Category Archives: Media Studies

What Next? – Wednesday 23 January 2019

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In your final year at university? Starting to think about what to do next? Then What Next? is for you!

What Next? is an event designed to help School of Arts students, whether in Film, History of Art or Drama, think about what they are going to do next year and beyond.

“It was a very useful and great event! Had some inspiring conversations with the people who are/have been in the similar kind of situation” – Final Year Student on What Next? 2018

“It was an opportunity to ask the questions that I wanted to ask. It gave me a chance to sit down and think about exactly what I wanted to do after graduating.” – Final Year Student on What Next? 2017

What Next? takes the form of an Un-Conference, which will allow you to set the agenda and explore the ideas that most interest you. You’ll have the chance to have conversations with a range of people, including alumni and arts professionals from outside the university, the careers advisors, and School of Arts lecturers – and, most importantly, each other.

You’ll be able to discuss such subjects as the nuts and bolts of jobseeking, postgraduate study, and how to go about building your dream career – or anything else you want to talk about! You’ll also find out about the National Student Survey, how it works and why it’s important.

As if that wasn’t enough, there’ll be CAKE, WINE, ENTERTAINMENT and PRIZES. What’s not to like?

Please note that this event is ONLY for final year Undergraduates and Postgraduates (i.e. those graduating in 2019) who study a Single Honours, Joint Honours or PG subject in the School of Arts.

Book your place here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8bMfpoQggW1_Gp_ruQ879o9p9U6bHY_6_8lQ3fm-tM_Nrcw/viewform?fbzx=2450793617917272810 

Call for actors for a short film

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Zoe Langhorn is a first-year media studies student, who is currently making a short film. The film is about a girl getting a message from someone online whom she has no interest in and politely says she’s not interest – however, had already told him where she was going out to that evening. Leading onto him turning up at the club and giving her a date rape drug.

The film is being created to show awareness for sexual assault and safety and will be focussing on what can be done to keep people safe.

Zoe is looking for a male and possibly female actor to play the two main parts aged between 18-24 as well as needing extras to play the other people in the club.
The roles are unpaid but are a great opportunity for experience. The film will also all be taking place on campus so no travelling will be needed.

If you are interested in the role then please email Zoe at zl220@kent.ac.uk.

 

Enhancement Week – Postgraduate Study at Kent

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Have you thought about your next steps in academia?

The Graduate School is holding a number workshops for Undergraduate and Master’s students who are thinking about their future in academia.

Wednesday 7 November

Talk to our Postgraduates

14.00 – 16.00, Graduate School
CE329, Cornwallis East 3rd Floor

(Final Year UG and Master’s Students)

Current Master’s and PhD students have volunteered their time to talk to you about their time as a postgraduate student. You can ask them about their experiences and what life is like as a postgraduate at Kent. Hear about postgraduate facilities, intensity of workload and how they manage their finances. Get to know what expectations are realistic and tips on establishing a work/life balance. Ask about support and what relationships/contacts they have developed during study and, find out what challenges there may be to overcome.

Register here.

Thursday 8 November

Designing a Research Proposal or Master’s Application

13.00-16.00, Graduate School
CE329, Cornwallis East 3rd Floor

(Final Year UG and Master’s Students)

Dr Jo Collins, Postgraduate Development Advisor – Graduate School.

This workshop is aimed at students who are putting together a Master’s application or research proposals for PhD projects. We will consider what a good application/proposal needs, examine some examples of successful applications/proposals, and consider some tips and tricks from successful applicants. Participants should bring along their draft applications (if you have already started), as there will be an opportunity to work on these in the session. The workshop will provide a supportive, interactive work space for participants who are designing their own projects.

Register here

 

Friday 9 November

Kent Scholarships – what’s on offer?

10.00 – 11.00, Graduate School Training Room, Cornwallis East 3rd Floor

(Final Year UG and Master’s Students)

Stephen McLaughlin, Postgraduate Funding Officer and Louise Mann, Scholarships and Research Councils Assistant.

This workshop is designed to give you an insight into applying for postgraduate scholarships at Kent. We will be covering what to look for when searching for a scholarship, both at Kent and from scholarship search engines and also what makes a good application. How are Scholarship decisions made? What can I expect out of a scholarship? The workshop will cover both Master’s and PhD scholarships. This will be a fully interactive session with a scholarship themed puzzles to solve.

Register here.

 

Friday 9 November

Postgraduate Funding: Considering the Alternatives

13.00 – 16.00, Graduate School Training Room, Cornwallis East 3rd Floor

(Final Year UG and Master’s Students)

Need extra funding? For fees, living expenses, research, travel, conferences.
If the answer is ‘Yes’ to any of these, then consider this workshop with Dr Luke Blaxill, Director of GradFunding. It explores the thousands of alternative grant-making bodies in Britain: principally charities, trusts, and foundations.
By the end of the workshop, participants will have gained the knowledge and skills needed to:

1. identify the appropriate and best alternative funding bodies for them
2. find these bodies via books and the internet
3. apply strongly and in the correct fashion.

Register here.

Abortion in Britain: past, present and future event

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FREE EVENT – Abortion in Britain: past, present and future

Wednesday 21st March

Venue: Moot Chamber, Wigoder Building, Kent Law School, University of Kent, Canterbury

Marking the 50th Anniversary of the passage and implementation of the Abortion Act 1967, Centre for Parenting Culture Studies from SSPSSR has organised an afternoon of discussion, together with Kent’s Centre for the Interdisciplinary Study of Reproduction (CISoR) and KLS. All Welcome.

1:30pm Coffee and Welcome

2-3.15pm ‘Kind to Women: how the 1967 Abortion Act changed our lives’

Film show and Q and A with film director, Jayne Kavanagh (UCL Medical School)

About the film:

The passing of the 1967 Abortion Act was a pivotal moment for women’s health and women’s lives. The culmination of decades of campaigning, it finally ended the horror of deaths from self-induced and backstreet abortions. It precipitated the public funding of contraception for all and meant that, finally, women were able to choose when and whether to have children. In this moving documentary, women who survived illegal abortion and the nurses who picked up the pieces when things went wrong, and campaigning doctors and abortion rights advocates share vivid memories of the time; and bring to life the story of this ground breaking legislation and of a historic turning point for women’s rights.

3.30-5pm ‘The future of abortion: the case for decriminalisation’

Discussion with opening comments from Professor Sally Sheldon (Kent Law School) and Ann Furedi, CEO, British Pregnancy Advisory Service and author, The Moral Case for Abortion.

5-6pm Drinks Reception, and meet the author, with Ann Furedi

25% discount for students on The Moral Case for Abortion book purchase on the day!

If you are interested along coming to the event please make sure you sign up for a tickets at this link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/abortion-in-britain-past-present-and-future-tickets-41996511697

For more information about the event please feel free to contact me at vp238@kent.ac.uk

BBC show looking to recruit runners

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BBC Flog It are looking for event runners to join us for a one day shoot at Dover Castle, Castle Hill, Dover, Kent, CT16 1HU on Thursday 8th Febuary 2018

You will be offered a casual contract and paid the NMW – you must be over 18 to apply and have the legal right to work in the UK.

You need to be available for the whole day (7.45am – approx. 7:00pm) and provide your own transport to and from the venue. We will not consider any applications if you are located more than one hour drive from the location. Travel expenses will not be reimbursed.

We will provide lunch and refreshments for you on the day. You must also have a current passport OR an official tax document stating your National Insurance number (P45/P60) with your long birth certificate for registration purposes.

To apply please email me (robert.spanring@bbc.co.uk) with your:

  • Name
  • Cover letter & CV
  • Current Postal Address
  • Date of Birth
  • National Insurance number
  • Telephone number

Success Project – Inspiring Speaker

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Inspiring Speaker – Colin Colas. Thursday 18th January 12:30 – 14:00 in the Moot Room, Wigoder building.

Title: What I wish I knew at university: Thinking Globally and Never say Never

https://inspirationalspeakers.eventbrite.co.uk

Colin will speak about fresh, new and effective approaches to attract, capitalise and create career opportunities, including the power of networking. He will share his tips for overcoming challenges to achieve success and for transitioning from university into a successful career.

Colin is in the Civil Service Fast Stream at the Ministry of Justice and is heading to the Foreign Office next, to work on international development projects across Asia-Pacific and East Africa. Previously he spent two years studying Mandarin in China having won a scholarship from the Chinese government, where he launched an entrepreneurship event sponsored by the British Consulate in Shanghai and he has valuable experience in business development and marketing communications.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/colin-colas-55a76083/

Disability History Month events

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In Student Support & Wellbeing we’ve been working on an exciting line up of events to mark Disability History Month (22 November to 22 December), which this year has an Arts focus. Activities include art exhibitions, musical performances, talks, workshops, performance art, film screenings, a comedy night, as well as an exploration of gaming accessibility and design, all free to staff, students and the local community.

The full programme of events is available at www.kent.ac.uk/dhm, but there are various events we think Arts staff and students may be particularly interested in…

‘Adventures of a Super Aspie Girl’ by Annette Foster

Friday 24 November, 18:00 – 19:00 in Lumley Theatre

 Human Microphone

Thursday 23rd November, 16:30 Outside Senate Building; Tuesday 28 November 14:30 Keynes Duck Pond; Tuesday 5 December 14:30 Plaza

Join us for a series of collaborative performances inspired by Gandhi and harnessed by the horizontal protest groups of Occupy at Wall Street. The Human Microphone creates a space for us to speak as individuals, but also speak as a community. To come together and amplify each other’s voices. To make the ‘invisibles’ visible. To celebrate disability and challenge disablism. To come together as one and speak for the many.

 Professor Mike Oliver: Distinguished Visitor Lecture – ‘Disability History, Bleeding Hearts and Parasite People’

Wednesday 29 November 18.00 to 19.00 Grimond Lecture Theatre 1

(Free to attend REGISTER HERE MIKE OLIVER LECTURE)

Professor Oliver, an academic, author and disability rights activist, will speak of how from small beginnings at the university, and elsewhere, the social model of disability has had a profound effect on disability consciousness and a significant influence on social policies.  He says vicious attacks have been launched on the living standards and lifestyles of disabled people and his talk will explain what’s really happening to disabled people in 21st century Britain.

 Mustard Seed Singers Concert

Tuesday 5 December, 17:15 – 18:00 (followed by mulled wine and mince pies reception from 18:00), Colyer-Fergusson Hall

The Mustard Seed Singers is a charity comprised of singers with mental health difficulties or those affected by it, e.g carers, relatives and friends.

 

Mental health Stigma Workshop with Chloe Farahar

Wednesday 6 December, 13:00 – 15:00, Cornwallis East Seminar Room 1

(Free to attend, REGISTER HERE MENTAL HEALTH WORKSHOP)

 

Fighting Instinct: Challenging game design in a sighted world

Wednesday 6th December, 15:00 – 17:00, Studio 2 Jarman

Join us for an afternoon exploring gaming accessibility, Killer Instinct (contains strong violence) and what it takes to compete with sighted gamers when you have no sight yourself.

 

Little Tich: ‘Size and Identity’ talk by Olly Double and Jonjo Brady

Thursday 7 December, 12:00 – 13:00, Rutherford Lecture Theatre 1

 

Melzebra – a music performance by saxophonist Mel Dawkins

Friday 8th December, 13:00 – 14:00, Colyer-Fergusson Foyer

 

For further information please contact us at DHM2017@kent.ac.uk.

Juliana Stobel – Work Experience Bursary

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Opera Holland Park is a small opera production company that stages 4 shows each summer on their temporary stage at Holland House in Kensington. I joined the company as an intern for three weeks; while they were in the midst of securing artists, stage crew and production team. It was particularly interesting for me, as a Creative Producing for Theatre MA student, to gain access and insight into contracts, interviews and negotiations. The benefits of working with a smaller company are that every department is located within the same office. Communication channels are short and it is easy to keep up with the progress of everyone around. I am able to gain a full insight into the entire workings of the company. My individual tasks included sending out contracts and music sheets, filing returned contracts, chasing up uncompleted documents and updating the database on the on-going progress. Other tasks included researching potential short operas for a specific collaboration project, as well as researching various different theatres and opera houses in Europe for a potential tour of their family opera of Alice’s adventures in Wonderland.

Opera Holland Park sets itself apart by making opera accessible to all audiences. They aim to change the perception of opera being prestigious and elite to something that is accessible and for everyone to enjoy. While working at the Opera Holland Park office, I found great interest in the Inspire programme they are running, which is an education program that aims to inspire and encourage all members of the community to experience, discover and actively participate in opera and classical music, developing their taste and knowledge and bringing the art from to as wide an audience as possible. I was very fortunate that I was able to attend one of their quarterly community concerts hosted at the St Cuthberts Church in Kensington. The event was organised by Age UK and as the host of the event explained importance of acknowledging loneliness within a community of elderly, it became clear to me that this valentine’s themed concert was more than just a display of excellent opera music.

This placement is a mandatory part of my course and my placement made me realise the benefits of completing a placement at this point in time. It enables me to make contacts in an industry I am aiming to work in shortly after I graduate and it opens doors at a perfect point in time. The University of Kent bursary scheme helps a great deal, while it is absolutely manageable to commute from Canterbury to London within an hour – it comes at a high price. The financial contribution towards my expenses enabled me to fully enjoy this placement and not worry too much about my bank account.