April 2016 January 2018 Edition Edition Issue 06 Published by students Published by students FREE FREE
NEWS
People of Uxbridge raise awareness of homelessness page 4-7
FEATURES
Meet those at the Professional Development Centre page 8-10
CULTURE
The independent filmmakers reaching the mainstream audience page 11-15
Ben Kirby Uxbridge
With the decision to leave the EU reaching its anniversary, we have begun to see how a new Britain will take shape in the coming years, and particularly what is going to happen to students. Often, students have difficulty attaining funds if they have become a U.K. citizen within the last few years or have U.K. citizenship but have lived overseas. Bill Yam, a Cantonese Economics first year studying here at Brunel, describes his frustration after having to post his
Resolutions ‘To be a better person that I will look back on and be proud of.’ – Yeliz
fourth letter of evidence to student loan over the last six months. “I’ve lived here for the past three and a half years and they still haven’t given me my funds. It’s ridiculous, I have a British passport.” Further into the manifesto, the conservative party describe their desire to tighten immigration, particularly international students, planning to make it tougher to get a visa to study here in the U.K. to ‘maintain high standards’. Moreover, they are expected to leave the country after their course unless receiving higher education or work. In Prime Minister Theresa May’s election run this year, she promised to cap the tuition fees at £9,250. Previously, the Conservative’s plan was to raise it a further £250. Ten years ago, the cost was a workable £3,000 per year, one of the many reasons,
Brunel bikes gaining momentum page 16
Brunel’s New Year’s
Conservatives Plan to Limit International Students. What does this mean for Brunel? The Conservative Manifesto makes the promise of launching a ‘major review of funding’ to ensure students get money that they need.
SPORT
‘To make it in the music industry and use music as a universal way to communicate matters that affect our world today.’ – Hadeel ‘Becoming skinnier, hotter, with brighter teeth in 2018. Get new friends and a new job that I would enjoy.’ – Soraia
Photo credit: unpslash.com
according to Times Higher Education, May lost her majority in Parliament in June as Labour’s Corbyn promised to abolish tuition fees.
Brexit leaves big questions for students, particularly for EU students hoping to study in the U.K. Continued on page 3
May lost her majority in Parliament in June as Labour’s Corbyn promised to abolish tuition fees.
“I want to start giving people straight answers the first time they ask me questions.”- Noah “To get 70% on all of my modules.” - Ben “Don’t neglect your mental and physical health because of university. Daily breakdowns aren’t worth the 1st class.” - Lesley Continued on page 9
In this issue
The Big Sleep Out
April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
Meet Le Nurb!
Curtains! the Musical
Meet Phoebe Ransom
FEATURES
FEATURES
CULTURE
The Independent Filmakers Inspiring Students
5 Habits to Implement
CULTURE
CULTURE
Campus Food Prices
NEWS NEWS
What the Professional Development Centre Can Offer You
Santander Bikes and Brunel
Brunel Blizzards!
FEATURES
SPORT
SPORT
Submissions
run a spellcheck before you submit your article!
Your Article
Your Images
· Your article should be saved as a Word document (.doc or .docx). · Its filename should contain your name, student number, and a suggested headline. · We don’t accept PDF, Works (.wps), OpenOffice (.odt), Pages (.pages) or other formats. · Publisher files (.pub) are particularly horrific, beastly things. Please don’t send any, ever. · It may sound obvious, but please
· Images you submit must not be copyrighted by another individual or organisation.
· If you like, you can suggest specific images for your article, or take your own photograph and include it with your submission. They’ll need to be separate .jpg or .png files.
· Please don’t just use pictures off Google Image Search (we can’t use them 99% of the time!) unsplash. com is a great website to use instead!
· Don’t embed your images into the article document - this compresses them too much for use on the page.
Enquiries, advertising & complaints:
· Any image filenames and image credits (who the photographer is) should be listed at the end of your article.
The Team
Editor-in-Chief Zo ë Huxford
Deputy Editor Aliya Siddique
Chief Designers Marco Marin
Your Contacts
Zoe Huxford 1709132@brunel.ac.uk
NEWS
Advertising
Deadlines
Le Nurb is distributed eight times a year, across campus, to a network of 15,000 students.
The deadline for the next issue is:
We offer great rates to advertisers, plus discounts for on-campus clubs, societies and organisations. To book an advertising slot, email daniel.mcardle@brunel.ac.uk
Friday
19th January 2018 Email submissions to 1709132@brunel.ac.uk or any of the relevant edi-
tors. Chief Sub Editor Sophia Chiappa
NEWS
Section Editors Nic Frakes Ben Kirby
FEATURES
Section Editors
CULTURE
Section Editors
Simone McNichols-Thom- Aliya Siddique Becky Butler as Umay Aramaz
SPORT Editors
Contributors
News: Hinnah Naghsband, Zainab Khan Features: Culture: Fabbio Scarito, Zoë Huxford Sport: Simone McNichols-Thomas
All articles and pictures © their respective authors unless otherwise indicated. Views expressed are those of the writers and do not reflect the official position of UBS or Brunel University. All comments and complaints about content in Le Nurb should be addressed to the Editor in the first instance: 1709132@brunel.ac.uk. Complaints will only be entertained where it can be proven that an article or graphic is: factually inaccurate; breaches the Press Complaints Commission’s Editors’ Code of Practice; breaches the National Union of Journalists’ Code of Conduct; breaks the law; or encourages readers to break the law. No complaint that fails to satisfy at least one of these criteria will be upheld. Published by: Union of Brunel Students, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH. Printed by: Harmsworth Printing Derby, Northcliffe House, Meadow Road, Derby, DE1 2BH.
April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
Editor’s letter
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
While parliament has promised all EU students they will receive if they enrolled for 2017/18, it is likely EU students will have to pay international fees to receive tuition at a British University in the coming years, possibly Hello and Happy New Year! Here at Le Nurb, we are celebrating! The team and I have been working very hard on this issue commemorating our new team (pg. 8), our new logo and the New Year! Not only am I so very excited to witness the manifestation of the paper but also thrilled to be able share this with you. It has some interesting articles about the Professional Development Centre, Brunel’s performance of the musical Curtains! and our very own cheerleading team, the Brunel Blizzards. So, there really is a little bit for everyone! Although I am extremely pleased with this issue, I am very much about the Brunel community. So, if you have any ideas or comments about the paper, or any future issues, then please do get in touch. We’re a lovely bunch and the paper is an amazing way to get your work (and yourself!) published.
Enjoy, Zoë, x Editor-in-Chief, Le Nurb
as soon as 2018. Brexit also limits U.K. students opportunities to work and study abroad, needing to apply for a visa, and possibly having reduced rights to work. The Con-
servatives and their headlining of Brexit leaves little opportunities for students at the time being. It is unclear what new trade deals will be formed in the coming years between the U.K. and other
countries so there could possibly be chances to study abroad. But with the Conservatives rhetoric to tighten the borders and control immigration, it seems they want British students to study in the U.K.
April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
Are Food Prices Higher on Campus than Elsewhere?
Photo credit: Hinnah Naghsband
Students upset across campus due to high prices in CostCutter Hinnah Naghsband Uxbridge
Many students love to eat. And with so many cafés and restaurants on campus being key places to study, chat, and get to know people, it is a place where students spend a lot of their university career. Even so, food prices matter to students for more than just financial reasons, The food and
grocery prices are the same or even higher than off campus, and this has not gone unheard, many students have complained about the high prices.
“I can’t afford buying from campus”
Arnaud Loudoun, the retail manager at Brunel University said that CostCutter on campus is owned by Brunel University, he said “the
Typical Monthly Expenses 2016 9%
11%
Mobile phone Food and groceries Travel
23% 34%
Study costs (books and equipment) Clothes Hobbies
2%
student studying Law, states “I make sure I bring food from home because I can’t afford buying from the campus as the food prices are very high inside campus and the government is not paying us the student grant”.
Social activities 11%
Contingency fund 3%
7%
store opened for students who live here at the campus to make student experiences better here. We do have, every three weeks, promotions and more than 20 lines are promoted with cheap prices.” He also added that the maximum baskets sellers are between £4-5 meaning the prices are the same or in fact cheaper
than high street prices because of the promotions. In 2016, the university stated that £150 is enough to cover food and groceries for a month. After interviewing students from all over the campus, it has become clear that this stated amount is not enough to cover the costs. Zahra, a first-year
The future for food and grocery costs appears dismal, According to the British Retail Consortium, Brexit could lead to an average rise of 22% on all foods and groceries. Coupled with the high living costs in London and the pound being weak against the euro, costs are expected to go up for students, not only for food, but for all essential goods.
Trump causes Mid East mayhem with speech
April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
Photo crdit: Nicholas Frakes
Nicholas Frakes Uxbridge
Mass protests have broken out throughout the Middle East after US President Donald Trump made a statement that declared that the city of Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. In a statement that sent tremors throughout the Middle East, Mr Trump told the world: “My announcement marks the beginning of a new approach to the
“It feels like someone completely wiped away our identity”
people have been injured in demonstrations in cities like Lebanon, Ramallah and by the Damascus Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem. Security forces in Lebanon have used tear gas and water cannons in order to keep protesters away from the US embassy. In Jerusalem, Palestinians have held three “days of rage” which consist of mass protests. After Mr Trump’s speech, head of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas condemned the President’s actions and called it a “declaration of withdrawal” from the peace process. In Gaza, Hamas called the speech a “war declaration on Palestinians” and gave a warning that they would retaliate.
conflict between Israel and Palestine.” Mr Trump also stated that the US embassy will be moved from the Israeli city of Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
In Jerusalem opinions are split. Jonathan Deutsch, 27, an Israeli living in Jerusalem stated that while it may not be politically correct: “Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel since before England was a thing and before they chose London as their capital.”
Since Mr Trump’s speech on 7th December, many
Mr Deutsch added that he thought it was unfortunate
that Mr Trump was the one to make the declaration. “The fact that it came from Trump sucks in my eyes,” he explained, “I wish it came from a level-headed person.” Palestinians do not share Mr Deutsch’s sentiments though. Alladin just so upset. It feels like Ammouri, 20, a Palestinian someone completely away our identity. “Jerusalem has wiped But, now, it just makes me been the capital angry knowing that it was completely unfair.”
of Israel since before England was a thing”
living in Jerusalem argued: “Some ink on paper can’t change what’s carved in the hearts.” Mr Ammouri also added: “Jerusalem was, is and will always be the capital of Palestine.” For one Palestinian living in London, she feels conflicted about how to feel. Hadeel Shamlakh, 18, stated: “At first I was
Since Mr Trump’s speech, both the Arab League and the UN security council have condemned the shift in policy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Mr Trump’s recognition of Israel and called it a “historic day.”
Photo credit: Nicholas Frakes
April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
A Night in the Rough
Photo Credi: Nic Frakes
Locals come together to spend a night like the homeless, in cardboard boxes, with public firgure Russell Brand supporting the hWe Are Trinity’s Big Sleep Out
Nicholas Frakes
Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex in order to participate in the Big Sleep Out, which is organised by the Trinity Homeless Project. For 12 hours, the participants stayed in temperatures that reached as low as one degree. For the first half of the night those participating could enjoy the festivities arranged by Trinity, such as food, drinks, and live music. The start of the event also saw comedian and activist Russel Brand make an appearance. “Over the course of the evening there will be challenges,” Mr Brand stated to the crowd referring to the increasingly cold temperature. However, Mr Brand reassured everyone that what they were doing was all for a good cause.
Hundreds of people from throughout London came together to spend one night sleeping rough in order to better understand the plight of the homeless and As the night progressed the audience welcomed the to raise money for charity. Mayor of Hillingdon, Cllr On the evening of Friday Carol Melvin. “This is no 1st of December people, way for people to live,” she primarily from West exclaimed, “It is not just the London, gathered outside charity’s responsibility, it’s
all of ours.” Later, after her speech, Cllr Melvin told Le Nurb in an exclusive interview: “We need to get people off the street and into homes.” When asked if she believed that the government was doing enough to help combat the increasing homeless population Cllr Melvin said: “We can always do more.” Attendees of the ‘sleep out’, all came for different reasons. Some people came individually while others came in groups that were sponsoring themselves to help raise more money for the charity. First time participant Lisa Willey, 46, stated that she decided to come with her daughter because “we noticed that there are more homeless people in the
“We Need to get people off the street and into homes.”
area.
event would be made redundant. We want to give ”The Big Sleep Out in 2016 people an experience that had around 300 people in has a purpose. We want to attendance and, this year, help.” Sue Serret, who organised the event for her first time, Finally, at around midnight said that she hoped to all of the festivities came to have around 350 people an end and all of the lights attend. She stated that she and music were shut off. hoped that this event would People returned to their help to raise awareness boxes that Trinity supplied about homelessness. for them to sleep in. In “What we are not trying the morning, at around to do is recreate a rough six, people woke up and sleeping experience,” she returned to their homes, explained, “If we were feeling fulfilled and humbled just going to walk around by the experience. urinating on people and kicking their boxes, the
Continued: Photos from ‘The Big Sleepout’ April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
Photo credit: Nicholas Frakes
Why Praljak’s Death is More Significant than you think charges are listed below: •Persecutions on political, racial and religious grounds Slobodan Praljak, former •9 breaches of the Geneva commander of the Bosconventions nian Croat Defence Forces •Rape, forcible transfer, and a convicted war crim- imprisonment inal committed suicide in The Bosnian Conflict took The Hague after drinking place between 1991 and poison as he was declared 1995 after the breakup of guilty. the former Yugoslavian Republic. Praljak particiIt was revealed that he pated in what was a conhad failed to prevent mur- certed effort by countries ders of Croatian Muslims such as Croatia and Serand that when he discov- bia to ethnically cleanse ered that his forces were Bosnia-Herzegovina, rounding up and systemat- Croatia and Serbia of Musically executing the Muslim lims. Overall, the conflict minority in 1993, he made led to more than 100,000 no effort to halt the prodeaths and 2.2 million ceedings. Bosnians and Croats being displaced. Some of Praljak’s 26 Zainab Khan
Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović was critical of the ruling as a “deep
“The only moral injustice is that he didn’t serve his entire sentence.”
moral injustice” against Praljak, arguing that it “… incorrectly assesses the role of Croatian leadership in the war.” However, upon asking Brunel students their thoughts on the matter, there were a surprising number who disagreed. One student stated, “the
only moral injustice is that he didn’t serve his entire sentence.” Another echoed this view, arguing that, through his actions, Praljak had robbed his victims of the chance to see justice being upheld and without receiving any closure. Among such victims, are those of Srebrenica, which has been referred to as “the worst [massacre] on European soil since the Second World War,” with between 7,000 to 8,000 Muslim men and boys being murdered within a week. Twenty years later, Bosnia
has made efforts to move forward with approximately 6,241 of the 8,000 victims have been identified.
Photo credit: Reuters
April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
Zoë Huxford Editor-in-Chief Hi, I’m Zoë and as Editorin-Chief my job requires a lotof organisation. I oversee all sections of the paper and give the final say before anything goes to print. In terms of what I envision for the paper, I want a monthly publication that focuses on the people that go to Brunel, as you are all so unique. With this being said, I hope to really engage with readers and want you to know that any submission is welcome. Or, if you want more information about anything Le Nurb, then please send me an email on 1709132@brunel.ac.uk.
Hi all! I’m Sophia and the Chief Sub-Editor! My job is to proofread all the fantastic content our writers produce before it makes its way to Aliya and Zoë for final inspections. The team this year is brilliant, and there’s an outlet for everyone that wants to be involved. My personal tagline has always been “reader – not writer”, so I am truly grateful that a position was specifically created for me that will help me hone my skill. There’s always room for writers, and too much reading isn’t a concept I’m familiar with – so come be
a part of it! Feel free to email at any time at 1508216@brunel.ac.uk
Sophia Chiappa - Chief Sub-Editor A s Culture Editor, my job involves commissioning articles for the Culture Section. Once submitted, it is then my task to edit content and copy. To be an editor for Culture, you need to have an avid interest for a wide range of events, music, books, and films. An eye for ingenuity and exciting new opportunities is also key. In my role over the next year, I hope to expand the range of content which Le Nurb publishes, and begin to engage with current debates within cultural issues. If you would
Hi! My name is Aliya and I am the Deputy Editor for Le Nurb and the Culture Editor. I basically help Zoë out and edit culture articles for my section. My aim for the New Year is to get more people experiencing the culture and art we have here at Brunel! There are so many amazing events that go on that are swept under the rug. Concerts, performances, talks from actors and directors, seminars on hard hitting cultural topics - I want our audience to be aware themselves. If you want to of these opportunities get involved in writing for and experience them for culture then email me at 1506081@brunel.ac.uk.
Aliya Siddique - Deputy Editor/Culture Editor
My job entails proofreading articles that fall under features; ensuring the quality and tone of the piece is coherent with that of the rest of the newspaper, and includes informative content. I also have a hand in designing the page that will appear in the paper. An attention to detail is key for this role, as is a love for all things current. In the up and coming year I hope like to submit an article or the newspaper can relate proposal, please email me to more people by taking at 1520935@brunel.ac.uk an interest in our daily
Becky Butler – Culture Editor
MEET THE TEAM
Simone McNichols-Thomas – Features Editor
Marco Marin Chief Designer
Nic Frakes – News and Politics Editor
Umay Aramaz Features Editor Hi, I’m Umay and I’m a third year Communication & Media Studies student. My job is to write features for the paper that can be about anything from societies to events that are taking place at Brunel. In the upcoming year I hope to interview societies that have distinguished themselves in any way so that the whole student body can be kept up to date with their achievements. If you think that your society deserves a mention in the paper or you would like to promote one of your events that ishappening on campus, don’t hesitate to contact me at: 1520674@brunel.ac.uk
Hi, my name is Marco and I am the Chief Designer this year. As a third year Industrial Design student I am very excited to be in this rewarding and magical position on Le Nurb. My role involves formatting and organising content for the paper, and ensuring that it meets the highest standard we can achieve. I have a strong passion for graphic design and am excited to develop my skills this year as a part of the team. If you have any questions or input relating to design, please contact me at 1522889@brunel. ac.uk
I am from Southern California and did my undergraduate degree in Middle Eastern Studies and another in Latin American Studies at the University of California, Riverside. I am currently working on my postgraduate degree in International Journalism here at Brunel as well as on my NCTJ certifications. As editor, it is my job to look over all of the articles for my section and give feedback to the author so that they can make the article as close to perfect as possible. For the coming year I am hovping to expand the section so that not just the news at Brunel gets covered but in Uxbridge as well. Please contact me at: 1728071@brunel.ac.uk
Benjamin Kirby News and Politics Editor
Hello, I’m Ben and I’m the editor for news and politics alongside Nic. Although I’m new to the process of publishing a newspaper
I’m very excited for the upcoming year to see what may unfold in the world of politics. As editor of this section, I’ll be modifying articles sent in by you about news and politics, primarily in local news and political events that affect us students. If you, the reader, would like to write something for this section, please email me at 1708307@brunel.ac.uk.
lives: our sports teams, our courses, and our pending futures. You can contact me via email if you would like to contribute towards
We also have TWO Sports Editor roles vacant so please get in touch via email if you are interested: lenurb.brunel@gmail. com
FEATURES April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students We have collected FREE
your New Year’s resolutions and compiled them on this page. Hopefully you can see them through and inspire each other to make 2018 your year!
“Stop saying I’m going to do it and actually do it!” – Aliya
“Do more things that don’t involve drinking.”– Tanya “To enlighten my educational pathway with extensive and external reading into the broad areas of business.” – Joel
“To make more time for myself.”– Sophia ‘’Smash my dissertation!” - Connor
“Don’t neglect your mental and physical health because of university. Daily breakdowns aren’t worth the 1st class.” - Lesley
‘To eat a new vegetable every month.’ - Enya “Cut toxic people out of my life.”– Sophia. L
“Heathy eating... always a must after a Christmas binge.”– Simone “Go to the gym at least 5 times a week and eat a lot healthier.”– Selma
“To read at least 10 books.”– Mahid
“To be more organised and to not quit things once I’ve started them.”– Imogen “Give back to the world after taking so much.” – Zak
“Make the most of the time I’ve got left on placement and network.”– Toby
“To strike a better balance between university work and my social life.” – Freja
“To stop procrastinating on university work and be more active.” - Zainab
“Turn up to lectures.”–Tom
The Professional Development Centre
April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
maximize your employability, so that you’re advertising the best possible version of yourself. That’s not all they help with however: coaching and interview practice is also provided for all students. If you’re a bit like me and you feel a little (or completely) confused about the path that you want to take after university, then it’s worth setting up an appointment to discuss
Umay Aramaz
your options. The best part about all of this is that the PDC is willing to offer you support and guidance up to 3 years after you graduate. If you’re an international student, like myself, and you need a worker’s permit to get a job in the UK, the careers consultants can help you identify potential sponsors. The future may seem daunting but with the aid of professionals who
When I stumbled into the Professional Development Centre (PDC), I was halfasleep and already ten minutes late for my meeting with the careers consultants. They are based on the first floor of the Bannerman Centre, above the coffee shop 1966, which would have been useful knowledge to me then... but alas, it took some time for me to locate it. I wasn’t looking for guidance, I was representing Le Nurb as a journalist to write up a feature in order to promote
their services to students. However, I ended up leaving with a lot more than I’d initially hoped to find! I was introduced to a large team of consultants that are very successful in their respective fields, ranging from Psychology and Journalism, to IT and Law. I was so clueless about the PDC that despite being a third year I had tohave everything explained to me as though I was a fresher. I learned that it is split into two parts: placements and careers. If you’re doing a
know exactly what they’re doing making your way through the working world can get a bit easier.
all the time. They have also received excellent feedback from students who have used the service. I walked in with the aim of gathering information for an article and walked out with an appointment. What are you waiting for?
If you’re not planning on joining the workforce yet, the PDC will also help you with Masters applications, personal statements, and PhD applications. The careers and placement consultants all have Skype and are available almost
Musical Productions at Brunel In 1986, a group of students informed the Arts Department that they wanted to put on a show of West Side Story but they needed a director. This was the beginning of Brunel’s tradition of yearly plays and musicals. Eileen Pinkarchevski was chosen to direct the first musical at Brunel and she’s stayed on since! Brunel used to perform a variety of musicals and plays each year but have now decided to stick with one annual musical. This year they performed Curtains, a comedic murder mystery set in Boston, Massachussets in 1959. Curtains tells the
story of a detective, Frank Cioffi, who finds himself looking into murders taking place behind the scenes of a ‘Rob Hood’ production - talk about play-ception! Whether you’re a fan of musicals or not, this one is sure to be a thriller! In past years, a mix of musicals have been performed, including Sondheim’s Into the Woods. The cast changes every year, and is handpicked by both the theatre department and the music directors through a rigorous audition process. However, the cast is not only limited to Drama undergraduates. Anyone
can
audition
sandwichdegree and are looking for a placement to fill your third year, the PDC can point you in the right direction by suggesting potential firms and employers that will take you on in your chosen field. If it’s a longterm career you’re looking for, then they offer you consultancy in your chosen field or help you to choose a field by evaluating your strengths, weaknesses, and interests. The PDC will also help you improve your CV in order to
Book your appointment at: http://www.brunel.ac.uk/ pdc-appointments
Umazy Aramaz
to be a part of the play and this year’s cast contained a whole variety of students from Theatre to Biomedicine. So if you have always had a thespian side that you didn’t pursue, these musicals are perfect for you! If you’re a first or second year, make sure you apply next year: just ask the Arts Center when the auditions are happening. Did
you
watch
the
You can always contact the theatre Department to find out when any other student productions are hapenning throughout the year.
CULTURE
April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
“
Move! Dance! Sing in the mirror in the morning! Tickle your partner! Do something that literally makes your belly hurt. DDDDDDDDD
Tasked with juggling the vision of a crew and ensuring that a golden, money-making egg emerges at the end of the long filmmaking makes the accomplishment of film directors nothing short of a miracle.
1
April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
INSPIRING INDEPENDENTS
1
Fabbio Sacrito Uxbridge
“
Seeing him translate that talent to bigger projects, namely the new Thor film, is inspiring to say the least.
”
Photo credit:EMPIRE
Fabbio Scarito Uxbridge
When tasked with juggling the vision of a crew and ensuring that a golden, money-making egg emerges at the end of the long filmmaking process makes the accomplishment of film directors nothing short of a miracle. While it’s great to admire those in the top tier, such as Christopher Nolan, Joss Whedon, and the Russo Brothers, it’s also important to recognise the independent directors inspiring students today. Earlier this year, the announcement trailer for ‘It Comes At Night’ made quite the impact - landing the top trending spot on Youtube upon its release. A significant achievement when considering its small budget. Its theatrical release, however, wasn’t quite as glamourous. Audiences were anticipating a scare-per-minute horror but the result fell far short of these expectations. Director Trey Edward Shults sought to instill his tale with a more intimate, personal touch, leading to a methodical and slow approach to horror. Shults is an inspiration
Photo credit:IMPAWARDS
because of his vision, bringing a post-apocalyptic horror story to a wide audience couldn’t have come without its temptations to conform and appease the general audience. However, he ignored that temptation. We know this because of the final product - an uncomfortable, quiet, and thrilling story about humanity. It’s about the horror within, amplified by it’s surroundings. Though he has since made a huge name for himself in directing this year’s Marvel release, ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, Taika Waititi became one to watch with his 2014 release ‘What We Do in the Shadows’. He went on to direct his independent picture ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ two years later. “Taika Waititi has been on my radar since ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ was released” Games Design student and film fanatic Arthur Milligan enthused. “It was probably one of the funniest films I have ever seen” he added before concluding “seeing him translate that talent to bigger projects, namely the new Thor film, is inspiring to say the least.” Taika’s story of success is without question something young creatives can
look up to, going from small time New Zealand productions with cult status, to chart topping Hollywood films is a credit to the ability of independent filmmakers to climb to a state of renown. One director students repeatedly spoke of was Jordan Peele. High profile comedian turned social commentator, he tore into the Hollywood box office this year with his debut film ‘Get Out’. Described as the portrayal of “liberal racism in America” by Pasha Malik, a first year Politics and Sociology student, “the movie is exaggerated, yet there’s a lot of truth behind it.” This view was shared by Alisia Usher, studying English and Creative Writing, who found resonance in its skill at “subverting our expectations.” Alisia concluded by saying “it inspired me to produce writing of that quality.” Jordan Peele is without question a source of strong influence in creatives and a new voice worth listening to beyond 2017. Coming from humble beginnings in Greece, Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ is one of 2017’s independent heavy weights,
much in kind to his 2015 production ‘The Lobster’. His progression since his minimalist masterpiece ‘Dogtooth’ is what inspired Greek Film student Chloe Potamiti, “seeing how someone can go from being a small, unknown director in Greece, to being so successful and working with such famous actors is impressive and inspiring.” Chloe also admired Lanthimos’ ability to stay true to his stories, his ability to present imagery which is both “surrealist and disturbing is even more inspiring, making me want to make something both beautiful and disturbing.” This is testament to the director’s success, considering how he juggles these not entirely comfortable themes, yet maintains a strong and committed viewership. For this reason alone, Yorgos Lanthimos is an independent director students can look up to.
Miguel - Sure Thing
The Weeknd - The Morning
Berhana - Janet
Tamia - So Into You
Zoë Huxford Uxbridge
SZA ft. Chance The Rapper Child’s Play
Missy Elliott - P***ycat Frank Ocean - Nights Ja Rule Ft Ashanti - Always on Time Teedra Moses - Backstroke While We’re Young - Jhene Aiko
April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
Ultimate R&B Playlist R&B, an abbreviation for ‘rhythm and blues’, original-ly was comprised of jazz, gospel and soul. However,contemporary R&B has a distinctly different sound than when it originated in the 1940’s. Nowadays there’s an emphasis on a strong bass line and is more easily influenced by pop music.To compile this list was surprisingly difficult. The soft, smooth melodies of the songs picked give the perfect after-hours ambi-ence for when you
want a chilled evening either with your friends or alone. If you were looking for a slightly faster beat, you should definetly give a listen Childish Gambino, An-derson .Paak or Destiny’s Child.
We Need You! Zo ë Huxford Uxbridge
In next month’s issue, we will be interviewing Victoria Young, Henry Mackintosh Thomas and various mod-els to commemorate the biannual cultural event that is fashion month, which is split into four weeks as each city (New York, London, Milan and Paris) allows their respective de-signers to showcase their talent. Victoria has worked with a host of top names in photography such as Alasdair McLellan, Terry Richard-son, Angelo Pennetta and Boo George. She regularly contributes to publications like Teen Vogue, American Vogue, The New York Times, iD, Interview and LOVE magazine. Victoria’s client list includes Rimmel, Tommy Hilfiger, Dr Martens, Liberty’s, Hugo Boss,
Karen Millen, Sass & Bide and Roksanda Ilincic, a client she also collab-orates with for runway shows. Henry, however, is a casting director collaborating with clients like Balenciaga, Jil Sander, Lanvin and Alex-ander Wang to produce fashion shows. He also has worked with Pringle of Scot-land, Bally, Maje and Mai-son Margeila for advertising campaigns and lookbooks. Therefore, if you have any questions you’d like to have answered about the ever elusive fashionindustry, please submit your questions to: 1709132@brunel.ac.uk
April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
CURTAINS: INTERVIEW WITH “Wife, From Bakers to Housewife, to Estranged Wife I’ve loved it all. Am I typecast you ask? Yes, yes I was. SDFNJEFFD
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Curtains, the whodunnit musical performed by Brunel students graced the Artaud theatre at Christmas and was a hit success. We were lucky enough to get an interview with Phoebe Ransome, a third-year theatre student who played character Georgia Hendrix in the musical. Tell us about your character, who is she and what does she add to the ensemble? My character was Georgie Hendricks, the lyricist for the musical ‘Rob Hood’ (the fictional musical within the musical). Her writing partner Aaron Fox also happens to be her estranged husband. She
PHOEBE RANSOME By Aliya Siddique Uxbridge
then, reluctantly, has to step into the star role of ‘Rob Hood’, when the original actress is murdered. I think she adds a genuine kindness to the ensemble, her motive all along being her desire to reunite with her husband. She ends up unexpectedly changed for the better by the end, with a lot more belief in herself and her ability. What number was your favourite to perform? I went through liking all the songs at different points. ‘Thinking of Him’ was initially my favourite because it was so personal and honest, and presented a character who understood that she needed to prioritise herself over her estranged partner, whom she felt didn’t care for her. My favourite number in the final days of the show ended up being ‘Thataway’, this big roaring cowboy brothel scene. It’s the first time that my character Georgia could really step out of herself
and the insecurity she feels in her everyday life, and become this larger than life, little bit sexy Madam Marian. As this is your last musical show at university, and as you’ve been involved every year you’ve been here, what are your thoughts on leaving it behind? It’s not dawned on me. I don’t think it will until I try and turn up to auditions next year and they tell me I’m not allowed! I keep thinking back to the first production ‘Into the Woods’ and how much that meant to me. For the first term of university I doubted whether I was in the right place or I should have gone to drama school etc. But getting the baker’s wife kept me here and helped me realise that this was exactly where I was meant to be. Working with Eileen and Sally (the director and musical director) has improved me tenfold, I can’t
thank them enough for everything. They mean a lot to me. Do you want to pursue musical theatre after university? I would be honoured to be in musical theatre and it’s something I really enjoy doing. Theatre overall is definitely where I want to be. I definitely need to work on my dance moves as I have the timing of a syncopated clock most days. I have a few big roles I’d love to play likr Mrs Lovett or Gypsy Rose. But currently it’s more about setting little goals and being realistic with where I see myself in a year. I’m auditioning for the National Youth Theatre’s REP Company in January so that’s the next step, as well as continually thinking about my dissertation towards the end of April. Plans and advice for new casts of the musical in years to come?
Enjoy it! Sing something appropriate that you like singing for auditions. Do what the directors say, they know better than you at this point, and if you have suggestions on what you think a scene should be or what your character is doing, share them respectfully. Make sure it’s something you’re excited to get up for every Sunday. I see a lot of people do this kind of thing and they get to rehearsals tired and they can’t really be bothered. It’s good practice, it’s good experience and it’s just fun sometimes. From Bakers Wife, to Housewife, to Estranged Wife I’ve loved it all. Am I type-cast you ask? Yes, yes I was. And I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.
5 DAILY RITUALS April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
enjoy, drop it! Also, you really don’t need a gym membership to stay active. YouTube channels such as yogawithadriene, cexercize and FitnessBlender are a great place to start.
Here are just a few benefits of regular exercise: -Improves your cardiorespiratory fitness -Improves your bone health -Reduces your risk of high blood pressure, having a stroke, or diabetes -It helps manage your weight -It reduces anxiety, Photo credit:CANVA depression and helps to MARTINA LASTIKOVA prevent mental health Uxbridge problems It’s no surprise that having daily rituals -It boosts your mood and can enhance your overall well-being. immune system Although actually forming a habit is notoriously difficult albeit so very, very Slow Down rewarding. Whether you are planning It is absolutely essential to be an entrepreneur, an artist or you that you take time for want to boost your confidence, it all yourself. One way that’s comes down to your habits. Knowing very rewarding is meditation. how to master your mind and tweak the Whether it’s in the morning ‘bad’ habits for more productive ones is or before you go to bed, just incredibly empowering. a simple five minutes can Firstly, Charles Duhigg’s book, The make all the difference. Power of Habit, is a great way to understand the importance of daily Some benefits of rituals. meditation include: Secondly, these are 5 top tips to -It reduces stress help you to become a better version -It improves your of yourself; a simple guideline to make concentration you feel more beautiful, empowered and -It increases your selfconfident. awareness -It increases sense of Move happiness and fufillment Whether you walk around the block, take pilates classes or just Remember, meditation simply exercise from the comfort of can take many forms; yoga, your home, the benefits of exercise guided meditation, chanting, are not to be underestimated. More reading a book, dancing or importantly exercise should be fun, writing. Anything that makes diverse and empowering. If you don’t
you slow down and appreciate the and respect from others. present moment. Acceptance Have Fun When you’ve done Move! Dance! Sing in the mirror everything you can, just relax. in the morning! Tickle your partner! Don’t be hard on yourself and Do something that literally makes don’t overanalyse a situation your belly hurt. Because the most that you absolutely no control fun you, is the best you. And it over, no matter how hard that doesn’t have to cost you anything. may be. Let’s face it, we’ve all Invest time in yourself. If you need done it. But there is no better some inspiration, here it is: lesson in life than accepting -Dance or sing to your favourite it for what it is. Even if it song doesn’t go the way you want, -Start a new art project let it go. This will allow you to -Start a new challenge (bake create a space of faith, trust cookies for charity or cook a and have a positive attitude. dinner for your family and friends) -Redecorate your room based on the season (check out Pinterest for some fun DIY projects) Visualise The power of thought! You’ve read it and you’ve heard it, but how do you make a practice out of it? Start with 10 minutes every day, preferably in the morning. Make a cup of tea and write down the list of things you would like to achieve that day. If you start small you have a larger chance of succeeding. Yes, it’s important to have long term goals and visions, but sometimes it’s so difficult to get your head around the future. Maybe it’s not what you’re thinking about right now or it just seems too painful to think about. Take one step at a time. Slowly. With patience. Write down these three questions every morning and reflect on them before you go to bed: What do I want to accomplish today? How do I want to make other people feel? How do I want to be treated by other people today? Doing this will create a space for you to treat people with love, dignity and respect and also you will require the same love, dignity
BRUNELBIKES
April 2016 Edition Issue 06 Published by students FREE
Simone McNichols-Thomas Uxbridge
As we all already know, Brunel University London took on the Santander University Cycle Challenge – a new scheme which will see two universities provided with their own bike sharing scheme. The challenge sees five universities vying for a capital investment worth over £100,000, with funding going to the two institutions that have crowdfunded the most money for the scheme’s running costs. The union is thankful for last minute donations from organisations including Uxbridge BID, Frog Bikes, Fowler Martin, Affinity for Business, ACS Business Group, and Gardiner & Theobald. They helped to secure us with second place, which was enough to bag ourselves some bikes! The bike sharing scheme hopes to connect the Brunel campus with Uxbridge, Hillingdon hospital, and other parts of the area. The question is, will students take to them when bus transport is so readily available and Uxbridge centre only a 10-minute walk away? Only time will tell whether these bikes will be
a positive addition to the Brunel Community.
How the Bikes work:
It costs £2 to access the bikes for 24 hours and you can make as many journeys as you like in these 24 hours. There is then a further £2 cost for every extra 30 minutes over the initial 24 hours. To avoid these extra charges, simply dock your bike within 24 hours and access the bike again for another whole days worth of travel at the same cost of £2.
Brunel Blizzards Annual Showcase Simone McNichols-Thomas Uxbridge
This year’s Brunel Blizzards Annual Showcase fundraiser is taking place on Sunday the 28th of January in the Sports Centre from 1pm. Year upon year this event proves to be a great way of raising money for charity, showing off routines, and preparing our boys and girls for competition weekend. There will be snacks and drinks available to purchase and a live raffle. It is shaping up to be a really great event, welcoming up to six other university cheerleading teams to campus! So, if you fancy seeing some spectacular, competition worthy performances and stunts, come and support your home team for only £3! All proceeds go towards RAG and Team Brunel.