Watching the Wheels Go Round

It was a hot day at Sydney’s Oran Park.  The crowd had erupted as the first lap of the formula ford racing championship got underway.  The sound of his engine roaring had Charlie’s heart pounding, he was in good position so early in the race.  As turn one was fast approaching, there was a problem on the track.  A car up ahead had a minor collision and forced the marshals to wave a yellow flag to signal the remaining drivers to slow down until it was safe to resume the race.  Charlie neared the turn with excitement and adrenaline, not knowing the devastation that lay ahead.  The car in front slowed suddenly in response to the yellow flag and with no time to react, Charlie hit the car in front which sent his car spinning through the air several times before coming to a stop upside down several hundred metres away.  As hoards of people rushed to his aid, little did they know, the wreckage of the car was the least of their worries.

Growing up in a privileged Melbourne family, Charlie had his sights set on racing from a young age.  His face lights up when I mention it. 

“I would wake up thinking about it [racing] and I’d go to sleep thinking about”. 

Charlie travelled with his famous V8 supercar driver father to all the race meets and he was his enthusiastic right hand man.  His face lights up when he recalls the memories.

“I’d be attached to dad’s side the whole time…if he picked up a spanner, I’d find one too.  If he had a headset on, you’d be damn sure I’d have one on too.  Looking back, I’m pretty sure I would have annoyed the shit out of dad, but he never let me believe I did.”

I met Charlie four years ago when he was 19.  We met through a mutual friend at a group dinner one night and I had offered to drive.  The first words he arrogantly muttered to me were “Jesus, you’ve got a lead foot…why don’t you race cars with me?” 

We were instantly friends.  I was so drawn to his vibrant energy, sense of humour, love of life and cheeky attitude.  I have never met someone who talks quite as much as Charlie and sometimes it was exhausting.  We quickly learnt three vodkas was all it took to make him pass out, so that method was used frequently for some peace and quiet. 

The accident at Oran Park happened a few months after we met. 

“I really don’t remember much from that period in my life.  I was scared and really struggled to believe it when the doctors told me I would never walk again.”

Charlie spent months in rehabilitation after suffering irreparable spinal damage as a result of the accident.  He couldn’t eat or speak for four weeks.  His family communicated with him using a letter board.  

“I would blink and use my eyes until they got the letter I wanted.  I felt so frustrated and trapped.”

Sitting in his family’s beautiful home trapped in his wheelchair, the pain and suffering he endures everyday is etched into his face.  His once fit body is now slumped in a chair and looks tired, his eyes drained of the glow they once had. 

“I don’t want people to feel sorry for me, I’m actually doing ok.  Everyday I have mixed emotions, I’m devastated but I also know that this is the hand I’ve been dealt and I just have to get on with it.”

While it would seem to most of us that Charlie has been stripped of any happiness in life, not long after his accident, he manufactured his own dream and founded a motorsport team of his own to contest Australia’s most popular motor racing series, the V8 Supercar Championship. 

“I didn’t have to think twice about what I was going to do when I found out I wouldn’t be able to race anymore.  Of course I was going to run a race team.”

With a specially designed trailer to allow him to manage his team on the road and at race meets, Charlie is going from strength to strength.  Not only has he recruited some of the most promising young drivers, he has also landed impressive sponsorship. 

“I’m really looking forward to the upcoming racing seasons, I want to show the world what I can do.”

It’s then that I see his old cheeky grin creep onto his face and I can’t help but smile back.

This feature story is based on real events and people but the names have been changed to protect their privacy.

Lecture 6 - Commercial Media

Money money money!!!  Commercial media is everywhere and its main focus is churning up the big bucks to keep the top dogs driving Bentley's and cruising their yachts on the Riviera.  Commercial media is seen as a platform for advertisers to reach the biggest scope of users/viewers/listeners possible.  It is passionately argued that corporations such as FairFax, News Limited, Nine and APN sacrifice quality for profit when they whack a huge chunk of ads in between your favourite show.  For this reason, I hardly ever watch TV.  I can't stand ads!  I especially hate how the volume mysteriously turns itself up when it's time for an ad break.  I much prefer to watch my favourite show online.  That way, you only have to endure one or two ads.  

Success in commercial media is not measured by the quality or social importance of the content, but sadly on the amount of profit generated.  With commercial media ruling so much of what we see and hear, the issue is raised on the dumbing down of society.  In the future we can expect to have what we see and hear so tailored to our needs and interests that we could perhaps miss a lot of other relevant information.  This hyperlocalisation can have an alarming brainwash effect on the way people vote, believe, and form opinions.  

We then have the public media sphere which consists of ABC TV and radio and SBS.  These are government funded and therefore have a much higher regard to the interest and wellbeing of the public.  

We can only hope that the majority of society is educated enough to know what commercial media is all about.

Professor Michael Bromley sums it up perfectly.  "...One thing stands out above all others - the view that the very nature of the commercial equates to a corruption of the social.  In other words, as media become more commercial, they do so at the expense of their social function.  This is seen as a zero-sum game.  Profits come before quality."

Food for thought.

Lily x

The Sapphires

Possibly one of my favourite films this year, The Sapphires was effervescent, exciting and emotional.  Set in the 60's, three sisters and their cousin from outback Australia are desperate for fame.  Their chance comes when they enter a talent quest where they meet their future manager, Dave, a boozy irishman.  They come across a classified ad calling for wartime entertainers and in no time Dave has secured the girls an audition in Melbourne.  Before they know it they're performing for troops all over Vietnam.  Their tale of self discovery, triumph and success is heartwarming and powerful.  Not to mention the fabulous soul music.  The Sapphires will have you tapping your feet and humming to your favourite blues beats.

Lily x

Lecture 5 - Picture Stories

"A picture has no meaning at all if it can't tell a story." - Eetu Silanpaa

The idea of journalism without pictures is fairly bleak.  I don't think for a second I would be as interested in this field if it wasn't for the pictures.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy writing, but the visual aspect is very significant for me. 

Photos have an ability to move people, to evoke emotions and to really have an effect in a way that words don't quite have.  Technology has evolved at an astonishing pace and given us as citizens the ability to capture anything at anytime with our pocket sized cameras.  Not all photos tell a story though.  Framing (the rule of thirds), exposure, focus, angle, point of view and timing are all crucial elements that need to be considered when capturing that great shot.  A great photographer captures a moment with a story behind it.  

Throughout history, pictures have always been a vital communicative tool when people couldn't read of write.  From ancient Egypt to the bible, using photos to convey meaning and express emotion has been paramount.  

As our world has evolved, this concept is still very relevant.  In modern society a picture can literally 'tell a thousand words' and we can do all of this so easily at anytime of the day.  Don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that all pictures are works of art...those gifted people out there who know what they're doing are the ones who hold the key.  We can only learn from them and hope we can emulate the brilliance they have been creating all this time.  

While I can't claim to be as good as these talented people, here's my attempt anyway.  My favourite subject in the world to capture...my dog.

Lily x

Summer goal

Whenever I tell people I grew up on the Gold Coast most people immediately assume I'm a pro surfer, a ripping skateboarder and generally just an all round beach babe.  Mmmm - couldn't be further from the truth.  So this summer I have a plan.  I am going to learn to surf and skate so I can live up to my prescribed stereotype!  There are plenty of people to teach me so there's really no excuse!  

Lily x

Mt Warning

Last Sunday I decided to do something different.  Instead of waking up with the usual hangover, I wanted to make the most of my day.  I recruited a friend and we woke up early to drive to Mt Warning in Northern NSW.  We're both fairly competitive and neither of us wanted to 'stroll' so we took on the climb with a fair bit of pace.  The return journey is predicted to take 4-5 hours but we smashed it in 2.5 hours.  Mind you, I'm aching now.  I highly recommend it to any adventure seekers out there.  It's a beautiful walk and when you're nearly at the top you have to climb a vertical rock wall (with a chain to help).  You're then rewarded with breathtaking views of NSW.  Don't forget your water bottle though...it's thirsty work!

Lily x

Sunday Funday

I've got a new addiction!  For the past few sundays, my friends and I have been heading down to Burleigh beach to enjoy the sunset and play around on skateboards and dabble with fire twirling.  Then last week, one of the guys brought down a slack line.  It's basically a really long, elastic line about 10cms wide and you tie it to two trees and walk across it.  Sounds easy right? That's what I thought.  Then I hopped on and fell straight back off!  It's like walking on a tight rope.  It's such a good ab workout and great for your balance!  We spend the afternoon trying to walk from one end to the other without falling off.  I'm a far cry from these guys, but check them out...

Lily x