News Package Lottery Jam

{ANCHOR INTRO}

Winning the lottery is something everyone thinks about on a daily basis

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{NAT SOUND: MOTORCYCLE}

{IMAGE: OUTSIDE 7-11}

{SOT: CHARLES TAYLOR}

I’d pay off my student loans first and foremost

{SOT: SARA TROUT}

That’s not fun

{IMAGE: MEGAMILLIONS AND POWERBALL TICKETS}

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With a 56 million dollar power ball, it will leave you plenty of money to spend however you like.

{SOT: CHARLES TAYLOR}

I’d also hire someone to play theme music for me wherever I went

{IMAGE: PRINGLES AND PLANTERS PEANUTS}

{TRACK}

Charlie bears a striking resemblance to both planters and Pringles logos.

{SOT: SARA TROUT}

Charlie needs a library where he can go be a creepy old man because he’s a creepy old man.

{IMAGE: GASOLINE PRICES}

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Nationally recognized problems such as the increase in gas prices do not seem to affect these two.

{SOT: SARA TROUT}

So and then I would buy a house. I would buy a house in New Haven, a house in Memphis Tennessee, and then I would make Charlie marry me.

{IMAGE: 7-11 STORE CLERK AND CUSTOMER PURCHASE}

{TRACK}

My coworker, on the other hand, had a much simpler idea for spending.

{SOT: CHRISTIAN DELMORE}

I really feel like I would buy a new race, a new wardrobe, maybe a house for my mom

{TRACK}

During an economic recession, more and more people are buying lottery tickets, which decreases your chances of winning. However, there’s a reason why people have developed the phrase, “you cant win if you don’t play”. I think about that every time I buy a scratch off ticket. Tessa Davis, Quinnipiac News.

Allow me to introduce you to my other half: Sara Trout

Well, you said "have fun with this project", so I did. 

I live with an eclectic array of characters in the glorious Elm City.

Sara, my room mate and best friend of seven years, has visibly been hitting the bottle. However, it made her more relaxed in front of the camera, and more creative with her answers as to "what if you won the lottery". I originally had about six and a half minutes of her cackling into the camera about buying her mother 10,000 yorkies and hiring someone to take care of them. I love her dearly. 

Charlie, Saras boyfriend of forever and a day, hated the camera and I have about three minutes of him telling me how much he hated the camera. Thankfully, I remembered to cut out his sailor-like swearing and blind hatred for the paparazzi. You can also hear the cat meowing in the background which I refused to edit out, although I was requested to. I think it gives this step up from garbage a little something extra.

7-11 was not very pleased with me lugging around a tripod and camera at 7:30 in the morning, during their busiest time. A car bumped me out of the way because I was in front of the air pump. Really, this happened. Christian originally spoke for nearly a half an hour about the kinds of sneakers he would be purchasing if awarded a sum of 56 million. I stopped recording after the first 30 seconds and fell asleep behind my sunglasses.

He doesn't follow my blog, he won't be upset.

Editing came much easier to me, although I wish I had actual footage of people purchasing lottery tickets. I didn't want to use anything from the internet for fear that it would be blatantly obvious that I, in fact, do not know P.Diddy. 

Hereeeee is my "newscast" and apology letter to final cut pro.

Dear FinalCutPro,

I swear on my life I will never think I have "too much" footage. You were right, please forgive me.

Love always,

Tessa Davis

In my feeble experience with this equipment and "fieldwork", shooting the video and talking to people is always the best and most interesting experience. This assignment, people were especially patient with me.  It was raining, I was frazzled,  often in the middle of the street, and frequently shaking my fist in the air while being smited. I was like watching an episode of the three stooges while embodying all three characters. 

Tippy was lovely to talk to and clearly unhappy about her store closing, as she expressed her dedication to the establishment for over two years. Linda, was exasperated to be on camera, but did end up speaking without breath or hesitation for nearly four minutes. You loved it, Linda. 

On the other hand, the video editing. Oh, the horror!

Jen was right, I didn't give myself enough time; I was cocky and thought I could easily create some masterpiece because I had such an excellent idea and people who were really passionate about our country's financial well being. 

Nope. Six hours of talking myself out of hysteria resulted in shaky camera angles, washed out stand ups, and some jumpy, breaks in interviews. However, as behind as I was, working under the pressure of a deadline put some fire under my seat. Thank you youtube, I have 129 minutes of uploading remaining. 

Christ. 

News Package 2

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It’s no surprise that our society is suffering through a time of economic despair. The price of food and gas are at an all time high, the abundance of unemployment leaves citizens without job security, and small businesses are experiencing a bit of desperation to make ends meet. A well respected book and toy company in Hamden, CT advertises up to 60% off all merchandise in their store closing and going out of business sale.

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{NAT SOUND: CARS DRIVING FROM OUTSIDE STORE}

{IMAGE: STORE SIGN, STORE FRONT}

{IMAGE: INSIDE STORE, BOOKS}

{SOT: TIPPY, STORE MANAGER}

Well, we have been open for two and a half years. Basically we are closing because the economy cannot support our store. We are not making enough sales to pay for all the overheads. Since we are owned by ACES, which is a variation of cooperative educational services, many of their businesses are not self sustained so they have to cut them loose. Without making much of a profit in two and a half years, they’ve decided they cannot fund it anymore. Technically they would be taking money away from their schools. So, we’re going out of business, we have to be out by the end of May and we have everything at 60% off and we’re going to keep that for a couple of weeks, see what our stock situation is, and raise the amount if need be.

{TRACK}

Working with such a generous organization such as ACES, and a store completely stocked with positive learning tools, what will happen if the “everything must go” sale, doesn’t sell?

{SOT: TIPPY, STORE MANAGER}

Everything not sold will be donated to the ACES schools in the area.

{IMAGE: CUSTOMERS, TOYS}

{TRACK}

With Sleeping Giant Book and Toy Company home to a plethora of both quality books and educational toys, Tippy is confident in knowing these products will not go to waste, no matter what.

{IMAGE: INSIDE BOOKS & CO.}

{TRACK}

At the other end of the recessive spectrum, Books & Company at the other end of Whitney Avenue, experiences similar problems, but with a more positive outcome.

{SOT: LINDA MOSER, STORE OWNER}

Hi, I’m Linda Moser, this is my store, Books & Company, used bookstore café in Hamden, we’ve been here for 16 years although we’ve been in this location for only 11, we were at a smaller location down the street for the first five years. It’s not an easy thing to do, run a small retail business, neighborhood kind of place, it gets harder and harder but we’re pretty committed to keeping it going as long as we can. Used books have a little different economic base than new books so it makes it work a little better in terms of not having as much cash tied up in a business but over the years I found that I diversify more and more. I have a greeting card selection that is pretty unusual, most places do not bother to order from nearly 50 different companies, and small companies at that and we are supporting small artists.

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Linda has made it abundantly clear, tat her store truly offers something for everyone.

{SOT: LINDA MOSER, STORE OWNER}

We have gifts that are usually somewhat keeping with our themes. Some of those themes are books to reading to journaling, to kids. Our kinds room which is books for kids is really important to us because we give an extra discount to teachers when they buy for their classrooms and in the last few years I’ve been doing a certain amount of jewelry making here. The beading I do myself, I do it at home, and I bring it in and it’s another significant part of what goes on here. We have a bead meeting twice a month, changing art shows, we have photographers local pictures up on the wall right now, and now Pair Art School is doing one later this month. We’re really dedicated to community.

{TRACK}

As if jewelry, unusual gifts and rare finds were enough, Books & Company pushes the envelope a little bit further.

{SOT: LINDA MOSER, STORE OWNER}

As of last November, I sublet out my café to some other people who were really passionate about coffee and weren’t stretched quite as thin as I am. So now we have the energy of Legal Grounds, founded at Best Video right up the street about four years ago by two lawyers who love coffee. Our businesses just work in tandem with one another and we’re in the same space. When the deli next door is open we have an interior door that opens between us so that customers can wander between us, the idea is to get more and more. This is a wonderful little neighborhood we’re part of and we’re very committed to staying here, to doing as much as we can, as much community building as we can. We’ve got lectures coming up for a number of luminaries that live in the neighborhood. We had one last week on bayou tapestries, and it had 44 people in attendance. That was really quite wonderful. We have book groups, we let other groups use the space, on Friday nights we have an astrology group that meets here, and a writing group that meets here. There’s plenty of room for everybody. We do an art festival in the summer, the first Saturday of every month outside so that people can sell their wares and see what’s being made in the neighborhood. So lots and lots always happening, but it is a hard thing to keep going in this economy, it’s been the worst winter on record, and I’m sure a lot of other businesses are saying the same thing. We’re very hopeful about Spring and new energy and more people finding us.

{NAT SOUND: MUSIC PLAYING, PEOPLE CHATTING}

{TRACK}

There is a pattern of consistent struggle and uncertainty between these two similar, but very different establishments. Recession and financial woes are a common battle for both Linda and Tippy, but Linda seems to bringing a strong sense of variety to her shop that truly offers, something for everyone. Tessa Davis, Quinnipiac News. 

Jay-Z: The Only Person Still Makin' Money in a Drought.

This assignment has been informative, nerve racking and for the most part, panic stricken. Over the past few years we have all come accustomed to the fact that our economy is in financial despair. The price of products continues to rise as we, hard working Americans continue to receive less and less. In this time of monetary turmoil; businesses close, houses are foreclosed on, and our society feels a frantic pressure to make, and keep stability.

There's a bookstore on Whitney Avenue called Sleeping Giant Book and Toy Company that is preparing for their grand closing in over a month. I spoke to Tippy, the store manager to gain a little knowledge as to why the going out of business sale. Just as I suspected, their business is 'unsustainable' because of the lack of sales on books and toys, and that more money is being pumped into this establishment to keep it open, rather than selling to create a profit.

Further down the road towards New Haven is a smaller bookstore and cafe called Books and Company. I spoke to Linda, the store owner about the struggles of maintaining a business during economic downfall. Linda has expanded her store to a cafe, art gallery and unique gift boutique as well, to appeal to all members of her community. Linda's creation of diversity has kept her business steady for well over ten years. However, the element of struggle is still abundantly clear.

Anyway, per usual I experienced technical difficulties because in light of the fact that it is 2011, Tessa still struggles with simplistic materials. The idea of an ipod still pisses me off, by the way.

It was a beautifully dreary, cold and rainy morning when I decided, "hey what a great day for filming". Everyone on this newscast looks a healthy shade of grey though. I felt it really complimented the theme of the story, "the great depression: part deux".

Here we go...

{ANCHRO INTRO}

It’s no surprise that our society is suffering through a time of economic despair. The price of food and gas are at an all time high, the abundance of unemployment leaves citizens without job security, and small businesses are experiencing a bit of desperation to make ends meet. A well respected book and toy company in Hamden, CT advertises up to 60% off all merchandise in their store closing and going out of business sale.