photography / writing / film / textiles / visual arts / music / design broken pencil art magazine issue #01
ISSUE 1 Broken Pencil
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“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.�
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ISSUE 1 Broken Pencil
contents. contents. 51 12
About Us / Meet the team About Us / Meet the team 1 Fast Fashion Sustainable Style 2-4 Music Blog Music Icons 6 Films vs Books Films vs Books 8 Fuck Bitches Get Monet: Does Art Pay? F*ck Bitches Get Monet 9-10 Poem/ Picture/ Artwork Melbourne Blog 12 Melbourne Blog Thrifting 13-14 Thrifting Faces of Fashion 16-17 Short Story Hera Lindsay Bird Interview 18-22 Playlist Film Review 25 Faces of Fashion Photography Crash Course 27 Anna’s Reviews Analysing 28 Tiny Homes Tiny Homes 29-30 Over analysation Morning Pages 31 Photography Short Story 32-34 Latest Snapshots Up and Coming Works of Art 36
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25 51
2 51
about us. In our fast-moving modern world it is easy for anyone to feel as though they lack a place for creative expression, or a medium to do particularly creative youth. At Broken Pencilthat you are willcurrently never seeintired do,so, particularly creative youth. Many publications print renditions and recounts of the lives of celebrities or internet crazes, we know from experience do are tired renditions and recounts of the lives of celebrities, and do not resonate with the youngthese creative not resonate with the young creative today. today. At Broken Pencil we target the ambitions of the young creative, the arty and the anomaly in our quirky magazine. encourage inspiration and the pursuit ofcreative, creative the passion, in athe world that isin often At Broken We Pencil we target the ambitions of the young arty and anomaly our quirky degrading in its modernity, through introducing our readers to competitions, information, inspiration magazine. We encourage inspiration and the pursuit of creative passion, in a world that is often and events in that of interest. Our magazine willour explore visual arts, photography, film, textiles, degrading its are modernity, through introducing readers to competitions, eventswriting, and courses that are music and design, catering to every creative individual in today's world. Our mission is to inspire and aid the young creative in the pursuit of their talents and ambitions.
meet the team. Anna Daykin
Julia Forrest
Amelia Rosser
Anna according to Amelia: When Anna is not making others laugh, she’s dreaming about her London apartment and owning an unnecessarily large assortment of tea. Particularly talented in the art of persuasion, Anna has the kind of personality that is hard to ignore. Her free time is spent watching french films and throwing shade at youtubers, who one day she will surpass in fame.
Julia according to Anna: Julia has a natural style that most girls fake and she will go to any length to prove you wrong. She has many talents that most people will underestimate. To conclude, doubting Julia is one of the worst mistakes one could make.
Amelia according to Julia: Amelia is an English soul residing in Sydney. In her spare time she sorts through the racks of vintage stores, escapes reality between the pages of books and watches documentaries. Mum to two cats, Mia and Lily and owner of numerous pairs of patterned and decorative socks. She would rather be frolicking through fields of flowers, drinking tea and studying wildlife.
Anna according to Julia: Anna is an independent woman dreaming of the U.K. When she is not lusting over JD from Heathers she enjoys finding people to listen and share opinions with. She loves having great music in her ears and documenting her life through different mediums, whether it be photography or the pages of her journal. Last seen running away from the scene of a car accident (She crashed into a boat).
Julia according to Amelia: An expert at thrifting, Julia is constantly in search for the perfect pair of mom jeans and recently cut her hair short. She prides herself on her handwriting and does not intend to change it anytime soon, thank you very much. Julia can be found writing in journals in French and dreaming about her future Guinness World Record breaking collection of berets.
Amelia according to Anna: Amelia may come off as shy and cute but when you get to know her you realise that her shark and twenty one pilots obsessions are only a small fraction of her personality. Despite first impressions she has really good insults and comebacks, which makes her one of the best people you could possibly be friends with.
broken pencil.
The issue of fast fashion is a pressing one, and is becoming increasingly prominent with the rise of consumerism in our society. Since the 1990s we have sporadically cared about it, but most people still don’t really know what it actually is. Often we don’t see ourselves as being apart of the equation when it comes to fast fashion. But what if I told you there was something we could do about it?
SUSTAINABLE STYLE
By Julia Forrest
You probably have heard of
Each time you buy something
H&M, Zara, Forever 21, Cotton
from any one of these stores, you
On, Primark, Topshop, Gap,
Uniqlo, Boohoo, Target, Kmart,
are supporting, and
Big W, Bardot, Dotti,
furthermore, validating fast fashion. In this day and age,
Sportsgirl, Supre or Costco. If
your dollar is your vote.
you haven't you don't live on this planet and a warm
But what even is fast fashion?
welcome is due to all our
Fast fashion is a production system wherein fashion is
extra-terrestrial readers. These stores are literally everywhere, walk into any shopping mall in Australia and you'll see them. They’re convenient and cheap, and
produced at low costs, large quantities and an incredibly high speed. A few decades ago, designers would draw up their clothes,
they’re all fast fashion
pick fabrics and colours, models
retailers.
would walk down the catwalk wearing them, buyers sitting in the audience decided which ones
they wanted to invest in, and only then would they begin
Welcome to the hostile industry that is fast fashion, where the desire of the consumer is both catered to, and perpetuated by retailers, at all costs.
making the clothes for stores. Overall, the process would take around 6 months. Now, it can take as little as two weeks. Instead of manufacturing clothes in the country, as was
Weather you are aware of it or not, previously the case, now big each time you shop at one of these companies go to different (often developing) countries where fast fashion retailers, you are exploiting the labour and sacrificing the welfare of another human being. It is easy, in a society where we are so
they can get away with giving
their workers low wages as well as terrible working conditions and hours. Some stores restock
disconnected from this side of the
with different products in as
indulge in the trendiest clothing item. If you’re anything like me
this? Or more importantly, whose responsibility is it to
world, to ‘forget’ the harsh realities little as two weeks. Beckoning of the industry, and for a moment the questions, whose fault is
you would have tried to ignore it for a while, mostly because you’re
make the change? On April 27 2013, in Rana Plaza Bangladesh,
broke and want nice clothes, but I
the attention of the world was
it’s cool to have a new t-shirt, but
1100 workers were killed. It was
drawn to the fast fashion ultimately end up feeling awful after buying something from a fast industry. The eight-storey textile fashion stores. fashion store. Sure, factory collapsed, more than is it really worth it anymore?
possibly the most visceral and
and horrific illustration of all the
flash points in the fashion supply chain, and where it is all going wrong. Since the 1990s we as a society have sporadically cared about the harsh realities of the fast fashion industry, whenever a big story comes up on fast fashion such as this, we sympathise for the workers, then once again find
But what, if anything, can we do
ourselves at a H&M store that very
resist fast fashion? I propose two
weekend.
potential solutions in the short term, whilst the big fashion brands
Not only is fast fashion bad for the workers, it’s also bad for the
sort themselves out. We can thrift, support local independent stores
environment, it’s the second largest
and purchase from stores that only
polluting industry, only surpassed
use ethically sourced materials and
by the oil industry. The industry
have reasonable working conditions
produces two million tonnes of waste per year and 1.1 million
for employees. Thrifting can make many cringe in disbelief, for any
tonnes of co2 and also consumes
sane person knows in their heart of
roughly 7 million tonnes of water.
hearts thrifting belongs exclusively
To put that in perspective, think of a
to dirty hipsters, the moth-bitten
standard cotton t-shirt. Then, think of just how many cotton t-shirts you
curtains of your grandmother and itchy mustard-coloured sweaters.
have in your wardrobe. It takes
All of which are true in part. But if
2700 litres of water to make just
you find the right place to shop, you
one t-shirt. This is enough for one
will always be able to find great
person to drink for 900 days.
pieces at a low price. In terms of shopping ethically, you can invest in
But what about the ethical side of
good-quality pieces which will last a
things, just because it’s cheap and
long time, as opposed to the things
convenient for companies exploit
you can buy at forever 21 for
the services and wellbeing of others, that does not make it right for us to
example, at forever 21 clothing is cheap, and you can tell. Some good
support it. The way the industry
ethical brands include, Free People,
portrays itself can make us feel
Reformation, People Tree,
disconnected from the origins of
Everlane, Natural Collection, Matt
their products, and we become oblivious consumers. It is our moral
& Nat and Eileen Fisher. No one will be wearing the same thing as
responsibility as humans to resist
you, it’s a lot easier to personalise
the destructive cycle that is fast
your wardrobe this way. All in all, as
fashion, to ensure a better future for
long as you are just being more
employees in their working environments.
conscious about the amount you’re consuming, that’s half the battle!
music icons By Julia Forrest
You know their music, but do you know their message? A look at 3 rock & roll rebels.
Patti Smith
Songs: Because the Night / Gloria / People Have the Power / Dancing Barefoot / Redondo Beach What You’ve Heard: That she’s a punk poet/songwriter What You Haven’t: In all her songs are lyrics about protest and the individual's right to be their own person in a world of religion and preconceived ideas this is cited to be the root of her passion. She also lived in the Chelsea Hotel during the time you could run into Jimi Hendrix, Allen Ginsberg or Janis Joplin in the lobby. Why They Stand Out: She values being an individual, which is much of the reason she doesn’t focus on the fame aspect of her art form. She never really expected her music to take off, and when it did, it seems to have barely phased her. Her priority was always utilising her music, art and poetry as a form of communication and unification. Checkout: Just Kids, her memoir which chronicles her youth in New York City alongside Robert Mapplethorpe. In the novel she discusses her life, ranging from homelessness, depression in Paris and her motivations and choice to pursue art, all as a homage to Robert, who died nearly 30 years ago.
David Bowie
Lou Reed
Songs: Space Oddity / Heroes / Under Pressure / Life On Mars / Starman / China Girl
Songs: Walk on the Wild Side / Pale Blue Eyes/ Heroin / Vicious / Perfect Day
What You’ve Heard: The media constantly trying to categorise him. It forms an interesting parallel because whilst everyone was attempting to define him he was out creating music that reflected what he truly was; ever-changing.
What You’ve Heard: Singer/songwriter for The Velvet Underground
What You Haven’t: Bowie quickly became overwhelmed by his iconic alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, claiming it constrained him. While Bowie was most notable for his singing talents, he was also a prolific music writer and producer. Why They Stand Out: Bowie is easily one of the rarest humans this planet has seen. From his effortless demeanour to his many alter egos, Bowie was confident in his creative ambitions and sexuality. This lead him to turn down many major awards and events, as well as the space and peace of mind to move freely through personalities. He possessed the ability to make a whole room dance, giving the audience a unique electric feeling. Checkout: The film The Man Who Fell To Earth, a sci-fi film where Bowie plays an alien visiting earth, all with amazing visuals and 70s vibes.
What You Haven’t: Lou Reed had anxiety and a myriad of social phobias, often hiding in his room as a child so he didn’t have to meet anyone, having panic attacks frequently throughout his childhood. As a result he was socially reclusive as a youth. He also had a nervous breakdown whilst studying at NYU and underwent electroshock therapy. Why They Stand Out: Reed had a poetic tone in his voice with the ability to put listeners in a sort of trance. The Velvet Underground’s debut album sold a mere 30,000 copies when it was released, but over the years has developed a cult following. It is said that “Everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band”. Checkout: Pass Thru Fire, a written collection of his most powerful and personal lyrics. It’s also really fun to watch some of his interviews on youtube. He’s notoriously a wiseass and knows how to play the media.
fuck bitches, f**k
get monet By Anna Daykin
The lifestyle of the rich and famous - lavish lives and luxurious luggage! You may be shooting for the stars, but heading towards empty space. A career in the arts is risky business. Seriously, ask anyone who auditioned for Risky Business. When you are little your parents say that you can be anything you want. Then you start high school and change your mind after teachers ‘subtly’ suggest that ‘maybe’ your dream is a bit unrealistic. You go on to uni, abandoning your plans of fame (for now), struggling to marry your idealisms to the reality of the real world. That mansion you once dreamed of will only be available once you land a ‘good job’ (as defined by your parents/relatives and every other bored soul in suburbia), pay off your student debt, and pay your rent (and maybe even eat). Successful actors, musicians and artists always insist that if you work hard enough you can achieve anything you want. But what if your parents were right? What if money doesn’t come hand in hand with passion? Unfortunately the world truly does revolve around money. No matter how many wishes you may waste wishing for happiness, we can’t be happy without money, not in this society anyway. This may seem horrific - you may ask me when did I become so cynical and lose my childlike ideals of life? To answer that, I am not being cynical, I am being realistic. There are many different options to pursue to achieve both wealth and a dream job. You could marry rich and work on the side without the stress of money: not the most ethical path. You could get a responsible, well paying job and work nights in little theatre productions. However, neither of these guarantee complete and utter happiness. On the other hand you could work
part time, using your spare time to pursue a career in the arts, starting your own project, going to auditions or going to school. You could even live in your parent's basement praying that someone will offer you your dream job. Inevitably all of these pathways have their flaws. There have been many people who have managed to make a fortune from a career in the arts. J.K Rowling, Beyonce, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Picasso are paid billions for doing what they love. So why can’t we? Well, we are not one in a billion. We are in the real world. The world where we actually have to keep the world turning around. Just imagine if everyone who wanted a career in the arts were to get their dream job. while there would be an abundance of amazing movies, songs, books and artworks, who will help the innocent people in court? Who will perform life saving surgeries? Who will make sure the beaches stay clean? Maybe we could have it all, but we aren’t all as lucky as the few people that do seem to have it all. Maybe settling for money over passion is what the world needs. The only type of art that pays is fame, and good luck finding fame is this world! I am not saying you can’t pursue a career in the arts, all i’m saying is you can’t have it all. Many people have invested so much of their lives into their job and still find themselves working three jobs and not getting enough sleep. Society says that your dream job is a waste of time and you should just go to university and get a degree. Just get a job and live out the rest of your life fulfilling your duty to the world and not yourself. However, the child in me still wants to believe that you can do anything you put your mind to. You may not be getting a tonne of money, but happiness could be enough wealth for you. I may be looking at this all wrong. The great thing about the arts is you can never have too many books, too many songs, too many dances, too many paintings or too many movies. Maybe art isn’t supposed to pay with money, maybe going through life content and happy is enough. There are many jobs in the arts: one of these must be enough to pay the bills and once the bills are paid the only thing left to do is find something that makes you happy. If the arts make you happy, getting paid a tonne of money may not be necessary. Nobody is saying that you can’t do it. Well, society is, but aside from that you should go and do what you love. If you have the passion for it, you can make it work! Then again, we are talking about money here. You may have read this article for a cheesy pick me up or some encouragement after a fight with your parents about some more money you just borrowed. Unfortunately I can’t give that to you. The last paragraph was about as cheesy as you could get, so I refuse to give you any more hope. The arts pay for some people. However, they do not pay for the majority. You may get away with one big break, but whether that big break is a movie or a school production you can be guaranteed the money will not be rolling in for the rest of your life. I don’t want to sound like your grandparents. You have a passion and you deserve to do whatever your passion is. Whether it is performing surgery or performing, your life is yours per se to live. As I said before, money isn’t the most important part of life. Your happiness and health comes first. As a society we have lost touch with our compassionate side and chosen to become money hungry monsters. You need money in the world to survive but if you love something enough, you will find a way to make it work. So, does art pay? The real answer to that is up to how good your art is.
Melbourne.
By Amelia Rosser
(Above) An abundance of all-things-vintage inside Melbourne’s Vintage Sole (Below) An example of Melbourne’s vibrant street art
(Above) An abundance of all-things-vintage inside Melbourne’s Vintage Sole (Below) An example of Melbourne’s vibrant street art
only got $20 in my pocket You’ve only got twenty dollars in your pocket and need to buy a new outfit for the party you’re going to
tonight. Push the unspoken ‘cool kid law’ from your head, the one that is “only Grandmas shop at
Vinnies,” and visit your local Thrift Store. Broken Pencil brings you 7 reasons Thrift Stores should
always be your first preference. By Amelia Rosser
11
Bountiful Bargains
Less than twenty dollars will get you far in thrift stores, and with big labels often surfacing, you’re definitely not getting ripped
off.
2
2 Get Creative Furniture, clothes, mason jars- there are plenty of great items with lots of potential in thrift stores- perfect for your DIY projects. Try styling an outfit from your random and quirky finds, it can be a challenge, but also really fun!
3
Own Your Style
4
Retro and Vintage
With a good look, vintage items can be Everyone finds it awkward when you bump into
discovered at thrift stores. Any retro lover will
someone wearing the same outfit as you-
find vintage clothing, vinyl records, cameras
thrifting your clothes will ensure this never
and typewriters- all for a cheap price.
happens,
and your friends will marvel at your unique items of clothing.
5
Environmentally Friendly
6
Ethical: You Aren’t Supporting Sweatshops
Reuse, Reduce, Recycle! Recycling and buying from Thrift Stores rescues perfectly good items
Sweatshops are factories where workers are
from landfill and supports the environment.
employed at extremely low rates and in poor and dangerous conditions. Many fast fashion
7
brands make their clothes in sweatshops, and
Often Charity Run
Thrift stores are often charity run so the money from your purchases go to helping great
charities and making a difference in the world.
by purchasing from there you are supporting it.
faces of fashion : the swinging sixties Let’s bring the sixties back! Psychedelic prints, miniskirts and boho fashions should never have gone out of style. Broken Pencil brings you the four people who brought 60s fashion to life… By Amelia Rosser
we want quant!
we want quant! The creator of the mini skirt, Mary Quant is a worldrenowned fashion designer known for her passion of designing for youth. She designed the grey pinafore, shiny plastic raincoats and patterned tights, all of which epitomised the 1960’s fashion era.
something twigged…
Twiggy, real name Lesley Hornby, was just a sixteen-year-old girl from London England when she was discovered as a model. Her boyish style, thin build and dramatic eye makeup differentiated her from previous trends and marked a turning point in 60s fashion. Her hairstyle, the Pixie Cut, became famous worldwide.
“it’s tacky to wear diamonds before you’re forty.” Audrey Hepburn’s role as Holly Golightly in Truman Capote’s Breakfast At Tiffany's showcased elegance and sophistication in outfits which directly influenced the fashion in the 1960’s. Audrey Hepburn said herself, “my look is attainable. Women can look like Audrey Hepburn by flipping out their hair, buying large sunglasses and the little sleeveless dresses.” Effortlessly elegant, Golightly and Hepburn inspired women to dress up with class and to be resourceful when creating well put together looks.
first lady fashion
Jackie Kennedy brought an air of class to 1960’s fashion and her designer and stylist, Oleg Cassini, made it his mission to dress her ‘like an American Queen.’ Jacqueline Kennedy persuaded women out of their prim, stiff and over styled fashions into contemporary designs, such as strapless dresses, pillbox hats, pearls, oversized sunglasses and gloves.
Who is your favourite face of sixties fashion and whose look are you likely to bring back this weekend? Vote now in our poll at www.brokenpencil/swingingsixtiespoll.com.au Stay tuned for next month's edition of Faces Of Fashion: The 70s! by Amelia Rosser
hera lindsay bird. Interview By Amelia Rosser
her name is poetry enough.
Hera Lindsay Bird: The name says it all. Born and bred in New Zealand, Hera is an up and coming poet who certainly has a lot to say. Her poem ‘Monica,’ featuring Monica from the television show Friends, broke through the norm and had everyone talking. In a candid interview with Broken Pencil, Hera reveals her approach to writing and to life.
her name is poetry enough. After hearing your poem about Nigel Farage, it is hard to imagine you to be a cat person. Which are your favourite- cats or dogs? Cats! But if there was a ‘giant lizard’ or “wheelbarrow full of snakes” option I would have a harder time choosing. As a person who enjoys scribbling in journals and documenting thoughts, I am fascinated by the idea that writing can become a career. How did you turn your passion and enjoyment for writing into your job? I still have to work at a bookshop to pay rent, but writing has certainly made life financially easier. I don’t think it’s a great idea to try and turn your passion into a career if your passion isn’t investment banking, because you inevitably end up compromising the kind of work you make, and find yourself doing marketing instead of poetry. I’d rather keep my work life and writing life separate, because money comes with so many conditions. Did you always want to be a writer when you were younger or is it a passion that developed over time? Both I think! I always wrote poetry as a kid, but it wasn’t until I was in my early twenties that I started writing seriously.
“I don’t think it’s a great idea to try and turn your passion into a career… you find yourself doing marketing instead of poetry.” Hera Lindsay Bird (Left) The front cover of Hera’s book, ‘Hera Lindsay Bird,’ which was released in 2016. (Above) A picture of Hera.
Do you have a favourite poem that marks a personal event or epiphany? My favourite poem in general is ‘The River’ by Mark Leidner, but I don’t have one of my own – the ones I like best tend to be the newer ones, because I haven’t read them a thousand
times.
When not actively writing, what are you doing? Working in a bookshop, reading murder mysteries, watching my boyfriend play video games, looking up old crackerjack auctions on etsy, frying eggs, sleeping. I keep a long list of possible poem titles on my phone though, not all of which make sense to me later.
When you write and publish your poems, do you hope for a certain reaction from a certain group of people or do you throw caution to the wind and let the audience make of it what they want? I always think about an audience when I write, but I never think about a specific group of people. I always write exactly what I want, even if I know that it’s a joke that only ten people will like. There’s no point trying to be populist, because it’s impossible to fake. People either like your work or they don’t, so the best thing to do is just whatever you like and hope for the best. What are some responses from your work that you receive? I love getting messages and letters from young women! Mostly when people don’t like my work they keep it to themselves or publish a parody of me on their WordPress site so I never see it. I know there are a lot of people who hate it, but I’m extraordinarily thick skinned. I read an interview you did with The Guardian, and one quote from yourself stood out to me. “I’m at my worst when I’m serious, in writing and in life. It drains all the blood out of my work. I tried for years to outrun my own jokes, to write measured and lyric work, to make my poems as pristine and elegant as possible, but they were just dead on the page.” Do you believe that overediting and over-analysation of creative work puts pressure on authors to chain their work in? I don’t think it’s about over-editing, because I spend a lot of time reworking my poems. I think for a long time I was just writing in a style that wasn’t natural to me, because I thought it was more literary. The lesson for me was just paying attention to what kind of writing made me most excited, rather than what seemed sophisticated or profound. I think learning to edit is important, but editing something your heart isn’t in won’t make it any better.
How did you get the confidence to express yourself through poetry instead of trying to write something that would be relatable or achieve book sales? Lol, great question. There is no money in any kind of writing unless you’re Stephen King, and you can’t fake being Stephen King unless you’re actually Stephen King in which case you don’t need to try, so the sales aspect never occurred to me. I also think the most relatable thing you can do in art is just tell the truth about your life in your own style, rather than trying to conjure up a mental idea of an average reader, which is a pretty condescending thing to do. I wrote poetry because it made the most sense to me, and was the most exciting medium. People can tell if you’re writing cynically. I think the best thing to do is just put all your energy into the thing you love, and hope that other people enjoy it. Finally, do you have any advice for aspiring poets or writers out there, who are wishing to be where you are now and have writing as their job? My advice is don’t make writing your job! Make it the thing you do with your life, regardless of whether anyone is willing to pay you for it. I think the best thing to do is to read widely, pay attention to your strengths and put sixty times more work into your writing than anyone realizes.
Hera’s book was published in 2016 and is available in all book retailers. She continues to write poetry and enjoy her life in New Zealand, always on the search for something to laugh about.
Hera Lindsay Bird (left) with Poet Rupi Kaur (right) at the Sydney Writers Festival in May 2017
Heathers : The Musical A Very Potter Musical
Huit Femmes (8 Women)
The movie that inspired girls around the world. Heathers was a one of its kind movie. A great soundtrack, amazing actors, interesting filming and staging, what more could you want? Well some bright person decided that some songs were just what the movie needed. Heathers: The Musical isn’t bad, but then again, it is a musical. I had high hopes for this musical, and was greatly let down. This was one of the three musicals that has captured the world. Along with Hamilton and Dear Evan Hanson, Heathers was all over social media. Once again, social media displayed something inaccurately. The songs didn’t add to the story, and were based on the most ridiculous things - there is literally a song about slurpees. This would be great if they hadn’t put it on a stage and added songs, which is why you should stick with the
This French film will have you seriously questioning your life. Not in a philosophical way but in a what did I just watch type of way. You will need English subtitles for this but it is definitely worth it. Plot twist after plot twist, this is the sort of film that needs your full concentration otherwise you will miss a huge advancement in the plot. With 8 women wondering who killed the beloved male of the family, even the characters are on the edge of their seats. This dark comedy uses inappropriately timed singing intervals to lighten the mood, so be aware that the singing is deliberately cheesy. Unlike most French films the cinematography is more American blockbuster style. It is definitely refreshing having some bright colours instead of barely being able to see the scene. The colour scheme is giving off “Cat In The Hat” vibes, so if there is any connection to that masterpiece it is definitely worth a watch.
A cult classic. A masterpiece. I will never need anything else while this exists. I won’t lie, the songs aren’t amazing but the characters and script make up for it. References, inside jokes and acting made the musical. The show has amazing versions of the iconic Harry Potter characters. Draco Malfoy being the most likeable, despite having a tendency to roll on the floor (don’t worry it’s funny once you get used to it.) There is even the romance of the century between Quirrel and Voldemort. Honestly, I cannot recommend anything more than this. Unfortunately the musical is quite old and we are stuck with a crappy phone filmed version of it but if you can look past that and the annoying audience you will be able to witness the greatest musical of all time. This has songs, annoying yet hilarious versions of well known characters and the best jokes in movie and not bother with the musical. cinematic history. What more could you want? Written By Anna Daykin
photography crash course An overview of six dierent cameras and what they are best suited for.
By Julia Forrest
Point and Shoot Pros : Great for beginners, pretty cheap, still a lot of options for manipulating the shot, good quality photos, easy to travel with. Cons : No manual functions, not ideal for high definition or professional projects. Price : $100 - $800, depending on brands, quality etc. Prerequisites : Read the manual, you’ll be surprised by all the extra features they have.
Film Camera Pros : Beautiful grainy images, one of a kind photos, the ability to be super dreamy/nostalgic. Cons : Film is expensive, rolls ruin easily, lighting can be hard to read for beginners, becoming familiar with the functions takes time. Price : Go on ebay, $20 + film. Prerequisites : Be familiar with manual settings in a DSLR, take a film specific class, have knowledge of ISO and lighting.
DSLR Pros : High definition, lots of options for creative freedom and stylistic shots, enables you to manipulate lighting, great for professional projects. Cons : Usually takes a while to get the hang of, heavy and annoying to carry around and expensive. Price : $700 - $10,000+, depending on brands, quality etc. Prerequisites : Photography class, either online or in person.
An overview of six different cameras and what they are best suited for.
By Julia Forrest
Smart Phone
Polaroid
Disposable
Pros : Always handy, easy to use, great for daily use, fast shooting, takes lots of pictures, good quality.
Pros : You get the photos instantaneously, too many photos we take never leave our devices, so it’s nice to have a small printed memory.
Pros : Cheap, easy to use, dispensable.
Cons : Hard to control settings, only a few manipulations, a lot of the time the picture just stays on your device and you don’t really do anything with it. Price : $200+ Prerequisites : None, pick up and start tapping.
Cons : Limited amount of shots, film is expensive. Price : $60+, as well as the price of replacing film. Buy your camera and film from amazon to save money. Prerequisites : Minimal, just pay attention to the light meter and adjust accordingly. Read the manual.
Cons : You can’t see what you are shooting, film could get destroyed, lighting could mess up, you don’t know if you’ve gotten the shot until you get the film developed. Price : $5 - $30, plus $15 to get film developed. Prerequisites : Know how to turn the flash on and off.
LIVING BIG living big in A house TINY aIN tiny HOUSE
how to live your life to the fullest in a small home. By Amelia Rosser
Everyone knows a Monica.
That’s why we’re letting you know about Tiny Houses. The Tiny House movement has swept across America, and is increasing here in Australia, encouraging people with a creative mind to take on their own project and build, or buy, a house and curate a space that is personal to them. The Tiny House movement applies to any home under 121 square metres. The eccentric, the suave and
Monica owns a six-bedroom house, perfectly tidy
the cosy, any tiny home rivals an expensive or
and constantly empty. She spends her day tidying,
excessively large home. With the minimal cost of
making her only child, Sophie, organic gluten-free
building at $8,270 for a 4o square meter home,
banana muffins from the recipe she found in
the quick building process means that this
Woman's Weekly and coordinating her daughter’s
investment is stable, easy and suitable for
outfits. Monica wakes up in the morning with her
everyone. Perfect for struggling university
permed hair and her schedule stuck in place and
students, with a permit you can bring your home
starts vacuuming the new cream rug. Sound
closer to your university, take it back with you to
appealing? Many people have a misconception
your parents house and park it close to the festival
that to prove they have achieved something in life,
you’re working at on weekends. Efficient and
they must own a two-story house and have three
cheap, owning a tiny home will free up money for
times the amount of space that they need. Dying
coffee with friends, because every university
happy does not mean dying in a king-sized bed
student can use all the coffee they can get. With
tucked up in $350 sheets. Sometimes it feels like
no unruly hedge to clip or lawn to mow, a tiny
our morals are drifting away from us, along with
home is not at all time consuming or high
our best interest.
maintenance.
Australia is home to the biggest houses on earth,
Still not convinced? Can’t imagine waving
and with countries such as China and Japan, as
goodbye to your luxurious houses? Adjusting to
well as most of europe, paving the way to smaller
tiny house living could be a shock for some, as
living spaces, we are certainly heading in the
growing up on a property of 240 square metres,
wrong direction.
home really does spoil us. But do we really want
Standing in one open plan room and having three
to grow up into just another Monica? Do we really
different sets of dining tables visible is not at all
want to live in a world where everyone
appealing. It highlights the fact that unnecessary
participates in mindless chatter, usually
space is trivial, greedy and confusing, and when
something to do with the rose bush growing in
given too much of it people do not know how to
your garden, or the efficiency of your dual ovens.
cope. Expenses and stress levels high, people
People need to break free of the social restraints
search without success to find a cheaper, more
and pursue their ideas, their passions and even
suitable escape from the pressure of buying an
explore a new field, perhaps something they
expensive house or apartment.
doubt they could achieve. Building your own tiny home gives you the experience of creating something from scratch, something that you will love and live in. Throughout the process you will
learn that to live a happy life is to form relationships with people and not things, and that what society values today is unrealistic and simply boring.
“Form relationships with people and not things.” We want people to know that there isn’t only one choice in life. Leave school, get a job, buy a car, buy a house. Life becomes centered on earning money, only to spend it on ‘necessities,’ that not only damage our environment, but damage ourselves. We become brainwashed, living from pay check to pay check, becoming increasingly stressed and unhappy with ourselves if we focus on possessing useless items. Decluttering and freeing yourself of these items is extremely refreshing and exciting. Space saving sneaky storage doubling as a staircase? Features unique to your house? Your tiny home is made from memories, and allows you to create many more. Money saved on unnecessary space and spent on experiences is always well spent. And honestly, Tiny Homes look really cool. Customisable, cute and quirky, people have found ways that use the lack of space to their advantage, and you can too. Live a fulfilling life, one that you can look back on and remember your experiences and relationships with people, and not your constant stress to save up enough money for a large house. Do your bit for the environment, treat yourself well, downsize to a tiny home and relish the positive effects it will
have on your life.
A BODY HEAPED FOR THE BELOVED’S BED.
A Short Story
By Julia Forrest
Hera Lindsay Bird : The name says it all. Born and bred in New Zealand, Hera is an up and coming poet who certainly has a lot to say. Her poem ‘Monica,’ featuring Monica from the television show Friends, broke through the norm and had everyone talking. In a candid interview with Broken Pencil, Hera reveals her approach to writing and to life.
Call me a cynic, but I don’t believe anything happens
the eyes. They just stood there. When Billy first told
for a reason. I cannot fathom the reasons these
me this story I was shocked and mildly amused. To
circumstances, which will subsequently grace the ears
stare into the eyes of a killer with calm, seemed a
of your mind, happened. Not even the gods have
heroic feat, and after a time it became a sort of
succeeded in enlightening me. I turned to them all in
bedtime story, a beautiful solace that placed my mind
dismay, practically begging their condolences, their
in a trance-like rest. When I shared this tale to one of
unified sympathy. I tried all of them, each meticulous
the ladies in white in the bath one night she told me a
religion, none of them cared to show their face. And so
few strange things. “Michael, Billy’s brother was never
I have been forced to assume their absence is telling of
born. Has he told you that? He has schizophrenia
their mythical origins. Perhaps they’re too busy. Or
darling.” I thought this doubtful, Billy himself said he
they just don’t care. A friend at the home, Billy, told
would never lie to me. At any rate I took his word over
me any god would have had the sense to die at least a
any person who deemed it appropriate to wear white
century ago, what god in their right mind would want
every day of the week. I understand I was never
earth of all planets. He also said he’s met the grim
entirely sure of the true meaning of schizophrenia and
reaper. He told me it stood in the corner of the room of
its implications, but it sounded like a blessing if I ever
his younger brother, and it and Billy would meet at
knew one. What a beautiful thing to have when one
night on the occasion he succumbed to his bladder and
seemed to see and know many magestical things.
better interest, wandering deliriously down the
“Where should we go today?” Billy asked me one
hallway to stand in the doorway and look it squarely in
Tuesday at sunset, “I want to find the spot with the
best view so I can paint. One of the white ladies told me
mouth. “Off you go Michael,” she said once she was
it’s usually on the grass out the back on Tuesdays.”
finished “don’t go hurting yourself now, take care.” I
“Ok,” I replied, “let me get my things, I’ll meet you
attempted to walk to my room normally as I could, but
there.”
ended up half-sprinting through the hallways to the
I walked towards him and his watercolours, arranged
room Billy and I shared.
haphazardly on the grass, and sat down next to him,
I dressed in silence. Billy handed me the match and I
opening my book and lighting a cigarette. I read for a
looked at him one last time, whispering, “Bye.” before
while, about lands far from mine and he painted. I liked
jumping out of our window. I knew the exact way her
watching him paint. I liked how the colours would
house was from here, how could I not when I dreamed
bleed and blend together. Billy looked at me and
of it each night. I reached the gate at the front of the
offered a brush, “Please paint with me, just this once?”
home, taking the key I had since put in my pocket and
he asked, I only shook my head no. I possess no talent
turned it in the keyhole, quiet as I could. Closing the
to speak of and my self esteem is a helium balloon
gate behind me, I took off towards her house. After the
that’s been in the hospital room of my dying
passing of 5 minutes, headlights glared and a voice on
convictions for perhaps a little too long. I turned to
the road came to me. “What you doing out at this time
Billy and asked him my question, the one that had
of night? Where you going boy?” His red cap and
swung around my head for all the weeks leading up to
pickup truck expressed all I needed to know. “Heaven.”
this one, “Will you visit me in heaven?”
I replied in a solitary word. The man’s face strained to
Billy smiled, sad and sore, “Of course.” he replied, “You
laugh, “Aren’t we all.” and he drove away. As soon as
may have to wait a while though. Give her a kiss for me
his truck left my eyes I ran once again, until my place of
when you get up there, I half died getting that match
pilgrimage stood before me. My feet walked me
for you.”
beneath her window and I climbed, up and through
“I will.” I responded as the last thread of light left our
lilac curtains. There she was, my beloved, slumbering
resting place.
in her bed. I left her eyes closed and gave her a few
At night, in an array of suds and soap, a lady in white
seconds of careful silence punctuated by the lick of
spoke to me. I waited as usual, my eyes on her as she
flames.
walked in, placed her key on the edge of the tub and sat
Left behind was a rusted key. A burnt match. A few
down. She asked me how I was. “I miss her.” I
flames. And a body heaped for the beloved’s bed.
responded, too involuntary, but she didn’t seem to notice, only asking, “And your health, are you well? Have you stopped smoking yet?” “I don’t smoke anymore.” “That’s good Michael.” her words were covered in false endearment. “But I don’t smoke any less either.” I joked. The white lady laughed, hurtling her head back animatedly. Revelling in the opportunity, I grabbed her key and stuck its rusty body straight into my mouth. She continued talking, practically to herself as she did every other day. I offered only a nod or a shake of my head occasionally. I instead allowed my mind to drift, as it so often does, to my beloved. The nights we spent together as youth learning what each other’s bodies were for. The lady in white helped me from the tub and dried me, I kept quiet and tried not to gag at the rust in my
By Anna Daykin
By Anna Daykin
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.�
- Philippians 4:8 NIV Bible
ISSUE 1 Broken Pencil
ISSUE 1
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