Magazine In a day challenge (SMILEweek)

Magazine in a day

The third day of SMILEfest ‘11 brought an impressive opportunity for students studying on the music scheme. Popular Music Journalism course leader Martin James organised a workshop that allowed journalism students ranging throughout the scheme and years to come together to take on a testing feat – make a 20 page magazine in a day.

With a 10am start all students were preparing to take on their chosen roles within this newly founded magazine team, with editors, designers and writers all trying to organise their thoughts.

Wednesday’s workshop was a prominent example of what SMILEfest has to offer, organiser Martin James has evolved the week to ensure students have the best experience possible “ it’s a major achievement that it’s gone from one to six days, incorporating live speakers, workshops, and inspiring students to work regionally and beyond individual elements.”

Editor   fully engaged in his role and quickly ideas were flying around the room, with second year Popular Music Journalism students using their growing experience to order the pages and discuss possible design features and page furniture with the designers.

Then the pressure was on, with the freelance writers being assigned their individual features and reviews, Popular music journalism student said  “ I think it was a really cool idea, I enjoyed being given tasks and working in a realistic magazine style environment” the groups then paired off and scattered around the Southampton Solent campus to dive into research and gain all the information needed to create some outstanding journalistic pieces.

The students all regrouped and pushed on with writing their pieces, the sound of keys tapping furiously filled the room and with the first deadline looming all students did their best to get their first pieces finished.

By 2.30pm the room was buzzing and the atmosphere electric, with the designing underway and several features being subbed around the room, the magazine was slowly beginning to take shape. Yet with every breath a new article or news piece was being added, bands on campus willing to be interviewed, and members of staff being pestered for quality quotes.

As the day progressed the magazine was truly beginning to take shape, with a quick pit stop to ensure everything was still working well and pieces were on form it was apparent that the magazine was going to be a success and the students felt a fresh wave of excitement as they edged ever nearer to the finish line.

By the evening, the long and action filled day was drawing to a close, the features had been written, subbed, re written designed and edited. All everything was set in place for the final piece to be unveiled.

With the task finally being reaching an end, all the students that were involved could feel a well-earned sense of achievement, the editor said “ you begin to realise just how much work goes into making a magazine, it’s been hard work but everyone has done a hell of a lot of work” And so by working as a tight and dedicated team, following the rules of a high powered magazine environment Southampton Solent University journalism students manage to make the impossible possible.