GUST is… “Sexy”

Features, October 12, 2011

GUST is not just for geeks — watch our latest promo!

Clarification (Friday Evening)
First off, we would like to thank everyone who posted constructive feedback in the comments here and on the GUST Facebook Page.

The promo was a piece of experimentation, an attempt to try something new. The next promos will hopefully help to calm things down – gust is versatile, then one set for halloween. Each of which will render a ‘GUST is…’ label to make it recognisable as part of this series. Unfortunately ‘sexy’ was always going to be risky and perhaps more sensitivity in this department should have been taken into account. [...] The whole concept in mind being this wide-ranging series that would cut across all genres, forms and styles. There should have been more foresight and indeed the ground around our next ones will be trod upon much more carefully.

Sophie Bryde
Well it got me going. Love it
Jork93
hahahaha so lame
Jork93
hahahahahaha so lame
Jork93
hahahahahaha so lame
Jork93
hahahahahahaha so lame

Daniel L
So lame you had to tell us thrice.

Jork93
yeah, it’s really, really, REALLY lame. NOT JUST FOR GEEKS. pahahahaa

http://www.facebook.com/amheadspeath Andrew Headspeath
You sound like a high school bully.

The Duchess
Sluts

http://www.facebook.com/amheadspeath Andrew Headspeath
Im sure theyd appreciate that comment more if you told it them in person.

http://www.facebook.com/amheadspeath Andrew Headspeath
HATERS GONNA HATE. We’re still sexy regardless, mwah xxx.
Charis
Nice camerawork and lighting but struggling to even understand how you all agreed that degrading yourselves like that was a good idea. I know that’s what happens of real tv all the time, but that’s because the bosses and the sponsers know that ‘sex sells’….you guys aren’t even in this to make money so it’s sad that you’d objectify yourselves just cos that’s what everyone else does.

LPD
How are the girls in this promo degrading themselves?! They are simply wearing dresses and heels and are doing jobs in the studio. Sure there’s the odd wink to camera here and there, but so what? Its all tongue-in-cheek and a bit of fun. There are no over-provocative shots at all as far as I can see! The girls look awesome in this promo, which has been really well made and is clearly very effective. 153 likes on facebook says it all really!

Guest
They’re reducing themselves (and other women) to mere “sex symbols” when in fact, as far as I know, women in GUST play a vital role and work hard rather than just standing about posing. The fact that people at GUST can’t see this is worrying. It’s all very backwards, especially for a student group at an academic institution.

http://kristianhentschel.com/ Kristian Hentschel
I’m not sure but it might help to say that this entire project was planned and executed by the girls themselves — it most prominently features our Controller, Head of Creative Programming and one of the Publicity Coordinators, who all do hard and important work for GUST — as does everyone else involved in the making of this and all our other videos.
I don’t necessarily think this is not at all sexist or provocative, but one of the great things about GUST in my opinion is that we give people a platform to realize their ideas. It just so happened that this one (suggested by a girl if I remember correctly!) resonated very well with many of our female members.
http://www.facebook.com/amheadspeath Andrew Headspeath
As backward as it is to use a camera, autocue, present, fix lighting, use sound, direct and floor manage. Which they all do and represent in the video. I’m not sure ‘posing’ is the right word. These women are empowered in the workplace, and look good doing it. They are the ones in control, which like a comment I read before is the opposite of say, a lynx advert where women follow a man around and do his bidding. Backwards, in an environment where creativity is encouraged and students are free to experiment with what they have to work with? Sorry we’re not all professionals here, but everyone has to start somewhere – apparently freedom of expression is something to be scared of.
Robert
I think you’re worrying about nothing. Life is there to be enjoyed and celebrated. Of course the women in GUST take themselves seriously. The point is that they are not geeks! Calm your jets and worry about things that are worth worrying about.

Guest
Gust is… tacky and degrading. I hope this is satire.

Robert
Of course it’s not meant to be taken seriously. The point is to make the viewer realise that it’s not just a bunch of nerds with cameras!

Guest
Boner.
guest
hilarious
http://www.facebook.com/RyaanWells Ryan William Wells
I see people have forgotten what the meaning of fun is. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this video and if it offends you then I hope you don’t go outside soon – its a big scary world and you might come across something that doesn’t fit into your niche view of “what is right”. Hiding behind the cowardice of “guest” to insult someone else’s work is shameful. Art is designed to create debate, slander is not debate – I shouldn’t need to tell you that. If you want to post your disgust towards the wonders of GUST then at least have the balls to put your name against it.

http://www.facebook.com/AndrewLindsay1988 Andrew Lindsay
it’s hardly ‘art’ though, is it? It’s a publicity promo using sex to sell the station to others. The word, ‘art’, shouldn’t be used to justify this.

http://www.facebook.com/RyaanWells Ryan William Wells
Its a stylised work that most definitely is art. I think the question you mean to ask is “what is its worth?”. My humble opinion is that it does have worth and a lot of it. It is creative in both content and technicality and more than anything is not boring. I see a video of a group of very, very glamorous women attempting to change the image of a technical team and specifically proving that GUST is diverse and quirky. I do not agree with “using sex to sell the station”, but this is your view and I respect this. Art this definitely is, however.

Jobby
Gust sounds a bit flatulent to me…
Fire_flight
What is the point in this?
‘GUST is nto just for geeks’. – Anyone you are trying to win over who previously held that notion is not the type of person you want to win over.
Stop hemogenising yourselves.

Robert
Hemogenising? Glad to see you’re attending lectures. Are you in first year?

http://www.facebook.com/amheadspeath Andrew Headspeath
for the record this promo is the first of a long-running series. Next will be GUST is ‘versatile’, the focus on a horror-themed one, action-themed and so on. Not liking the negative reactions but its done now and we need to rise from it with some kick-ass promos that wont get people all hot and bothered.
Christopher Patrick
Brilliant promo! Really well put together !
nailah innit
more o this. LHOFFFFF IT
F&TVgrad
This is really quite misguided. I can see the need to diversify the appeal of student television but this goes about it all the wrong way. ALSO… where are all the men? Men can’t be objectified too?
I think you need to recognise where your appeal lies and look to capture *that* market before you start looking to cultivate a ‘frat’ style mentality within the ranks of whoever still has loyalty.

http://www.facebook.com/amheadspeath Andrew Headspeath
We’re not objectifying. This is part of a long running series, this project was in fact irresponsibly rushed and more focus was on the form rather than the content. One little promo doesn’t speak for all of GUST – there will be at least 6 or 7 more, covering a range of stylistic interpretation. If people are offended, apologies. But there will be no aplogies for making this – GUST is about trying new things, and as with all subjective matter this can be interpreted from one end of the spectrum to the other. At the end of the day it was a bit of fun, but labelling us as sexist pigs is quite frankly hilarious.

http://twitter.com/followrayray Ray Syed
Reading some of the comments below makes me cringe.
Yes. Sex sells, but this isn’t selling sex. The fact that the very (gorgeous) women in the video had thought up and been active in every stage of its production makes me think that perhaps they are empowering, rather than intentionally degrading themselves.
At the end of the day it’s a tongue in cheek comment on the common misconception that all techies are dudes. If you can’t see that then you are blind. Chances are people are fully aware of the videos merits, and the fact that as a production it is of a very high quality. Yet they are trolling anyway. To me this video seems like the opposite of a lynx advert, the women here are in charge, and shown in a positive light. It’s well made, and funny and you’re quite frankly wrong if you say otherwise.
Allan Johnstone
It’s absolutely awful. I will not be joining GUST

Robert
Thank goodness.

Arif Nadeem
AWESOOOOME! Very Well Shot, Edited and empowering message!
http://www.facebook.com/AquaTofanaAquaTofana Juju Tofana
I can’t make my mind up if I love it or hate it. Some shots are REALLY good, e.g. high heels, shadows & lightning. It’s very well edited. But those lips at the opening… ugh. And the song’s rather annoying then sexy. Anyway, it’s still good job guys!
http://www.facebook.com/AquaTofanaAquaTofana Juju Tofana
Oh and P.S. more slow motion would’ve been great!
GUST IS sexy!
If this doesn’t make you want to get involved in GUST then shame on you. I was oggling at the equipment and lighting used, not to mention the camera angles. Girls were alright i guess….
Robert
I think it is a sad reflection on modern life that you have come in for unjustified criticism. Please don’t accept the censorship of a small, self-righteous and clearly deluded minority. That is the path towards book-burning, totalitarianism and ultimately the horrific visions of the future painted by writers like Orwell and Kafka.
Plot Tracer
Ryan William Wells – as a Film/Media graduate a few years back, I always took my brief in my film making as one of “changing the world” rather than bolstering despicable attitudes. Come on GUST! Let’s have telly that changes the world… stop rehashing the attitudes of the 80s graduates who are in control of our media and those middle class producers who are making programmes they think the masses want to see. Personally speaking, the TV produced for peak viewing times is like the politics we have nowadays. Only a small core of people actually watch it/vote for them, but they only have to play to that safe core in order to make their money. Break the hegemony! Break the mold!