Media production

Multimedia storytelling

I've been lucky enough to have the chance to indulge my interest in witnessing and reporting human interest stories of all kinds. From major national events to emergencies to heartfelt yarns in the most unexpected places, I've been responsible for producing multimedia stories for on-air broadcast and online publication to unyielding daily deadlines. It was my responsibility to choose how best to cover a story, whether text, audio, video, photography or a combination of any or all of these. These conditions provided a rigorous training ground for me to work creatively and craft beautiful stories within strict disciplinary constraints of time and resource. I've been lucky enough to have picked up some awards for my work but really, it's just been great to have had the opportunity to do something so fascinating and fun and get paid for it.

I produced many, many stories and managed many a microsite in those creative roles. Below are a couple of memorable highlights.

The Apology to the Stolen Generation - Best Online Feature (2008)

Together with Fiona Churchman (then at ABC Darwin) I was principal contributor to and manager of the dedicated ‘Apology’ microsite established for the ABC's online coverage of the Government's official apology to the Stolen Generation. We recorded, edited and filed a large number of multimedia features from the field to enable almost instantaneous access for a global audience, in addition to doing live crosses for ABC radio stations across the country.

We were awarded winner, 'Best Online Feature', at the 2008 ABC Local Radio Awards. Very proud to have won this award for covering this particular event, a highly significant moment in our country's history.

'More than Burnouts, Boobs and Booze' (2008)

My first videostory for the ABC after a couple of days' basic training. An unexpected perspective on burnout racing, filmed and edited solo. The story was featured on ABC2 and made it to the Guardian Sport (UK) blog as  ‘Story of the Week’.

This yarn is particularly special to me because, while raw in form, it opened up a whole new form of storytelling, and tested my multitasking ability in a most satisfying way.

Radio reporting and production

In 2008, I produced prime-time metropolitan radio and was a dedicated field reporter to the ABC Canberra station. The job called for a high degree of organisation, adaptability, and the ability to work quickly and to exacting standards under pressure. Stories or priorities could change at the last minute, and rather than be flustered by moving goalposts I learnt to relish the challenge. This role was immensely satisfying - I got to meet some fascinating people, cover nationally and internationally significant stories, and experience the thrill of weaving together a complex narrative to a daily deadline. 

I was lucky enough to be awarded 'Best New Talent' for my work in this role at the national 2008 ABC Local Radio Awards.

Website editing

I have both run and been the key contributor to two metropolitan ABC Local Websites: ABC Canberra (2007-8) and ABC Brisbane (2008-9). As Online Producer in both these stations, I produced multimedia (text, photo, audio, video) stories which were featured both on air and online (as well as on ABC Television). Beyond regular reporting, I also developed and delivered training to teach staff to blog and publish their own online features via the ABC's CMS.

I was responsible for forming a content plan and delivering the stations' online coverage of major events, both planned and unplanned. This includes disaster coverage, for which I gained recognition for pioneering innovative ways to both transmit and receive information: I led the ABC in the use of map-based information coverage, and was among the first to utilise social media to cover breaking emergency information. 

In 2008 I was awarded website of the year (ABC Canberra) in the national ABC Local Radio Awards. In 2009 my ABC Brisbane site was a finalist in the same awards.