On Guardianing Leave

The Media Podcast continues - independently - but I still occasionally work for the Guardian, despite currently being on a month-long break (I'm on one of those rolling ten-month contracts media companies like to do to freelancers). So I thought I'd share a couple of the things I've worked on since Media Talk ended - all of which I'm really proud:

Psst! Your Phone Is Snooping On You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgsT0ST1zhg

"This commission came from on high" one staffer said to me - which I assume means editor Alan Rusbridger - and did great traffic on the Guardian website.

My role, like in the Made Simple series, was to script edit the original text by Guardian journalist and record the VO; this time it was Charles Arthur. As I'd learned on previous video projects, the style of the video has to suit the delivery - and exec Paul Boyd, video producer Ian Anderson and myself all felt that it needed an Adam Curtis-y feel, which suggested the opening and the use of archive.

Are boys better than girls?

https://soundcloud.com/globaldevelopment/are-boys-better-than-girls

Seven young women, all thirteen years old, in seven countries across the world speak to the Guardian about their hope and dreams. A simple concept that required lots of negotiation between journalists, translators and the Global Development desk back in London. The results are, on a budget way below that of a World Service doc, unique and compelling - massive thanks to the very long list of stringers who make up the end credits.

'It's like the anti-Woman's Hour'

https://soundcloud.com/guardianmediatalk/its-like-the-anti-womens-hour

Mentioned this before, but despite the end of Media Talk the Guardian is still producing content for the feed. This was created around the Sheffield Doc/Fest in June this year, when the festival began featuring audio documentaries as part of its programme. In this edition, the third of four, Vicky Frost talks to In The Dark's Nina Garthwaite about the US podcast series Why Oh Why?