My Year 12s are starting their School Assessed Task, their biggest piece of work that culminates in a folio and corresponding media product in their chosen medium. A part of this is the brainstorming and research process where students turn to other practitioners whose work they’re inspired by and point out what it is exactly about their work that they are drawn to. If anyone has done VCE Media in the state of Victoria in the last 15 years, you will be familiar with this project.
The project itself is mammoth in comparison to what they have made before; the scope is vastly different (and vast). It’s hard to prepare them for this task that will be one of the things they make but seems to carry so much weight. I’ve written before about the balance of preparing students for an industry that is incredibly fragile, and encouraging them to take it seriously, whilst wanting them to be experimental and boundary pushing and taking care of themselves. I’m not sure if this is possible. You have probably read/heard/seen a lot about it too. You may be familiar with The Four Burners theory? It’s an attempt to speak to how we manage the different element of life. I like it. But now I’m shocked life can be simplified into four areas. Lately I’ve been reflecting on the idea of input and output years as summarised by Madeline Dore. I can’t work out if I am in an input or output year, and maybe that’s a part of the problem.
Anyway, these reflective moments, and the introduction of this important task for my students has made me think about what I am loving or inspired by now and I thought I would share, because it’s the last week of term and as anyone in education knows, that’s when you can’t write cohesive (hopefully) and thought provoking (optimistically) sentences.
Some of these things are tangible, some are media. It’s like a Consumed and Parts of The Week, and inspired by Some Things by Ngaio Parr.
I would love about anything you’re loving now.
A few years back I gave up caffeine, and it was harder than giving up booze. However, this means that every so often I go through little drink phases, and I am in a real chai phase at the minute. I, like Duncan here, am really enjoying the decaffeinated Monk’s Chai, and whilst I’ve never been to India, I’d be thrilled if a café served something like this. At risk of boring everyone I even bought a little sieve and am into the whole thing as my post-dinner wind down.
Frontline (on Stan) is a 90s satirical comedy about a fictional night-time news show hosted by Mike Moore. It’s eerily accurate thirty years later.
Tomatoes and I have a thing going. I love the smell, I’m not a huge fan of them in salads (which is something I just tell myself), but I bought tomato shaped candles and they’re adorable. I’m also trying to burn the candles I have around (non-scented) because what are they doing? But not the tomatoes, gimme a few years.
Three things…
1. Desperate for Beyonce’s new album to come out.
2. Have been listening to a lot of Frank Ocean.
3. Why is Dua Lipa’s album release so far away?
If you haven’t read any of Elisa Shua Dusapin’s books and you were thinking about it, do! I just finished Winter in Sokcho and loved how she played with the lengths of the last chapters.
Perfect Days was a beautiful movie. Totally comforting.
Another great thing I watched was Who is Sabato De Sarno? A Gucci story about the new Creative Director of Gucci. It’s narrated by Paul Mescal. It’s on Mubi and I watched it, and then played it to my gorgeous Year 12s the next day who liked it too. It’s only 19 minutes and is on Mubi in Australia.
I’m obsessed with wearing double denim lately. And just falling back in love with denim in general. My Pinterest board is helping with this.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is absolutely not what I thought it was. Worth a read.
The Gentlemen series on Netlix is great. Excellent cast. Why aren’t more people talking about Susie Glass’ outfits? Maybe they are on TikTok or something. The movie is great too. Probably one of my favourites.
There’s this reel or something and it’s like every Greek girl when they see an evil eye and makes fun of Greek girl and how much they love these superstitious motifs. It must be based off my life. I ordered this oval shaped evil eye plate, they had sold out, but I contacted them, and they’ve made another. Ilio Nema’s stuff is beautiful, and new to me. I also really like this but it’s not a necessity at this point in my life.
Louis Theroux and Adam Buxton have known each other a long time and they are really funny in the way that people who know each other really well are. Adam has a great podcast and has interviewed Louis a few times, but Adam was a guest on Louis’ podcast. Worth a listen.
Okay, this is getting quite long, so I’ll stop here.
Enjoy your Wednesday!
I love chai so much at the moment too!! 🫖☕️