Why I write for Scene

Some people might think the Scene section of The Observer is easier to write for than other sections, or that it is not very journalistic because we spend most of our time writing music and movie reviews.

But I’m going to refute that claim. I think Scene is, in its own way, a very valid form of journalism, and it presents its own challenges.

We keep people up to date on popular and not-so-popular culture, which, as an American studies major, I consider very important and newsworthy in the day-to-day lives of the public. New singles, albums, movies, Netflix shows, books, plays, musicals, etc. — we keep track of it all, and we passionately fight over which topics to claim on the budget at (or before if we get to it in time) our Sunday meetings. We try to communicate what is often so challenging to put into words — how these various forms of art make us feel. Yes, we evaluate them, but ultimately I write for Scene to try and communicate the beauty of all of these media forms to others.

Music is so important. When I try to imagine life without music, I immediately block out that thought because I can’t picture a world without music. I have a lot of respect for musicians because not only do they skillfully express complicated feelings and emotions, but they also put it to music that sounds good, and they make it look so easy.

The same goes for the production of a film. The fact that all of the audio and visual editing, combined with costume and makeup choices, as well as a soundtrack and good actors and actresses can create such a moving masterpiece leaves me awestruck every time.

It is important to me that someone tells these types of stories, and I love to try and interpret the stories and be as observant as possible to point out all the little details that make them that much more beautiful and amazing. Admiring such creativity has always been a goal of mine that translates into writing for Scene.

I have so much respect for the journalists in the field that risk their physical and emotional health for stories, and maybe one day I will be ready to do that. But for now, I’ll stick to Scene, a less hard-hitting but just as serious form of news. I feel that Scene provides hope and happiness amidst some of the more intense topics found in newspapers today.