Model Stories

a. I really liked the angle about what its like to be a serious ballet dancer growing up and especially when Gretchen Smith in the interview talks about how being 24 is old in the ballet world. I also thought it was unique and clever when the journalist showed Sara Mearns walking into rehearsal the same route, wearing the same thing, but on different days after she said in the interview that all she would do is rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

I learned that ballet dancers dedicate literally all aspects of their lives towards their career. What they eat, who they speak with, and even when they settle down with marriage and kids.

b. I thought the best source in the story was Gretchen Smith because while the other dancers said yeah, its hard to be a ballet dancer because you have to sacrifice a lot, Gretchen really elaborates with examples that I can understand, such as not being able to go to football games because she had practice. However she then says that it does not seem that way, because its what she wants to do.

c. I think the best example of reporting was that the reporter really thought about it and realized that yes, ballet dancing will affect their future (as in after you are prime age for dancing), but more importantly it will affect the decision between starting a family and their career. The reporter then really captured this angle with the Jenifer Ringer Fayette interview which primarily focuses on her and her family and how dancing fits into all of it.

d. I would have liked to ask what plans the dancers have after their time dancing was done to subsidize their, and their potential family’s lives.

e. I would have possibly liked to also speak to someone who quit dancing due to the commitment and see what they would have to share on the topic and if quitting was worth it in the long run.

f. A way to localize this story for the Prospector would be to generally have the same topic of “sacrifices highly dedicated people make and how they deal”, but broaden the focus from strictly ballet to other extracurriculars as well.

a. I really liked the part where the writer elaborates on how Gwen’s voice has character because it really does a good job of SDT. The writer really made this part stand out when she said, “she can effortlessly telegraph ironic brattiness or howling indignation or coy sweetness — that you don’t mind its limitations. And when she is sitting still and singing softly, it can really stop you in your tracks.”

I learned Gwen Stefani, after years of success with her band No Doubt, is still the rockstar she was before she settled down with her kids. Because, inevitably, her focus became her kids and not her band and when she came back to the stage, she seemed to put less heart into her performances. But nevertheless, after a few steps backwards with the band, they managed to come back and settle in their part of rock history.

b. I obviously thought that Gwen Stefani was the best source, probably because its a profile of her. She provided alot of insight about her life and how the band and her family fit into all of it.

c. The best example of great reporting was when he/she asked about not only about how having a traveling rockstar husband affects her home life, but her rockstar career as well. The quotes about this really bring the angle full circle around how he fits into her life as a whole.

d. I would love to ask about Gwen’s background with music before No Doubt and how that influenced No Doubt’s sound and image.

e. I definitely would have talked to her husband to see his perspective on Gwen’s life with the band and kids. An interview with him really could have made this profile amazing.

f. I don’t really know how one would localize this story to the Prospector. Obviously to write a profile, but no one at Prospect really has had the experiences Gwen Stefani had.

a. I really liked the beginning parts where the angles are more focused on thier fashion style. Even though it seems as though its not as important as their music, I appreciate the fact that the writer/reporter took the time to develop an angle about their fashion mostly because their look almost personifies their sound. I like to think of it as if you were deaf and you looked at the band, you would still know what their all about.

b. I really believe Alex Turner was the best source, as he is so charismatic. He contributes alot to the lyrics to the songs (which are witty and absolute genius), and in his interviews he transfers his eloquency with lyrics to his quotes.

c. As I said before, I thought the fact that the reporter asked about their fashion syle was great reporting because its such an important component to the band that is often overlooked.

d. I would have loved to ask about his musical inspirations as a whole. In the article there are parts about who inspired specific albums, but I want to know who their sound is based off of as a whole.

e. I would have liked to talk to their manager to get a “nut-grafesque” part about how the band has grown backed with some information along the lines of how many people we’re at their first show versus their last and things like that.

f. I’m not to sure how to localize this piece to the Prospector because, as I said with the Gwen Stefani article, theirs no one at Prospect who is similar to the Arctic Monkeys in image and experience.