Our very first post featured photographs with undesirable magnification and pixellation. The camera we possessed was an old and borrow piece of technology. The photographs turned out to be unprofessional and disgusting. That was what I would call them today. We did not know how to take photographs. Neither did we know how to do interviews. We would randomly approached somebody (who looked kind and polite) and asked them questions about their job scope and their life in Queenstown. These questions are often simple and inconclusive. Unfashionable. But there was where we came from. And that was our first try.
One of Our Very First Photographs
Approaching someone and getting rejected for interviews have been part and parcel of MyQueenstown Team. At the beginning, we would feel dejected. However, the kindness displayed by some residents, who even served tea and drinks for us while interviewing, was gratifying and a symbol of mutual trust among resident in our community. We started the blog because we wanted to write something. We continued the blog because we wanted to preserve the history and every memory of Queenstown-ians. We persisted because this had became a part of our lives. There is always a story behind every tear or every smile. There is always something for us to ponder and write about.
No one believes we can last for a year. In a year's time, I cannot predict if there is a similar passion inside all of us to keep delivering the articles to residents of Queenstown. We are in the midst of collecting enough information to publish a credible book and I believe we will get there, whether it takes one year or five.
Interviews in 'those' formative days were pretty simple and quick. There is no corporate clearance or copyrights infringement to take care off because the audience is captive and the photographs were published based on mutual agreement. These interviews were mainly completed after a short chat into the intricacies while living in Queenstown. We knew the shop keepers, the residents and all the folks walking around the street. We would return and visit some of them and carry on chitchatting. Perhaps that was how friendships were born.
We have gone on to interview institutions, visited haunted spots, favourite eateries and probe into lives of many Queenstown residents. Some of the columns, particularly articles on Queenstown's history and contemporary news articles and insights, had gained considerable following and was published elsewhere online and featured in some news programmes. I am happy because our efforts are recognised and appreciated by residents.
Interviewing residents and finding relevant sources is never an easy task. For every article you read, there are two other articles which are not published because the information are not published or the residents declined being photographed. We continue to maintain our "policy" of only publishing information that is credible and reliable.
We went on to establish ourselves as a 4th estate and society, with a proper ogranisational structure to deal with "bigger" interviews and "channel" proper funding for further development. Our insights into the maintenance, accessibility, community structure and other 'hot topics' had eradicated suspicions among certain people that we are pseudo government and position ourselves to change the dynamics of the community. Our positive criticism and proposals for the Mei Chin Market, accessibility in Queenstown, littering issues, estate maintenance, heritage preservations among a whole range of heart burning issues from the residents had raised awareness on community and national level. All of these issues were subsequently dealt by the respective organisations with our silent assistance. Witnessing improvements in the lives of our fellow Queenstown residents made us feel really accomplished.
I shall stop bragging about our achievements, for tomorrow is a special day for the editorial team. We will celebrate behind closed doors, for we do not have any funds at all anyway =). Nevertheless, let us make our community more caring and kind, because our Queenstown community contains our heritage and our aspirations.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
POST COMMENT
0 comments:
Post a Comment