Draft talk:Ruth Hessey

Ruth Hessey notable for her work rather than her person?

I would argue that the subject Ruth Hessey was notable for her extensive and influential work rather than her persona. This might include the amount and extent of her work documenting other people's films, filmmakers, and environmental matters while working as a professional journalist, broadcaster and documentary filmmaker for many years for reliable sources such as the Melbourne Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Broadcasting Company Radio National and (less notable) EastSide FM radio. The nature of her work meant she spent many years as a reliable source herself, fact-checking and reporting on other subjects rather than others reporting on her. I have sourced and referenced instances of this possible notable cultural work on the draft page. One reference (number 8) is from Alexandra Coghlan at The Arts Desk who references Ruth Hessey as a notable cultural commentator on Australian Film Culture during her time as national film reviewer at ABC Radio National. HapKee (talk) 04:36, 8 October 2023 (UTC)

I have just done an extensive re-focus of the draft article based on notes and feedback from editor 331dot. I have started the article with discussion of her most notable work as an award-winning documentary filmmaker and creator of an international educational resource, and supported this with a new reliable source on Ruth Hessey's work. I have also reduced or cut less notable information about her work and life and reordered the information to try and reflect the notability of it. HapKee (talk) 07:50, 1 November 2023 (UTC)

I have clarified a new reliable source in IF Magazine with coverage of Hessey's documentary and a quote about the importance of her educational initiatives by Kiernan (3). I have also found a book review of the book on Aboriginal Art which she co-authored, with a quote by reviewer Radok (16). I have reduced less notable details of her life work and taken out the section on her acting work. I could take out the detail of her latter radio broadcasting work perhaps, and her death detail, and other less notable detail, but some of this, I would argue, makes it into a more readable, informative article, adding context to her more notable film and writing work. HapKee (talk) 23:30, 1 November 2023 (UTC)

Today deleted three paragraphs of less notable information which has less coverage. Also contacted @WikiOriginal-9 to make the plea below if it is possible to reconsider her notability in a slightly different context and for this second rejection to be reconsidered. Firstly, I would argue that Hessey is notable for her extensive and (admittedly varied) work, not for her as a person. For example, Hessey was a national film critic on the Australian national radio and reviewer for several leading newspapers for almost two decades. If you search wikipedia for her name there are about 15 references sourcing Hessey's reviews of them in their articles. In other words, she spent many years as a critic interviewing others and writing about others' films, rather than being a celebrity or media personality herself. I would argue a similar perspective is possible with her second main career as an environmental educator and documentary filmmaker. This work tends to be, by definition, somewhat selfless, working to extend environmental education and raise awareness of the impact of environmental damage and protection rather than in seeking a notoriety/personality brand that say a drama film director requires. Although there isn't (I agree) extensive coverage of this by others, I would argue, that the fact that the film has been purchased by hundreds of schools, universities and local councils internationally and by companies such as Fujitsu and National Australia Bank as a staff engagement resource, confers a notability on the film as influential. Also the St Kilda Film Festival where she won an award for Best Documentary Film is a prestigious accolade as the St Kilda festival is an "Academy Award Qualifying Festival." https://filmfreeway.com/StKildaFilmFestival Furthermore, the film has been sold internationally and translated into Spanish, Turkish and Chinese which also attests to its international influence. The film led to a further web-based interactive educational resource and ongoing schools-based initiatives for which Hessey was Project Director. This was considered sufficiently significant to be funded by major donors - the Pratt Foundation and Myer Foundation and City of Sydney. My main request is that the notability of Hessey's work might be viewed in a slightly different perspective due to the nature of the work itself. HapKee (talk) 01:53, 12 November 2023 (UTC)

You didn't have to remove that info, just fyi. WikiOriginal-9 (talk) 02:00, 12 November 2023 (UTC)

Thanks @WikiOriginal-9 the re-submit is much appreciated! HapKee (talk) 02:10, 12 November 2023 (UTC)

I have re-instated the paragraphs that @WikiOriginal-9 said didn't require removal. This was after a third decline this time by @Rich^T|C|E-Mail . I understand Rich's points about Wikipedia's unique notability meaning. The thing I don't understand is when Rich says "This is an article about Ruth, not about the film..." The film was written and directed by Ruth Hessey and surely notability refers to how how notable their work is as well as them as a person. Most articles that are about a notable person will talk about the work they did? That's why they are usually notable isn't it? Anyway, I will search further for secondary sources talking about Ruth Hessey specifically. But as I said, the nature of her work was writing over almost two decades about other people's films, and making documentary films and educational resources promoting recycling. These pursuits weren't the kind of activity that garners or seeks comments from others about the author. I still argue that the support and reach of her films as detailed above is a comment on her by people, by way of purchase, awards or financial support (rather than their written comment). The many references to her film reviews by articles on Wikipedia, in my view, is support of her notability as a film reviewer. Thanks for reviewing. HapKee (talk) 09:55, 13 November 2023 (UTC)