HeyU Issue 51 - 19 October | Page 25

Who has been your biggest influence or inspiration? Definitely within the last 3 years that we’ve been focusing on social media. my family; my mum and dad in particular because I was the first in the family to go to uni and they really encouraged me to keep going. Do you have any tips for anyone who’s looking at entering the same field of work? It is a very Have you always been interested in this career path even as a kid? Actually, as a kid I would make my own radio shows! I’d tape songs and record my voice with it and make my own shows and play them back for my family. I’ve always been behind the camera, but as for in front of the camera, I recently let my boyfriend film this party we had and the whole time I was telling him to be mindful of head room etc. Studied: Bachelor of Applied Media (Radio and Television Broadcasting) Favourite movies: Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter 3 words to describe self: Happy, bubbly and calm Favourite study snack: Tea How was it for you making the transition from study into work? To be honest, it took me a long time to get a job. I got a bit disheartened at times and thought about giving up. Then, when I thought all hope was lost, out of nowhere I received a call from WIN news in Bundaberg and they told me my resume and experience from uni was fantastic and exactly what they wanted! What do you like most about working at WIN? I’ve previously worked for another network in Brisbane and I think, in comparison, WIN is solely local so you feel like you’re part of a community. In Toowoomba, someone will recognise you from a story you filmed on the weekend, which I think is really nice. The news landscape surely has changed a lot, particularly with the internet. What changes have you noticed during your time in the industry? We’re still doing local WORDS: CORBEN MITCHELL IMAGES: SUPPLIED news but we’re finding the younger generation aren’t turning on the TV as much these days because they can find alternatives on the internet; they don’t want to wait until 6pm, they want it straight away. In the beginning we never used Facebook, Twitter or anything like that. It’s mainly come up competitive industry. Be prepared to pack up your bags and move to a regional town to find a job. Everyone has to start out regionally. Be prepared to put yourself out on the line. Any particular goals in your career for the future? I know I can’t do this job for the rest of my life as it is so intense, so I’d really like to give back to the younger generation and pass on my knowledge. I might even go into teaching. What’s your favourite way to unwind, whether it be after a long day at university or after work? I like to relax with a cup of tea (I’m a big tea drinker, any kind) and a nice movie to watch with it, something light. Media degrees, like most, can be very stressful at times. How did you handle the workload? I really made the most of my friends at uni by getting a group together so we could all discuss what we were doing and help each other out. What would you consider to be your biggest accomplishment to date? I think so far it would have to be… well, the most exciting moment was when I was working as a camera operator in Bundaberg and we all got cut off during the floods. I was the only camera operator available at the time so it was such a rush because everything I was filming was going Australia-wide and another network even sent it overseas. I was so chuffed. If you could have dinner with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be? I’d love to meet Peter Jackson (director, writer and producer of The Lord of the Rings trilogy). I think his career journey is so fascinating and he seems like such a cool guy. I'd love to have the dinner in Hobbiton!