So this month was mine and Hannah Salt's month to create the Cultural Warriors blog, updating everyone on how the Future Fires as a whole are managing. The video (below) provides an insight into our greatest achievements, biggest challenges and things we are most looking forward to in November.
I thought I would expand on my entry in the video and talk a bit more about my biggest achievements, challenges and things I am most looking forward to!
Biggest achievements achieved in the last 4 weeks:
- BBC Radio Manchester interview
- Articles on several websites (including aboutmyarea.com), newspapers (including the Chorlton Reporter) and magazines (including the Big Issue North)
- 5 public interviews set-up with assistants supporting the filming
- Met with asylum seekers and refugees from Boaz Trust, between 5 and 9 of whom are interested in the the project
Biggest challenges encountered in the last 4 weeks:
- Having enough time to keep on top of things!
- Communicating with sponsors and funders – it can be tough when things change and working around different peoples priorities
- Securing a venue at the Peoples History Museum. It feels ideal but I have had 1 meeting, presented a written pitch and applied through somewhereto_ but no luck to far and time is running out!
- Noise bleed at Contact during the interviews is reducing the quality!
- Re-working targets. I originally wanted to interview 40 participants, but due to the time it takes to transcribe, I am only about to fit in a maximum of 20! Although disappointed, I would rather do in-depth and thorough interviews that loads of brief and short ones!
- I am experiencing technical problems and am yet to send participants who were interviewed weeks ago their DVDs which is really making me unhappy!
What am I most looking forward to in November:
- By the end of November, I should be very close to my amended target of 10 in-depth interviews, and between 5 and 10 additional interviews!
- I am seeing some really exciting performances in Manchester which will no doubt inspire me!
- Seeing the project come to life!
- And, slightly off topic, going on a weekend break to one of my favourite European destinations, Bruges!
It has been an incredibly busy month and I have done all sorts of additional research, including going to Storytelling events in Manchester, reading about Digital Storytelling as a medium for presenting my project, meeting with my mentors and engaging in a lot of PR! It has been a huge learning curve, and I wish there were 2 of me sometimes so that I could really devote myself to pushing this project even further! Oh well... I can always dream!
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