Libby Jennings

Trainee Multimedia Journalist at NCTJ accredited News Associates. Articles written for South West Londoner and The Indiependent. Volunteer at Riverside Radio.

The Indiependent •

How 'Love, Simon' Redefined LGBTQ+ Representation In Cinema

As Pride Month’s celebrations come to a close, it’s important to recognise films that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community all year round. One standout example is the 2018 box-office hit Love, Simon, notable for being the first major studio coming-of-age film with a gay male lead character. This groundbreaking film not only captured the hearts of audiences but also marked a significant milestone in Hollywood’s portrayal of LGBTQ+ stories by setting a precedent for inclusivity.


For those who haven’t...
The Indiependent •

How ‘The Great Mouse Detective’ Saved Disney Animation

In the latest instalment of our ‘Changed Film Forever’ series, Libby Jennings tells the story of Disney’s lesser-known mouse: Basil of Baker Street.

The Great Mouse Detective (1986) is an often-overlooked Disney classic, but behind the scenes, it is recognised as the film that saved Disney.

Disney had struggled with animation since 1940, when Pinocchio and Fantasia underperformed at the box office and plunged the studio into debt.

It took a decade for Disney to regain its animation reputation
The Indiependent •

EA Forms New ‘The Sims 4’ Team Dedicated To Improving The “Core Game Experience”

Electronic Arts (EA) has formed a team to invest in the The Sims 4 “core game experience” after years of reported technical difficulties from players.

The developers acknowledged players’ frustrations within the game and pledged to tackle the reported concerns by increasing the number and frequency of fixes.

Players can expect new patches every two months, starting with one at the end of this month.

The official announcement states that EA will optimise memory usage to minimise crashes, impro
South West Londoner •

Eurovision interviews: In conversation with hosts Sweden, Moldova and Latvia

Eurovision contestants came together to perform their songs in London before the big day in Malmö on 11 May.

The London Eurovision Party is an annual event which was held this year near Tottenham Court Road, offering audiences a preview of contestants’ songs and providing acts with an opportunity to perform in front of a live audience.

It is also one of the rare opportunities Eurovision fans get to see the majority of the contestants before the contest, with semi-finals starting on 7 May.

For
The Indiependent •

How ‘Coraline’ Paved The Way For A New Age Of Stop-Motion Animation

This much revered—and sometimes feared—film was the first of its kind, using 3D printing technology alongside classic stop motion techniques. Using new animation techniques was a challenge from the start.

According to Coraline’s lead animator Travis Knight, Laika initially struggled with pitching Coraline at the beginning due to its stop-motion nature, which was deemed ‘non-commercial’ due to the increasing popularity of computer-animated films.

Coraline’s producer, Bill Mechanic, originally w
The Indiependent •

Former Activision Boss Bobby Kotick Expressed Interest In Buying TikTok

Former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick is reportedly interested in buying TikTok if ByteDance decides to sell the social media platform.

TikTok is currently under scrutiny in the U.S. as lawmakers are worried that the Beijing-based company, ByteDance, might share users’ data with China and potentially spread propaganda and/or shape the political opinion of America, both at home and abroad.

However, due to the app’s popularity with 102.3 million monthly users, lawmakers are hesitant to upset the ma
The Indiependent •

‘Pokémon Go’ Fest 2024 Heads To Madrid This June

Pokémon Go trainers should get their Pokéballs at the ready as Pokémon Go Fest 2024 heads to Madrid this June.

Niantic and Madrid welcome various Pokémon such as the Shiny Crabawler and trainers to the worldwide, two-day digital event from July 14-16 with events running from 10 am till 6 pm (CET).

Trainers can enjoy exclusive gameplay, special bonuses and more while taking on adventures with friends.

The event is split across two locations, Parque Juan Carlos I and the larger Madrid area. All
Riverside Radio •

Riverside Reports - 1st March 2024

On this week's Riverside Reports (01/03/24) We bring you the latest updates on the breaking story from the shooting incident in Clapham Common. Plus we hear from Lady Elish Angiolini about the independent inquiry into the murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021. Plus residents in Lambeth protest against the council's buy-back scheme to reclaim their homes. We also chat to the director of St. Michael's Fellowship, Sue Pettigrew OBE about their Mother's Day campaign Plus Joshua Hardman from the Brit
The Indiependent •

Children Fear Being Bullied If They Do Not Buy Items In Free-to-Play Video Games

A study has found that children and teenagers can face bullying if they do not pay for items in free-to-play games such as Fortnite and Roblox.

The Norwegian-based study was conducted by OsloMet PhD student Clara Julia Reich, specialising in consumption research, alongside OsloMet behaviour analyst Kamilla Knutsen Steinns.

They found that in-app purchases such as weapons, skins, and gear are being treated as essentials for children as young as ten, to avoid being mocked by classmates or to gai
SoundCloud •

Heart Month With The British Heart Foundation

In the UK someone dies from a heart or circulatory condition every three minutes. February was Heart Month which encouraged people to Go Red to fundraise for the charity, British Heart Foundation, and learn CPR training. Although February is officially over, the lessons from Heart Month are important throughout the year. I spoke to the British Heart Foundations’ South London Fundraising manager, Joshua Hardman about this. Aired on Riverside Reports 1 March 2024. Image credit: Marco Verch via Fli
The Indiependent •

‘Age of Empires Mobile’ Is Coming Later This Year

TiMi Studio Group and World’s Edge have announced details behind Age of Empires Mobile which is set to be released later this year.

Developed by TiMi Studio Group, the masterminds behind Call of Duty Mobile and Pokemon Unite, and Xbox Games Studio World’s Edge, the pair aim to bring the battlefield to players anytime and anywhere with optimised controls.

The game offers a blend of familiar elements from the classic PC series, such as fast-paced combat, base-building and real-time strategy game
Riverside Radio •

Riverside Reports - 23rd February 2024

On this-week's Riverside Reports (23/02/24) We chat to Amy Lewis from the children's reading charity Coram Beanstalk as they look for reading helpers. Plus we chat to Michael Samuel and Zak Miah from Macmillan Cancer Support on helping to launch a 3-year project to spread the awareness of cancer support available to BME communites. Plus we bring you some of the highlights from the unveiling of the plaque commemorating Riverside Radio volunteer Micky Gwilliam who passed away in 2022.
The Indiependent •

‘Fortnite Festival Season 2: Unlock Your Talent’ Welcomes Lady Gaga To The Stage

Lady Gaga has announced that she will be headlining the Fortnite Festival Season 2: Unlock Your Talent, launching on 22 February.

The collaboration between Lady Gaga and Epic Games has fans going gaga as opportunities arise to unlock new instruments, songs and iconic outfits.

The Jam Track song bank includes 8 hits from the singer including ‘Applause’, ‘Poker Face’, ‘Born This Way’, ‘Rain On Me’, ‘Stupid Love’, ‘Just Dance’, ‘The Edge of Glory’ and ‘Bloody Mary.’ They will all be available to
SoundCloud •

White Ribbon Walks Interview With Councillor Katie Mansfield

A White Ribbon Walk is taking place on Saturday, 17 February.

The walks are apart of Richmond Councils initiative to tackle violence against women and girls known as VAWG.

They hope the walks will create awareness towards the issue and encourage people to "change the culture that leads to abuse".

I spoke to councillor Katie Mansfield, the Council’s White Ribbon Champion about the upcoming White Ribbon Walk.
The Indiependent •

Disney Invests $1.5 Billion Into Creating An ‘Expansive’ Universe With Epic Games

Disney has announced its $1.5 billion equity stake in Epic Games as the pair team up to make an “expansive and open games and entertainment universe.’

Players can expect to see their favourite characters and content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and Avatar.

The pixie dust magic doesn’t stop there with players being able to shop, play, watch content and “create their own stories” within the franchises.

The companies have yet to disclose more details on how players will be able to watch
The Indiependent •

Safe In Our World's Largest-Ever Charity Game Bundle Is Now Available To Download

Safe In Our World has launched its biggest-ever charity gaming bundle featuring over 20 PC games on Fanatical, all for just £15.

All sale proceeds will directly go towards supporting Safe In Our World’s future initiatives within the mental health sector. Customers can also opt to donate more if wanted.

The charity aims to create awareness, eliminate stigma and normalise mental health difficulties so that nobody is afraid to reach out for help when needed.

Alan Wild, Head of Business Developme
The Londoners •

The Tatetrix Episode 2: The Rise

Welcome to our three-part series, The Tatetrix where we will discuss the rise and fall of Andrew Tate in our media.

From psychologists to avid fans we've gathered perspectives from all over. Whether you love him, hate him or don't really care, join us for a journey into the controversial world of Andrew Tate. In this episode, we investigate Andrew Tate's time in the limelight and how deeply he has influenced his followers and society. From classrooms to clickbait, his name is everywhere. Join u
The Londoners •

The Taterix Episode 1: The Begining

Welcome to our three-part series, The Tatetrix where we will discuss the rise and fall of Andrew Tate in our media.

From psychologists to avid fans we've gathered perspectives from all over. Whether you love him, hate him or don't really care, join us for a journey into the controversial world of Andrew Tate.

In this episode we will be diving into Andrew Tate's beginnings and rise to celebrity status. With the support of interviews we will also be discussing Tate's impact on society and the mainstream media.
The Indiependent •

Planet Zoo Is Finally Coming To Consoles This March

Frontier Development has announced that Planet Zoo is coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on 26 March.

Zoo Tycoon’s successor Planet Zoo lets players create, customise and manage zoos with intuitive console controls all from the comfort of your couch.

The zoo management simulator has been loved for many over the past four years on PC, which saw regular free updates with DLC packs of new animals to care for. Console players will get to jump into all these features straight away.

There
The Indiependent •

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Pulled Offline Over Game Completing Glitch

Rocksteady Studios’ Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been pulled offline after just one hour of activity of the Deluxe Edition’s early access due to a bizarre glitch that automatically completes the game.

The Deluxe Edition, costing an extra £30 from the £69.99 price tag, enabled players to access the game early before its full release on 2 February.

Rocksteady issued a statement on X stating that they will be performing maintenance on the game servers and take several hours to updat
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