The Omni Placement!

Having already done a placement at Big Bang 2 weeks before, I have to say I wasn’t as nervous for my work experience at Omni. I think a big part of that was because it was arranged a lot more in advance than Big Bang, so I suppose I had more time to prepare for it.

I had also emailed Rachel Drummond-Hay; the producer of the company, beforehand to say hello, double check directions/ times/ dress codes, and her response was pretty relaxed, so I was looking forward to it.

Where Omni is-

View Larger Map

So, before working for them I wanted to do a bit of research on the company, so I knew what type of media they were in, what they like to focus on etc, and found out that Omni Productions were a very busy company!

Based in the heart of Bristol, Omni are involved in the lot; from the brief/ pitch, to the budget and schedule, to the shoot and edit.

They create a wide range of projects; from videos for the NHS and Police, to award winning dramas, and have recently had interest for more TV work, so when I arrived, I could feel the business straight away.

Here's a link to their website:

http://www.omniproductions.co.uk/

I was greeted by Rachel Drummond-Hay, who arranged the work placement with Karen, and she was very welcoming. It’s a wicked looking building- it just looks like a big warehouse on the outside, but inside was really open plan/ light, with a ping pong table in the middle of the room. Rachel gave me a tour around the place- there were two sets of 4 desks, where I met some of the workers, including Sam Hearn, one of the founders of the company- they were mainly web based.

She then showed me round the meeting room, a distribution room, the kitchen and their edit suite, which had a VO booth in. She then showed me the room she works in; another open planned, smaller room, where she shares a desk with Richard Penfold; the other founder of the company. I sat behind her on my own little desk!

So first order and job of the day- making tea! Which I really don’t mind doing as number 1, I love tea, and number 2, I think it’s a really good way to break the ice with everyone, and get chatting.

Once I finished that, Rachel started talking more about what they do here, and the projects they’re involved in at the moment. I was told about a new chef on the scene called Manu, who’s a sushi chef from Bristol (originally from France), trying to raise his profile- and Omni have been conversing with ITV’s This Morning about getting Manu on the show. The show seemed keen but sounded like they had reservations as to whether sushi was too ‘complicated’ for the viewers to watch and join in. So Rachel asked me to research into This Morning’s chefs/ the food/ what they’re like etc, something I’d imagine a researcher doing, so I was excited to be given the responsibility.

So the first thing I decided to do was to look up some of the videos that Omni had made starring Manu- showing what he does, his character etc. So I could get more of an idea as to whether he would fit into This Morning’s resident chefs, as I’ve watched the show before.

One of the short pieces filmed by Omni for Manu in Bristol.

Here’s the research I came up with for them:

Examples of Chef’s appeared on This Morning

Omar Allibhoy- Spanish Chef

(Not much on him)

Stacie Stewart- “Cook yourself think” chef;

-Steak and Ale pie with thyme suet crust

-Herb lamb shoulder

-Creamy chicken hotpot

-Stuffed Pork Belly

http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/tag/stacie-stewart?section=13

Rustie Lee;

-Salt fish fritters

-Left over Christmas curry

http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/tag/rustie-lee?section=13

Gizzi Erskine;

-Healthy fish fingers and chicken nuggets

-Steamed sea bass with asian greens

-Greek lamb shanks with tomato and orzo

-Roast pork with a spicy plum sauce

http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/tag/gizzi-erskine?section=13

Nancy Lam;

http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/tag/nancy-lam?section=13

Reza Mahammad;

-Lamb in black pepper sauce

-Chicken Dhansak

http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/tag/reza-mahammad?section=13

Lisa Faulkner;

-Sausages in honey and sesame seeds

-Smoked Salmon Pate

-Brie and Strawberry parcels

Her page-http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/tag/lisa-faulkner?section=13

(These recipes were shown on the internet- 27^th April- ITV iplayer, for street party food) http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/food/sausages-honey-and-sesame-seeds

Silvena Rowe;

-Chilli and mint lamb cutlets

-Rose water meringues

-Chicken Kiev

http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/tag/silvena-rowe?section=13

Rob Buckhaven;

-(Deals with Wine advice)

http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/tag/rob-buckhaven?section=13

Rosemary Shrager;

-Brandy snaps

-Coffe Crème caramel

-Sweetcorn fritters and sticky ribs

http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/tag/rosemary-shrager?section=13

Main Resident Chefs;

Gino D’acampo

-Salmon and Creamy leek parcels

-Gino’s Calzone

-Stuffed pasta shells/ focaccia

-Slow roasted Lamb shoulder with Garlic, (on national garlic day)

Video for it: http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/food/slow-roasted-lamb-shoulder-garlic

(His page) http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/tag/gino-dacampo?section=13

AND

Phil Vickery;

-Bloody Mary tomato soup

-Chilled Gaspacho

-Phils Rich Tea biscuit cake (Royal Wedding special)

Watch the video: http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/food/phils-rich-tea-biscuit-cake

His page: http://thismorning.itv.com/thismorning/tag/phil-vickery?section=13

Around May 1^st http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1isqkqdUbo (Not good quality), he shows cooking with Children, (‘your’ children at home)- showing how easy it is.. good for interaction, so family orientated. Quick and you can cook in advance and eat cold (picnics etc).

Manu- French Chef

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-fhk457Jtw&feature=related

-Specialises in Sushi- but can also do noodle dishes etc aswell. This works well with the healthy promotional side to the show, and shows how easy, cheap and fun it is to make.

Think he would fit in well. He has a vibrant and lively personality- will relate and win over female audience. He also has a good voice and expression for Television.

-Not many people know how to make sushi… He makes it seem simple/cheap/easy which fits in well with “This Morning’s” “Quick and Easy” attitude to cooking.

Overall idea and view of This Mornings Chefs/ cooking:

-Lots of Healthy/ Fresh Food

-Cold food/ perfect for picnics etc (summer related- this would work for Sushi- could be prepared beforehand).

-Low fat/ Cheap

-Simple/ Quick- matches today’s lifestyle

After lunch, I carried on with the tasks, I was quite surprised at depth people have to go into and make their research thorough, but I typed it all up and sent it to Rachel, who was happy with it, so that was the main thing.

Rachel leaves at 3 everyday to get her children, and before she left gave me some jobs to do tomorrow as she was going to be in a meeting about their new project until about 12. She also gave me the key to the car park, as at about 9, clients and a Voice Over artist were coming in to record. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but I thought I was getting responsibility straight away and it felt good to know that she could trust me after only meeting me a day.

I also went on a mission to find some bronze paper- They had won an award, and were keeping it, and wanted to print off the same thing on bronze for the client. I got it when I came back to Bath.

DAY 2

I was a bit nervous about this morning, about letting the clients in, but knew one of the other workers would be there- luckily, nearly all of them were there, and some of the clients had already arrived- I still showed them to the car park/ welcomed them and made them tea, and brought some water into the studio for them and the VO man, Dik Cadbury. And he brought his dog along!

I also met the part time receptionist/ accountant this morning Rebecca, and she was lovely- we had a conversation of how she got here, she worked for the BBC for a while, so it was exciting to hear her experiences.

So after making everyone tea, I got on with the jobs Rachel asked me to do. She was having a client over next Wednesday and asked me to ring around and reserve a hotel, for around £40, in the Clifton/ Hotwells area- which are the richest part of Bristol- It was Impossible to find anything under £60, but I wrote a few down just in case. Luckily, when she came in, she had sorted it.

So Omni’s new project is going to be an hour long programme on teen dating violence, so I was asked to do some research on it, similar to what I did yesterday.

I thought the best way to start was to watch their own award winning 20 minute film “Leaving,” which revealed a violent relationship. I thought it was really raw and realistic- I could imagine that’s what it would be like to be trapped like that- and the casting was brilliant- Johnny Harris for example, who has been in brilliant films- Black Death, This is England. And when I spoke to Rachel and Richard about it, and talked about how his character is so horrible, you hate him. And they spoke about working with him- saying he was the nicest person, really polite- it’s crazy how people can change their characters so much.

The Trailer for 'Leaving.'

So I did a lot of research, and also looked into PSHE in schools, as I think that’ll be an angle they’ll work on- to see if children are getting taught to treat everyone properly etc. I put it on my blog for them to use once I’d left, (it’s the third post down). They seemed happy with the research I’d found so far, so I was happy.

At lunch, Richard was going to get some food and asked me along, so it was a good opportunity to pick his brain about how he got here, how hard it was, and I tried to take it all in. He was lovely, and asked me what I wanted to do, where my strengths are etc, and gave me some advice for the future etc.

At the end of the day, Rachel asked me if I wanted to come back for a few days in a couple of weeks, and perhaps in the summer, when they’ll be in actual production- which I would love to do! She said what I was doing was really helpful, so I was really pleased with that, it’s always nice to know you’re doing a good job in their eyes.

A disaster with the bronze paper- I bought paper and slightly thicker, almost card, as I didn’t know which one would work- turns out neither of them did! So I had to ring around Bristol trying to find anything that would sell it. Before I left they asked me if I could drop off a microphone they had borrowed from Bower Ashton Campus, Bristol Uni. I was worried as my sense of direction is ridiculous normally, so didn’t have much faith in myself, with the Bristol one way roads!

So, what should have taken about 15 minutes, took me an hour and a half- I kept going wrong and having to turn around but I made it!! I had to apologise to the guy for being late but he just found it funny- and he gave me easier directions to get back!

DAY 3

Today is my last day, I definitely don’t feel I’ve had long enough here, but so happy to hear that Rachel wants me back for a bit longer, so I’m looking forward to that. Today I just carried on with my research- I also asked to watch their other film ‘Conviction.’

Again, another fantastic film of theirs, and I think they’ve got the commission to make an hour long documentary drama following on from it, so will definitely be watching that. Here's a link showing the film and description:

http://www.omniproductions.co.uk/portfolio/avon-and-somerset-police/

It’s a very hard hitting drama and, again, very realistic- it’s also shocking because it’s practically on your doorstep, in fact, where they said they found him attempting a suicide bomb- was where Cabot Circus is now, which is about a minute away from Omni, so makes it more shocking.

Watching that wasn’t necessarily for my research, but I watched “Leaving” yesterday and had heard them speaking about this, and wanted more of an idea of what they do.

So the last day went really smoothly- it’s a very chilled place to work, everyone worked at their own pace, but got everything done- a bit like Big Bang actually, which I definitely think suits me and my character- then again, I haven’t seen the company while their production is on, so I’m guessing it’ll be a much livelier and busy atmosphere. I did a few admin jobs for Rachel; she sent me over 3 postcodes she went to and I had to Google map them, tally up the miles and add them altogether, as she gets expenses paid by the company.

I then went to get lunch with one of the workers Darren, who works as a distributer/ marketing side of things, and we talked about how he got to where he is, what he studied at uni etc, so it’s been nice getting to know everyone.

After lunch, Richard asked me and Rachel to come in and look at this piece of work he’d been working on for a recycling company, (it was for an exhibition so would be looped to keep playing)- I was so happy that he asked me in as well to have a look- I was really interested in what sort of editing style he had, and I also thought this would be a good opportunity to show them some of my knowledge of editing/ stylistic forms etc. And it looked wicked- really epic music married with brilliant shots- they made recycling and the whole process look interesting and that’s the main thing.

So, with the day drawing to an end, I finished off my research, put it on my Blog, (you can see it- 3 posts down), before discussing with Richard what I briefly found out etc- he was specific about wanting facts/ statistics, so I made sure there were plenty of choices- they seemed happy with it, so I think I did a good job.

Overall my time here at Omni has been a very positive one- They were all so welcoming and keen to ask me questions about my course, what I was interested in etc, and I was just happy to sit back and listen about their stories- I’m very excited to go back, and hope I’ve made a good impression.

I wanted to interview Rachel for this assignment as I think her job as producer is a high, valued job and wanted to get more of an insight into that- she didn’t have time to do it in the office, so said I could come round her house one evening.

Here’s the interview (it has stretched for some reason):

The two work experiences have been different, but both have been valuable. They’ve taught me a lot about myself and how I come across to people, and how to handle situations. They’ve taught me how to get on with it, and work things out by myself if I have to and trust my instincts- and they’ve also taught me just how important doing placements is and I now know I need, and want, to get as much work experience as I can, so I’ve tried to take in as much as I could, and taken on board any advice which was given to me.

The Big BANG Work Placment!

DAY 1

Monday 18^th April:

This wasn’t my original Placement; I was lucky enough to be offered another company work experience from Karen Cooper, so thought it would definitely benefit me to do so. And I’m glad I did.

Big Bang Post Production, a Bristol based Company, is split into two houses on St Pauls Road.

The main house (No 1), is where the Production Managers/ Technical Support were situated. The Building had 8 edit suites, which get rented out to people editing their programme.

View Larger Map

For example there was an editor and director from the BBC editing their new programme based on Wolves; the follow up to BBC1’s “Lost Land of the Tiger,” showed in January this year. There was also an editor and producer for “Secret Millionaire” currently editing also, so I found it a fantastic opportunity to ask as many questions as I could, within reason, to get a better insight into the ‘real world’ of Media.

The second building, (No 14), was situated on the other side of the road, and was used for Post Production roles after the initial edits been done, i.e. “Online Editing” takes place here. This is where the employees of Big Bang worked, not including the production managers. They had separate rooms for sound and vision along with a whole floor upstairs dedicated to colour correction, known as the ‘Base light’ room.

I actually never really understood what an ‘online’ editor was when I saw them in the credits; I thought it was for editing a version of the programme online. But in fact I found out that the edited footage that was created at the main house, was then sent over to Number 14, and split- so all of the sound went downstairs into the Sound rooms with the sound engineers. And the Pictures went upstairs to FCP. I didn’t realise but they then tweak/ alter/ add sound fx etc, onto the already ‘finished’ edit- it’s sent up to Base light to correct any colouring, and then finally put back together again and distributed. I honestly had no idea that’s what happened and it was fascinating to watch and understand.

Big Bang have produced shows such as:

-Deadly 60

-Time Shift

-The One Show (the videos shown within the programme)

-Secret Millionaire

Big Bang do a lot of animal documentaries

My role for this week was to be a runner, along side 3 others. When I initially arrived, I must admit I was nervous, and apprehensive about what everyone would be like, as I knew it was quite a small company so everyone would be quite close. But as soon as I got there, all my nerves went. I met Naomi who arranged the whole thing for me, with Karen, and she was lovely. I also met Jenny; w

ho’s been a runner for Big Bang for over 6 months.

Jobs within the role were pretty simple, so I made sure I did everything well to make a good impression- anyone can make a cup of tea, I wanted to impress. I shadowed Jenny for the first day to get my bearings, and make sure I was doing things correctly.

My hours were 10-4, so when I arrived I went around No 14 and made tea and toast for whoever wanted it. Jenny then ran me through everything- that at 11am, we head over to the Main House and do the ‘tea run,’ for all the edit suites- These were the priority as they were the clients.

The 11’o clock run also involved taking lunch orders, and we would have to go anywhere they wanted. However, it was such a nice day, all of them wanted a break in the sun, and away from the tedious editing. After lunch there was another tea run (1pm), and again and 4pm. I didn’t mind at all, in fact I really enjoyed it as it gave me such a great chance to talk to everyone and get to know them better- they could be possible contacts.

When we weren’t doing tea runs, we generally cleaned/ got specific requirements if one of the rooms rang down, and also went to and from the BBC Bristol, which was just down the road. Anything they needed/ or were sending to Big Bang, we had to retrieve it.

So after my first day here, I’m happy and glad I took on an extra Work Experience, I think I’ll get a lot out of this- even though it’s just “running,” I think everyone has to start somewhere, and the people in the edit suites are all working- freelance/ BBC- I could meet some influential people here.

DAY 2

Tuesday 19^th April:

My second day at Big Bang today, and everyone was just as welcoming and friendly as yesterday. No14 is so relaxed; everyone does things in their own pace, the dress codes very relaxed, they all just seem really close. They obviously still do the work in time and don’t slack, but it just seems stress-free.

So today I arrived, and straight away was sent to the Back gate (BBC’s back entrance- security), with 12 big tapes of archive footage of Planet Earth to give back. Big Bang borrows a lot of footage etc to use for their programmes, archives etc from years ago, or even fairly recent documentaries.

With archive, I knew you could ask to borrow footage from years ago for your programme, for example a war programme- they would use archive from the 40’s. But I had no idea you could use archive from recent programmes for your projects. For example if you’re editing a documentary about Whales- you could borrow footage from Lonely Planet.

The Base Light room, where Colour Correction takes place for these programmes.

I then just got back and was asked to collect a laptop from the technical support, (the main house), and bring it back to the BBC, so went straight back, along with letters to post.

When I returned I met a guy called Scott, who had had some work experience with Big Bang a couple of weeks before me, and was called back to help out for a few days as one of the other runners were on holiday. This was exciting for me as I thought if I made a good enough impression they could possibly ask me back one day.

Scott had just graduated from Bournemouth University and has got a months’ contract working for the BBC in May- I think he has night shifts watching life footage on birds and filming any bits that look good or interesting. He also told me about his final project for his third year- he’s a keen diver and managed to get some work experience as an underwater videographer in Thailand- amazing!

At 11am I was asked to do the tea run by myself- I know that doesn’t sound like much of an achievement but I think it shows they trust me. Again, it was another beautiful day so no one ordered lunch, so it was nice and easy.

Everyone seems to recognise my face, and know my name already, which is nice. The clients have introd

uced themselves to me and they all seemed interested in what I do and why/ how long I’m here for. I got to speak to Jon and Rowan in more depth today, (the people behind BBC’s Lost Land of the Tiger, and felt so bad when I told them I hadn’t seen it. I told myself I’d watch it tonight.

When they asked me what I studied at Uni, they seemed pretty impressed by the sounds of the course and how practical it is. The other 3 runners, not really including Scott, aren’t interested in the practical side of things- Emma is trying to get a job at Bristol Uni researching Science, and Jenny wants to be in PR. So I don’t think the clients really expected me to understand and respond to what they were talking about technically, and seemed surprised when I talked back to them about my ideas and thoughts about their work. For example I was asking the sound technician what his role is and what happens with the sound, and when he explained, I could reply back with “So you add all the Foleys/ sound fx, make sure the levels are equal” etc.

It was exciting to know also that the majority of the editors use Final Cut, although one of the editors said ‘Avid’ was better and quicker. However, did tell me the price of it and I think it’ll be a few years until I can afford that!

One of the workers- Pete- Sound Mixer.

It’s been really good so far- a lot of two-ing and fro-ing but I like it, it breaks up the day and makes it interesting. I asked Naomi if I could perhaps sit in on one of the edits/ sound design/ visual design, as I’d love to get a proper look.

DAY 3

Wednesday 20^th April:

I had a nightmare driving through Bristol today- the roads were so busy and I couldn’t find a parking space, and seeing someone getting towed away, I didn’t want to risk parking just anywhere. I ran into Big Bang and asked Jenny if she knows anywhere else to park, and said I could park right outside the main house, which was a bit embarrassing as everyone’s got nice grown up cars and I’ve got a messy old mini! But as soon as I parked, I saw Jon, one of the editors, (secret millionaire), outside and compliment it straight away, and talked about how he used to have one. So that was a good start.

It’s been a slightly more relaxed day so far. I made tea for all the workers at No14, before going over to do the 11am tea run with Scott. I spoke to him about his final year project, (Thailand UnderWater Documentary)- I watched it last night so just discussed what it was like, how did he find the work experience etc.

Scotts final project:

I met Sarah today, who, along with Naomi, organised the whole thing. She’s No14’s boss basically, and a project manager for the company. She’s lovely, we spoke for a while about my course, what I do, what I want to do etc- I mentioned that I’d love to come back at some point, and she seemed really keen, so she’s keeping my details.

I also spoke to Mike and Alex in Edit 6 for a while today as well, (I hope I’m not bothering everyone with my endless questions, I was just really interested!) They’re editing a documentary about censorship – they were editing some BBC footage for the archive and we got into a conversation about how they chose the right stuff, and cut it down. It’s so interesting listening to professionals, it gets me really excited to get in there and start working.

I spoke to Rowan and Pete in Edit 5 today also- They’re doing a documentary about the Wolf being re-introduced into the wild in North America, (it’ll be out next January, so I’ll definitely be watching that). I had a discussion with them about the editing process, they said with documentaries like this, it’s about filming as much good footage as possible, the art’s in the editing, and finding the story- I think it’s a real art, as I’m doing a ‘Mockumentary’ for my individual project, which has a documentary format, and it’s so hard trying to get your head around the amount of footage to look through, and somehow find an interesting story without missing anything out. It’s a challenge though, and I feel more confident after speaking to these people who make a living from it.

DAY 4

Thursday 21^st April:

Today’s my last day in Big Bang, as it’s Bank Holiday tomorrow. I’m a bit sad actually, as I think 4 days isn’t enough- you’re just getting into the swing of things, getting your bearings, recognising and building a rapport with people, and you’ve got to leave. But I have expressed my want to come back and they’ve said I really fit in here, so hopefully something will come up again.

When I came into No14 today, I saw they recording sign was on, which was exciting, it meant someone was doing a voice over for one of their programmes, a man was recording for The One Show.

So then the day panned out the same as before, 11am tea run, where I spoke to Rowan and Pete about their programme that aired in January; Lost Land of the Tiger. I hadn’t watched it, so came home last night saying to myself I’d watch the first one- ended up watching all 3 hour long programmes- they were brilliant, and I really focused on the editing side of it so I could talk about it today with the two of them. It probably sounds a bit sad, but it was so exciting watching the credits at the end, and seeing that you’re working with 2/3rds of the people right now. The sound editors/ visual mixers from No14 were all on there as well.

Here's the beginning of the first episode:

I did a few more runs to the Back Gate before getting lunch. I parked outside the Main House again, and Esther, one of the production managers, came up to me (I thought I’d done something wrong!!), and said she thought my car had a flat tyre- GREAT!

I went outside to have a look; Jon was out there from Edit 3, saying it looked like a slow puncture. Rob then came out, Producer from Secret Millionaire, and went to his car and came back with a car pump! It was so nice of him, he pumped it back up, and said I needed to get it fixed straight away as it was dangerous… he then went on to say ‘I don’t want to sound like your dad, but you should think about getting a new car- these are death traps.’ He told me he used to have 2 old minis, and he had a crash in one of them, and said they ‘shrivel up like sardine tins.’

I really wouldn’t have noticed the slow puncture, and it took 4/5 professionals to point it out to me! I went to a garage after 4 and, they were right, there was a massive nail going straight through it!

At the beginning of the week, I was so nervous about meeting everyone- I thought everyone would be stressed, not very friendly as they’d have deadlines to meet, but it was the exact opposite, and the car situation just proved that to me- the fact that the producer from a big TV programme stopped what he was doing to help me. Everyone was so friendly, and working for a small company is definitely appealing to me. I’ve learnt a lot- I was never dreading being a runner, as I know that’s what you’ve got to do to climb the ladder, everyone’s done it before, and actually, I love making tea so that wasn’t a problem! But I’ve had such a great time.

The Website:

http://www.bigbangpost.com/

If I could change anything, I would have loved to sit in, in one of the edits- any edit or process would have been brilliant, but towards the end of the week, deadlines were creeping in, and I think everyone was just getting on with it. I spoke to the editors/ producers/ directors and learnt through them instead, I was even cheeky enough to write my email address on bits of paper- I gave it to Rowan, (BBC Director), and he gave me his, and Jon and Rob, (Secret Millionaire). I understand they work for massive companies so I think work experience will be handled differently- probably through online applications, but the fact that I have these contacts at all, are a step up to where I want to be.

I was going to try and interview someone, and brought my SLR in to take photos of the interview- but the last day was really busy, and I felt I didn’t want to bother anyone more than I had done already! If I could have interviewed anyone, I would have interviewed Pete or Ben, who are the Sound Technicians over in No14- I also would have interviewed Jon or Rob, who are working for different companies and had hired out one of the rooms in Big Bang. I would have just asked them how they got here, what was the process like, had you always wanted to do this, etc. Just to get a better insight into the working world.

All in all, a very successful first experience of working in the real world! I’m looking forward to my second placement now, Omni Productions, again in Bristol.

Teen Domestic Violence

QUOTES

“Dating abuse or dating violence is defined as the perpetration or threat of an act of violence by at least one member of an unmarried couple on the other member within thecontext of dating or courtship.”

The Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC) reports that 1 in 11 adolescents say they have been the victim of physical dating violence

STATISTICS

-1 in 3 female teenagers in a dating relationship has feared for her physical safety;

-1 in 5 teenagers in a serious relationship reports having been hit, slapped, or pushed by a partner;


-27 percent of teenagers have been in dating relationships in which their partners called them names o

r put them down;


-29 percent of girls who have been in a relationship said that they have been pressured to have sex or to engage in sexual activities that they did not want;

-technologies such as phones and the Internet have made dating abuse both more pervasive and more hidden;

-30 percent of teenagers who have been in a dating relationship say that they have been text-messaged between 10 and 30 times per hour by a partner seeking to find out where they are, what they are doing, or who they are with;

-72 percent of teenagers who reported they'd been checked up on by a boyfriend or girlfriend 10 times per hour by email or text messaging did not tell their parents;

Did you know over two women per week are killed by current or ex-partners, and that one in four women in the UK will experience domestic violence in their lifetime?


In 30% to 60% of families that experience domestic violence, children also are abused:

THE SIGNS:

Before the violence starts, a teen may experience:

-Controlling Behaviour and demands

-Telling you what to wear or who to hang out with,

-Paranoia

-Insults/ digs at the other person to lower your self esteem

Then the violence will begin. It may start small and you think nothing of it, but will only get worse.

THE EFFECTS:

children who witness domestic violence -- even if they are not targets of the violence -- tend to exhibit the same emotional, behavioral, and academic problems as abused children. Children raised in violent family environments also are at risk of becoming abusers or victims themselves during adolescence or adulthood.

-violent relationships in adolescence can have serious ramifications for victims, putting them at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior, suicide, and adult re victimisation.

Quote which

links well with Omni's Short Film; "Leaving"

“Meanwhile, victims of relationship abuse share many traits as well, including: physical signs of injury, missing time at work or school, slipping performance at work or school, changes in mood or personality

, increased use of drugs or alcohol, and increasing isolation from friends and family.[4] Victims may blame themselves for any abuse that occurs or may minimize the severity of the crime. This often leads to victims choosing to stay in abusive relationships.”

EXAMPLES OF VIOLENCE

Dr. Gary Cuccia painfully knows the repercussions of teen dating violence when he lost his daughter Demi in August of 2007 after she was stabbed to death 16 times at her Monroeville home by her former boyfriend.

Another example would be Danielle Llyod, a model who spent years in an abusive relationship:

When she was just starting out in her modelling career, she was brutally attacked by her then boyfriend. Follo

wing an argument he dragged her from her moving car, pulling out most of her hair. She was left severely bruised and cut from the attack.

Danielle worked with Comic Relief to address these issues, she visited and interviewed organisations for it, and listened to the stories of teenagers who have violent boyfriends.

Her Experience:

She said she dated the man for nearly 2 years, and considered him to be a "lovely, generous boyfriend,"when they first met.

However, his controlling side soon became clear.

"He would call me a slag, soon he started hitting me."

"Every time he cried and say it wouldn't happen again. Towards the end he was hitting me nearly every day."

After the final attack, Danielle past out for a few minutes and woke up with blood all over her and the walls- she spent a week in hospital.

Her thoughts:

"Deep down you can't forget what's happened no matter how much counselling you have. You blame yourself and tell yourself you deserve it."

"I was given help when I most needed it and I want to be able to help others now. Too many women suffer domestic violence at some point and support centres aren't able to answer of the calls due to being under-resourced."

"I'll always do all that I can to raise awareness and help people. Being in a violent relation-

ship, you are constantly living in fear- and that's no way for anyone to live their life."

Rhianna; another victim.

THE OUTCOMES:

Destructive

relationships during the teen years can lead to life-long unhealthy relationship practices, may disrupt normal development, and can contribute to other unhealthy behaviors in teens that, if left unchecked, can lead to problems over a lifetime.

adolescen

ts who report being physically hurt in a dating relationship were also more likely to report that they engage in risky sexual behaviour, binge drink, use drugs, attempt suicide, and participate in physical fights.


HOW CAN WE CHANGE THIS?

Prevention initiatives include early education about healthy dating practices- raises awareness about teen dating violence and promotes healthy relationship practices by challenging harmful beliefs about dating violence.

the first week of February "National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week"- In America

An advertising campaign is being launched to raise awareness of domestic violence in teenage relationships.

“It's a message I fundamentally believe in, and it's what most of my films have been about - finding another way of leading your life”
Shane Meadows
Film director

An interview with a girl who's been in a domestic relationship and wise words from the Shane Meadows himself:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/domestic-violence-in-teenage-relationships/11793.html

Education in schools are introducing new ways to teach children about social subjects:

WHAT IS A PSHE?

PSHE education is a planned, developmental programme of learning designed to help learners develop the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to manage their lives, now and in the future.

It deals with real life issues which affect children and young people, their families and their communities, and engages with the social and economic realities of their lives, experiences and attitudes.

WHY IS PSHE IMPORTANT?

it makes a major contribution to the health and achievement of children and young people

it contributes to the welfare and safety of children and young people

it underpins young people’s future employability through the development of the personal and social skills which commerce and industry demand from our workforce

it helps to increase children and young people’s independence and ultimately enables them to take responsibility for
themselves.

it prepares them for their future role as parents, employees and leaders.

Why is it so important? The link below shows a leaflet from the PSHE Association:

http://www.pshe-association.org.uk/uploads/media/27/7396.pdf

Individual description of sex and relationship education in schools:

www.pshe-association.org.uk/uploads/media/27/7412.pdf

But what is the relationship between PSHE Education and Personal Development?

PSHE education makes a massive contribution to young people's own personal development;

All aspects of a child and young person's experience at home, in school and out of school contribute to personal and social development.

It helps children and young people build their personal identities, confidence and self-esteem, make career choices and understand what influences their decisions including financial ones.

They are able to shape their identities, understand and acknowledge difference and change- manage emotions and communication in a variety of settings. They are able to develop an understanding of themselves, empathy and the ability to work with others and maintain good relationships.

More Victims/ Experiences/ Points of View:

Unhealthy Relationships can start early and last a lifetime

LINKS USED:

http://www.info.co.uk/teen%20dating%20violence?cb=28&cmp=2035

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8376943.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8515601.stm

http://www.lfcc.on.ca/teendate.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/domestic-violence-in-teenage-

relationships/11793.html

http://www.pshe-association.org.uk/

http://tv.sky.com/comic-relief-special-dangerous-love

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8587572.stm

http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/intimatepartnerviolence/teen_dating_violence.html