Space

I have learned that when creating anything in regards to media (in most cases) we tend to restrict ourselves to the digital world. In restricting ourselves to the digital world, we also restrict our creativity. To think outside of our devices and computer programs would allow us to occupy the physical space with our artwork. Adapting into the physical space would allow for a new spin on audience involvement, and the creativity and originality in the artwork itself. The experience of such audience involvement, is more satisfactory when the audience is able to connect with the community in such a way that they are surprising themselves and are surprised with the media artwork they are a part of. Furthermore, utilising physical space, rather than restricting our creations to the digital world of media, stops the digital from alienating the physical.

Viral Media – Criticism and Enthusiasm

Networked media can spread both, positively and negatively, whether it be in the form of medical viruses, films, or internet memes. Viral media presents the notion that ideas spread and are contagious, like viruses. For example, the fourteenth century medical virus, The Black Death (otherwise known as The Plague), which began in China, spread to Europe and later to the New World of America. In this instance The Black Death spread negatively, wiping out almost half of the world’s population at the time.

In today’s contemporary society, however, we relate more to the spread of films and internet memes. Since the founding of the world wide web by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989, an increasing amount of zombie films have been directed. Films such as 28 Days Later (2002), Zombieland (2009) and World War Z (2013) all portray the notion of something (in this case the zombie pandemic) spreading incredibly quickly. The concept explored in the zombie films, however, is a discussion of what is occurring in our very own culture. In today’s lecture (06/05/14), Hugh described that these zombie films are critiquing our world’s lay capitalism – the concept that we are consuming our planet faster than we’re able to renew it. In the terms of these zombie films, our lay capitalism is being portrayed as the zombies gorging on the living, hindering their ability to reproduce and repopulate the world (a scary thought mind you if these scenarios where to ever occur). These Zombie films depict the negativity networks can spread and offer a critique of it that cannot be offered directly as that would simply be viewed as being anti-social and anti-progress.

Moreover, internet memes elude negativity as they are spread from a foundation of bullying. The Star Wars Kid meme uploaded to YouTube in 2006, negatively impacted the teenager who is in the video. That particular moment in his life has shaped his future. Whilst the enthusiasm and seriousness he displays in the video is appealing to us as the audience, and offers us a sense of hilarious euphoria from the emotion he displays, the empathy we have for the boy in this sense victimises him. We, as the audience, are just as at fault for shaping the boys future by laughing and viewing the meme as the bullies who uploaded it are.

In explaining all of this negativity surrounding the spreading of ideas through networks, positivity can be found. Positivity in the spreading of ideas through networks is all around us, and doesn’t require much of an explanation. For example, the new Old Spice ads present an adaptable idea that can be viewed at any time of the day, by all ages, and does not originate from bullying. The ads offer an enthusiastic euphoria for everyone to enjoy, even the actor. Furthermore, the TED Talks offer ideological ideas that are built to spread and are worth spreading. The spreading of ideas can influence positive social, political and economical changes within our society – something we may sometimes take for granted.

What do you do when you’re embarrassed? Bury yourself in the desert.

Steven Spielberg’s renowned film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ranks quite highly as one of the greatest science fiction films ever made; however, the film left more than this legacy. Game-makers of the 1982 computer game to the film (of the same title), Atari 2600 had long-rumored burying the “worst-selling, worst received game ever.” On April 28 this year, thousands of copies of the infamous game were uncovered in a landfill site in New Mexico. The developers of the ET game had reportedly dumped the game cartridges out of shame due to how unsuccessful it was when it was launched.

The shameful ET computer game was not all that was found at the excavation site in New Mexico. The archaeological leader of the dig, Andrew Reinhard, noted that following cartridges to other Atari games were also found:

Raiders of the Lost Arc
Yars’ Revenge
Pele’s Soccer
Superman
Human Cannonball
Circus Atari
Night Driver
Adventure
Haunted House

There were at least twenty other different games also found at the land fill, amongst promotion materials, booklets and comics.

Pre-wireframe Design

Before I use a wireframing program (to which I think I will use Mockingbird), I planned a very brief idea of how I want to prepare and present my networked storytelling assignment. The picture above is essentially my first draft to the project, however, I must first discuss the concept of our assessment with my group that will be put together in Wednesday’s computer workshop.

“The Best work comes from Ideas”

This weeks lecture composed of Hugh talking to us about the key information we need for our next assignment – Networked Storytelling. Hugh explained that this next project is about user experience and wireframing.The purpose in planning a curious network film or a design your own adventure film (if you prefer to choose your own story as I do) is to design an experience for the audience. The user experience is easily boiled down into three questions:

1. who is the user?

2. what do they want?

3. what do they like?

To design a user experience is to know exactly what to present to the user so they don’t have to think about what to do next.

The best networked storytelling assignments, however, become the best not with the technology used, but with the idea that conceived the film.

Transmedia and Audience Involvement

Last week I wrote about transmedia in the context of our present day relating to historical ventures. This week, after listening to Hugh speak about the ethical issues of transmedia in our lecture, I wanted to touch upon both the good and bad aspects of the way content is presented across media in a complimentary way.

Transmedia offers a positive, deeper engagement and connection to the texts for the audience. For example, the most downloaded television series in the world, Game of Thrones, was adapted from the original novels by George R. R. Martin and has also exploded into other media forms such as comic books, interactive games and is speculated to end with a feature film. This extensive distribution of Game of Thrones, along with other, similar franchises such as The Lord of the Rings and The Walking Dead, offers positivity in its entertainment of the audience – the audience is accepted as a contributor to the work of the authors.

On the other hand, however, transmedia allows the audience to become very immersed and very involved, which can cause trauma within the community. For example, the masked gunman who opened fire after hurling tear-gas into a Denver, Colorado cinema in 2012 was so deeply immersed in the plot of Batman, he claimed he was the Joker. 71 people were shot and a further 12 were killed because this man had been too deeply involved in the plot of a film, television series, comic book and a character. Furthermore, those in the cinema were unsure whether or not the shooting was apart of the entertainment of the Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises as they too were immersed in the feature film before them.

Whilst transmedia proves to be positive in helping the audience to contribute to their favourite source of entertainment, stories can get under our skin in very powerful ways and can result in horrendous circumstances.

Transmedia

The idea of transmediality, as I learned in today’s lecture, isn’t confined to entertainment. From the Making Network Cultured readings I assumed that only entertainment spread across media texts; however, the internet remains on the very same structures (or cables) as what was built in the 1830s for Morse-code. In entertainment, the spreading of a franchise model across media texts constitutes as transmedia. For example video games are developed to accompany films, television series have spin-offs and comic books are adapted into films and video games. The concept of transmediality in the entertainment sector articulates a longer history of production and audience consumption. The extension of stories across production texts brings a deeper engagement to franchised models from the audience perspective – the audience feels more open to the text, like they relate to it and are co-creators of it. On the other hand, transmediality is also found in the networks of sound communication. The cables laid in the Atlantic Ocean in the 1830s spanning from upper New York to Ireland remain in the same place today – as do the other cables subsequently laid at this time. Over time, however, the cables have needed to be repaired and replaced. Nevertheless, the idea of transmediality is observed in our networks of sound communication as the original cables which were laid to provide communication via Morse-code subsequently are used for telephone and the internet communication today. Furthermore, where the placing of the cables replicated the historical and well established shipping networks which were based on currents. The idea of transmediality is found in all aspects of today’s networked culture, wherein entertainment franchises are spread across production texts and underwater cables serve as methods of historical and modern communication.

Sound Recording and Producing

Today we gathered in the recording studio to learn about the recording and producing process. I found it to be an absolutely intriguing workshop.

Using the dialogue in the picture above, in groups we aimed to create a recording. Having chosen our characters for Steve and John, we were able to then decide which sound effects we wanted to use throughout the short recording. In the end we were very successful, beginning our recording with fast paced footsteps, a police siren, an impatient door knock and the unlocking and opening of a door. Paced footsteps were utilised throughout the recording alongside the closing of a door (BANG), the moving of a chair and the pouring of a glass of water. The entire experience allowed us to have an insight of the work that goes on behind the scenes in films.

The History of the Internet

What we know today as the World Wide Web has substantially changed since it’s beginnings as a radar safety system after World War II.

After the second world war, nuclear technologies were developed to destroy the world multiple times over. The United States Military along with researchers at MIT developed radar networks as a safety system to protect the nation in the event of a bombing attack by plane. The radar system tracked the blip of the plane, allowing for a missile to be fired towards it to effectively stop any chance of attack. However, the radar system’s safety net was short lived after the Russians satellite Sputnik 1 was sent into space in 1957. The satellite suggested that if you can put people into space you can put weapons into space. This is just one essential aspect of the internet’s history.

Jumping further forward, to what really stuck with me from Hugh’s lecture today, was the development of the World Wide Web by Tim Burner’s Lee in 1989. Web 1.0 was able to be developed as the HTML language and an inter-network existed, along with enough computers. The number of computers, predominately in homes, which existed relied heavily on Bill Gates’ Microsoft Windows and Steve Job’s MacIntosh products. Where Bill Gates opened the idea of new innovative work of the future, Steve Jobs had successfully paired poor graphics with emotive music to create the concept that computers are personal. The internet was essentially given out to the public from the business, academic and military areas it had served until this time.

taylahcramp

My Insight to Networked Culture