Bethany Daniel recently completed two weeks work experience at Point Blank. Here's how she got on...

Tuesday 4th May

Today was my first day at Point Blank. I was slightly nervous as I didn't know what to expect. But once I was introduced and given some work to get on with, it became less nerve racking. To start off with I looked through all the websites Pointblank are connected to – YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, www.pointblanklondon.com, etc and analyzed their style of promotion. After I looked through every website, I went back to www.pointblanklondon.com and tested out the mixer. I enjoyed this because I like experiencing new programmes. I made 2 beats, Hip Hop/R&B and Funky House. I finalized them, uploaded and got rolling! I looked through other songs, rating, commenting and trying to get some feedback on mine.

Wednesday 5th May

Today Nick had me think of ways we could promote the new "summer course" for Point Blank. The aim of promotion was at 13 - 19 year olds so I had to think of some ways to promote it to THEM. I done some research and noted it down.

I then found some events that Point Blank could attend or partner up with to get more exposure. I made a calendar for the events I think Point Blank could relate to. I then done something similar where I searched for awards that Point Blank could sponsor and I drew up a list of DJ, music technology, etc awards they could get involved in. Nick then logged me into Young Hackney website and showed me the "what’s on" section. I then logged me into the back end of the website and I added some new events. 

Thursday 6th May

I worked with Stefan in the office today and I had to research some unsigned bands/ musicians from any genre and make a short list of them so Stefan could go through them and maybe contact them to perform at Point Blank’s live shows. I also signed into forums and uploaded the special banner made to promote that Point Blank are looking for bands. All in all I found 24 artists!
 
Friday 7^th May

In the morning I was working with Luke. I had to contact previous students regarding their certificates, which I completed by lunchtime. After lunch I was working with Ebanie where I had to print and sort out paperwork for Young Hackney sessions that were taking place that week, this took up the rest of the day.
 
Monday 10^th May

I was working with Ebanie and Andrea today, where I had to sort out paperwork for courses. I then went with Ebanie to some meetings; the first was at Rathbone to discuss what courses Point Blank should run there and the second was with Parkside Youth Club in Manor House. We met two youth workers, Shilpa and Emma and discussed what course would be most successful, that the majority would like to do, and the requirements of the course. We got back to the office at 4.15 and I just had to do some database logging.

Tuesday 11^th May

Today I was working with the community team again. Ebanie wasn’t in so I was working with Andrea today. First of all we started off with some paperwork. After I finished, I went onto database logging. Andrea then asked me to listen to a rapper called “Super Novar” who had applied for a job as an MC tutor. She asked me to give a second opinion and said it would be nice to have the opinion of another rapper/MC.

Wednesday 12^th May

Today was another day doing admin. Today I did some database logging for the Young Hackney sessions that had taken place. After this Andrea asked me to look at some more musicians who had applied for the job as an “MC tutor” so I looked through their online pages (myspace, etc), wrote some advantages and disadvantages of them being an MC tutor for Point Blank and my overall opinion as a rapper.

Thursday 13^th May

Today I was working in the college. The college manager started me off with some simple stuff in the college office like answering the doors. Afterwards I was told what the assistants do in the college, as I was being a junior assistant for the day. Among my many tasks, I had to make sure the setup of equipment in the practice room was ready for someone else to use after it had been used.

Point Blank run online courses and being an online tutor requires that you answer any forum questions that students ask, and also, once a week, attend a online chat where the students can talk to the tutor. My job was to log into the online website and check that the current 12 week courses running where being done right by the tutors. I then worked with Freddy, the senior assistant and tutor, who was helping a student edit a song on a music programme called Logic. He let me observe and then have my own go at making a beat using Logic.

Friday 14^th May

Today is my last day. So I’m finishing off the diary my school provided for work experience and the diary point blank asked me to write. Later on I’ll also have an interview with Stefan to see how I got on.

Bethany's Interview

How have you enjoyed your time at Point Blank?

“It was fun but it was not how I thought it would be – however it was a realistic experience that showed me what full time employment would be like.”

What activities have you been involved in?

I have been working on the ‘Young Hackney’ website – updating the events list and database and making music on the ‘Remix Machine’, also general office work – filing and photocopying. I worked in the college where I was shown how to test equipment and got some tutorials on using Ableton Live to make music.

I also looked up bands for Point Blank events and gigs and seeing what award shows Point Blank could sponsor.

What was your favourite part of working at Point Blank?

Working in the college and making music on Ableton Live. I want to develop my music production skills and I was really interested in learning some new music software and Ableton is a great tool to use.

Would you like to work here in the future?

Yes – Working as an assistant or tutor

What are your plans for the rest of summer/next term?

Making a ‘Mixtape’ with my group. Building a studio with a sound booth to record our tracks.