Digital Nation - Folksonomy and the Folks

What would you say on a video that you wanted to post online? Its more than likely, it seems, that you’re going to put that video on YouTube, probably in hopes that it will be the next “David After Dentist,” “Techno Viking,” or “I Like Turtles.” The thought of people seeing something that represents your creativity, accidental or formatted, makes you all the more interested to put up a submission. Why do you do this? How do you do this? How does your submission hold any merit? Do the others?

            With the rise of software and equipment that is made readily available for computer users, it has never been easier to make a video. The push of a button will film you with a web cam, record your voice, and convey whatever message you wish, warts and all. The quality of film, however, suffers due to the low resolution available on you devices and editing software. You could utilize it in ways to give a certain quality that adds personality to the amateur nature, but will it still be as organic as, let’s say, a short film shot with a Super 16 film or a hand-drawn rotoscope animation?

            A trend seems to have formed where the quality of people’s videos is diminishing, focusing on the content more than the presentation. This does give the correct information needed, but the reputability may suffer because of the presentation. What if the next big scientific breakthrough were to be delivered in an online video shot on a Mac’s web cam and edited to have the speaker in a poorly cropped in an inappropriate background setting (i.e. choppy green screen effect). Do you believe that the professionalism of the matter would suffer?

            Professionally shot material seems to hold its own as a means to present information with a level of serious that amateur quality cannot always master. The care and detail of lighting, contrast, color correction, sound quality, subject placement and overall organization give off care and detail that can’t always be matched using home software or free software. Sometimes, the overuse of software makes its organic feel too tapered. Using too much effects or editing will decrease the quality in the presentation, thereby, acting as a distraction to the viewer. Professionally shot material seems to becoming less and less used mainly due to cost. This is more than likely a sign of the recent recession and unemployment rating that hinders people’s ability to afford such resources. Nevertheless, it’s these same investments that will grab more eyes and ears from superiors over the run-of –the-mill cell phone produced presentations.

            It seems more evident than ever that people are “here” and have their presence, but can an example such as this in the form of video reflect that of online writings, journals, posts, photographs or other sources? Does it give off the amateur feel too much? Does it standout as “professional?” Is it even conveying what you want? 

(to be finished)

Social Media and Web 2.0

1. The rising convenience of high quality home technology is growing to advanced heights nowadays. One could argue that they could shoot and entire movie or television pilot solely by utilizing the resources that come standard with basic technological conveniences for young adults (i.e. a digital camera, cell phone, computer). It is now to a point where the bar is set very high in order to one-up the last piece of high quality shooting style with a higher resolution or different quality. If someone wanted to just recreate the old TV or movie look, they can simply add in an effect in a piece of software to simply give that feel. But is it as organic? I think that professional production will continue to drop, simply because of matters of cost vs. necessity. It seems that with so much high quality equipment available, there is less of a need for analog quality over digital, which gives a warmer tone in film over digital camcorders. The role of content is usually now what measures the real success of production. The value, however, in my opinion, may still suffer without the thought out professional production value that comes with old fashioned filming rather than the YouTube quality videos that seem to be popularized in today's media.

2. For now, Facebook is the only social media website I have ever used. Based on its organization, it has helped me to find people I have wished to contact for a long time and helped to keep up to date with close friends. Facebook became more popular over Myspace due to its reputation for being a college students networking outlet. It has an air of certain sophistication that Myspace seems to lack. Myspace has been given a negative outlet due to its media coverage and offenses that have arisen from it. The content seems disorganized, poorly laid out and dangerous to a person and their computer when compared to the (somewhat) more protected aspects of Facebook. For now, Facebook is here to stay until another website could provide similar or better service. Who knows? Maybe people will freely and willingly cast their lives on video online with no qualms whatsoever.

3. Transparency is very important in social media because it could introduce a bias that could positively or negatively affect the audience of a certain entity. It could give someone the the association of a sophisticated and well reputed impression to receivers that could create a "Halo Effect" in order to garner attention or it could create a bad reputation that has people viewing, yet may turn people away with its poor association. If someone is sponsored by BP, for example, and advertises them, that would give off a bad association given the relevant current events that this company has presently. If they have no sponsorships and use social media purely for their personal use with organic content (warts and all), than that could generate more followers.

Here I have the final result of my McLuhan related Photoshop project. The image I have presented here shows how quickly media generates through this little commentary on one of the newest and fastest growing social networking websites: Twitter. Twitter has become a commodity for people to advertise and utilize with its straightforward direct marketing. The website uses images, text and video to send out information in short and simply phrased updates, or tweets. The young woman here is shown checking the local times and dates of a popular musical group and seeing when and if the group will be playing at the venue she so happens to be in front of at this point in time. Luckily for her, they are! She also is able to receive this information via another medium: her iPhone, which has a special Twitter application available for the public. With this, she is able to easily get tickets at the venue (The Box Office) and now know that the group will indeed be playing that same night. Twitter has helped her to find out all the useful information she's needed on site and on time. Afterwards, she will be able to share her reaction to the concert, or whatever else may be on her mind, as well as see other people's reactions. Who knows? She may end up finding another fun event directly after in a new tweet.

Photoshop Progress

For my project, I will place an image of a twitter update, with the logo, and an image showing a type of event (most likely a concert) on the screen of a cell phone as someone is checking it. It would also be placed in front of a box office that would be advertising the same event that the twitter phone update is talking about in this scenario. It would be best if I could do this in a sort of comic book style series that would go from someone checking their phone, to them seeing the update, and finally the same person acting in surprised or joyful manner when they see that they are at or are close to where they are able to obtain the tickets (or whatever service the update advertises) to the event. Here are some of the images I would like to use. They may change down the line:

Photoshop Assignment: Twitter

For my photoshop assignment, I'd like to focus my composition on Twitter. This website is known for its simplicity in visuals and text, as well as its in-depth nature when it comes to its role in the media. Its know for giving short and concise updates that are short in length and include when they were written. It conveys the text, can include a picture, a video, and links to other websites. To put its role into perspective, it played a big part in Conan O'Brien's post-Tonight Show career in the weeks following his departure. When his account opened, it generated thousands of followers that would soon turn into over a milliion. When he prepared for his "Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour," one tweet announced that tickets were officially on sale, that included a link to purchase them. With this as his only source of advertisement, tickets sold out within just a couple of hours. This shows the levity and power that Twitter, and the internet for that matter, has played in the media as times have changed and technology grows bigger and bigger.

My project would focus on the simplistic nature of Twitter and follow how a person receives and uses Twitter as a source of media. It would explore its use socially in the news and in peoples personal lives. It would show the formality of its updates and profiles, as well as its use in personal life.

New Media/ McLuhen Example

The iPhone has revolutionized what people use in the standard cell phone. It's uses are not limited to just calling and texting, but with various applications, it can be used to access the internet, communicate face-to-face with Skype, take pictures and videos, use as a GPS or find directions, and the list goes on from there. Known for its user friendly accessibility, Apple has developed a breakthrough that gives people an advanced outlet for communication that is simplistic in design, yet complex in uses.

Twitter has become an online social networking sensation with its use of simple 'tweets' that let people know what a particular person has chosen to share at a certain point in time. It is known for its simplicity and widespread use by common people and celebrities in the media. With a limited set of characters, it will allow a user to give a short, crystalized sentence or phrase to share, ranging from the mundane, to the humorous, and to the groundbreaking thoughts that its unique users share.

 Adobe Photoshop is a piece of software that gives its users the ability to manipulate and retouch a photograph of their choosing to help give each picture (or graphic) a polish for that professional look they desire. It has become a popular software for photographers, graphic designers, journalists, and several other professional involved in todays media.