For Paul Strk, a casual news editor at the ABC and Bachelor of Media student, work and study feed into each other beautifully – but managing time is the biggest challenge of all.
In his own words, here’s a typical busy day towards the pointy end the first year of Paul's degree:
5:30am
It’s Tuesday, a day that’s packed with work and study for me. Normally I’d be up at 7.30am. I’d be looking out at beautiful Mount Wellington across the water as I have my breakfast. I’d head into town on the bus across the bridge, listening to some Action Bronson or 6lack. I usually bus and walk everywhere, Hobart is small enough for that.
Normally I’d have a media production class from 9:00am to midday, followed by an hour’s history lecture. In the media production unit – Making Media – we get to design and make our own media projects.
We’re guided by professionals who work with moving images, and we have the opportunity for lots of one-to-one work with them.
Early in semester, we have practical sessions where you learn to use a camera and edit footage in class, but today I’m actually going to do the filming work for my project which is why I’m up so early.
6:00am
I’ve arrived at Hamlet Café on the Hobart Rivulet, just at the edge of the CBD. This is a social enterprise business which helps people facing barriers to employment to get work experience. It’s a good story, and an excellent café.
When I was thinking about a project for Making Media, I got in touch and offered to do a video piece for them. It coincided with them considering doing some video marketing. So within a week we were organising shoot times.
10:00am
I’ve shot a lot of footage of the early morning setup. The manager has given me free rein. I’ve interviewed quite a few people on camera. It’s such interesting work.
It’s great to be able to work independently on a project – and to think that this is part of a uni course.
Noon
I’ve just about finished the shoot. I’m packing up my camera and sound equipment. I’ve used my own equipment this time, but Media students can borrow high end equipment from The Media School to use for their film (or audio) work. All the editing software is also there for students to use.
Now that I have the footage, the big task will be to edit this all down to the required length and format to fit the unit’s assessment requirements, as well as being the right fit for Hamlet.
12:30pm
Lunch break. I don’t usually get much time for lunch as I’m often heading straight to work after a full morning at uni. But now I’m in town I’ll probably grab a burrito. Zambrero’s, a Mexican place which also has a social justice leaning, is one of my favourites.
3:00pm
I arrive at work at the ABC. It’s a pretty sociable office space. We’re always chatting and joking around. I settle in and sift through the stories I have to work on.
5:00pm
It’s crunch time. This is when the journalists finish their writing and it gets really busy. I have to edit two or three one-and-a-half to two-and-a-half minute pieces.
7:00pm
I’m done and sending my stories off. Sometimes I’m still working on my stories after the bulletin’s started. I try not to get too stressed.
7:30pm
I usually get picked up by my mum or dad. They make me dinner, or I’ll prepare something. Then I get into some uni work, often a written assignment to accompany a practical piece.
Midnight
I’m usually in bed by midnight. It’s definitely a full schedule and it’s good to be able to have a full night’s sleep in the holidays. But I enjoy juggling work and uni, especially as in my case there’s quite a lot of overlap. I love the project work: you really get invested in what you’re creating.
Overall, it’s just great to be able to study Media in Hobart, because for a course like this, you used to have to go to the mainland.
Paul Strk’s mini-documentary on Hamlet Café was selected for the inaugural Media School Student Film Festival held in November, 2017. It won the People’s Choice Award.
Create your own media projects as part of a Bachelor of Media at the University of Tasmania. If you're a current student, you can choose Making Media as an elective unit in your degree.