Working on this story was my first true step into television journalism, and frankly, it was not what I had first expected. At the start of the day I had been told that I would be shadowing Harry while attending a Brisbane Council press conference. Previously the only press conferences I had seen in person were either for the police or government, both of which had large press gatherings and typically small crowds of onlookers. It was a small surprise to attend my first presser as a journo and see the three members from the council and several public relations officers all going over what was going to be said. No bustling crowds, no large group of onlookers, and in fact more PR people than journalists. While looking back this shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise given what was being announced it was a reminder that what you see through the camera, online, or on your tv isn’t the whole picture.
Once the press conference began, I helped by assisting Harry with information, asking questions (that I was prompted by Harry), and working with the Camera operator in setting up for shots of the renovated strip. It was interesting to watch the camera operators from the apparent competitors, the ABC, Channel 7 and 10 all working together to get footage. While I had no reason to assume it was the case, I had always assumed that the competition that is on display on the front end of each of these companies was mirrored behind the camera, truthfully it was refreshing to see just how much the teams from each of the companies worked together.
Following the press conference, Harry sent me out with another camera operator to question members of the public on their opinions of the redevelopments that the council had undertaken. This had been something previously I had been quite nervous about doing, approaching the public and trying to stick a camera in their face, but after attempting it personally, and now with a company’s logo in my hand attached to a microphone, I found it surprisingly easy. Following the interviews, I assisted the camera operator again in getting shots of the redevelopments taking place around the city.
Below is the final story as well as the interviews that I completed all edited into a single clip.
Grey Card 