The week
seven lecture was a thought-provoking insight into the concept of ‘viral media’.
It explored the premise of the world as an interlocked society, where ideas and
trends could ‘spread’ like viruses. Even in the medieval era, a disease passed
on from China wiped out a quarter of the world’s population. That plague was of
course, the Black Death.
Similar
spreads are apparent in current society through the internet. Meme’s are a
great example. Certain memes are universal and cross-cultural. The hysteria of
cat videos transcends boundaries – they can appeal to all ages and cultures;
everyone has similar experiences with cats. They behave the same manner in
every country, they have no hidden motives, other than being cats. Videos of
babies or toddlers are others that hold comparable appeal.
Other
memes and posts can be spread purely on a local level. In my own friendship
group, we take great delight in crudely photo shopping pictures of each other.
On a larger level, I observed the disappointing exposure given to the Adam
Goodes situation. Unfortunately much of the reaction to his plight was very
derogatory. I was able to witness many sporting posts, even unrelated matters,
where negative comments related to Goodes were commonly entrenched as the ‘top
comment’ with the most amount of likes. The Australian public were sheep,
following the herd in their treatment of the man. This ‘trend’ passed on to
crowds, who booed Goodes every time he touched the ball. This was an example of
a negative trend spreading, with the help of social media.
It was
intriguing to explore the events that led to the internet’s formation. Being naïve,
I wasn’t aware that war and defence was the contributing factor behind the eventual
explosion that strengthened and ensured the world would be forever linked by
its vast array of networks.
Prior to
the two World Wars, communication was extremely primitive. This compromised different
countries in war, whose intelligence bases could bombed. This would have a
great detrimental effect on the nation’s eventual fortunes. Varying nations
recognized the need to protect their assets – the Soviet Union and the United
States of America in particular, as the Cold War progressed.
The
United States developed the SAGE network, which could detect aircraft and
missiles crossing American borders. The Soviet Union undertook the Sputnik
program in space, which comprised the SAGE network, as it didn’t detect
missiles being released from space. This itself sped up the progress of the
United States’ NASA program.
All of
America’s advancements were formed around making its wealth of intelligence
indestructible – surviving a nuclear war. The Pentagon itself is built specifically
to withstand bombing. A 1964 paper ‘On Distributed Communication Networks’, states
that these networks are to be built robust, non-hierarchical, flexible, digital
with high levels of survivability.
The
internet was formulated by the USA as a network to store and share files within
the military. Links were eventually made with four universities. Until the
internet was compromised by computer hackers (such as Julian Assange who
accessed and viewed potentially detrimental information), the military
continued to use the one network. When sensitive information began to leak, the
US government generated separate internets exclusive to themselves. Having no
use for their original, expensive internet program, the government released the
internet to the public.
This
lecture was invaluable in understanding the processes that shaped the networks
that exist today – and their intended uses. Even in the worst days on earth, through the two World Wars, benefits emerged that have contributed to the internationalization of the world today. This internationalization has led to greater understandings of cultures different from ours, creating bonds that could not have existed in the pre-internet era. Its captivating thinking how a war of hate, could have led to bonds of peace that were never previously thought imaginable. Treasure troves of information are operable at the click of a button; we're becoming more and more informed by the day. Who could have imagined these benefits occurring when the US originally formulated the internet as a matter of defence?
Synopsis: Join the police in the desperate search to find Jay's brother, Daniel Hall. Using the clues gathered in your search (and an LTV news report), interpret and follow your instincts to try and solve the mystery of the missing man.
Explanation: I've decided to align the video with my previous filming project for this class, as it contains a mystery that could be solved with user assistance. Geocaching is an activity that relies heavily on user involvement. I believe it would be intriguing linked with a project like this. In Geocaching, users are given clues as to where an object is located. This includes the GPS co-ordinates, subtle clues as to what the object may be and the steps in how to find it. This includes links to the natural environment. Kinglake is an outstanding place to carry out such an exercise.
The beauty of finding geocaching objects, is that the actual object itself can become a pathway to finding other objects. In a project like this, the audience may find a piece of Hall's clothing, such as a hat or shoes - and find a note contained within that leads them to the next clue. It's a constantly evolving and natural process, in spite of its planned nature.
The search for the object will transport users into the environment of the fictional story. They will become able to visualize the surrounds of Hall in his 'final days'. They are able to control their own search paths, plotting where Hall may have went, summing up the local surroundings (such as sharp slopes, unreachable heights) and being given an insight into what shaped his choices in the walk away from his brother.
-Missing poster (containing details of Hall's last location, possible path, who to call, social media links)
Schedule:
Wednesday 16th of September
-conceptualization of ideas
-teacher assistance
-communication with potential actors (formulating schedules)
Friday 2nd of October
-Filming with Rahul 'Sergeant' Sankappa.
-Scripting of character parts.
-Filming of police and news reporter interviews.
-Filming locations;
Humevale Road, Humevale
National Park Road, Kinglake West
Kinglake National Park
Mount Sugarloaf
Bowden Spur Road, Kinglake
Monday 5th of October
-Filming of search squad efforts with Riley Beltran, Scott Ford and Jamie Gauci.
-Impromptu interview with Jamie Gauci, representative of the 'search party'.
-Filming locations;
William Street, Wallan
Old Sydney Road, Wallan
Wednesday 7th of October
-Structuring of videos
-Final edit of video project
-Posted to YouTube
Social Media Component:
Facebook page
Twitter page
User Involvement and Cooperation
Wireframe
Script
Reflection
The Transmedia Task worked pretty smoothly in spite of the time contraints and actor availabilities. These issues were the same that effected my previous project, but that experience was extremely beneficial in the groundwork undertaken prior to the beginning of this task.
Editing certain parts of the film was difficult. The interviews had to be precisely cut due to the actor's dialogue (they didn't leave any pauses between mistakes and their final successful comment). This can lead to an unprofessional looking news broadcast.
I decided to take a risk with the duration of the film. I'd set out to make a news broadcast right from the start of my planning - but it was never going to fall within the recommended duration. Hopefully this design risk is understood and rewarded.
Synopsis: Join the police in a search to find Jay's brother. Using the clues gathered in your search (and a riddle from Jay Hall himself), interpret and follow your instincts to try and solve the mystery of the 'missing man'.
How the audience will be engaged:
-Facebook and Twitter pages (linked)
-Geocaching aspect (GPS -
-Clues given gradually;
-Address to drive to (eg: National Park Road, Kinglake)
-Using natural environment (walk 20 steps from tree, etc.)
(walk in a south-easterly direction, etc.)
-Upon the finding of an object, more clues are divulged
-You Tube video can end with policemen giving a choice as to which direction he'll go. Pause in front of screen (directly in middle of camera) with an arm outstretched to either side (left or right). An annotation will be shown on each side (unlisted video). To which the audience can pick. The next You Tube clip will correspond to their choice.
This idea is kind of inspired by children's shows like 'Dora The Explorer' where the kids are given time to talk and answer a question. Old DVD-rom games like the one on 'Dinosaur' is another example, where its interactive but users only have a few defined paths they can use, in contrast to a truly interactive open-world experience like 'Grand Theft Auto V'. The video experience is limited to these few paths, but if audiences were to actually follow the clues physically, the possibilities are endless.
The networked storytelling task was something I encountered many difficulties with. Not in the actual expectations itself, but the limitations of technical equipment, time constraints and availability of actors. My ability to gather actors was severely compromised by my placement commitments. This meant that large chunks of film were produced and filmed on the same day... Good for continuity purposes, but not so good for cameras lacking on battery life.
Having to undertake the production as an individual, affected my ability to create a video that would replicate one made in a group environment, with four different actors being focused on in one clip. This didn't mean I wasn't working with others cooperatively - it just meant I had to take more of a directorial role than I would have if I was working with a group of other students. Luckily, a few high school friends and I have experience in making films together. While our acting skills are rudimentary at best; Andrew Mayne (Jay's conscience), Rahul Sankappa (the policeman) and Daniel Thorne (Jay's brother) all understand filming basics and the creative choices and decisions that can enhance a film's message.
Despite our good intentions, difficulties did follow. Two of the scenes were filmed on the same day in Kinglake, which was encountering blustery northerly winds and isolated showers. Whilst the slight fog that settled over the town was a great stroke of luck that enhanced the quality of the images in the film, the wind basically rendered any dialogue indecipherable. Keep in mind I already had scheduling difficulties prior to this day of filming. I was happy with the quality of the shots and was loath to replace them when such an eerie atmosphere was created by the weather conditions - so I had to think of an alternative option.
In the past I have observed a few videos which use spoken word aligned with music. I enjoy them - I believe they provide good artistic values. Whilst my initial intent wasn't to create a film primarily based around this troupe, the technical difficulties forced my hand. I tried to give an insight into the main characters emotions and misgivings, but also to write poetically.
The composition of my film is up to the viewer. The first video is the flashback, establishing the background of the story. At the culmination at the clip, viewers are given the choice of two paths - Jay's return to Kinglake, or his plea for help to a police officer. Whilst these are the last two videos of the film, viewers who have chosen the first path, are still able to watch the second option. If viewers have chosen Jay's plea to the police first, they are appealing to his sense of civil duty. However if they view the clip after observing his return to Kinglake, the mood changes. His meeting with the policeman takes on a desperate front, a last chance saloon meeting. He already expressed his guilt when he returned to Kinglake in search of his brother; he was unable to find him. Although much time had passed, he wanted to make one last roll of the dice in the hope of reuniting with his brother. These paths prove how a viewer's choice (even with a limited portion of three videos) can have a great influence on their media content and how it is interpreted.
Today we were given instructions for our upcoming Networked Storytelling task. The process towards planning, filming and completing a movie is intriguing. Personally, I have always been a terrible planner. I prefer to think on the go, letting my instincts dictate the path of the film. But that is not viable in the film industry and even local filming for that matter. Having a refresher on what steps could be undertaken prior to the production of a film is a good reminder.
Filming has been a hobby of mine in the past. It is not something I do very often, but when my friends and I have free time, we often try to create a short story on the spot. That is probably the reason I struggle in the planning process for film! In spite of this weakness, I have experience in planning, having undertaken the film narrative task in Year 12. As part of the criteria for the course, we had to show evidence of extensive planning and thinking, being ticked off the list after showing the teacher our storyboards, statement of intention, treatment, etc. We were unable to progress further in our projects without this work, making clear the importance of covering all bases before entering filming. Whilst I did find the process stifling at first, I soon began to see the benefits of such an approach - filming took literally no time at all!
This was due to a variety of factors;
-we knew which locations we were going to use in the shoot.
-my cameraman had the storyboard and had an immediate reference as to how he was going to record the scene - there wasn't time wasted asking me (acting in the film) for clarification.
-props were planned in advance, we set aside time to change quickly.
-we all understood the direction of the film!
The only negative with such extensive planning, is that I simply couldn't express the ideas I had in my head fully. The film I pictured in my mind was a great deal better than the one I shot! But that wasn't due to a lack of trying. I'm an ideas man that is a bit unrealistic in one's plans! That's why it's important to be realistic in the planning of your film and knowing your limitations to prevent being disappointed. That's not to say you can't aim for the stars! It just means you have to be aware of what might hold back your film.
Despite having filmed a fair bit in the past, I learnt a great deal more in the class about the effects certain shots have on the viewing experience. What previously were hunches about certain aspects became facts; close-up's certainly give an emotional aspect to a story. I had attempted to convey that in the past, but did not have the know-how to convey it properly in my film. Little hints like this, as small as they may seem, have a gigantic effect on the meaning and composition of a finished film. I look forward to completing the Networked Storytelling task, particularly trying to link a series together and giving it cohesion!
Through my years of being a social media 'guinea pig', I have observed a particular pattern occurring with well known artists, who are aiming to give further exposure to their musical content through the varying social media platforms. Although I'm sure that I don't understand the entire scope of their networking, here's a demonstration of what bands do to release their music to the greatest audience.
It's March 2015 and a well known band is planning to release a 'comeback' single ahead of their keenly awaited new album. Even though content from the band is coveted, the wider public isn't overly expectant for new material, as they haven't released an album for many years. In those years, several members of the band have recorded and performed as solo artists, with their own social media platforms through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter... but we'll get back to that later.
The record company and management have a vested interest in the band's success... how will we reach the widest audience? The question is hollow however, they have a great amount of experience in this field of advertisement. They arm all their planning with this in mind. They know that the best time to release content through certain forms of social media is around 1pm. Their marketing team creates a template for each particular platform. How the message is formed. The links to other content. This is all completed before the content is released, to create a seamless, business-like transition.
It's the day prior to release and each social platform releases a teaser, bidding fans to go on their Facebook page at 1PM the next day to view a video announcement. The fans are in a frenzy, trying to guess what the announcement could be about. Optimists correctly guess that a new album is in the works, even after that many years; whilst pessimists are less certain, thinking that a new concert gig will be the news, safe in the knowledge that they have been proven right in the past. Regardless of the audience's opinions as to what the announcement will be about, the band's management are pleased, they have engaged their audience and built conjecture and awareness of the band's announcement through their fans.
The video announcement streams from Facebook at 1PM. The band are joined by a well-known radio host at a conference, with an audience full of music industry heavies and journalists. They tease and build suspense from their audience, stating that they are indeed going on a tour. However they soon state that the reason behind the tour is their first album in many years. At the conference, the band's new single is played, with the appropriate links to purchase and pre-order mentioned. Immediately after finishing the video, fans are greeted with an amalgamation of social media platforms with links to appropriate content.
A music video for the new single is released on YouTube, with a link to their iTunes account as the video finishes. The single is able to be purchased through iTunes with the pre-order of their new album. The band's Instagram followers are greeted with an 8 second teaser of their music video. There are links to the music clip and iTunes account through the band's Facebook, as well as their individual's solo social media platforms. The reach of their content is amazing. The band members have all conducted interviews with various radio stations after their conference, further consolidating their reach. By the end of the day, the band's comeback album is the talk of the town.
The hypothetical band I mentioned above were Blur, pioneers of the Brit-pop scene in the 1990's. Amazingly, due to the advancements in the sharing and reach of music through the expansion of the internet, the band have increased their audience despite their long absence. As a huge fan of the band, I was able to analyze all of this content live. It is extremely interesting how well-oiled their advertising machine was. Despite viewing this all purely as a fan, I learned from my observations and was given an insight into how companies operate when releasing their product.
Becoming
a popular musician is a dream many youngsters around the world hold and I’m no
exception. There is a reason it is a dream for so many people, it’s an
extremely hard industry to break into. If you are one of the lucky few who does
taste success, it doesn’t last forever. But that doesn’t stop millions wearing
their creative ambitions on their sleeve.
Whilst
Melbourne has a vibrant, inventive music scene; it doesn’t hold the global
reach that other cities around the world may do. Despite this, you have to get a start somewhere
and several locally run organizations are giving untried youngsters the chance
to make a start in the industry.
A
current example of this is the Melbourne Music Bank, created by the Bank of
Melbourne. Judged by a panel including former Killing Heidi vocalist Ella
Hooper and other music industry insiders, the Melbourne Music Bank offers a ‘kick-start’
to prospective musicians worth $30,000. The package includes 2 days recording
at a famous studio, a free music video, album artwork, professional photo
packages, media training, managing teams, live gigs and a song featured on a Bank
of Melbourne Ad. Receiving this package would be akin to a corpse receiving a
heartbeat, it can bring a band to life and gain the exposure needed to make
music a potentially viable option going forward. It also
negates a lot of the teething problems that break up new bands, who struggle
with the transition from jamming and making songs into the organization of
gigs, their music and other sales to keep such a venture viable.
Another
organization that offer assistance to creative beings is Music in the Sticks(MITS). It is a group that provides skills in a variety of areas related to the
music industry. The areas of skill it tenders related to my creative ambitions
include live and studio recording, sound production and publicity and
management. Apart from the purely skills based activities they offer, MITS also
organizes an annual Battle of the Bands competition in Kyneton. A friend of
mine participated in the event two years back; his band's participation and
performance really stoked my interest, it seemed like such a buzz to the group.
The winners of this Battle of the Bands event are offered a position in the
final (held at the Moomba Festival) should they pass the regional finals; they
also receive a cash prize. There is a strong social media aspect, where bands
and songwriters are prompted to link their own Facebook group links to the
official event page.
If I
were to form a band, these two competitions are something I’d strongly consider
entering. They are pathways into providing the positive publicity that can lift
a band to greater heights. It is the bridge between creative and personal
gratification (through the writing of songs and jamming together) to success
shared with others who have followed you to gigs and supported your work.
What are you interested in? 1- Music (Album reviews, live gigs, etc.) 2- Sport (Cricket, AFL, Soccer, Horse Racing, etc.) 3- Photography, Amateur film.
Where do I want to be in 4 years? The profession I'm training for is becoming a secondary teacher in the streams of English and Media Studies. Whilst that is where I'd like to be in four years, there are other places/professions that would make me even happier if I happened to stumble across them. Purely from a leisure point of view, I'd be absolutely stoked if I was travelling the world, learning and observing different cultures. An innate dream would be to become a successful musician, but that is all it is, a 'dream'. There are a great deal of factors that one would have to consider - living below the poverty line for one, gigging to unreceptive crowds occasionally and toiling away at your art, with creative peaks and troughs. Whilst there are negatives associated with the profession, they aren't that bad, as you are doing what you are passionate about, it is something that you love doing.
What are the things I should be doing to get to that point? I am currently in my third year of my Bachelor of Education. To become a teacher, I'll obviously have to complete my course. But finishing the course isn't going to transport me straight into the classroom. I will need to build networks, with teachers and schools across the state. Undertaking relief teaching at schools around the area, will get my name out there with perspective principals. Improving my craft to the point where I am seen as a trusted and talented CRT, will potentially make it an easier process entering the profession. This is all keeping in mind that I haven't received luck and entered teaching beforehand, due to positive experiences through placement.
To be able to travel in four years, I'd have to save enough money to sustain a long trip. This would require a lot of work beforehand. Another option would potentially be getting a license to serve alcohol, allowing me to enter nomadic work across the countries I'm travelling. To have a memorable trip, it would be smart to undertake a lot of study prior as to where are the places I'd ideally like to travel to, as well as satisfying financial concerns.
Last and not least, is potentially becoming a musician. This will need a GREAT DEAL more work then my other 'dreams'. This would involve playing with a consistent band line-up, with a creative spark to create enjoyable, original songs. We would have to be able to perform regularly and rehearse regularly, to build that creative spark, as well as our respective skills as musicians and as a group. Performing live constantly would help build a fanbase, where we can release records to and sell t-shirts. Gosh I'm rambling a bit, this doesn't even cover a tenth of what could be done!
Who are the people and organizations that should know who I am and what I do? As stated above, I will require a great deal of networking to satisfy two of my options; particularly teaching. I will need to work at schools across the state to build my reputation as a reliable educator. For music, there is a plethora of people or organizations that should know who I am and what I do if I was to become successful in the industry. Without this 'foot in the door', there would be effectively no chance of becoming part of a reputable band. X-Factor doesn't count. That's gross.
