Hugo Cornellier took a selfie of himself every day for 8 years, a fascinating example of a generation who are digital natives
Thursday 5 January 2017
Digital Natives
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03vjsvn
Hugo Cornellier took a selfie of himself every day for 8 years, a fascinating example of a generation who are digital natives
Hugo Cornellier took a selfie of himself every day for 8 years, a fascinating example of a generation who are digital natives
Wednesday 4 January 2017
David Gauntlett (Web 2.0)
The first incarnation of the web was for passive audiences downloading information and reading web-sites.
Web 2.0 is where we are now with user generated content and mass interactivity and collaboration particularly with the advent of social media.
In 2016 the internet is a place of sharing and collaboration with a range motives driving this impulse to broadcast and create.
If you would believe GQ magazine then Instagram is the hot app at the moment and has its finger on the pulse, although be wary about who is stating 'what is cool' and why? Audiences are more aware of being manipulated and quickly move on to the next thing if they feel they are being conned. Instagram was bought by Facebook in 2012 when they recognised the potential of a tool that uploaded a photo and then allowed comment so that this visual medium tied in perfectly with new Apple technology such as the i-phone. It has proved incredibly successful and has made stars of a range of artists and random hipsters and has allowed a platform for access to followers/fans. A tool is created to fill the need as the web evolves (Clay Shirky) and social media becomes more widespread and sophisticated. Early adopters set the trends and the masses follow. These early adopters often have a reason for promoting the app in that they feel they may gain, money, fame, recognition or develop a career by using it. In the world of web 2.0 this is now a reality.
Have a look at the Instagram account for 'Fat Jewish' to see how careers can be made through use of social media. This article explains his success further.
'I was getting paid to be an idiot'
Is the Internet making us stupid?
Is 'Big Media' (Apple, Facebook) trying to control our internet experience?
Social media and the cult of celebrity could be said to have entered the world of academia. Academics must publish research and contemporary articles to justify their positions and the world of media theory is no exception. British academic David Gauntlett has developed his own particular USP in using LEGO to make a point about creativity. It is your task to develop a critical perspective of the theories that these academics expound.
Gauntlett is concerned with the human drive to create which the internet and tools that social media has provided in the form of software and apps has unlocked this creativity. The fruits of this can be shared and an identity created online that can put your skills and accomplishments in the shop window in a myriad of forms.
He identifies five key principles in his book Making is Connecting (2010)
1 A new understanding of creativity as process, emotion and presence
2 The drive to make and share
3 Happiness through creativity and community
4 A middle layer of creativity as social glue
5 Making your mark and making the world your own
His latest book is Making Media Studies (2015) This is a positive message about using the media to make the world better through creativity and sharing. Creative spaces such as libraries as community hubs where people can meet to create are explored. In this clip he also refers to the darker side of the internet such as surveillance and the battle by big companies to control the web and web tools to make money and gain hegemony in new media industries.
It will allow you to build a response about the positive utopian vision of the internet and the dystopian vision of the dark side of the internet.
You have made your own moving image production showing creativity. Reflect on how this experience has affected you personally. Try to link this with Gauntlett's theories which are hopefully positive and inspirational.
Explore his ideas further through the web-site David Gauntlett
This article is particularly interesting for us as he makes a valid point about theorists and the negative view of the internet age which often overshadows the positive aspects of our online age.
‘The internet is ancient, small steps are important, and four other theses about making things in a digital world’.
You will have to add your own critical perspective.
Research Twitter and Facebook as established web tools and also research new applications that are catching on.
Explore the world of the creators. Making and creating is maybe what separates humans from animals and is a higher order skill. You can apply this to your own production discussing how you analysed codes and conventions and then went further in creating your own media product. The desire to share and interact is also discussed by Gauntlett and can be seen in the new medium of internet vlogging.
You need to explore the world of vloggers and explain how this ties in with Gauntlett's theory and how it challenges the economic models of the media industry. Is this the future of the media on the internet?
Janoskians
Alfie Deyes
Zoella
Shaanxo
Joe Sugg
Caspar Lee
Examiners advice - Bring your own texts
There is obviously an audience for this media as some have 5 million subscribers. Who is the audience?
Web 2.0 is where we are now with user generated content and mass interactivity and collaboration particularly with the advent of social media.
In 2016 the internet is a place of sharing and collaboration with a range motives driving this impulse to broadcast and create.
If you would believe GQ magazine then Instagram is the hot app at the moment and has its finger on the pulse, although be wary about who is stating 'what is cool' and why? Audiences are more aware of being manipulated and quickly move on to the next thing if they feel they are being conned. Instagram was bought by Facebook in 2012 when they recognised the potential of a tool that uploaded a photo and then allowed comment so that this visual medium tied in perfectly with new Apple technology such as the i-phone. It has proved incredibly successful and has made stars of a range of artists and random hipsters and has allowed a platform for access to followers/fans. A tool is created to fill the need as the web evolves (Clay Shirky) and social media becomes more widespread and sophisticated. Early adopters set the trends and the masses follow. These early adopters often have a reason for promoting the app in that they feel they may gain, money, fame, recognition or develop a career by using it. In the world of web 2.0 this is now a reality.
Have a look at the Instagram account for 'Fat Jewish' to see how careers can be made through use of social media. This article explains his success further.
'I was getting paid to be an idiot'
Is the Internet making us stupid?
Is 'Big Media' (Apple, Facebook) trying to control our internet experience?
Social media and the cult of celebrity could be said to have entered the world of academia. Academics must publish research and contemporary articles to justify their positions and the world of media theory is no exception. British academic David Gauntlett has developed his own particular USP in using LEGO to make a point about creativity. It is your task to develop a critical perspective of the theories that these academics expound.
Gauntlett is concerned with the human drive to create which the internet and tools that social media has provided in the form of software and apps has unlocked this creativity. The fruits of this can be shared and an identity created online that can put your skills and accomplishments in the shop window in a myriad of forms.
He identifies five key principles in his book Making is Connecting (2010)
1 A new understanding of creativity as process, emotion and presence
2 The drive to make and share
3 Happiness through creativity and community
4 A middle layer of creativity as social glue
5 Making your mark and making the world your own
His latest book is Making Media Studies (2015) This is a positive message about using the media to make the world better through creativity and sharing. Creative spaces such as libraries as community hubs where people can meet to create are explored. In this clip he also refers to the darker side of the internet such as surveillance and the battle by big companies to control the web and web tools to make money and gain hegemony in new media industries.
You have made your own moving image production showing creativity. Reflect on how this experience has affected you personally. Try to link this with Gauntlett's theories which are hopefully positive and inspirational.
Explore his ideas further through the web-site David Gauntlett
This article is particularly interesting for us as he makes a valid point about theorists and the negative view of the internet age which often overshadows the positive aspects of our online age.
‘The internet is ancient, small steps are important, and four other theses about making things in a digital world’.
You will have to add your own critical perspective.
Research Twitter and Facebook as established web tools and also research new applications that are catching on.
Explore the world of the creators. Making and creating is maybe what separates humans from animals and is a higher order skill. You can apply this to your own production discussing how you analysed codes and conventions and then went further in creating your own media product. The desire to share and interact is also discussed by Gauntlett and can be seen in the new medium of internet vlogging.
You need to explore the world of vloggers and explain how this ties in with Gauntlett's theory and how it challenges the economic models of the media industry. Is this the future of the media on the internet?
Janoskians
Alfie Deyes
Zoella
Shaanxo
Joe Sugg
Caspar Lee
Examiners advice - Bring your own texts
There is obviously an audience for this media as some have 5 million subscribers. Who is the audience?
Music Industry - The future
Audiences consume the media in different ways in the online age. Identify how consumer behaviour has changed.
Link to Wikinomics and how the internet has changed the economic model of the music industry over time
Use your case studies to show how the music industry is changing du to the possibilities afforedd by the internet.
How do these two artists use the internet?
flowing all the time, it is high volume, non stop. We can't possibly keep up with everything. For example all your friends tweets and posts.
There comes a point where you give up to the stream and find the current.
Join in and swim.
Our attention spans get shorter as we need to be constantly entertained or our attention is focused on the next thing.
Fame notoriety 'clickbait'
Urban Explorers. James Kingston on the roofs
The concept of scheduling is gone. Everything is on demand
The economic model is defunct as content is free.
Your network is personalised around you. Like the film 'Minority Report' the adverts read you. It is happening as they know your favourites and your habits. If you read your phone you will see that the adverts becomes personalised. Data collection is big business . This sounds futuristic but tech companies are the future of the global economy. It is a good industry to get involved with.
Mots of the transitions of the next century will happen through technology. We are constantly being digitally upgraded
Prince - saw the internet as a threat as artists would not make money from the internet
Bowie - saw the internet as a wonderful creative tool
Streaming - Spotify, Deezer, Tidal, Apple music
Explore TIDAL and explain how it fits in the market of other streaming services.
Two case studies of artists living in the stream and looking ahead, taking control, restricting access to pay per view.
Beyonce - Lemonade
Wider reading
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/29/beyonce-lemonade-jay-z-explainer
http://www.theguardian.com/music/video/2016/apr/29/trailer-beyonce-lemonade-album-video
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/24/beyonce-launches-new-visual-album-lemonade-hbo
Use of Tidal
New form - a 'visual' album
Full use of social media
Celebrity status
Making the personal the persona
Restricting access to pay per view or tied channels/ platforms (HBO,TIDAL)
Radiohead - Dawn Chorus
Release strategy
Took all other online sources down to direct pepople to the right plavce
Set up new business for each album
In control of their finances
Wider reading
www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/may/03/radiohead-burn-the-witch-review-the-kind-of-return-the-world-might-have-hoped-for
http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/may/02/all-surprises-radiohead-and-art-of-unconventional-album-release
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/apr/05/radiohead-label-change-xl-recordings-streaming
Link to Wikinomics and how the internet has changed the economic model of the music industry over time
Use your case studies to show how the music industry is changing du to the possibilities afforedd by the internet.
How do these two artists use the internet?
- Living in the stream
flowing all the time, it is high volume, non stop. We can't possibly keep up with everything. For example all your friends tweets and posts.
There comes a point where you give up to the stream and find the current.
Join in and swim.
- Digital Natives
Our attention spans get shorter as we need to be constantly entertained or our attention is focused on the next thing.
Fame notoriety 'clickbait'
Urban Explorers. James Kingston on the roofs
The concept of scheduling is gone. Everything is on demand
The economic model is defunct as content is free.
Your network is personalised around you. Like the film 'Minority Report' the adverts read you. It is happening as they know your favourites and your habits. If you read your phone you will see that the adverts becomes personalised. Data collection is big business . This sounds futuristic but tech companies are the future of the global economy. It is a good industry to get involved with.
Mots of the transitions of the next century will happen through technology. We are constantly being digitally upgraded
Prince - saw the internet as a threat as artists would not make money from the internet
Bowie - saw the internet as a wonderful creative tool
Streaming - Spotify, Deezer, Tidal, Apple music
Explore TIDAL and explain how it fits in the market of other streaming services.
Two case studies of artists living in the stream and looking ahead, taking control, restricting access to pay per view.
Beyonce - Lemonade
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/29/beyonce-lemonade-jay-z-explainer
http://www.theguardian.com/music/video/2016/apr/29/trailer-beyonce-lemonade-album-video
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/24/beyonce-launches-new-visual-album-lemonade-hbo
Use of Tidal
New form - a 'visual' album
Full use of social media
Celebrity status
Making the personal the persona
Restricting access to pay per view or tied channels/ platforms (HBO,TIDAL)
Radiohead - Dawn Chorus
Release strategy
Took all other online sources down to direct pepople to the right plavce
Set up new business for each album
In control of their finances
Wider reading
www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/may/03/radiohead-burn-the-witch-review-the-kind-of-return-the-world-might-have-hoped-for
http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/may/02/all-surprises-radiohead-and-art-of-unconventional-album-release
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/apr/05/radiohead-label-change-xl-recordings-streaming
Tuesday 3 January 2017
The future - Virtual Reality
Forbes magazine estimates that the VR industry will generate $150 billion by 2020 and it will have a huge impact on media industries.
Clouds over Sidra - a 12 year old Syrian living in a refuge camp in Jordan
Explore the technology by finding out about the following;
How will it affect the following areas/industries. Find an example of its use in the area that you choose;
Is it 'the ultimate empathy machine' due to the level of immersion in the medium?
Is 'rectangle cinema' going to turn into 'spherical cinema'?
How will it aid activism and documentary making?
How will it aid teaching? For example history or geography?
What are the darker sides to this new technology?
Solitary confinement Virtual reality
Apply your theorists to the development of this new technology.
Wider reading
Tan Pura - Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead and Mike Tucker
THe Displaced - documentary by the New york Times
Hunger in Los Angeles - waiting at a food bank
Raby - a military coup in Pinochet's 1973 Chile
Millions march - Spike Lee documents a day of protest linked to the 'Black Lives Matter' movement
Waves of Grace - A UN documentary about a Liberian Ebola survivor
First Life - Attenborough nature documentary
Chris Milk - TED lecture about spherical cinema
Article in Sight and Sound magazine in the library
Oculus Rift was a success of crowdsourcing - Clay Shirky, Wikinomics
The Future - some key points to engage with in any response about the future of media in the online age
Clouds over Sidra - a 12 year old Syrian living in a refuge camp in Jordan
Explore the technology by finding out about the following;
- Oculus Rift
- Google cardboard
- Samsung Gear
- HTC Vive
How will it affect the following areas/industries. Find an example of its use in the area that you choose;
- Film
- Music
- Computer Games
- Art
- Documentary
- News
- Architecture
Is it 'the ultimate empathy machine' due to the level of immersion in the medium?
Is 'rectangle cinema' going to turn into 'spherical cinema'?
How will it aid activism and documentary making?
How will it aid teaching? For example history or geography?
What are the darker sides to this new technology?
Solitary confinement Virtual reality
Apply your theorists to the development of this new technology.
Wider reading
Tan Pura - Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead and Mike Tucker
THe Displaced - documentary by the New york Times
Hunger in Los Angeles - waiting at a food bank
Raby - a military coup in Pinochet's 1973 Chile
Millions march - Spike Lee documents a day of protest linked to the 'Black Lives Matter' movement
Waves of Grace - A UN documentary about a Liberian Ebola survivor
First Life - Attenborough nature documentary
Chris Milk - TED lecture about spherical cinema
Article in Sight and Sound magazine in the library
Oculus Rift was a success of crowdsourcing - Clay Shirky, Wikinomics
The Future - some key points to engage with in any response about the future of media in the online age
- Projecting a version of yourself
- Internet safety
- Rise of the new 'gatekeepers'
- Activism e.g 'Black Lives Matter'. Bringing people together, providing a voice
- Immersive experiences - learning a language, overcoming social challenges, Construction and building, holidays.
- Living in the stream
- Digital Natives
- Network personalised around you
- Participants not audiences
Monday 2 January 2017
Politics in the online age (We Media)
Social Media has changed the way that we receive the news. This is an example of Dan Gillmor's theory of 'We Media' which he wrote in 2004. We are now living in the stream and the 'gatekeepers' of Big Media have lost some of their power to control how news is mediated. We are going to gain a critical perspective as to how far 'We Media' has replaced the traditional model of mediation. The texts at the bottom of the post refer to the election last year and are still relevant. In fact you can quantify how important social media was compared to traditional media by looking at the election result. Did social media have the effect that lots of commentators thought it would have? If not why not ?
However, we are going to look at a more contemporary political story in the Panama Papers.
What effect will Russel Brand have on this election?
How has online media affected the mediation of political messages?
How has this impacted upon the power of Big Media?
Has web 2.0 changed the way media is used in campaigning?
Does the endorsement of celebrities or public figures have an impact on audiences?
Which audiences are they aimed at?
Has online media replaced traditional media at this election?
Are audiences engaging with politics more directly?
Is online media encouraging collaboration and community activism?
Steve Coogan backs Labour
Labour use the support of Ronnie O'Sullivan in a viral online campaign
Compare the following oppositions.
Traditional TV debates versus Vlogging and Blogging
Traditional posters versus Memes
PR Spin and press releases versus Mash-ups
Which do you think is more influential, newspapers or online media?
Study the following front pages of newspapers from recent weeks.
Study sales figures to see what trends you can discuss.
What do the front pages reveal about the British press ?
How influential do you think these newspapers will be in the election?
How does media ownership affect the news that we receive?
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