A table. Four microphones. Three days of intensive filming. This was necessary to bring out the testimonies and anecdotes of these fifteen Students. Behind the figures, a look behind the scenes of “28.000”, the new filmed podcast from ULiège.
How do we experience the transition from rheto to university? From Haute École to the gateway? From lecture halls to the world of work? From Cameroon to the University of Liège? What to do if depression lurks during studies? Beyond classes, why get involved in student activities? What atmosphere and what stubborn clichés in each university?
All it took was a simple call for testimonies on our social networks for them to agree to come and tell their memories and anecdotes from university in front of our cameras. They study (or have studied) motor sciences, oceanography, novels, bioengineering, communication, biomedical sciences… And even if until then, their paths had never crossed, that day There, a common point brought them together at the microphone of 28,000.
Five episodes, five themes
In this first season, to be followed over the coming Sundays, each episode gives a voice to…
- “ newbies », the new arrivals caught between the “mourning” of their year of postgraduate studies, new encounters and the study methodology to be put in place;
- “ hair in soup “, those who arrive at a bachelor’s degree much older than their classmates, who end up in a Master’s program with students who have known each other for three years, who come from abroad;
- “ hyperactive », students who have organized events for 2,000 or even 30,000 people, who have lost count of the number of circles they have attended, or who have assumed a mandate within the student council;
- “ ghosts “, those for whom health concerns or other difficulties got in the way during their studies, and who wish to talk about it openly;
- “ veterans », young graduates who are beginning the transition to the professional world, for better or for worse, or postponing it for a little longer, still attached to their university.
A long conversation, punctuated by quizzes, private jokes, anecdotes and nods to the specificities of each faculty. To see (or listen with one ear) on the ULiège Youtube and Spotify accounts.
Students in front of and behind the cameras
Writing, casting, artistic direction, management, HMC (hair, make-up, costumes), production… The project, coordinated by the Communication department, was also born thanks to the help of two Master’s students in the Media, Culture and Communication department: Alix Gerday and Elina Edilsoultanova. They supported their former student friend, Alice Lacroix, now in charge of communications for ULiège student social networks.
For the record, this trio is not their first production of content for ULiège. Already in 2018, when they were students, Alix, Elina and Alice hosted a show on university radio 48FM. Two years later, they formed a trio of co-editors-in-chief of P’Tit Torê, the university’s student newspaper. Today, they work as jobs and employees for the Communication department of ULiège.
The filming of the five episodes of 28,000 was held in the studio of the Media Campus of ULiège (Grand Poste), under the wise advice of the site’s logistician, Anicée Dupont. And for once, the cameras were not turned towards the TV set, but towards the stands. A whole symbolism which echoes the objective of the podcast: to give voice to those who, usually, sit in silence to receive university teaching.
An outcome which could not have been achieved without the support of LICAM (Audiovisual and Multimedia Information and Communication Laboratory) which made its cutting-edge equipment available to the team, but also the expertise of two masters of conference in audiovisual techniques: Fanny Pluymers and François Parmentier.
