Progression: Industry Inspiration

Media Inspiration: 

It is useful to look for inspiration from others when working in the media industry. Media can inspire us. Watching an elevating movie, read- ing a moving story, or playing the right game at the time can affect how we view our place in the world and motivate us to change our behavior accordingly

Hunter S Thompson:


There are many people that have inspired me to make the choice to pursue journalism as a career choice. I have several inspirations that each have their own unique style of journalism that has informed my own style of writing. 


I am an avid reader - mainly in the realm of non-fiction. However - one style of writing that particularly interests me is "Gonzo Journalism". Gonzo Journalism is the process of the author involving themselves in the story rather than being removed. This writing process allows one to portray factual events while extrapolating certain details through the use of hyperbole; I feel this makes for a more interesting reading experience. 


A pioneer of "Gonzo Journalism": Hunter S Thompson wrote one of my favorite pieces of literature, 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'. This short book details Thompson’s rather hectic road trip to Las Vegas - in which he was sent to report on a race. I feel like the "Gonzo" depiction of these events make for a very interesting reading experience as we get to read Thompson’s thoughts in real time, which gives an added level of detail and context in the mind of the reader. 


Hunter S Thompson's very first piece for Rolling Stone is one of his most famous. In October 1970 he chronicled in wonderful detail his bid to become a Colorado sheriff; to win the vote of the "Freaks, Heads, criminals, anarchists, beatniks, poachers, Wobblies, bikers and Persons of Weird Persuasion". The Battle Of Aspen: Freak Power in the Rockies revealed Thompson to be a perceptive political writer, a skill he would refine in his seminal presidential election series for Rolling Stone, Fear and Loathing: on the Campaign Trail '72 .


Louis Theroux:


Someone else who has inspired me is Louis Theroux. While Theroux is a writer - I am mainly inspired by his video-graphical works. Theroux specialises in documentary filmmaking. These films are usually very provocative and cover topics that are rather dark in nature, i.e. the case against Jimmy Saville, the West Bureau Baptist Church, and the plight of those who have suffered as a result of America’s ongoing opioid crisis. Given the nature of Theroux’s documentaries - he has received much backlash and has became a controversial figure for many people. 


Being an avid fan of film - I feel like Louis Theroux encapsulates what I would like to do in the future. In order to do something in a similar format to Theroux, I would need to study something in the realm of Film and Television at higher education. As Theroux usually presents his material in the format of a documentary. 

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