RPM Challenge: the World's Largest Open Mic

RPM Challenge: the World's Largest Open Mic

rough draft

Project progress

I went to the RPM challenge and  got a bunch of interviews and pictures with bands as well as the various locations people were listening to the tracks. (despite the fact that the media lab gave me a camera who could only hold a charge for five minutes)
I've scheduled interviews with several bands that have completed the challenge for many years: Andrea Szirbik and All Good Feel Good collective
I've also scheduled interviews with the three founders and leading organizers of the RPM challenge (all members of the wire) who will talk and elaborate on the challenge more.
I've also obtained and located tracks from hundreds of the local musicians who competed in the challenge.  In the coming weeks I'll will sift through them determining which ones I shall use.
There is also a large database of pictures and sound clips submitted by people who took part in the challenge that the wire is being kind enough to allow me to access.
I've gained an extensive knowledge of the history of the challenge, as well as its rules and regulations through these websites:http://rpmchallenge.com/ and the press release about the listening party which Karen from the wire sent me as located here:http://www.wirenh.com/music-mainmenu-5/15-music-general/5596-rpm-challenge-listening-party-announced.html

how to replace a lightbulb

How to replace a lightbulb

dimond slideshow

Mine and Raya's Connor Maciver project

http://hosting.soundslides.com/5qd4g/iframe.html

Connor Maciver interview revised

Connor Maciver is not an average University of New Hampshire student.  Not every second semester junior is the director of the biggest programming organization on his or her college campus.  Maciver is head of the Campus Activities Board; commonly known as CAB and with a budget of over $100,000 there is a lot that Maciver does to keep this organization operating.  

"The idea is, we put events on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays that give students an alternate to going out and drinking" Maciver says, "We do a little bit of everything."

CAB is putting on 35 events in February alone, and includes events such as; Sex-Ed Bingo, The Grind,  Jukebox 2, and the Winter Carnival. For Maciver there is a plethora of responsibilities he has with CAB, "There’s a lot of behind the scenes stuff, that doesn’t always get noticed, and there’s a lot to it.”  

Maciver is responsible for organizing every member in CAB, this includes managing the weekly meetings as well as hosting almost every CAB events, "I’ve got to figure out when someone comes in, what they want to get out of CAB, and put the things in place that allow them to do that.”  

Maciver may have 30 members of CAB standing around him inquiring what they should be doing for the event.

“There’s a lot that goes on…It’s challenging, but it’s also pretty cool to be like ‘so and so go run over to the cotton candy machine and run cotton candy for a bit’”

Maciver first got involved with CAB the second semester of his freshmen year, he recalls frequenting many CAB events, one in particular that standing out was the casino night, "I started talking to some of the people doing the stuff and, I was like 'what's CAB all about?'"  

Maciver went to the next meeting and immediately applied for the position as CAB's Business Manager, "I kinda dove right in” MacIver says.  

Since then Maciver  became the director of CAB and watched the attendance increased from 12 members to about 40 that come to every meeting.

"I've done some really cool things with CAB, and I feel that I've really improved it."

Maciver’s not only extremely involved with CAB, but he is also a mentor in the Honors Program, and works at the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership. At the OSIL Maciver is the point person for a website just launch which is know as the blackboard for student organization called Wildcat Link.  Since hearing about the possibility of having this tool for organization, Miciver knew it was something he wanted to help implement.

Miciver doesn’t want to stop here though with his campus involvement.

“The more involved I get is continuing to build, it's a progression, and i'll continue to grow and grow."

For someone so busy Maciver always makes sure he has balance in his life, "I've always found time for the social life."  

This is a trait he has had for his entire college life, "one thing I learned freshman year is how to manage both my time and the stress that is involved. You'll rarely find me pulling my hair out.”

However, there is no doubt that Maciver is someone whose always working to improve UNH, "I've put a lot of time and energy into getting about as involved as I could at UNH and I think all for the better, I wouldn't have it any other way.  If I couldn't fill up 100 percent of my week I wouldn't be happy."

Multimedia Story Ideas

RPM Challenge: A story about a challenge that encourages musicians to finish an album in a single month.   There is a lot of audio, and I will be able to film some interviews and live performances.  Even if I cannot begin the story until after I could potentially do a story about the experience.

The Stone Church: This is a music venue in Newmarket that has been around since the late 1960s and has had some pretty big acts, it would be interesting to go to live shows and do a project about the story of this and what it's like to play there.

UNH's Gourmet Dinner to Benefit the Local Seacoast Fishing Industry: This is a big charity event for UNH dining and it would be cool to look into how it's helping local fishermen, as well as a take on the food from people eating at HOCO.

YO-YO Show: This couple does elaborate YO-YO shows and are coming to Portsmouth could look at their show and interview them to tell the story of how they got into this profession.

Occupy Wallstreet: with the occupy wallstreet movement growing larger and UNHers getting involved it would be interesting to do a story on this social issue, interview people, go to events film them and get soundbites

My Soundslides project: Somewhere's Got to Be Better Than Here