FAIRFAX MEDIA AWARD COPYSCHOOL HEADS TO BRISBANE – AUGUST 25 – 29
Fairfax Media AWARD CopySchool. A five-day intensive tutorial for young writers and creatives. August 25th – 29th
Fairfax Media CopySchool Brisbane will run again this year in August, and AWARD are seeking junior creatives currently in agencies who would be interested in the course.
This one-week course will offer young writers the rare opportunity to learn from some of the most successful creatives in the business.
Gold sponsor Fairfax Media and AWARD will hold the course in Brisbane after great success in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland.
The Fairfax Media AWARD CopySchool is structured for young writers who are already working within the industry in the area of copy, or would like to enter the field.
Tutors include Don Blackley, Rem Bruijn, Peter Goodall, Kate Hunter, Mike Kennedy, Alan Morden and Philip Putnam. Topics include turning strong ideas into copy for print, TV and radio, writing to resonate, presenting and producing your work, the craft of copywriting and writing for longevity.
“With so much emphasis placed on the big idea and striking visuals, it’s timely to help young writers understand, “now that I have your attention? is just the start of the conversation,” says Don Blackley, course convener.
The course is limited to twelve people and runs from August 25th to 29th, 9am – 12:30pm each day. A lunch with all students, speakers and sponsors will be held on the Friday. Fairfax Media AWARD CopySchool costs $1200 + GST which includes morning tea catering and lunch on Friday August 29.
Go to www.awardonline.com to download the booking form, or contact Hannah Morden at AWARD on 02 9699 2999 for more information.
28 Comments
Tremendous value
Ever notice the similarities between the way juniors in the industry get treated and the way Aborigines get treated?
I have.
Is that a centrelink joke?
There are no similarities, junior. How spectacularly off the mark you are.
Firstly, juniors these days have many avenues for career and craft development. A few decades ago when I started my advertising career, there was no AWARD School, no Copyschool, no ICCA, no TAFE courses,etc etc etc. Nothing. In any case, a career in advertising is the classic middle-class pursuit.
The poor aboriginies are a case in point of a group facing disadvantage.
The two groups couldn’t be more different.
No doubt it’s of great benefit, but what junior or prospective junior can afford two week’s pay for that if their agency isn’t paying for it?
2:26 PM…
Isn’t it weird how something can sound really funny in your head and then you put it into a public forum and it’s lame and it bombs and you feel stupid…?
Totally.
3:37, all those schools are just there to make money, how many students from them actually land agency work?………one each?
the only way to learn is on the job and very few agencies are pulling their weight. how many invest in their future staff talents. most seem to send kids away to spend more $$$$ on courses and only the rich kids make it through.
CD
fuck. whine away you poons.
if your agency won’t cough up a grand to improve your craft skills, get yourself into one that will. you’re clearly in the wrong place.
and anyway – why the hell would you expect to be taught for a week, for free? You reckon you won’t learn anything from Don, Rem, Phil etc? And that what you learn won’t help you do your job better? Thus furthering your career?
Here’s a tip: the world owes you nothing, and just about anything worthwhile costs you in one way or another.
Harden the fuck up kiddies.
yes, there’s been 200 years of slow genocide with today’s juniors in advertising.
Wake up your neck’s getting a bit sunburnt.
“Ever notice the similarities between the way juniors in the industry get treated and the way Aborigines get treated?
I have.”
The only thing I thought was clever about your post is how you manage to use a keyboard.
2:26pm again….
Ha Ha, good to spark a bit of debate about the way juniors get treated. Seems the only way to do so is to make a controversial comparison. So then, thanks for taking my bait and sharing your thoughts.
For the record, I think industry needs to take a good look at the way it treats juniors. If you’re know a few things about a few things when it comes to advertising, would you really recommed that someone give advertising a shot? or would you say ‘what else have you thought about doing’?
As JAY FURBY said on this hallowed blog once, ‘there are some devilish people in advertising’. This, as he says, ‘devilish’ component, I believe it’s fair to say, bleeds over to the way juniors are treated – like utter shite.
I’ve always noted how it’s such a big deal when someone in advertising is nice.
The sub-text is clear: ‘Fuck me, this guy works in advertising and he’s not a cunt. Amazing.’
So here’s some advice, if a junior knocks on your door, try not being an asshole, dicking them round, pissing all over the employment laws, exploiting them, shrugging your shoulders and saying ‘well, that’s just advertising’. The amount of people in Sydney who promised me work then had the audacity to u-turn/cut the agreed term in, say, half before I’d started, was a joke.
I always remember the people who were good-natured, fair and polite to me when I started out (Dale Rhodes, Steve Back, Dennis Mamo) and it helped restore my faith in the industry and I’m bloody grateful to them for that.
Sadly, Sydney advertising and the word cunt enjoys a far too cosy relationship. If I was a junior again, I’d definitely bypass Sydney.
Perpetual junior, here’s a tip: read though what you’ve written before you press ‘submit’ to check that what you’ve written makes sense.
8:47, I’m afraid the skills needed to be a good creative, if not great, are not able to be bought by Daddy for you. He can’t get that spot in at middle management. You have to earn it and guess what, believe it or not the applications for this industry are on significant increase in Universities. For example in QLD, you need a OP 3, That’s the top 5%!
So either get to work or GTFO. I did it we all did it. Stop saving all your wit for blogging and put it to good use like writing a campaign that is good, that runs in more than 1 magazine.
GL.
Oh you’re just so clever aren’t you 9:36. If you’re going to say something then say something, okay?
The industry shits over people for very questionable reasons all too often; juniors, over 40s, ethic minorities, people who aren’t the right ‘culture fit’ (which can mean simply that they’re not extroverted enough).
This is a blog where we can debate issues relevant to our industry. My concern is simple: how many great people have we lost because they didn’t like the way they were treated as juniors?
Think about it, there’s probably been some awesome talent that’s left the industry because of the ugly negatives that our industry can’t be arsed addressing.
So sorry for pointing out the truth 9:36. You can get back to proofreading your catalogue now if you like.
I love the way everyone ends a slag-off with “Go back to your catalogue” or “Hurry, the deadline’s looming on that Brochure”
It never stops being funny.
I feel so sorry for the poor brochure fucker who reads this constant pay out while he squeezes in 5 minutes for a hot cup of me-time and a quick industry catch-up on the blog to feel like he’s a part of something.
Its a cruel world in here. But too funny.
when they start handing out lions for brochures (and believe me – they fucking well will at the rate they’re going) then our little brochure-writing mates are going to be freaking rock stars.
just watch.
Anonymous said:
No doubt it’s of great benefit, but what junior or prospective junior can afford two week’s pay for that if their agency isn’t paying for it?
August 4, 2008 4:14 PM
$1200 + GST is closer to three weeks pay. Hell, who needs to pay rent anyway?
Juniors can afford it with a part time job or a credit card.
I did it. Quit your whinging.
And $1200 was a months pay (4.5 weeks) 2 years ago.
Hey junior listen to this and substitute ‘Murray’ for ‘Junior’. It will work. Except the ginger balls bit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqbB8aPD1UU
I’m with you 12:58, it’s hilarious. I would like to see more creativity put into those end lines though…I’ll get the ball rolling: I’m off the blog, that station produced radio ad ain’t gonna write itself, you know?
Yeah, we might soon see the following FACEBOOK application
CATALOGUE COPYWRITERS TIRED OF ARROGANT CB BLOGGERS
“Okay, what we do isn’t the peak of Saatchi and Saatchi. Granted, it wouldn’t make Martin Scorcese say ‘fuck, wish I’d thought of that’, but it’s a living – an honest living and what’s wrong with that?
All this ‘hey get back to your catalogue, bitch’ vitriol does nothing for my self-esteem, self-worth or sex life. Enough is enough – STOP DISRESPECTING catalogue copywriters!!!!
May the power of a concisely written product listing be with you.
Question – How many of you anonymouses (anonymi? anonymice?) are from Brisbane?
I hope not too many.
Okay, the comparison between native Australians and juniors is a bit warped. But it’s a fair point he raises. The way people are treated in this industry is appalling.
The way elders – ie: talented people on the wrong side of 48 – are treated is even worse and has a far more catastrophic effect on their self esteem and financial well-being.
It also robs the industry of experience, wisdom and skill.
At least juniors can get back on the horse/bike/whatever or change careers.
Yep, fair point 4:32pm.
Then there’s the people who are marginalised for ridiculous reasons; appearance, not being loud enough, not lunching with the cool kids….
I think we should mention the agency SMART. Apparently these freelancers were disillusioned with the way people are treated in advertising and so they set up there own shop and it flourished. Respect to SMART.
7:07, your attempt to be witty and cryptic failed miserably.
When the Mick Jagger look-a-likes of this industry figure out how to comment on the blog they often pull out some tale of how when they were juniors they had to bow and scrape to the Godlike kings of the golden age of advertising whilst being grateful for table-scaps and butt-kickings.
Advertising today competes with many more industries for talented and intelligent inductees than it did back in the day.
The point made somewhat stupidly at the outset of this particular debate is a valid one.
My advice to people starting out is that if you’re told juniors are badly treated and paid peanuts, ignore it. That’s just their opinion.
Set a precedent.
Come on, more witty ends, please. Art-direction based will be good. Stop slagging, get back to that powerpoint template re-design, chop-chop.
A lovely recruiter once said to me ‘it’s like an abusive relationship. You are half to blame for it, you need to get out and move on.’
She never got me a job, and won’t until I’m more senior, but god bless her anyway. I took her advice and haven’t looked ‘back’.