Catalyst Magazine

Want to get involved in student media? Catalyst is on the hunt for an editorial committee for 2014. We need feature writers, reporters, illustrators and subeditors. About Catalyst Catalyst is RMIT’s student magazine since 1944. Yeah, it’s older than your mum. In 2013, we launched into the online stratosphere. And in 2014, we want to do bigger and better things. Catalyst was the only student magazine in the 2013 budget lock-up. Our scoops have been picked up by The Age (a large chunk of their newsroom studied journalism at RMIT and were involved with Catalyst ).We’ve published breaking stories and investigative pieces about the university and beyond. We have a particular interest in converged news - combining photos, video and audio with good ’ol fashioned words. Next year, Catalyst is looking for a team of daily reporters to cover stories for the website (with a focus on young people and social issues). We also want a team of dedicated subeditors to brainstorm content and proofread the physical magazine. And if you can take great photos or make amazing art, we want your babies. Reporters News happens everyday and put simply, it’s important university students know about the things affecting them. Catalyst’s team of reporters will cover and break news in an engaging and informative way. To be a reporter requires a one day-a-week commitment. Catalyst has a warm and welcoming office for you to work in. We’ll help with story ideas, contacts and teach you to get savvy with all the technical aspects of multimedia reporting (oh hey there Adobe Audition, Final Cut Pro, Soundslide, Vimeo, Photoshop and Soundcloud). Your brilliant story will be filed by the end of the working day and published on our sexy website. As digital natives, we expect you to know how to condense the essence of your work in 140 characters on social media. Reporters will build an impressive folio and gain invaluable skills working to a deadline in a newsroom (ain’t that one for the CV?). Writers Want to be the next Benjamin Law or Jill Stark? We’re after people who can write feature articles and colour pieces for the printed magazine. We have a special interest in social issues and the stories with no clear-cut right and wrong (the ones that you think about for days after). But don’t worry - you don’t have to write serious features if you don’t want to. We’ll also be having arts arts and culture section where you can write about that time you accidentally stumbled upon an orgy or took drugs for the first time at Falls Festival. (Or you know, you could just write a snarky review of Gotye. We don’t mind.) Visual artists/Illustrators Students of the creative variety, we need you! If you’ve finished the year with a portfolio, exhibition or showcase then send your work our way. We’re hungry for the next Shaun Tan, Juergen Teller or Tracey Emin. You’ll be joining a ramshackle (but sexy) team of designers, illustrators and photographers who will be offered regular commissions in the printed magazine. Subeditors Are you a self-confessed grammar Nazi? Want to sink your teeth into the delicious pie that is the English language? Then this job is for you. You’ll need to come along to the occasional brainstorming session and be able to set aside some time to proofread the printed magazine before it hits the printing press. We’ll also train you up so you can subedit the pants off our content (unless you’ve already been involved in publishing before, in which case where have you been all our lives). How to apply: 1. Shoot us an email at rmitcatalyst@gmail.com. 2. In the email, tell us a bit about yourself and why you would like to be involved. Provide your email and phone number, as well as the course you are studying and your 2014 year level. A run-down of any previous experience would also be grand. 3. Bribe us with lollies. In order to be considered, we need you to be able to attend the occasional brainstorm session (where there will be M&Ms and beer!). We’ll try to get some people from the industry to come and speak to us during these sessions. You’ll also need to commit to contributing regularly to either the website or printed magazine. The magazine is published six times a year, and we would consider publishing the equivalent of that on the website ‘regular’. (Please note that reporters come in once a week for a semester.) Who we are Please don’t address your emails to ‘Whom it may concern’. The 2014 editors are Allison Worrall, Broede Carmody and Alan Weedon. We’re looking forward to working our arses off with you (and nursing the occasional hangover too).