Getting used to being a journalist

Had a really interesting couple of days going out and 'being a journalist'. On Sunday Rachael and I - ably assisted by my good friend Clive Coupe (BA Hons)- went to film the march against student top-up fees. We started out at the University of London Union at a press conference (where we realised we didn't have a microphone stand, and were bailed out by the BBC's cameraman who had some tape) and then moved onto the rally in Trafalgar Square. We got some good footage of the speakers, who included Tony Benn, and also a lot of vox pops with the students themselves who came across really well. It's so funny to see how people look at you when you turn up somewhere with a camera - hopefully we looked professional enough to fool them into thinking we knew what we were doing.

Yesterday I went to Westminster with Cherie and Neil from the course to get an interview about a vote that was being held on the government's actions over Iraq. We were all amazed by how easily anyone can turn up to lobby their MP over any issue - democracy at work! Not convinced that we could have influenced the vote, but it's nice to know you can try. We did our interviews outside in Parliament Square, talking to the protestors who live in tents out there. Neil got accosted by Brian Haw, who animatedly informed him that he is not an anti-war protestor, but a pro-peace advocate, and I interviewed a woman who spoke really clearly about what their hopes were ahead of the vote. Unfortunately for the protestors, the government narrowly won, but I have a feeling they won't be abandoning their posts any time soon.