blend of neutral colours is simply genius. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Upstairs, the show moves to Quant’s venture into accessories and beauty; a display shows her first ever bag design – a 1965 black and white PVC with an early version of her iconic ‘Daisy’ logo. Rigid, circular shapes are prevalent within her accessories range – as is a simple, yet beautifully effective, monochromatic colour scheme.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">What makes this show so engaging is that, during this transformative period, Quant pioneered some of today’s most prominent trends. The show is a reminder that, in fashion, what goes around comes around – and that’s thanks to designers like Quant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Getting there: Fashion & Textile Museum<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Tube: London Bridge<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">83 Bermondsey St., SE1 3XF<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Opening times</span></i><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">: Tues-Sat 11m-6pm, Thurs until 8pm, Sun-11am-5pm, Mon - closed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Ticket prices: Adults £9.90, Concessions £8.80, Students £7<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Phone: 020 7407 8664<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"><a href="http://www.ftmlondon.org/" style="color: #954f72;">www.ftmlondon.org</a></span><u><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "times" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-53264896299990663452020-02-19T05:15:00.000-08:002020-02-19T05:15:26.524-08:00Groan Ups: the play where nobody really grows up<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Mischief Theatre, the geniuses behind the award-winning phenomenon <i>The Play That Goes Wrong</i>, are back and beginning their year-long residency at the Vaudeville Theatre with their inaugural production <i>Groan Ups</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Written by Mischief’s very own Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, the show is a comedy about – you guessed it: growing up – and follows five children as they progress through their lives. From age six to 30, audience members see Moon (Nancy Zamit), Katie (Charlie Russell), Spencer (Lewis), Simon (Sayer) and Archie (Shields) experience the ups and downs of toddlerhood, adolescence and, eventually, adult life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Act one follows the kids in year two. Full of clumsiness and typical childish jokes and mispronunciations (a personal favourite is Katie’s ‘prime sinister’), the first act is arguably the funniest – and the one done best. Complete with an appropriately colourful and oversized set, audience members get to know the characters best in their hilariously disastrous assembly about how they spent their weekends. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Following a questionable scene change – think old school disco vibes but a hundred times more intense – the audience are transported to year nine. Now aged 14, the kids are up to everything kids that age get up to; you know, sneaking into school after hours, drinking, playing truth or dare. Bonds between the group continue to be made – in different ways than before – and questions over loyalty and morals become apparent, especially when it comes to the end of year exams. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The second half of the play focuses on the group at age 30, at their school reunion. The point here is that everyone has a way in which they wish to present themselves – we all want to look like we have our act together, that we’re living the perfect life for ourselves; but that’s not really the truth. The entire group have their own ideal way of presenting themselves – some happily married, some successful in their work, some having moved on completely from the novelty of school. The reality? Nothing’s really changed. And, quite frankly, that’s the biggest take away from the show – no matter how much time passes or how much distance is between people, some things just don’t change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">In all honesty, the show was a bit of a shambles. From pointless characters (sorry, Paul) and repetitive (and frankly not funny) jokes to the bizarre musical number at the end, it’s easy to feel exhausted leaving the theatre. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of laughter – and the nostalgic references and attempts at approaching more serious issues (like, for example, the struggles of accepting your sexuality) were greatly appreciated but some bits were simply unnecessary, and unamusing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">However, one thing that can’t be denied is the natural chemistry between the cast – it’s been 11 years since they met in drama school and it’s clear to see why they’re still going strong. So, although this production was just shy of meeting the standards of Mischief Theatre’s other work, you can’t deny that it’s a good time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Groan Ups </span></i><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">runs at the Vaudeville Theatre until 1<sup>st</sup> December 2019. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-31830073513896749222020-02-19T04:53:00.000-08:002020-02-19T04:53:32.993-08:00Bored? Time for a trip to this board game café!<span style="border: 0px; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Looking for something to avoid the boredom this weekend? London’s Draughts is a board game café that’s bound to entertain you. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcUdcvwiFiHxVtO8Ik4_kLr1EIAcvHe6pLyT8pezcP6V8jDYt7uovJ_IFEyHlGfoVuYA1PLjnP6_aiavAm4txKGJOekXMbHXl3xY13HjAvZ3bA84HDleIJNiBlM3z3qsihyphenhyphen2sXydhiy4/s1600/Draughts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="750" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcUdcvwiFiHxVtO8Ik4_kLr1EIAcvHe6pLyT8pezcP6V8jDYt7uovJ_IFEyHlGfoVuYA1PLjnP6_aiavAm4txKGJOekXMbHXl3xY13HjAvZ3bA84HDleIJNiBlM3z3qsihyphenhyphen2sXydhiy4/s1600/Draughts.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Having launched its first site back in 2014, Draughts has since become quite the attraction for gamers in the city. With sites in Waterloo and Hackney (the café recently relocated from Haggerston to a bigger venue in Dalston), Draughts has something for everyone – whether that be friends, family or even colleagues. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">From Uno to Obama Llama and Monopoly to Jenga, Draughts’ game library includes over 1,000 games. Step out of your comfort zone and try something new, or reminisce with an old favourite. Staff are on hand to provide top advice and recommendations – as well as helping players grasp the rules of each game – so, when it comes to it – the world really is your oyster. </span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iNAjx4yOvK0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iNAjx4yOvK0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And if that hasn’t got your attention, this will: Draughts also has a seasonally changing food menu and a wide selection of drinks. Fancy a cocktail? They’ve got you covered. Coffee? Sorted. Or if soft drinks are more your thing, that’s not a problem either. </span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In terms of food, it’s quesadillas and burgers galore, with a range of smalls and sweets also on the menu. The Dalston branch of Draughts also offers a pie and mash dish, paying homage to the building’s history. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Still don’t know if it’s for you? Here’s what some of the punters had to say about the café: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 900; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tim, 34, from Chelmsford: </span></span>“I thought it was a cool place! Great food and a huge selection of games. Everyone around us seemed to be relaxed and having fun. My favourite game was Raptor – I’d never heard of it before, but plan on getting a copy for myself now”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 900; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Emma, 20, from Essex: </span></span>“It was really fun! It was great to spend quality time with my friends where we actually put our phones down and enjoyed the games. One thing I would say though is that it was a tad pricey for what it is. The 5 Second Rule was my favourite game – I learnt that I’m a bit of an expert in famous Jacks.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 900; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Oscar, 22, from Deal, Kent: </span></span>“I thought Draughts was an incredibly relaxed experience, something perfect for me and my friends to have a catch up and a bit of a reunion. Staff were informative, polite and service was speedy. There was a whole library of board and table games to choose from and the café itself was hidden away nicely under the railway bridges amongst vibrant graffiti. The decor was modern, bright and refreshing and overall it was a great place. Me and my friends really enjoyed playing Game of Phones, which is similar to Cards Against Humanity but we were judged on cards that made us have to look up things like ‘the most awkward message on our phone’ or ‘the cutest pet pic we could find’.”</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">So, if it sounds like something you’d fancy, then get your game face on and get down to Draughts; after all, there’s nothing better than a good board game during the festive season.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>Both branches of Draughts are open seven days a week – bookings and private hire are available. </i></span><i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Note: there’s a £5 cover charge at the Hackney site, and a £6 cover charge at the Waterloo site.</i></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please note: this piece was originally published on <a href="http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/">Voice of London</a>. </span></i></b></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-50891952124505959632020-02-19T04:52:00.001-08:002020-02-19T04:52:34.582-08:00We tried to get TikTok famous in a week...<div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 1.25rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 900; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Update: </span></span><span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jodieandderrian/video/6769487557823614214" style="border: 0px; color: #005a8c; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We have a new most-watched video, which now has 2,407 views.</a> Our videos are starting to appear on the ‘For You’ page. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s one of the fastest growing social platforms in the world and, if you’re under 25, chances are that you’ve probably downloaded the app – or at least heard of it. But, while TikTok is a little bit like Marmite in the sense that you either love it or hate it, there’s no denying the popularity of the app.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">TikTok is thought to have over half a billion active users worldwide, with 41% of these aged between 16 and 24; and it hasn’t gone unnoticed by the world’s celebrities either – Cardi B, The Jonas Brothers, Britney Spears and Lewis Capaldi (the self-proclaimed ‘King’ of TikTok) – to name a few – all have accounts on the app.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In fact, in 2018, TikTok was the fourth most downloaded non-game app of the year, with 663 million downloads – beating Instagram, but following WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Facebook.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 900; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">But what exactly is TikTok? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">TikTok is a social video app, owned by Beijing-based company ByteDance, that allows users to share short videos of up to 15 seconds for single clip videos or 60 seconds if it’s a compilation of multiple clips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">TikTok has been famed for its resemblance to Vine (R.I.P) and Musical.ly – the popular lip syncing app that was absorbed by TikTok in August 2018.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">On TikTok, users can use stickers, filters, sounds and more; the world is basically your oyster when it comes to posting on the app – you can pretty much post whatever you like. And it’s because of this that it’s so popular.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 900; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, to find out more, we spoke to the people in the know: four pretty successful TikTokers… </span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 900; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">And then it was our turn to see if we could become ‘TikTok famous’</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">To get started, we created a joint account – <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jodieandderrian?language=en&sec_uid=MS4wLjABAAAAe5oposr-xHp2fjWqHOGwb75WdXu8ZwfKP44sMyXER74SI-85M1kiQr2fxiKEr-xS&u_code=d9h0lbgl3d171g&utm_campaign=client_share&app=musically&utm_medium=ios&user_id=6765940834182448133&tt_from=copy&utm_source=copy&source=h5_m" style="border: 0px; color: #005a8c; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">@jodieandderrian</a> – and did our research of what TikTok trends and popular videos are on the platform at the moment, as well as finding popular hashtags.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We then made a list of videos we wanted to create, or recreate, and started saving the necessary sounds. And then, it was time to start making our videos.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jodieandderrian/video/6768162147609382150" style="border: 0px; color: #005a8c; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We learned the trending dances, memorised the most popular sounds (scenes from <span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Keeping up with the Kardashians</span>, parodies of the Nickelodeon TV show <span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">H2O), </span>and even created a couple original videos of our own.</span></a></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 900; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here’s what we found out: </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">While it seemed all the TikTokers we interviewed had an easy road to fame, ours was a bit more rocky – or rather, it seemed we weren’t even going the same direction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jodieandderrian/video/6768145628758297861" style="border: 0px; color: #005a8c; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our most-watched video – 352 views – was a trending dance to Mariah Carey’s <span style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: italic; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Fantasy</span>.</a> The least-watched videos were the original ones we created. In total, we received 79 likes over the span of 9 videos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Part of the TikTok algorithm requires that you post one to two times a day – and we tried our best. While dealing with assignments and social lives, we made time to learn dances and sounds, film…and then re-film.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jodieandderrian/video/6769487557823614214" style="border: 0px; color: #005a8c; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We were advised by TikTok users that the trending hashtags were key to going viral.</a>Although there were new trending hashtags every day – #LastChristmasMovie, #BorntoGlow, #ThankUNextSpritz, and #JumanjiChallenge to name a few – we stayed on top of the hashtags and used as many as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">During our research, we learned a secret. There is a secret TikTok group chat run by the company called the Advanced Creator Programme. The group chat is a place to go to discuss content ideas with other “advanced” TikTokers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Being a member of the programme means your videos get boosted to the “For You” page by the company. This is why all the famous TikTokers are always on your “For You” page.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The “For You” page is TikTok’s main feed which features viral videos and videos catered to your likes. Every TikToker’s goal is to get onto the “For You” page – using hashtags #foryoupage, #foryou, and #fyp can get your video boosted to the page.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s unclear how one gets invited into this secret group, but we assume the content you’re posting needs to be worthy of being noticed by the company’s higher-ups.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Overall, the experience was really amusing. We hold a lot more appreciation for the people who have gained lots of popularity on the app simply because the time it takes to perfect a dance or scene is not quick and easy. It took us 30 minutes to an hour to be happy with one TikTok.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We downloaded the app as a joke thinking we’d quickly grow tired of it and return back to scrolling through Instagram. Spoiler: that didn’t happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We think it’s safe to say we’ll be continuing our journey to TikTok fame, so stay tuned.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">By Jodie Shepherd and Derrian Douglas</span></i></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Please note: this piece was originally published on <a href="http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/">Voice of London</a>. </i></b></span>Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-4180846428595439892020-02-19T04:50:00.000-08:002020-02-19T04:50:22.540-08:00Olafur Eliasson: In Real Life at the Tate Modern<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eisasson makes his long-awaited return to the Tate Modern with his <i>In Real Life </i>exhibition. On display until 5<sup>th</sup> January 2020, the exhibition is the first of Elisasson’s since his unforgettable 2003 display ‘<i>The Weather Project’</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The display features over 40 works - from installations and sculptures to photography and paintings. Created between 1990 and today, the works have all been inspired by three of Elisasson’s most important interests: his concern with nature - a recurring theme in his work (Elisasson displayed giant blocks of melting polar ice outside of the Tate Modern to draw attention to the vast rates of global warming), his research into geometry and his investigations into how the world is perceived and shaped by us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The latter of these interests is perhaps the most obvious throughout the exhibition; it’s clear that Elisasson wants viewers to become immersed in his work and the display is very much a sensory experience, at that. His aim for visitors to become more aware of their senses is one that he’s – unsurprisingly - managed to pull off incredibly well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">If there was one standout instalment it would be ‘Din Blinde Passager’ – a 39-metre-long corridor filed with fog. As the epitome of what Elisasson meant when he said he wanted people’s senses to be heightened, the corridor is disorientating, eerie and quite simply terrifying. It’s not shocking that some visitors are left clinging to their friends’ arms whilst trying to manoeuvre their way through the room but, at the same time, it’s strangely beautiful; the way the golden light filters through the fog is like something from another world – and it’s an experience like no other. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">As an artist, Elissasson doesn’t disappoint – his work is contemporary, unusual and simply mesmerising; and this exhibition is the perfect example of such. <i>In Real Life </i>is a thoroughly enjoyable experience that is not one to miss. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>In Real Life </i>is at the Tate Modern until 5<sup>th</sup> January 2020. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bankside, London, SE1 9TG <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It is recommended to book in advance <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white;">Ticket prices: </span></i></b><span style="background-color: white;">Adult £18; Senior citizen £17; Student £17; Job seeker £17; Disabled £17; Disabled companion free; Family child aged 12-18 (no ticket required for under 12s) £5; Members free </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b><i>Please note: this piece was originally published on <a href="http://thevoiceoflondon.co.uk/">Voice of London</a></i></b></span></span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-39584536672530185962020-02-19T04:46:00.002-08:002020-02-19T04:46:32.793-08:00It’s time we raised the curtain on diversity in theatre <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 18.399999618530273px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Diversity is a word that’s become something of a buzzword in the performing arts industries within recent years – and rightly so. The theatre industry is almost notorious for having a major lack of diversity and statistics surrounding the topic are pretty damning; in fact, when the </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/nov/27/uk-theatres-back-plan-improve-diversity-among-offstage-staff" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Arts Council England announced its plans to begin publishing data</span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"> on the diversity of arts organisations back in 2015, it was revealed that that in London (a city in which 41% of the population is BAME - black, Asian and minority ethnic), some theatres only had a BAME workforce of 5%. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">In addition to this, the </span><a href="https://www.stylist.co.uk/life/women-in-theatre-diversity-tick-boxes-female-directors/296824" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Arts Council England’s 2016-17 Equality, Diversity and Creative Case Report</span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"> found that BAME employees made up a tiny 11% of the workforce and, when it comes to arts leadership roles – BAME employees only made up 8% of chief executives, 10% of art directors and 10% of chairs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">More recently, research for numerous trade bodies in the UK in 2018 showed that </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/nov/27/uk-theatres-back-plan-improve-diversity-among-offstage-staff" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">93% of individuals</span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"> working in theatres were white; and </span><a href="https://www.stylist.co.uk/life/women-in-theatre-diversity-tick-boxes-female-directors/296824" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">in a survey carried out by Sphinx Theatre in 2018</span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">, it was revealed that only a fifth of English theatres were run by women. It also showed that, shockingly, women controlled only 13% of the total Arts Council England budget and that 28% of playwrights are female. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The thing about diversity is that even the word itself is diverse – it means a lot of different things, and involves a lot of different aspects. It’s about inclusivity and representation of different backgrounds, cultures, race, religions, genders and so on. We can’t look at the issues of diversity in relation to just BAME theatre industry professionals; it’s important to recognise the importance of women in theatre, those with disabilities, members of the LGBTI+ community and everybody else in society. It’s broad – but that’s today’s society: diverse and multicultural, and everyone has a different experience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Laura Jury is the 39-year-old head of a Devon-based theatre company, focusing on historical drama and classics such as Shakespeare. Not only is Laura female, but she’s also mixed-race in an area that she describes as ‘very un-diverse’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">‘From my experience, I find it very hard to be taken seriously as a company owner who is female, working class and mixed race. People make a lot of assumptions that they can’t work with me in case I don’t speak English or am here illegally, or am simply acting outside of my social place’, she says. ‘As an example, my company won a theatre award for our production of Macbeth over in New York, earlier this year, directed by me. All the local press here refused to report anything about it – and, later, some reporters told me they thought it was a joke, until they got to actually handle the trophy’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Something that’s been a talking point in the industry is whether there’s ever a justified reason for a lack of diversity in theatre. Laura thinks there typically isn’t, saying ‘I specialise in historical dramas. Sometimes there is a very specific reason that a historical personage needs to have a certain appearance which impacts upon the storyline. However, if there is not a very specific need for that appearance, then I am fully open to anyone of any appearance. With Shakespeare, we often gender-bend characters’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Although Laura hasn’t always had an easy ride with her background and career, she’s fairly optimistic about the current state of the industry – ‘In more diverse areas, I think theatre is pretty good with diversity. On a national scale, I believe it’s making good progress, with trade union campaigns to improve diversity. My home region is always a bit behind!’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">‘It’s all about challenging old-fashioned ‘conservative’ ‘white middle class’ assumptions – not by argument, because that just creates friction and a bad name for you, but by actions and proving what you can do, repeatedly. I would like to see theatre become much more welcoming, overall, and people to feel less afraid to apply for things and appear in things based on social anxiety from bad reactions in general life, towards them’, she says. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Tommi Bryson is a 20-year-old ‘queer trans theatremaker based in Sheffield’. She works with Sheffield Theatres as a workshop assistant and as a freelancer in various other capacities. Tommi is more apprehensive than Laura in her take on diversity in theatre today; ‘where I come from, theatre can feel very diverse. I’ve grown up with a 50/50 gender split across seasons at The Crucible and, since Robb Hastie took the reins, we’ve gone from strength to strength with LGBT+ representation. However, although we’re making huge strides in this area, we continue to let people down and, with some projects, we fall at the first hurdle’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">When speaking about the progress of theatre diversity, Tommi says that ‘it depends who and where – Victoria Sadler’s yearly article about how many British women writers were programmed at the 10 biggest London theatres has become a deeply sobering annual experience. Here in Sheffield, we’re making outward progress, building on our equal gender-split cast policy by casting more non-white actors and more deaf and disabled actors. But it can’t just be actors – diversity in other positions is extremely slow to change’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">‘I work in an all-white department of 10 and am the only trans woman employed year-round by the trust. Until we address the lack of representation in our offices and production teams, real change will not happen’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">And that’s something Tommi, similarly to Laura, argues when asked about if there’s ever justified reasoning for a lack of diversity – ‘even if you’re telling a story about exclusively white men, the team around that can and should be diverse. As for ‘colour-blind casting’, it’s a false concept. It’s always seemed like a phrase used to tiptoe around the issue of ethnic diversity – or lack thereof’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Reflecting on her own career, Tommi says ‘being trans impacts my career in a weird way. There are jobs I’ll get because I’m trans, but countless more for which I’ll never even be an option. I’m yet to interact with any casting directors who ‘get it’ in regards to trans actors and characters’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">‘Overall, I don’t think diversity is the right word. ‘Representation’ or ‘intersectionality’ comes closer, I think. It’s about making voice heard, and giving people room to explore what their voice is, free of the institutional – typically racist, sexist, transphobic et cetera – pressures and expectations’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/theatre/kobna-holdbrooksmith-diversity-west-end-a4125856.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Research from leading industry publication <i>The Stage</i></span></a><i><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">examined the backgrounds of over 500 performers in 19 shows in London theatres and found that only 38% of performers were black or Asian; and, although this sounds like a disappointing figure, when compared to the statistics for Broadway casts (34%) and British TV (18%), it feels more promising. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">But it’s not all doom and gloom. There’s no denying that there’s a real atmosphere for change in the industry – or at least an attempt for change. There’ve been some monumental changes and achievements within the last decade: in </span><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/Arts/all-the-world-s-a-stage-the-struggle-to-bring-ethnic-and-gender-diversity-to-british-theatre-a7242826.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">2013, Paulette Randall became the first black woman to direct a drama in London’s West End</span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">; in March 2016, the Royal Shakespeare Company gave the </span><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/Arts/all-the-world-s-a-stage-the-struggle-to-bring-ethnic-and-gender-diversity-to-british-theatre-a7242826.html" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">role of Hamlet to a black actor</span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">, Paapa Essiedu, for the first time ever in its 50-year history, and diversity is appearing in shows themselves too. Representation of minority groups has become a central element in characters, scripts and casting; examples of this include <i>Soho Cinders</i>, <i>Hamilton</i>, <i>Everybody’s Talking About Jamie </i>and there are plenty more – especially within independent theatre companies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">So, things <i>are</i> changing – both for individuals and industry-wide, and in November 2019, </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/nov/27/uk-theatres-back-plan-improve-diversity-among-offstage-staff" style="color: #954f72;"><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">more than 90 theatres in the UK signed up to support an action plan</span></a><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">, developed by the entertainment and media trade union Bectu, to tackle the lack of diversity in off-stage roles in the theatre industry. But maybe Tommi is right; perhaps we should focus on representation more than diversity – theatre should reflect audiences and, with theatre becoming more accessible to audiences, the diversity is perhaps already there. Now, it’s about reflecting that in casts, characters, shows and offstage teams. </span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-29448026259484901372020-02-19T04:43:00.000-08:002020-02-19T04:43:44.576-08:00Sustainable fashion: one size fits all<div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">It’s hardly a secret that the fashion industry has been home to a range of ethical issues for a number of years now and the problems are only getting worse. From child labour and low wages to health and safety risks, animal cruelty and pollution, the list of problems in the fashion industry is extensive – and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Image courtesy of Social Cut on Unsplash.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">The facts are undeniable. Not only is the fashion industry now, behind the oil industry, the second biggest polluter in the world but the global apparel and footwear industries account for 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Fast fashion – cheap, trendy clothing that copies styles from the catwalk and celebrity culture and is quickly pumped through stores to maximise on current trends – is at the forefront of contemporary issues in the industry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Olivia Pinock, a fashion journalist specialising in sustainability, says ‘when it comes to fast fashion, this leads to increased production and consumption of fashion and this puts enormous strain on the resources it requires to produce fashion and the people who work in it’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">The main areas of concern in fast fashion, according to Olivia, range from the treatment of garment workers and the usage of water and toxic chemicals to the amount of waste produced by the industry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">There are approximately 40 million garment workers in the world today – 85% of them are women - and many of them don’t have the same protection or rights as workers in the west. To produce cheap fashion, it’s common practice that brands manufacture in the areas of the world where manufacturing is cheapest. As these countries don’t tend to have strong employment laws, these workers are some of the lowest paid workers in the world. In fact, over 50% of workers are not paid the minimum wage in countries such as India and The Philippines and, according to The Green Hub, 9 out of 10 workers interviewed in Bangladesh cannot afford enough food for themselves or their families. But, as Olivia notes, even the West isn’t exempt – ‘even in countries that do have strong employment laws, like the UK, the demand for cheaply produced clothing leads to illegal practices such as paying below the minimum wage, slavery and employment of illegal immigrants’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Statistics are damning in the fashion industry’s use of water and toxic chemicals. Growing the crops needed to produce clothing requires large amounts of water – a t-shirt alone takes 2,700 litres (three years of drinking water) just to produce the cotton for its production – meaning there’s an environmental impact. Not only is water from lakes and rivers often diverted to farms, drying them up and eventually destroying the ecosystems of these waterways, there’s a human impact, too – people need water to drink. And, when the water is being largely used in clothes manufacturing, there’s a risk of people missing out on drinking water. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Over 90% of cotton is now genetically modified and it’s not just large amounts of water that’s used in this process. Cotton production is now responsible for 18% of worldwide pesticide use and 25% of total insecticide use. Along with this, nearly 70 million barrels of oil are used each year to make polyester fibre – the most commonly used fibre in our clothing – but this takes over 200 years to decompose so, not only do the chemicals fashion production harm the environment and wildlife, but they also have a large impact on waste.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">80 billion pieces of clothing are consumed globally each year, but what about those we throw away? Well, due to the fibres in synthetic clothing (like polyester), most end up in landfill – but they don’t break down. Actually, 85% of the plastic pollution currently in the ocean is due to microfibers from synthetic clothing. Going by current trends, the number of microfibers entering the oceans between 2015 and 2050 has the potential to amount to over 22 million tonnes. According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the fashion industry currently produces 20% of global wastewater; by 2030, it is expected that fashion waste will escalate to becoming a 148 billion tonne problem. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Olivia thinks there a lot that needs to be done – ‘we need diversification of materials so that we’re not placing all the strain on one area. We need to adopt new business models, such as slow fashion and circular systems where clothes are brought back into the cycle at the end of their first use. We need investment in sustainable solutions. We need consumption of clothing to slow down and we need more sustainable practices across the board to be adopted by fashion companies’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">But what can we, as consumers, do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Claire Aston, country co-ordinator for Fashion Revolution Rwanda </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">and co-founder of online platform Together Street, says ‘when faced with such monumental problems, many of us feel overwhelmed and respond with denial and inaction’. That’s how she and Together Street co-founder Abi felt – tired of doing nothing about the things they care about, they founded Together Street ‘as a way of learning more about the issues and finding simple, practical actions we could take to make a positive difference’. Their mantra? Start where you are, do what you can, make learning a habit and invite others to do the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Claire suggests ten simple actions we can take: firstly, buy less - don’t buy things on impulse and when you do want to buy something, ask yourself if you really need it, if you’ll actually wear it, and if it goes with anything else in your wardrobe. Secondly, avoid trends - before buying something, ask yourself if you’ll still want to wear it in a year’s time. If they answer’s no, don’t buy it. You can also buy better quality - well-made clothes last longer and fit better; they may might be more expensive but, instead of looking at the price-tag, consider the cost-per-wear - a shirt that costs £50 and gets worn 50 times is actually much cheaper than a £5 ‘bargain’ that gets worn five times before it gets thrown away. Repair and re-wear the clothes you already own and try second-hand, before buying new clothes. Also, try not to buy clothes for one-off occasions - borrowing or renting are great options instead. It’s also a good idea to wash less, using lower temperatures. Don’t forget to ask questions and keep challenging yourself to learn more and, of course, supporting ethical and sustainable brands is really important. And share the knowledge! Tell your friends and family when you find out something interesting, or discover a good sustainable brand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Things are slowly improving in the fashion industry - </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">as of May 2018, 12.5% of the global fashion market had pledged to make changes in terms of sustainability by 2020. Large, well-known high street brands such as H&M – who have pledged to use 100% renewable or recycled materials by 2030 - are taking initiative in terms of sustainability, but independent, sustainable brands are also becoming more common. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Ashlea Atigolo is the founder and designer of sustainable menswear brand EBYAK. She is also the first female menswear designer to design the UK’s first men’s sustainable streetwear collection that is both vegan-friendly and Peta approved. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">‘</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">I founded and created EBYAK to be different from the start. Our ethos is built on the belief that clothes should be sustainable. EBYAK's is also different from high street stores because it is driven by always striving to offer an environmentally-friendly, up-cycle and sustainable alternative to supply the demand for popular fashion trends’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Priced from £35, EBYAK’s exclusive range ‘The Collection’ is ‘durable and produced to the highest quality so that the garments within this collection do not fall apart after a few usages, thus making them less likely to be thrown away quickly. All the pieces produced within the collection use the finest 100% certified organic cotton that has not only been ethically made but it is also sustainable, GM-free, eco-friendly, and animal-free, making it vegan-friendly too’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Ashlea recognises that a large drawback of sustainable fashion is that it is typically higher in price but, as a brand, EBYAK ‘also believe that to 'compete' with fashion trends and high street stores, sustainable men’s designer clothing shouldn’t always have to be expensive’ and are dedicated to making ‘The Collection’ available for all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">And her positivity about sustainability in fashion doesn’t just lend itself to her own brand – Ashlea feels that ‘the demand for ethical fashion is changing fashion for the better’. She believes people today care a lot more about what they ‘consume, wear and are doing within the world’ and this is only helping the discussion of sustainability within the fashion industry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">With documentaries about environmental issues linking problems more specifically to fashion, the problems are gaining more mainstream attention – and social media is helping, too. It’s a talking point and the introduction of websites and apps testing and checking the sustainability of brands and products, it’s easier than ever to make conscious decisions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Good On You, for example, is basically the Google for sustainable fashion. Founded in Australia in 2015, Good On You works to compare and rate global fashion brands according to their ethics and sustainability. Rating brands based on three elements (people, planet and animals) and according to information from certification schemes such as Fair Trade and the Global Organic Textile Standard, Good On You looks at whether brands are taking positive steps or are engaging in ‘negative citizenship’ and scores each brand from an average of each of these areas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">With a brand directory ranging from Oxfam (rated as great) and Marks & Spencer (rated as good) to Burberry (rated as it’s a start) and Louis Vuitton (rated as not good enough), the Good On You app is the perfect accompaniment for shopping sustainably – or, at least, learning more about the topics and issues at hand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">It’s easy to want change but it’s not as easy to make change happen. This is more than just a trend – things are improving, and people are becoming more aware. And people are willing to change; Vogue Australia survey found that 66% of millennials said they would pay more for sustainable fashion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , serif;">Actress Emma Watson wrote in her letter of support for Good On You that ‘we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy’, and she’s right. That extra bit of research, or the extra money you might be spending on a shirt because it’s sustainable is worth it. Sustainable fashion is here to stay; it’s better for the environment, for wildlife, for us. After all, what’s the point in buying clothes if we don’t have a planet left to wear them on? </span></div>
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</style>Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-7244603099867707122020-02-19T04:31:00.002-08:002020-02-19T04:31:59.358-08:00Introducing the app making sustainability look Good On You<span style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s no secret that the fashion industry has been home to a number of ethical issues. From child labour, low wages and health and safety risks, to animal cruelty and pollution caused by cotton farming and cloth manufacturing, the issues only seem to be increasing.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></strong></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcAHyDtBgxrbD2IkAg93CX8ZJGXeBP5jgpPT_shL-AMk1l9IkEch9dccZOHSbTxHV217prOoSqoOf87IIR7ukgrxyxRPdMrJnBWGhtwOOMHk0K-SgCLbDH81y2CWAvnZzJgd47GS0Yd4/s1600/photo-boards-D0xQQsZovws-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcAHyDtBgxrbD2IkAg93CX8ZJGXeBP5jgpPT_shL-AMk1l9IkEch9dccZOHSbTxHV217prOoSqoOf87IIR7ukgrxyxRPdMrJnBWGhtwOOMHk0K-SgCLbDH81y2CWAvnZzJgd47GS0Yd4/s1600/photo-boards-D0xQQsZovws-unsplash.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Image courtesy of Photo Boards on Unsplash.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></strong><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">Statistics are damning in their exposé of fashion’s trail of destruction: according to the </span><a href="http://globalfashionagenda.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Pulse-of-the-Fashion-Industry_2017.pdf" style="color: #3c3b3b; cursor: pointer; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">Global Fashion Agenda</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">, over 50% of workers are not paid the minimum wage in countries such as India or The Philippines and they also highlight that “the raw materials stage has a disproportionately large impact on sustainability, partly because of the effect it has on recyclability”.</span><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></strong>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Things need to change and the fashion world needs to wake up, but it can be difficult to take a stand for time - and money - short students. How can we put our money where our mouths are and support the companies which are truly working to keep the above in mind?<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </span>That’s where <a href="https://goodonyou.eco/" style="color: #3c3b3b; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;">Good On You</span></a> comes in handy. </span></span></span></span></strong><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><o:p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></o:p></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></strong>
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is Good On You?</span></b></span></span></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></strong><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Think Google but for sustainable, ethical fashion. Good On You was founded in Australia in 2015 and works to compare and rate the world’s fashion brands according to their ethics and sustainability. </span></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></strong>
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">How does it work?</span></b></span></span></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></strong><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Good On You rates brands based on three elements: people, planet and animals, taking their information from certification schemes such as Fair Trade, OEKO-TEX and the Global Organic Textile Standard and, in some circumstances, considering the brands’ own statements.</span></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></strong>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The ‘People’ element looks at the impact of brands on workers, policies on child labour, forced labour, worker safety, freedom of association and payment of living wage – along with the brand's auditing practices and their relationships with suppliers. </span></span></span></span></strong><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><o:p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></o:p></span></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></strong>
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The <span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://goodonyou.eco/how-we-rate/" style="color: #3c3b3b; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">‘Planet’</a></span> element assesses brands’ “resource use and disposal, energy use and carbon emissions, impact on water, as well as chemical use and disposal.”</span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></strong>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The ‘Animals’ element is where Good On You identifies use of fur, angora, down feather, shearing, karakul and exotic animal skin and hair. Use of wool and whether and how the brand uses leather is also considered in this section. </span></span></span></span></strong><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><o:p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></o:p></span></span></span></span></strong></span><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></strong>
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">To rate brands, Good On You considers whether they are taking positive steps or if they engage in what they call ‘negative citizenship’ – such as lobbying against legislation which would either reduce harm or increase brand transparency. Good On You scores each brand from an average of each of these areas.</span></span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></strong><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">What are the ratings?</span></b></span></span></span></span></span></strong></span><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></b></span></span></span></span></span></strong><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">From worst to best …</span></span></span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong></span><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">We avoid</b>: this is where brands provide very little or no relevant information. In some cases, these brands make ambiguous claims that Good On You dubs “greenwash”.</span></span></span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong>
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Not good enough</b>: these brands have provided some information in a few areas but not enough to truly unpick their supply chains.</span><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><o:p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </o:p></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></b></span></span></span></span></strong>
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">It’s a start</b>: these brands are transparent in at least one area and are making good progress in at least one of the focus areas of Good On You.</span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></b></span></span></span></span></strong>
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Good</b>: this is where brands have taken several significant positive initiatives. These brands are generally leading the way on one or more key issues and tend to be very transparent.</span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong>
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Great</b>: these brands score highly in two or more categories and have at least one certification or accreditation. They tend to be designed from the ground up as sustainable and ethical and are usually “super transparent”.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong></span><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://goodonyou.eco/about/" style="color: #3c3b3b; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">In her letter of support</a></span> for Good On You, actress, model and activist Emma Watson said “we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy” - and she’s right. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">With apps and websites such as Good On You becoming more popular, it’s much easier to shop consciously and make an impact on tackling the issues of the fashion industry.</span></span></span></span></strong><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Good On You’s brand directory includes everything from Oxfam (rated as great), Marks & Spencer (rated as good) and H&M (rated as it’s a start) to Stella McCartney (rated as good), Burberry (rated as it’s a start) and Louis Vuitton (rated as not good enough).</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong></span><strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong>
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">With a brand directory as large as this, there seems to be no excuse…change may be coming sooner than we think.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<strong style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></strong>
<span style="color: #333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i>Please note: this piece was originally published on <a href="https://www.thenationalstudent.com/Fashion_and_Beauty/2019-04-10/introducing_the_app_making_sustainability_look_good_on_you.html">The National Student</a>.</i></b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-40862345751408859782020-02-19T04:29:00.000-08:002020-02-19T04:29:17.671-08:00Pitch, Produce, Publish: PAGE Magazine<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">During semester one of second year, in groups of five or six, we were set the task of pitching, producing and publishing a magazine. My group chose to create a literary magazine for young people, entitled <i>PAGE</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In addition to writing for the magazine, I was also the art director. To see the full magazine <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SGdA5uj4TUMIw0lt3p7Q7be4W7Qorto6/view?usp=sharing">click here</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mXORPMsCP6g3VTyQZ3r0MxKw4EtLJt4wqOgjchZgQoZyKm5TeYecUx0aGQqG1qbeds7FVncGf45Xk9Z3z-NAti2g4Z1KgqmeJ8g2eZTrKuUlWMhwAiq50vyjP7Bve27XtbOFin1O4d8/s1600/IMG_8074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1416" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mXORPMsCP6g3VTyQZ3r0MxKw4EtLJt4wqOgjchZgQoZyKm5TeYecUx0aGQqG1qbeds7FVncGf45Xk9Z3z-NAti2g4Z1KgqmeJ8g2eZTrKuUlWMhwAiq50vyjP7Bve27XtbOFin1O4d8/s1600/IMG_8074.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">You can read my three main pieces here: </span><br />
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<li><a href="https://www.jodieshepherd.co.uk/2020/02/a-paperback-movement.html" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">A Paperback Movement</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://www.jodieshepherd.co.uk/2020/02/a-reading-revolution.html" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">A Reading Revolution</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://www.jodieshepherd.co.uk/2020/02/these-nursery-rhymes-are-over-moon.html"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">These Nursery Rhymes are Over the Moon</span></a></li>
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Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-32971171202502500722020-02-19T04:25:00.001-08:002020-02-19T04:25:46.435-08:00A Reading Revolution<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">As a new age of literature dawns, we are now faced with one of the most crucial decisions of our lives: are e-books better than hardbacks? We don’t think so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdjtkHVC-GxG8TyW9OPY0QF5DTiCNYdxf2gB9SHQMPvxXL0UabsnEUE0L9h-F1mIggWl5w3z2UqHLwprRdYMKukiaKob4R2O1zU6XE24SH6OkTr-lP3qxUICPS2Q6MpRSMdxGBFUeAug/s1600/IMG_3071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdjtkHVC-GxG8TyW9OPY0QF5DTiCNYdxf2gB9SHQMPvxXL0UabsnEUE0L9h-F1mIggWl5w3z2UqHLwprRdYMKukiaKob4R2O1zU6XE24SH6OkTr-lP3qxUICPS2Q6MpRSMdxGBFUeAug/s1600/IMG_3071.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">From e-books to audiobooks, the literature and publishing industries are constantly evolving – technological advances are carving a new path for literature consumption and, clearly, there has been the demand for such. In the US alone, 266 million e-books were sold in 2017 as opposed to 69 million in 2010. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Cast your mind back to 2007, 11 long years ago, when the first Amazon Kindle was launched – the device, the brand’s first e-reader, was described as ‘a giant leap for all’ and compared to the Apple iPod’s transformative impact on the music industry. In fact, some suggested that the rise of the e-book meant the death of the physical book – that people just don’t want to read physical books anymore. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Millennials, as a generation, have a reputation. We’re technology obsessed social media users that don’t appreciate the better things in life. Our lives are more about speed and ease rather than slowing down and properly appreciating things in the way they should be appreciated. We read our Twitter and Instagram feeds, we listen to podcasts and, if we’re going to read an actual book, it’ll be via an e-reader such as the Amazon Kindle. Apparently, it’s all about scrolling and tapping, rather than flipping pages of a book. But that’s hardly the case. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"><br />Whether it be because our lives are so digitalised and technology-based generally, we want to escape reality and switch off for a while – to put our phones down and enter a world that’s not necessarily our own. So we pick up a book – there are no distractions, no text messages, no notifications or likes, it’s the perfect escape and the whole novelty of physical books just doesn’t get old. Walking into a book shop and properly wracking the bookshelves until you find the ‘one’, the smell of a freshly purchased book, the excitement you get when you get to the end of a chapter, fiercely turning the pages of the book because you simply can’t stop reading it. Nothing compares. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Call me old fashioned but there’s just something about having a physical copy in front of you. The words printed on the page in nothing but black and white, letting your imagination go wild and allowing you to immerse yourself in a story and experience it in your own way, with your own interpretations of plotlines and characters. That’s what reading is about. Allowing you to be transported to another world, where almost anything is possible. That’s not quite the same with audiobooks in particular – there are benefits, of course, but do you get the same immersive feeling? Do you get to imagine the characters and the story in the same way, with the same freedom of interpretation? Not really. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Don’t get me wrong, e-books and audiobooks are great for on the go. They’re light, accessible and generally an easy option. Think going on holiday – with a Kindle, for example, you can take potentially hundreds of books with you without adding any extra hassle or weight – physical books aren’t quite the same in that sense. E-books are great if you have the need for them and, quite clearly, there is a demand for them – people do have the need for them, otherwise they wouldn’t be as popular as they are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">It’s obviously simply a matter of personal preference but I know, for me, you just cannot beat a good hard copy of a book. And I hate to break it to the critics out there, but it’s not just me that thinks this – according to research by PubTrack Digital, in 2017, e-book sales were down 10% compared to sales of physical books and, in only the first four months of 2018, e-book sales were down 3%. So no, the death of the physical book isn’t here yet. If anything, it’s a time for revival. We’re not quite over them just yet. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"><b><i>Please note: this piece was originally written for PAGE Magazine.</i></b></span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-17135545409830430752020-02-19T04:24:00.002-08:002020-02-19T04:24:43.866-08:00A paperback movement<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">How did we get from protest boards and best sellers to the box office? <i>The Hate U Give</i><br />made waves this year, so we began to look into how true to books films stay<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"><i>by Jodie Shepherd</i></span><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SVEk9yIzhr8djmIcznV1xsxZkO1zaPt5Qq2CSCmi5Tff5RRVAoUbc4U8r7MpsaYGtrKy2ZE6795svaxcFjkFMHLc7O9mf1l5vSQl84ixEryjMO3Rbvzvrj3iaLg6Cwv2fAavUEhr-Ns/s1600/IMG_5625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SVEk9yIzhr8djmIcznV1xsxZkO1zaPt5Qq2CSCmi5Tff5RRVAoUbc4U8r7MpsaYGtrKy2ZE6795svaxcFjkFMHLc7O9mf1l5vSQl84ixEryjMO3Rbvzvrj3iaLg6Cwv2fAavUEhr-Ns/s1600/IMG_5625.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">It’s no secret that there has been a huge trend in adapting books into films and theatre shows. Books have been adapted into films since 1903 – the first being <i>The Great Train Robbery</i>, a short story written by Scott Marble, which was adapted into a 10 minute film. In fact, the trend was (and continues to be) so popular that, in 1939, almost every film nominated for an Academy Award was a book adaption. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">From <i>The Devil Wears Prada</i> to <i>James Bond</i>, <i>Of Mice and Men</i> to <i>To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before</i> – there’s one thing you can almost guarantee when adapting a book: a fan base. People love books and there’s a certain level of passion, and pressure, when a book gets auctioned to be made into a film. It’s fine to say that, with a book adaption, audiences are already pre-sold on the idea; they know the story (or, at least, the basis of the story) and there’s a level of recognisability for readers and viewers alike but best sellers don’t necessarily guarantee success in the box office<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Look at the <i>Percy Jackson</i> franchise, for example. The fast-paced mythological book series was commissioned for a four-film series, yet only two instalments were released amidst backlash from fans who argued that the characters didn’t resemble their descriptions in the books, important secondary characters were cut from the story and the changes made to the script meant that the personalities of the characters were changed too. The author of the series, Rick Riordan, has stated numerous times that he hasn’t watched the films as he doesn’t want them to influence the ways in which he views the characters he created. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Yet, on the other hand, John Green’s <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i> has been heavily praised as one of the best page-to-screen adaptions of recent years. Fans of arguably one of the most popular Young Adult novels of the decade so far anticipated the release of the 2014 film starring Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort and it didn’t disappoint. Very little was changed in terms of plot and character development between the book and film and viewers credited the casting of the production – with some saying the actors were perfect for the roles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Other fan favourites include <i>Holes</i> (a classic<span style="color: red;">,</span> if you ask the PAGE team) and <i>Lord of the Rings</i> – the writers of which have been credited by some as taking the books and making them the ‘best trilogy of films ever created’, according to fans.<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Some people, both readers / viewers and writers, believe that certain literature shouldn’t be made into films – not necessarily because it will ultimately reduce the quality and reputation of the original piece but, realistically, it is more so about the medium in which the adaption occurs. Also, some books work better in TV than they do in film, some work better in the form of theatre. Just like the same method doesn’t work for every recipe, the same method doesn’t work for every adaption. <span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Potentially, one of the most prominent current examples of a book-to-movie adaptation is that of <i>The Hate U Give</i>. Published in February 2017, Angie Thomas’ award-winning novel debuted on the New York Times Bestseller list where it remained for 50 weeks. The novel is an expansion of a short story written by Thomas while she was in college, following the 2009 police shooting of Oscar Grant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The novel has proven to be incredibly popular globally and, frankly, it’s clear why. The book follows 16-year-old Starr Carter as she straddles her two worlds – the poor neighbourhood Garden Heights where she was born and raised, and the upper-class, predominantly white world of her high school, Williamson Prep, in the suburbs. There are two versions of Starr but her worlds collide when she witnesses the fatal police shooting of her unarmed best friend Khalil and, now, the way in which she navigates the situation – and what she says – could destroy her community. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"><br />The case is just another in a string of police shootings and becomes a national scandal. As the only witness, Starr generally lacks a ‘safe’ space – at school, her peers talk about how it was inevitable that Khalil would be shot because he was allegedly a drug dealer and ‘deserved it’. At home, in Garden Heights, ‘snitches get stiches’ is possibly the best phrase for the neighbourhood – Khalil’s death is used as an excuse for gangs to expand their war of territory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">In today’s world, it’s increasingly important that we shine a light on movements such as Black Lives Matter and issues of racism and police brutality. <i>The Hate U Give</i> does exactly that. It’s raw, gut-wrenching and heartbreakingly impactful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">At this crucial point in history, Thomas has crafted an authentic, witty, relatable character in Starr. Not only does her story tackle the larger issues at hand – like that of systematic racism – but it also tackles the more general trials of growing up, complete with pop culture references and humour that people of all backgrounds are able to relate to. The first-person narrative used throughout the novel allows readers to experience a glimpse of the brutal reality of racism and the issues surrounding it through the eyes of a teenager – providing a grippingly raw account of contemporary black youth growing up in America today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The motion picture – starring the likes of Amandla Stenberg and Regina Hall – is equally as good, yet there are notable differences. Expectedly, some minor details have been changed – one example being that, in the book, Starr and her boyfriend, Chris, have been dating for a year while, in the film, they’ve been together for six months – but there are also bigger differences, done for cinematic effect and intensified drama. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">It’s understandable to make these changes; after all, moviemakers want their films to be as successful as possible – even if that means excessive dramatisation, in some cases – but are they really necessary? In <i>The Hate U Give</i>, probably not - the plot of the film is impactful enough, already. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "times" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Either way, <i>The Hate U Give</i> is something the world needs. It was inevitable that someone would write a novel about such a pressing issue in today’s world but there was no guarantee that it would be done well – and with such good timing. Thomas has created a masterpiece – the novel is yet another piece in the puzzle of the wake-up call the world needs when it comes to racism, police brutality and movements such as #BlackLivesMatter. And the team behind the motion picture have done an incredible job at bringing it to life. <i>The Hate U Give</i> is a must-read <i>and </i>a must-see for everyone, no matter your background. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The thing about adapting books into film is that, sometimes, it’s simply not possible to follow the book as accurately as is hoped. Whether that be due to funding, time and scheduling or simply missing the point of the plot – it’s something that’s inevitable within the industry. Yet, ultimately, book-to-film adaptations aren’t going anywhere any time soon. 2018 bought us the screen adaptations of the likes of <i>Love Simon, Peter Rabbit, Little Women</i> and the final instalment of the <i>Maze Runner</i> franchise. 2019 will bring us Stephen King’s <i>Pet Sematry</i>, Maria Semple’s <i>Where’d You Go</i>, <i>Bernadette,</i> <i>Three Seconds</i> by Roslund and Hellstrom, amongst others. And we may think some adaptions are horrendous – we may even prefer some films to the books they’re based on – but, one thing is for sure: this trend of adapting books into film is only intensifying. And that’s great - not only for movie-lovers, but also for book-lovers – what better place to get recommendations for your next read?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"><b><i>Please note: this piece was originally written for PAGE Magazine.</i></b></span></div>
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Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-1787258213432929182020-02-19T04:22:00.001-08:002020-02-19T04:22:43.559-08:00These nursery rhymes are over the moon<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Nursery rhymes: we know them, we love them and we all have a favourite – whether that be an old childhood favourite or one that’s crept up over time. But what are the top five most popular nursery rhymes? We asked PAGE readers and these are your top five.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Illustration by Angelica Bacani for PAGE Magazine.</span></td></tr>
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<u><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Twinkle Twinkle Little Star <o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Dating back to 1806, the lyrics of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star originate from a poem written by Jane Taylor. The nursery rhyme is sung to the tune of the French melody ‘Ah! Vous dirai-je, maman’ and, although the full rhyme has five stanzas, only the first is generally widely known. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times" , serif;">Twinkle, twinkle, little star,</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times" , serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">How I wonder what you are!</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Up above the world so high,</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Like a diamond in the sky.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Twinkle, twinkle, little star,</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">How I wonder what you are!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The Grand Old Duke of York<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">First published in 1642, The Grand Old Duke of York is often performed as an action song, with movements generally revolving around the ‘up’, ‘down’ and ‘only halfway up’ phrases within the rhyme. Unlike many other nursery rhymes, The Grand Old Duke of York quite clearly refers to a historical figure although it is unclear which Duke is the subject of the rhyme – hence sparking debate about the origins of the rhyme. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times" , serif;">Oh, The grand </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times" , serif;">old </span><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Duke of York<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">,</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times" , serif;">He had ten thousand men;</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times" , serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">He marched them up to the top of the hill,</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And he marched them down again.</span><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And when they were up, they were up,</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And when they were down, they were down,</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And when they were only half-way up,</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">They were neither up nor down</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Incy Wincy Spider<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Arguably one of the most commonly known nursery rhymes, Incy Wincy Spider is a popular rhyme and fingerplay also known as ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’. The date of the original publication of the rhyme is unknown, but it can be found in publications dating back to 1910. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2f2d; font-family: "times" , serif;">Incy Wincy spider climbing up the spout</span><span style="color: #2e2f2d; font-family: "times" , serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Down came the rain and washed the spider out</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Out came the sunshine and dried up all the rain</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And Incy Wincy spider climbed up the spout again</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Baa Baa Black Sheep<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Originally published in 1744, the rhyme of Baa Baa Black Sheep is sung to the French melody </span><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">‘Ah! Vous dirai-je, maman’ – the same tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. There has been much speculation over the origins of the nursery rhyme over time. Some theories suggest that the song refers to past resentment over heavy taxation on wool, while other theories speculate reference to the slave trade and racism. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times" , serif;">Baa, baa, black sheep,</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times" , serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Have you any wool?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Yes, sir, yes, sir,</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Three bags full;</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">One for the master,</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And one for the dame,</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">And one for the little boy</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Who lives down the lane</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Humpty Dumpty</span></u><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The first recorded versions of Humpty Dumpty date back to 1797, where it is probable that the rhyme was originally a riddle. Interestingly – perhaps due to these riddle-like roots - the rhyme does not explicitly state that the subject is an egg but Humpty Dumpty is widely portrayed as such. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "times" , serif;">Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times" , serif;"><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">All the king's horses and all the king's men</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Couldn't put Humpty together again</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><b><i>Please note: this piece was originally written for PAGE Magazine. </i></b></span></span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-85040036448047658902020-02-19T04:20:00.000-08:002020-02-19T08:30:13.577-08:00Oscars 2019: Think pink<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">All eyes were on the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on 24</span><sup style="font-family: Times, serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">February as the 91</span><sup style="font-family: Times, serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">annual Academy Awards marked the end of 2019’s award season. Stars lined the red carpet as one of the most prestigious events in the fashion calendar, the Oscars, took place.</span><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Last year, red carpet fashion took a back seat as stars turned the carpet black in solidarity with the #MeToo movement but it appears that colour is all the rage, once again, with pink being the shade of the night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Crazy Rich Asians </span></i><span data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BuS9sOfF1o1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" instagram-media="" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;"></span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;">star Gemma Chan stole the show in a stunning parachute-like candyfloss pink Valentino Couture dress. Paired with muted pink eyeshadow and simple pink lipstick, the taffeta gown featured a high neck, ruffled collar and pockets – filled with cookies and rice cakes, according to Chan. With the dress taken straight from the runway as part of Valentino’s most recent couture collection, Chan’s Bulgari jewellery was the perfect accompaniment. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Cblockquote%20class=%22instagram-media%22%20data-instgrm-captioned%20data-instgrm-permalink=%22https://www.instagram.com/p/BuUceOLgRk7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading%22%20data-instgrm-version=%2212%22%20style=%22%20background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BuUceOLgRk7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"> View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div></a> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BuUceOLgRk7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">I felt like a KING last night. Because of you my love. So honoured to attend and present at the Oscars. To meet so many talented artist congratulations to every nominee all these amazing films @helenmirren i love you such a honour to stay by your side Also love to send my deepest aloha to @karllagerfeld RIP @silviaventurinifendi @jeanneyangstyle for taking my pink velvet scrunchie and turning it into a suit. Unko KARL your a legend. Mahalo for my first suit And to all my insta homies who always make me the coolest jewelry. Love my rings @bookofalchemy @intothefirejewelry @judicael_sacred_skulls @richardbaggettstudios @leroyswoodentattoos @king_baby_studio @hoboshane @red_rabbit_ia and so many more. Cheeeeeeefuknhuuuuuuuuuu #hhrajahhh. #pinkonpink. Aloha j</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/prideofgypsies/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Jason Momoa</a> (@prideofgypsies) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2019-02-25T21:13:59+00:00">Feb 25, 2019 at 1:13pm PST</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>">Gemma Chan, Instagram </a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Dame Helen Mirren reminded the world that ombre is a trend that, when done right, is always a winner. She donned a vibrant pleated Schiaparelli dress, showcasing various shades of pink and completed her outfit with a hot pink clutch bag and added some glitz with her sparkling jewellery. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Helen Mirren (left). Image: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BuSxL_QDtbG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">Helen Mirren, Instagram </a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Kiki Layne kept things sleek and simple in a baby pink custom Versace dress, complete with Atelier Swarovski jewellery. The well fitted gown featured yet another of the go-to trends of the night with a bow-like draped extension at the back. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BuZpWBIgIE6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">Kiki Layne, Instagram</a> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Jason Momoa and his wife, American actress Lisa Bonet, co-ordinated in matching Fendi ensembles – a tribute to the late Karl Lagerfeld, who died in February following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Bonet opted for a blush pink embellished tulle dress – one of Lagerfeld’s final haute couture designs. <i>Aquaman</i> star Momoa followed suit, wearing a blush pink velvet suit – a custom design by creative director of menswear Silvia Venturini Fendi – paired with a matching velvet scrunchie on his wrist, complete with the Fendi logo. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BuUceOLgRk7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">Jason Momoa, Instagram</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Meagan Good channelled her inner-Grecian goddess with her Georges Chakra dress. One of the first to arrive to the ceremony, Good made an impression with the pale pink one-shoulder creation, complete with a plisse train, sheer lace detailing and a thigh high slit. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Image: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BuUMdQag6rE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">Meagan Good, Instagram</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">While pink appeared to be the night’s winning colour, there were plenty of surprises when it came to award winners. <i>Green Book </i>won best picture, while Olivia Colman took home the Oscar for best actress and Rami Malek scooped up the award for best actor following his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in <i>Bohemian Rhapsody</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-39909076959093705882020-02-19T04:10:00.001-08:002020-02-19T04:10:54.871-08:00Review: The Design Museum, Kensington<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">As the first of its kind, the Design Museum is a great achievement – founded in 1989 by Sir Terence Conran, the museum was previously based by the River Thames until moving to its current Kensington High Street site in 2016. Set slightly back from the street, next to Holland Park, the museum is located in Kensington’s cultural quarter and is free to enter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Image courtesy of Jack Young on Unsplash.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">Upon entry, I’m faced with a large, almost empty atrium. Aside from groups of tourists, school trips and staff members, there’s really not much to see. There’s a gift shop (overpriced, of course) and a help desk at which you can purchase tickets to the paid exhibitions – there are a fair few of them but, arguably, the main attraction is the museum’s permanent display: Designer, Maker, User. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The exhibition begins with the Designer section – the first element worth noting is the detailed timeline showing the majority of landmark dates from 1759 (the opening of the first modern factory) all the way up to 2012 (the new industrial revolution). We then move on to learn about transport design – with a display dedicated entirely to Transport for London – and then enter the User section where, to be brutally honest, nothing is working. Any element of interactivity is out of order – not so good for an exhibition dedicated almost entirely to the designing, making and using of such products. The Maker section is slightly better in the sense that you’re taken almost on a journey throughout time (without the actual time machine, of course) to learn about the evolution of technology – from old school record players and cameras to today’s Apple Watch and iPhones. To complete the experience, there’s an opportunity to apply what you’ve learnt at the ‘Design a…’ station – perhaps the most interactive part of the exhibition, but definitely targeted more towards younger visitors or perhaps school trips. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The museum is modern and while it may look strange to some, the design is simple but effective – at least in the atrium. The displays within the Designer, Maker, User exhibition are bold, colourful and most definitely appealing to the eye and the exhibition itself covers a wide range of topics with a clear, cohesive layout – particularly in the Maker section. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">The museum has so much potential. It could be great, but it just isn’t. Yes, it does act as a good introduction to the world of design but not so much for those who have zero knowledge at all about the topic. The exhibition rightly focuses on design and the visual appearance of such, but this means that the rest – the content – is rejected. There’s the opportunity to learn a lot but, unless your concentration levels are ridiculously high, you probably won’t be able to read the overly cluttered boxes of information printed on the walls. The interactive elements don’t work, and it’s a general disappointment. The potential is there, but the reality is that it’s uninspiring. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , serif;">In a city that boasts so many wonderful museums and attractions, it <i>is</i> a great achievement to have one focused entirely on design but, at the same time, in a city that boasts such museums, the Designer, Maker, User exhibition is simply underwhelming. And, as the main display in the museum, it’s not a great advertisement – no matter how good it <i>could </i>be. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1061395468992836527.post-87434208628482924602020-02-19T04:06:00.000-08:002020-02-19T04:08:46.053-08:00Audio feature: Plastic pollution<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6XC9d40N3NrYQ7eDQpzi8SecU5vCmL0VqSlWeg09doR46WdfOQtzmjUTEdXa7vMPw7u56AzbhDdVBj7TFZoS4XCQov4Q4vUPDESHfv_zPYi1vXrCdK2Y4Zea33EeGVqTLZ3YzStyGTk/s1600/dustan-woodhouse-RUqoVelx59I-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6XC9d40N3NrYQ7eDQpzi8SecU5vCmL0VqSlWeg09doR46WdfOQtzmjUTEdXa7vMPw7u56AzbhDdVBj7TFZoS4XCQov4Q4vUPDESHfv_zPYi1vXrCdK2Y4Zea33EeGVqTLZ3YzStyGTk/s1600/dustan-woodhouse-RUqoVelx59I-unsplash.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of Dustan Woodhouse on Unsplash. </td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">The issue of plastic pollution is an increasingly important one. The words themselves are slowly but surely becoming buzzwords in today’s world of uncertainty. From coverage in national newspapers, like the Daily Mail, to protests, petitions and being featured in the BBC series, Blue Planet II, the issue is gaining prominence in mainstream society. But that isn’t enough. The issue is bigger. We produce over 300 million tonnes of plastic each year – half of that is for single use. Our plastic consumption is severely impacting the planet and its wildlife. One plastic bottle takes over 450 years to break down in the ocean. A plastic bag takes 20 years. And even when they’ve broken down, they leave dangerous microplastics behind – which, eventually, make their way into our food chain. Something has to give. Changes need to be made.</span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Special thanks to … </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Michelle Cassar – <a href="https://being-pall.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #e1122a; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">being-pall.com</a> / <a href="https://www.citytosea.org.uk/" style="border: 0px; color: #e1122a; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">City to Sea</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/MichelleCassar_" style="border: 0px; color: #e1122a; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Twitter</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/michelle_being.pall/" style="border: 0px; color: #e1122a; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Instagram</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Kirstie Brittain – <a href="http://kirstiebrittain.com/" style="border: 0px; color: #e1122a; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kirstiebrittain.com</a> / <a href="https://www.change.org/p/ban-plastic-cutlery-and-straws-in-fast-food-chains-to-protect-our-oceans-and-marine-life" style="border: 0px; color: #e1122a; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">petition</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/KirstieBrittain" style="border: 0px; color: #e1122a; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Twitter</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kirstiebrittain/" style="border: 0px; color: #e1122a; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Instagram</a> </span></div>
Jodie Shepherdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12793875643058723724noreply@blogger.com0