So i used Techno and fastbeat music to enhance the background of my highlights of Soccer from 2010.
Soccer is extremely influential to me and i think the music gives it a very edgy feel.
Enjoy:
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Commercial critic, comprende?
Probably one of the most popular commercials in the UK in the last 10-15 years,this Cadbury advertisement actually shows no chocolate, no wrapper, no milk and in fact it shows no people even. Just a great 80's track from one Phil Collins and a Gorilla who seems to know how to hit drums!
So what was the phenomenon behind this commercial. Well for one it has the very essence of simplicity. It doesn't boggle your mind with facts or alternate scene changing time and time again. It's just 30 seconds of one scene and although it may confuse you at first it really couldnt be simpler.
Another reason this silly commercial went so far was down to the pure ridiculous nature of it. Mainly because it had nothing to do with Cadburys or chocolate. This actually happened to be in a series of commercials that much like this one did not feature anything to do with Cadburys or chocolate. The tag line that followed these commercials from a Cadbury official was "its just to promote simpleness, like Cadburys chocolate. Just plain and simple good chocolate."
As you can see it was a brave marketing move but i think one that probably paid off.
So what was the phenomenon behind this commercial. Well for one it has the very essence of simplicity. It doesn't boggle your mind with facts or alternate scene changing time and time again. It's just 30 seconds of one scene and although it may confuse you at first it really couldnt be simpler.
Another reason this silly commercial went so far was down to the pure ridiculous nature of it. Mainly because it had nothing to do with Cadburys or chocolate. This actually happened to be in a series of commercials that much like this one did not feature anything to do with Cadburys or chocolate. The tag line that followed these commercials from a Cadbury official was "its just to promote simpleness, like Cadburys chocolate. Just plain and simple good chocolate."
As you can see it was a brave marketing move but i think one that probably paid off.
Marvelous Movie....
Pleasing visuals and astounding action. The Departed truly is one of the most well produced film i have witnessed in the last decade. Jack Nicholson's portrayal of the mob boss and eventual FBI informant Frank Costello was spine chilling and kept me guessing as to what he would do.
Matt Damon as the mole in the Special Investigation Unit of the Boston Police department. On the same premise the BPD put a "rat" in Costello's crew. Leonardo Di Caprio slowly loses his sanity as he gets deeper and deeper into the underworld of Boston's crime ring.
My favourite scene in the movie is the thrilling scene at a drug drop-off. Both moles in both camps are constantly updating their employers and helping them in their own way. It got incredibly tense and Billy Costigan (Di Caprio) was dicing with death by texting back to the chief of the SIU.
Martin Scorsese stepped out of his comfort zone with The Departed but it paid off in a big way.
Matt Damon as the mole in the Special Investigation Unit of the Boston Police department. On the same premise the BPD put a "rat" in Costello's crew. Leonardo Di Caprio slowly loses his sanity as he gets deeper and deeper into the underworld of Boston's crime ring.
My favourite scene in the movie is the thrilling scene at a drug drop-off. Both moles in both camps are constantly updating their employers and helping them in their own way. It got incredibly tense and Billy Costigan (Di Caprio) was dicing with death by texting back to the chief of the SIU.
Martin Scorsese stepped out of his comfort zone with The Departed but it paid off in a big way.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Heroic
Recently i have started to pursue and accomplish the opportunity to play soccer in the summer and stay in the country rather than go home and come back in August. So i contact a few friends and looked at playing in Knoxville, a few things worked out here and there and as it happens i am now moving to Knoxville in the summer to play for Knoxville Force. (www.knoxvilleforce.com) But it was whilst i was here that i met a truly inspiring man. His name was Jeff and he came all the way from Colorado. Born and raised as a soccer fan, Jeff knew nothing else as a sport and he was crazy about it. Jeff was 34 years old and had played soccer for 12 years until the summer of 2004. Jeff was playing a pick-up game of soccer with some friends and was heading home to see his family straight after when he was struck by a 2-ton truck from his rear and sent his Chevrolet into a ditch and Jeff through the front window which ejected him 30 feet. Jeff was left paralyzed from the waist down and had severe brain damage along with several other horrible injuries.
Needless to say Jeff was inconsolable after his learning of his condition. But Jeff but his realization into these words;
"It was like a train had hit me or the truck all over again except this time i had to think and realize that this cannot be the end of me. I am still human."
5 months after his release from hospital, Jeff started his soccer craze again. He tried to join in pick-up games with his friends even in his wheelchair and play in wheelchair sports. He described it as "vigilante thinking" that got him through. Like the injuries and disability are the enemy and they will not beat me. Jeff enjoyed his time thoroughly learning to play disabled. It brought him a sense of belief again and that is where his journey into my life began. Jeff coordinated funding for a nationwide trip in association with DSUSA (Disabled Sports USA) and started his trip to spread the word of his story and how disabled people should not be held back from sports.
Jeff was truly an exceptional man. His story affected me deeply and although he was not trying out that day, it seemed he had a lasting effect on the whole team already.
Needless to say Jeff was inconsolable after his learning of his condition. But Jeff but his realization into these words;
"It was like a train had hit me or the truck all over again except this time i had to think and realize that this cannot be the end of me. I am still human."
5 months after his release from hospital, Jeff started his soccer craze again. He tried to join in pick-up games with his friends even in his wheelchair and play in wheelchair sports. He described it as "vigilante thinking" that got him through. Like the injuries and disability are the enemy and they will not beat me. Jeff enjoyed his time thoroughly learning to play disabled. It brought him a sense of belief again and that is where his journey into my life began. Jeff coordinated funding for a nationwide trip in association with DSUSA (Disabled Sports USA) and started his trip to spread the word of his story and how disabled people should not be held back from sports.
Jeff was truly an exceptional man. His story affected me deeply and although he was not trying out that day, it seemed he had a lasting effect on the whole team already.
One for the books....
Along with well written articles backed with research and examples, the journalist must use the correct pictures and illustrations to couple the point that is being proven. That emphasis must be worked at with hours of selection and careful consideration.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
This week....
I'm not a big fan of news or current affairs. I'm more of a man who likes to see what is really important in life. I recently saw a fantastic movie that shattered my emotions. Blindsight. A blind man who reaches the peak of Everest. That in itself and in its entirety is one hell of an acheivement. Erik Weihenmayer after his accomplishments, turns his attentions to the blind people of Tibet, who are seen as evil in thier country. Blindness is seen as punishment for a previous life, so they are abused and mocked. Honestly, i have nothing more to say, you really need to see this movie, its a fantastic watch. Here is the trailer:
You can watch the full 108 minute Documentary HERE.
Also, i have another experience to share with you. I recently discovere the Albino people of Tanzinia and more specifically, the Albino United Football Club (Soccer).
In Tanzania, where albinos are murdered and their body parts used for 'magic' potions, a brave group of albinos are using soccer to spread the message that they too are members of society.
Take a look at a small documentary here:
You can watch the full 108 minute Documentary HERE.
Also, i have another experience to share with you. I recently discovere the Albino people of Tanzinia and more specifically, the Albino United Football Club (Soccer). In Tanzania, where albinos are murdered and their body parts used for 'magic' potions, a brave group of albinos are using soccer to spread the message that they too are members of society.
Take a look at a small documentary here:
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Class reflections: Realism
Going back to Wednesdays discussions and debate about Realism, it made me percieve realism as a more important subject in television. The example i used of Big Brother UK has obvious realism in that it is not scripted and is the monitoring of how 15 people live together confined. However, how much of that is realistic? Many of the people could be acting to the cameras? And how much of the real people do we see in that 1 hour that covers 24 hours of a day. Editing is a system that makes the program more enjoyable, but that doesnt mean they will tweek things in order to make them seem better or worse for better ratings.
However, we now have News and Documentary realism to look at. Traditionally, British broadcasters, for example, in this medium are supposed to be impartial and non-biased. They provide an authoritative and ‘truthful’ news service. This can be seen in the way that news and documentary programmes occupy prime-time slots on TV. Documentaries, too, are regarded as high-status programmes that represent ‘truth’.
In the 1930’s documentaries provided information, education and propaganda to the audience.
From the 1950’s the development of ‘cinéma verité’ (cinema truth) in France moved the representation of ‘reality’ on to the cinema screen.
In the 1960’s the TV became the principal medium for documentaries. The genre was (and to an extent, still is), typified by certain well-defined codes.
However, we now have News and Documentary realism to look at. Traditionally, British broadcasters, for example, in this medium are supposed to be impartial and non-biased. They provide an authoritative and ‘truthful’ news service. This can be seen in the way that news and documentary programmes occupy prime-time slots on TV. Documentaries, too, are regarded as high-status programmes that represent ‘truth’.
In the 1930’s documentaries provided information, education and propaganda to the audience.
From the 1950’s the development of ‘cinéma verité’ (cinema truth) in France moved the representation of ‘reality’ on to the cinema screen.
In the 1960’s the TV became the principal medium for documentaries. The genre was (and to an extent, still is), typified by certain well-defined codes.
- An authoritative presenter
- The use of ‘voice-over’ commentaries
- Recorded interviews
- Visual evidence via location shots or archive film
These things created (and still create) a sense of ‘truth’ or authenticity, but it must also be noted that editorial choices and values are still at work in the creation of the news or documentary texts. What looks like truth will almost certainly have been ‘filtered’ or ‘massaged’ or manipulated’ or (to use a current term) ‘spun’ by the editorial process.
From the 1980’s came the ‘fly-on-the-wall’ type of documentary, which has well-defined rules:
- Events are filmed exactly as they happen
- Subjects agree in advance to be filmed
- Participants are shown edited versions of the filming
Sounds ‘fair’ but is it, really? The editorial process still happens and heavy editorial control is applied in post-production.
Going back to Reality TV (The main staple of most of the output today, it seems!) This works in a number of ways:
- By allowing subjects to appear as ‘themselves’, for example the camera tracks professionals doing their jobs, perhaps with dramatic reconstructions of events or real video action sequences.
- The participants become subjects of humour or entertainment (programmes like ‘You’ve been Framed’ and so on)
- Participants are subjects within a ‘fly-on’the-wall’ or verité programme (Big Brother)
- Participants are amateur directors themselves, with personal documentaries of events.
So there is the main coverage of what percieving seperate realism subjects mainly in TV.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Reality Check
Realism in media is something that is a dull subject on appearance. Hollywood Movies that are fictional and a Reality TV show are completely different when we look at realism. The audience will expect two different experiences from those two forms of entertainment.
Im going to use reality TV as my example and more specifically the UK series of Big Brother that just ended its final series this past summer. Although an incredibly popular television show, it provokes negative media attention very often. In the summer of 2005 Big Brother housemate, Kemal Shahin, was 19 when he entered the house. His family are Turkish Cypriots but he was born in London. Theatrical, openly gay and exuberant, Kemals wacky style and an addiction to conflict caused him to be the most discussed man in British television at the time. His face covered the front pages for weeks as stories were uncovered from his past and following his outrageous antics in the house, he was evicted 6 weeks into the series. Kemal caused a controversy from day one as he entered the house in golden stilettos and a sari (long dress). Here is Kemals highlights of his time in the house.
So looking at this and the results he held over a nation through reality television, i think i can conclude that there is some way a drawing to reality with media. If people can get a sense that its real and they feel like they are there, it entraps them and keeps them entertained.
Another realism subject i look at is "professional wrestling" and how its popularity has risen in the past 2 decades. Millions watch it world-wide and yet its a form of entertainment and not a sport. So how is this? We know its scripted to a point, but the rest is free flow action. So is that reality television? Or is it Hollywood involvement? Or is it both. A good example, i think you'll agree, of the fine line between the two.
In closing, i think i should touch on the way we perceive media in its form when it comes to realism. How much are we as the consumer, meant to see as real and what are we meant to see as fake?
Im going to use reality TV as my example and more specifically the UK series of Big Brother that just ended its final series this past summer. Although an incredibly popular television show, it provokes negative media attention very often. In the summer of 2005 Big Brother housemate, Kemal Shahin, was 19 when he entered the house. His family are Turkish Cypriots but he was born in London. Theatrical, openly gay and exuberant, Kemals wacky style and an addiction to conflict caused him to be the most discussed man in British television at the time. His face covered the front pages for weeks as stories were uncovered from his past and following his outrageous antics in the house, he was evicted 6 weeks into the series. Kemal caused a controversy from day one as he entered the house in golden stilettos and a sari (long dress). Here is Kemals highlights of his time in the house.
So looking at this and the results he held over a nation through reality television, i think i can conclude that there is some way a drawing to reality with media. If people can get a sense that its real and they feel like they are there, it entraps them and keeps them entertained.
Another realism subject i look at is "professional wrestling" and how its popularity has risen in the past 2 decades. Millions watch it world-wide and yet its a form of entertainment and not a sport. So how is this? We know its scripted to a point, but the rest is free flow action. So is that reality television? Or is it Hollywood involvement? Or is it both. A good example, i think you'll agree, of the fine line between the two.
In closing, i think i should touch on the way we perceive media in its form when it comes to realism. How much are we as the consumer, meant to see as real and what are we meant to see as fake?
Monday, February 7, 2011
A problem for concern.
In this media world, there are often dangers that we can encounter on a daily basis. I have most recently had to turn my laptop into the IT department on campus and hope they could fix whatever it was that was wrong with my hardware and it turned out it was a virus from my email. So we know there are dangers out there.
What we dont know, is what do the Digital immigrants think of all of this?
I sat down with Lynn Reynolds, a mother of 2 teeneage children, to ask her views.
#1: Lynn, what would you say would be your biggest fear/worry when it comes to Digital Media?
I know that the media has been incredibly influential to my children. Both of my kids have Facebook and other sites of that nature. I often come home to find Hamp (her son) on the desktop computer watching videos. My biggest fear is that these things are a big distraction to our new generation. But as a whole, i think its great progress.
#2: How do you filter what your children see or watch? Is there any program in place?
Unfortunately no. The best i do is that i can tell them when its time to get off because they have been on too long. My son plays video games online for hours, but once dinner is ready i ask him to turn it off for the evening. I think it works so far but i am not aware of what consequences it has on him in the classroom or with his socila etiquette for example.
#3: What part of the media is your biggest concern?
I think the Internet is a great tool. Its just too free i think. There is not enough filtering and advertisemnts are far too accesible. Im just glad it has not clearly affected my children in a way that they are "zombies".
#4: What part of the media do you understand the most?
I know how to work a TV, Computer, Radio etc. however i have no idea what an Ipad is or how to use it. Hamp showed me this game he was playing once, my husband understood it but i had no idea what was going on. Also, we have added Netflix to our Blu-ray player, its such a great tool, but again security is absent and if my children were young enough, they would end up being easily able to watch R rated movies.
So after reviewing my talk with Lynn, i can decipher that there is worries with the Media and its affect. The most influential people in our childrens lives are incapable of monitoring the consumerism of that child. ITs incredible how this is allowed when you put it into hindsight. The riots in Egypt recently remind us that Digital media is a privelage that although in this country seems to be unlimited access, is a tool that can be withdrawn and without it, revolt.
There is a website dedicated to parents who have concern for thier children with the internet. It is an extremely interesting look at what questions we need to ask ourselves.
An intersesting video form the University of Michigan.
What we dont know, is what do the Digital immigrants think of all of this?
I sat down with Lynn Reynolds, a mother of 2 teeneage children, to ask her views.
#1: Lynn, what would you say would be your biggest fear/worry when it comes to Digital Media?
I know that the media has been incredibly influential to my children. Both of my kids have Facebook and other sites of that nature. I often come home to find Hamp (her son) on the desktop computer watching videos. My biggest fear is that these things are a big distraction to our new generation. But as a whole, i think its great progress.
#2: How do you filter what your children see or watch? Is there any program in place?
Unfortunately no. The best i do is that i can tell them when its time to get off because they have been on too long. My son plays video games online for hours, but once dinner is ready i ask him to turn it off for the evening. I think it works so far but i am not aware of what consequences it has on him in the classroom or with his socila etiquette for example.
#3: What part of the media is your biggest concern?
I think the Internet is a great tool. Its just too free i think. There is not enough filtering and advertisemnts are far too accesible. Im just glad it has not clearly affected my children in a way that they are "zombies".
#4: What part of the media do you understand the most?
I know how to work a TV, Computer, Radio etc. however i have no idea what an Ipad is or how to use it. Hamp showed me this game he was playing once, my husband understood it but i had no idea what was going on. Also, we have added Netflix to our Blu-ray player, its such a great tool, but again security is absent and if my children were young enough, they would end up being easily able to watch R rated movies.
So after reviewing my talk with Lynn, i can decipher that there is worries with the Media and its affect. The most influential people in our childrens lives are incapable of monitoring the consumerism of that child. ITs incredible how this is allowed when you put it into hindsight. The riots in Egypt recently remind us that Digital media is a privelage that although in this country seems to be unlimited access, is a tool that can be withdrawn and without it, revolt.
There is a website dedicated to parents who have concern for thier children with the internet. It is an extremely interesting look at what questions we need to ask ourselves.
To summarise, I think the media world is so fast. Its too fast. And only the next generation can pick up where we left off, leaving us to struggle and try keep up. Children need to be monitored otherwise more problems will become a reality.
An intersesting video form the University of Michigan.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Media Conglomates and Ownership
Adam Reakes
COM 103
MW 12:00-1:15
Understanding the business and economic side of media messages: Media ownership and Conglomerates
You might not be surprised to know that Disney is the largest media conglomerate in the world. Its yearly revenue exceeds $38 billion. Joining them at the top of media companies are News Corporation, Google and CBS. (Time Magazine) It is an incredible bit of viewing to see the numbers thrown around at these sorts of companies. I can think of the day I first saw Disney World in Florida and it never fails to astound me when I think of the great scale of the place and that is just a portion of the company. I’m going to focus on Google. Google is the big “new media” company. Google has its hand in every main Internet company out there. The blog that I use for my Communications class is owned and run by Google. Google has 30 subsidiary companies in the USA alone. The top 3 being @Last Software Inc. Android Inc. and Applied Semantics Inc. with all being heavy-hitters in the internet game.
So what do these aspects of the media now hold? They are more accessible now for us as users. With one Google account I can access many different websites without having to sign up or register multiple times. YouTube for example is a huge company on the internet and is an acquisition of Google and is linked with Google account, so I can use YouTube with another account setup. Personally, I think it’s a great idea to have and Google’s “greed” of wealth, is actually a very useful tool. Another company who own a strong collection of subsidiary companies is Viacom. Viacom own a lot of the entertainment TV channels and broadcast to over 60 million people a day. (Viacom International report on leechon.com)From a business point of view is incredible outreach and can only be good for the company.
People who argue that this is not good for the media growth as a whole, I must disagree. If one company has one idea but places that idea into 45 different boxes, it’s got more of a chance of reaching further corners of the earth. Business is about growth and development after all. Why stop the big companies from expanding and creating more profit? Especially if it makes it easier for us as consumers.
An interesting section of the internet from Wall Street Journal reports that Google is planning to expand even further to south-east Asia. Google will be opening up a new office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which will be their first new office in the Asia region in four years. Google’s president, Japan and Asia-Pacific operations, Daniel Alegre said “We’re seeing a tremendous amount of growth in Southeast Asia. Malaysia has very high mobile penetration … and most of the Internet users that are coming online will probably start to interact with the Internet through mobile phones rather than PCs.”
So looking at this as a whole and summarising, I can deter that companies are expanding or planning to expand, it is the way media works. Companies know we are using other means of technology to find our news, resources or to socialise. For example, Google has “ebooks” which has a wide selection of Books, as the name suggests, and can be accessed by anyone. Times are changing, so are companies and so must we.
COM 103
MW 12:00-1:15
Understanding the business and economic side of media messages: Media ownership and Conglomerates
You might not be surprised to know that Disney is the largest media conglomerate in the world. Its yearly revenue exceeds $38 billion. Joining them at the top of media companies are News Corporation, Google and CBS. (Time Magazine) It is an incredible bit of viewing to see the numbers thrown around at these sorts of companies. I can think of the day I first saw Disney World in Florida and it never fails to astound me when I think of the great scale of the place and that is just a portion of the company. I’m going to focus on Google. Google is the big “new media” company. Google has its hand in every main Internet company out there. The blog that I use for my Communications class is owned and run by Google. Google has 30 subsidiary companies in the USA alone. The top 3 being @Last Software Inc. Android Inc. and Applied Semantics Inc. with all being heavy-hitters in the internet game.
So what do these aspects of the media now hold? They are more accessible now for us as users. With one Google account I can access many different websites without having to sign up or register multiple times. YouTube for example is a huge company on the internet and is an acquisition of Google and is linked with Google account, so I can use YouTube with another account setup. Personally, I think it’s a great idea to have and Google’s “greed” of wealth, is actually a very useful tool. Another company who own a strong collection of subsidiary companies is Viacom. Viacom own a lot of the entertainment TV channels and broadcast to over 60 million people a day. (Viacom International report on leechon.com)From a business point of view is incredible outreach and can only be good for the company.
People who argue that this is not good for the media growth as a whole, I must disagree. If one company has one idea but places that idea into 45 different boxes, it’s got more of a chance of reaching further corners of the earth. Business is about growth and development after all. Why stop the big companies from expanding and creating more profit? Especially if it makes it easier for us as consumers.
An interesting section of the internet from Wall Street Journal reports that Google is planning to expand even further to south-east Asia. Google will be opening up a new office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which will be their first new office in the Asia region in four years. Google’s president, Japan and Asia-Pacific operations, Daniel Alegre said “We’re seeing a tremendous amount of growth in Southeast Asia. Malaysia has very high mobile penetration … and most of the Internet users that are coming online will probably start to interact with the Internet through mobile phones rather than PCs.”
So looking at this as a whole and summarising, I can deter that companies are expanding or planning to expand, it is the way media works. Companies know we are using other means of technology to find our news, resources or to socialise. For example, Google has “ebooks” which has a wide selection of Books, as the name suggests, and can be accessed by anyone. Times are changing, so are companies and so must we.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thats so (stereo)typical of me.
Stereotypes. Theres so many of them out there, right? How many blonde jokes have you heard in the last 12 months? Im sure that small-minded person knew someone who was blonde and was nothing like what that joke portrayed them to be.
So heres a blonde. From her portrait style picture you may believe she is infact a ditsy model or of that mould. Maybe she lived most of her life getting through with her assets, so to speak. Blushing, pulling on her hair softky and stroking it behind her hair before flipping it behind her shoulder, just to get her own way. There are many ideas you could get from this one photo. But this is infact Ellie Goulding. A British songwriter and performer. Miss Goulding here actually has a degree from a College and University in England before being advised to take a break from her strenuous education schedule to pursue with her musical talent. Shes been nominated for 15 awards in 2010 alone. She has written and produced over 26 songs at the age of 24. An amazingly talented young woman. Didn't see that coming did you?
Lets see this guy right here:
Judging by his choice in tattoes, he clearly does not mind marking his skin with utter garbage. His obvious obsession with "bling" determines that he does not have a problem with spending money. By the backdrop, we can guess he is in the city. And he seems to be enjoying a drop top car of some sort. Now all this screams to me Rapper/Hip Hop artist. Im sure you all had the same idea. I know of it.
Now this guy. Well apart from his obvious loss of his shirt, he does seem to have some interesting clothing. That boot and drop pants combo is really an experimental choice, I must say. This huy clearly lacks in grooming. He seems to be the type of guy who, when he does shower, would do so in a wooden shed. Shaving must be extremely alien also. I would go as far to guess that dental health is not exactly first on his list aswell. His beverage choice there could make me believe he would become heavily inhebriated on a regular occasion. Im sure if you head further north of Waleska you may find someone who would be similar to this.
Ok. Wow. Alot to take in here. What would you think brings this girl (I think its a girl) to dress like this. You would assume she had a strange or abnormal upbringing. But then you would question what is a normal childhood in your eyes? The pale face, obviously done from make-up, would suggest she wants to be different. That in itself is an obvious statement. We can gather that she tries to do everything to be different.
I would say her choice in music is very dark, as would her favourite movies be too. I don't see a lot of sunshine in her life.
There is alot of stereotypes thrown around. We all have done it. We all have assumed that guy or girl is X or Y. Its how our brains seem to work in modern society. Although we are slowly improving, it still isn't right that there is stereotyping in the world and it affects people in various ways.
I saw this great video made by students in 2007. Its an example of racial stereotyping and I am sure we can think of someone who does this.
What picture would you put in your mind when you were asked to think about poverty? Wealth? Creativity? Anger? When you think if these people/places are you stereotyping? Maybe in this time, we need to think about ourselves first. So i ask you to look in a mirror and tell me what you see.
So heres a blonde. From her portrait style picture you may believe she is infact a ditsy model or of that mould. Maybe she lived most of her life getting through with her assets, so to speak. Blushing, pulling on her hair softky and stroking it behind her hair before flipping it behind her shoulder, just to get her own way. There are many ideas you could get from this one photo. But this is infact Ellie Goulding. A British songwriter and performer. Miss Goulding here actually has a degree from a College and University in England before being advised to take a break from her strenuous education schedule to pursue with her musical talent. Shes been nominated for 15 awards in 2010 alone. She has written and produced over 26 songs at the age of 24. An amazingly talented young woman. Didn't see that coming did you?
Lets see this guy right here:
I would say her choice in music is very dark, as would her favourite movies be too. I don't see a lot of sunshine in her life.
There is alot of stereotypes thrown around. We all have done it. We all have assumed that guy or girl is X or Y. Its how our brains seem to work in modern society. Although we are slowly improving, it still isn't right that there is stereotyping in the world and it affects people in various ways.
I saw this great video made by students in 2007. Its an example of racial stereotyping and I am sure we can think of someone who does this.
What picture would you put in your mind when you were asked to think about poverty? Wealth? Creativity? Anger? When you think if these people/places are you stereotyping? Maybe in this time, we need to think about ourselves first. So i ask you to look in a mirror and tell me what you see.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Next Gen Native
So I am apparently a Digital native. Something i just learned. What would you think Digital Native meant if you saw it? Would you think that you are a digital native? Native of digital world. A media infested world. As far as being a Native, well yes technically I grew up with a computer and was taught to use it from a young age. I learnt the basics of Using mouse skills and keyboard skills and i looked at software by 8 years old. So as i grow up, my experience grows with my hunger for knowledge and i become extremely literate in using a laptop and connecting the internet. Now though, you must know how to consume and contribute on the internet.
How do i feel about being a digital native? Im glad. I know how to use a variety of technologies and in most situations. Think how much cell phones and GPS machines help in emergencies. I would much rather be confident on how to use it in case I found myself in this situatuion.
We are leaving behind another generation however. As we move forward with our Iphones and Laptops, our parents and grandparents are being left to their own devices in an everchanging society. For example, sending a text is something I do nearly 30 times a day but my grandma would be lucky if she knew how to answer a phone call. We, as natives, are helping the former generation understand the very core basics and for this, they are reffered to as "Digital Immigrants." They are coming into our world of technology and trying to understand. They are immigrating. The way my Dad puts how he feels about Media moving is with this... "How many remotes did i have in my house in 1972? One. Thats all. Now for some reason, we have 8 in this house. Ridiculous."
Well of course we have 8. We have a TV, DVD player, Cable box, Blu-Ray player, Stereo surround sound and more. Our houses are slowly becoming more and more technologically advanced too. Automatic garage doors seem a distant idea compared to voice activated house controls or self cleaning carpets.
Whether we like it or not, Technology is becoming a much as our life as our right arm is. Its changing.
We are different. We can change. We are Digital Natives. We were Born Digital.
How do i feel about being a digital native? Im glad. I know how to use a variety of technologies and in most situations. Think how much cell phones and GPS machines help in emergencies. I would much rather be confident on how to use it in case I found myself in this situatuion.
We are leaving behind another generation however. As we move forward with our Iphones and Laptops, our parents and grandparents are being left to their own devices in an everchanging society. For example, sending a text is something I do nearly 30 times a day but my grandma would be lucky if she knew how to answer a phone call. We, as natives, are helping the former generation understand the very core basics and for this, they are reffered to as "Digital Immigrants." They are coming into our world of technology and trying to understand. They are immigrating. The way my Dad puts how he feels about Media moving is with this... "How many remotes did i have in my house in 1972? One. Thats all. Now for some reason, we have 8 in this house. Ridiculous."
Well of course we have 8. We have a TV, DVD player, Cable box, Blu-Ray player, Stereo surround sound and more. Our houses are slowly becoming more and more technologically advanced too. Automatic garage doors seem a distant idea compared to voice activated house controls or self cleaning carpets.
Whether we like it or not, Technology is becoming a much as our life as our right arm is. Its changing.
We are different. We can change. We are Digital Natives. We were Born Digital.
Media Literacy? What?
Media literacy was just two words to me. Not now.
Internet was always a useful tool to me. As to many young adults it served as a social media tool. And quite recently with this class it is a production tool. The videos of Michael Welsch opened my eyes to how information is changing. Not only that, the way we use information is changing. So it brings me to the question of why we must be media literate and what exactly is media literacy. The modern world moves so fast and technology is changing by the second with new Iphone applications or developments in 3D movies. The knowledge of how to utilise and function this technology is becoming increasingly important. Companies run from Facebook and have "viral" advertisement strategies in this age. It is more and more popular to see a movie being advertised on YouTube rather than the television. With this being said, shouldn't us as citizens or the public be able to at least use these sites and respond to the companies?
Here is a popular Viral advertisement for Sprite Zero.
Internet was always a useful tool to me. As to many young adults it served as a social media tool. And quite recently with this class it is a production tool. The videos of Michael Welsch opened my eyes to how information is changing. Not only that, the way we use information is changing. So it brings me to the question of why we must be media literate and what exactly is media literacy. The modern world moves so fast and technology is changing by the second with new Iphone applications or developments in 3D movies. The knowledge of how to utilise and function this technology is becoming increasingly important. Companies run from Facebook and have "viral" advertisement strategies in this age. It is more and more popular to see a movie being advertised on YouTube rather than the television. With this being said, shouldn't us as citizens or the public be able to at least use these sites and respond to the companies?
Here is a popular Viral advertisement for Sprite Zero.
Athletes lives are no longer as private, neither are celebrities. They can update the world with what they are doing or thinking with a "tweet" and anyone who is anyone can see that. Invasion of privacy or media revolution? Surely it is just good publicity? The NY times did an article on the current climate with Celebrities being Media Literate. They point out how times have changed in regards to the accessability of our celebrities.
In 2006, Time Maazine voted YOU as Person of the Year. They explained that us, the medie literate generation, with our user generated content was accredited as the biggest thing to happen that year. It can be seen here.
Media literacy can be defined as the ability to understand and function all the relative things in current media. We not only recieve information but we must make sense of it and consume it. But in current times, we can use that information, spread it and make our own.
On a site that focuses on media development, they have a page dedicated to investagating the definition of Media Literacy. It can be seen here.
I'll leave on this. I will always worry that the media and technology could move too fast, maybe even take us over. Then what?
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Introducing.....
Hello Blog followers, especially those of COM 103.
So what do you know about Colchester? Never heard of it, right? Its in England and its where I came from. So, how did this boy end up in Waleska? Well i have played soccer for 16 years now. Kicked a ball for as long as i can remember. The chance came up to have a scholarship here at Reinhardt and i took it. So here i am. I'm pursuing an education here with the rest if you locals from all of 4000 miles away. I'm a Sports major and i hope to go down the coaching route and run my own College soccer program or i would like to go into Sports rehabilitation and Psychology in Sports.
From this Media Literacies class i hope to gain a greater understanding of the subject and also become a lot more literate in this field.
An interesting fact about me is that I have both played professional soccer and performed in professional stage plays. I'm also known as a "miracle child" or a "medical mystery" as i was born even though my Mother was told that she absolutely could never have children.
I look forward to moving forward with the class and getting to know you all. I cannot wait to read all of your blogs and hope they are a good bit better than mine!
So what do you know about Colchester? Never heard of it, right? Its in England and its where I came from. So, how did this boy end up in Waleska? Well i have played soccer for 16 years now. Kicked a ball for as long as i can remember. The chance came up to have a scholarship here at Reinhardt and i took it. So here i am. I'm pursuing an education here with the rest if you locals from all of 4000 miles away. I'm a Sports major and i hope to go down the coaching route and run my own College soccer program or i would like to go into Sports rehabilitation and Psychology in Sports.
From this Media Literacies class i hope to gain a greater understanding of the subject and also become a lot more literate in this field.
An interesting fact about me is that I have both played professional soccer and performed in professional stage plays. I'm also known as a "miracle child" or a "medical mystery" as i was born even though my Mother was told that she absolutely could never have children.
I look forward to moving forward with the class and getting to know you all. I cannot wait to read all of your blogs and hope they are a good bit better than mine!
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