The City of Toronto....YUCK!

The overall “stickiness” of Toronto was clearly visible from the bus as ripped, faded and vandalized posters hung throughout the streets.

Everywhere you turn, you can see garbage and trash blowing aimlessly on the ground. It is not uncommon to see Toronto pedestrians drop their “unwanted” items without a second thought.

Abandoned buildings occupy Toronto with broken windows, trashed properties and dirty surroundings.

The public washroom offered in the Art Gallery is small and filthy. Due to lack of cleanliness, revolting “feminine products” lie about and produce a nauseating odor.

Junk and debris is commonly seen while walking the streets of Toronto. Piled high, residents choose to horde their useless belongings for others to see.

The main streets are lathered in bags full of garbage thrown on the curb. Garbage bags are often left untied, ready to spill and blow throughout the city.

Damage caused to retail buildings is left untaken care of to create a messy and uninviting environment like this convenience store.

The upkeep to apartment buildings is lacking in Toronto, leaving chipped and worn paint, cracking porches and rusting railings.

Graffiti and vandalism is a major issue in Toronto, including this apartment door. The exterior of buildings are hidden by repulsive images and phrases.

Although garbage cans are available throughout the city of Toronto, they are regularly overflowing with trash and covered with spilled wastes and bird feces.

Advertisements are posted on almost every street light in Toronto using inappropriate subject matter and profanity, available for people of every age to read.

MEDIA REFLECTION!

My experience at MOD was a lot of fun! Not only did we get to see “behind-the-scenes” action, we also got to participate in a live studio audience; something I had never done before. I found that the show ran very smoothly and happened the way I imagined it would.

Once we entered the studio, we all found a place where we could sit or stand. Staff members from MOD where moving people around so no visible gaps could be seen on TV. Fortunately for me, I found a spot on the bleachers right in front of the camera and was never asked to move. We went through a practice run where the hosts went over their lines and the camera operators could practice their shots. Being as excited as I was, I didn’t realize it was just a run-through and was confused when they stopped half way through.

Once the show actually came on the air, I found myself watching the video cameras. I realized that a red light would appear at the top of the camera that was filming so the hosts would know where to look. I also found the staff members holding the cue cards very amusing. During a live interview, you never know how long it will take for a performer to answer a question. At one particular time, Farrell was talking A LOT more than the producers expected and the staff member with the cue card was waving it like crazy, cueing Matt to move on to a music video. I could see the anxiety in Matt’s face trying to get Farrell to stop talking so he could go to a break. It made me realize how many things can go wrong on live television.

MOD also taught me how important the director of a show really is. Everyone working at the studio, including hosts, camera men, computer operators, etc., must all work together in order for the show to be successful. The director of the show is the one in charge of almost everything. He decides the order of events on the show, the dialogue, where people stand, etc. It is very important that everyone is on the same page and there are no miscommunications or confusions between anyone.

During commercials breaks the studio becomes much more relaxed. The hosts talk to audience members and take pictures with them. Stylists will come and fix hair and make-up so it looks just right, while producers and other staff members crack jokes at one another. I think MOD would be an awesome place to work and experience everyday. The live television aspect would make the job very interesting and you would get to meet a variety of celebrities!