Final Comments

Case Book Prompt: Final Thoughts

                Honestly, I cannot choose a single idea or message that I found the most interesting in this class because I enjoyed the course as a whole. I believe each category covered (television, radio, film, journalistic reporting) hitched in relation to each other to create a web of analysis to which the student body can apply to any form of media. I enjoyed our critiques of television and film the most though, if I had to choose in specific. Even though the film review landed as a final project at the stressful end of the semester, I still enjoyed dissecting and analyzing the content of a movie (and the television show preceding the final). The history of the various media and the development of the laws that restrict them did not entertain me as much has the hands-on critique and content analysis that followed. 

                This class has definitely changed how I view media. I cannot watch news broadcasts without questioning the authenticity of the reporter’s information. If I spot a phrase, image, or subject that might be racist or sexist, I immediately announce it to those around me and a discussion begins. My boyfriend has begun to get annoyed at my new views, thinking I am looking too much into what I am watching and reading. I tell him he is not looking closely enough.

                The casebook format worked well for the class. I am biased against my judgment of it, however, because I have a weekly, two-entry blog for Journalism and the four-entry casebook blog for Diversity. In other words, I have been case book overloaded. Having to write  more than one entry per day in addition to my art and economics classes overwhelmed me, even though I got it all done (and well, if I don’t say so myself). 

                Because of my personal experience in relation to other classes, I would suggest knocking off either the “concept explorations” or the “hot topics.” I felt overloaded. This is also due to my recent and persistent health problems—being in constant pain from a neck injury and having a fluttery heart disease distracts one from one’s schoolwork. But like I said previously, I did get it all done, so it is not unreasonable. Overall, I adored this class and I am sad to part with it. My experiences in Mass Media made me want to sign up for Intro to Film Studies—which I have, and will be seated in come Spring.

Futuristic Concepts

Case Book: Future Technology

                Technology grows extremely rapidly in our world. In just forty years, we’ve gone from the first, simplistic computers to tiny smartphones and touch-screen projections that supremely surpass any previous device. Even now we are developing objects that use hologram-like functions and incredible sensory adaptations. Maps have gone from flat, two-dimensional objects to interactive panoramas. The shopping process is becoming more and more detached from the physical world. Computers in general have gone from physical, bulky objects to handheld devices and are making their way to sensational projectors.

                The SixthSense is a creation that has recently been developed. This device hangs from the neck and scans the surrounding world, working with finger-worn sensors to bring up applications and data. One can take an actual picture by making a box with one’s fingers and holding the “frame” until the shot is taken by the device. The SixthSense also projects product info upon scanning an item, personal info after scanning a person, and creates items like phone keypads and watches on the user’s body in reaction to physical movements ("TED: Ideas Worth Spreading"). 

                In Seoul, South Korea, there is a virtual grocery store in a subway. Isles of products are projected along the walls, hologram images that allow the user to scan desired products with their smartphones. Once scanned, the product is added to the user’s cart and when the cart is complete, the products are paid for online then shipped to the consumer’s home ("Spot Cool Stuff: Travel"). 

Hologram projections instead of physical computer mass and one being about to manipulate a computer with physical movements of one’s own body are two ideas that have been produced many times in film. With the rise in technological advancement, we are starting to create such devices. Microsoft has produced an interactive projecting computer system that does both of these things. It is called surface computing. This type of technology “is based on the idea of natural user interface (NUI) that enables people to manipulate content directly with touch gestures and motions” ("Altexsoft"). 

                The birth of projection-touch devices has begun. Items like the Sixth Sense and surface computing have been born, the technology set in place. These items will no doubt give birth to others; technology, I believe, will follow the interactive hologram path. I believe we will see computer systems like those in Minority Report, Cloud Atlas, and the anime series RIN. The two live action films feature extremely advanced gestural computing that uses a series of interactive holograms instead of screens.

In the anime series, the computers function in the same way, but the virtual technology goes further. In a particular scene, a character shops online and purchases a shirt, which she literally pulls from the screen and onto her body—the piece of clothing a hologram itself. The quality of the image is so good, it covers her body perfectly and appears to be real clothing. The character’s father sighs and says, “I wish you would wear real clothes.” The character giggles and replies, “Virtual is real, dad.”  I believe this is where our world is headed technologically. 

                The effects such technology will have on society will be both good and bad. Positively, the amount of computer waste (which cannot be yet safely broken down and is hazardous to the environment) will drastically drop as the actual physical mass of products keeps shrinking. The negative side is that the more we integrate reality with cyber technology, the more the world becomes blurred in regards to what is real and what is not. The future may consist of people that are constantly submerged in the virtual world, even while existing at their jobs or at school. With the increasing merging of the internet and the physical realm, there comes a risk that society will care less and less about the quality of their environment because they can transport themselves to a perfect fake one, or otherwise alter the reality of the one they exist in.

"Microsoft Surface Development for Multi-Touch Display Systems." Altexsoft. Altexsoft, n.d. Web. 2 Dec 2012. <http://www.altexsoft.com/technology/microsoft-surface-development-for-multi-touch-display-systems/>.

"Pattie Maes and Pranav Mistry demo SixthSense." TED: Ideas Worth Spreading. TED Conferences, LLC, n.d. Web. 2 Dec 2012. <http://www.ted.com/talks/pattie_maes_demos_the_sixth_sense.html>.

"Seoul’s Virtual Subway Supermarket." Spot Cool Stuff: Travel. Page 17 Media, LLC, n.d. Web. 2 Dec 2012. <http://travel.spotcoolstuff.com/seoul-korea/unusual-shopping/virtual-homeplus-subway-grocery-stores>. 

For more visual info regarding surface computing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE3x8M4hvkk

We "Like" it

Hot Topic on Social Networking

                In the modern age of smartphone sand laptops, more and more people are using the internet. Because owning a computer (or a phone with online capabilities) has become more affordable and they are increasingly purchased, the world has begun to adapt to living online. Social networking in specific has become a frequently used tool for several different functions. Social network sites are absolutely mass media. Mass media is defined as industries that create and distribute media. Facebook has countless users who forward videos from YouTube and link articles from hundreds of websites across the net, including news sites. Users are also media objects themselves, like musicians, movies, and television programs that create FB accounts. 

Social networking sites distribute media on a constant, abundant level. Social networking sites are a unique breed. The producers and the audience are one in the same. Those who create Facebook sites also view others, connections through “friendships” being made for personal and business reasons alike. Social networks have changes the advertising world as well—at least they’ve added to it significantly. Almost every company has a Facebook (and usually Twitter) account. Television commercials and magazine ads feature the FB and/or Twitter logos indicating the company’s membership. Media convergence has created a society in which internet sites are integrated into magazine/newspaper ads and TV commercials. Facebook and Twitter are even mentioned on the radio via advertising as well as on talk shows.

In five to ten years, I believe social networking will advance way beyond its current formatting. With the rate of technological advancement and the climbing of social network popularity in the past 5-10 years, I think a new company will arise to take the place of FB and Twitter, like they had basically replaced MySpace. The new social network might be projected by a device upon meeting someone, like the Sixth Sense device hints toward. Maybe it’ll reach the point where two people shake hands and that contact automatically makes them “friends” online.

Final Concept Exploration

Summer Wars and Chapter 9

            Out of all the chapters we have read this semester, I feel like I have learned the least from Chapter 9. This is not saying the chapter was not informative—I just already knew almost all of what the author was explaining. Because I am a child of the digital revolution, I have grown up with access to computers, cell phones, and the internet. Some of my earliest memories were of me playing “Frogger” on the computer and “Sypro” on the first Playstation console. My mom has had an Etsy store online for ten-ish years and we have shopped online for Christmas gifts for as long as I can remember. There are still a few concepts that I find interesting regarding Internet usage and the development of technology therein. One of these concepts is the idea of online avatars. Used frequently in the gaming world (and more recently applied to social networking), avatars are masks that we as consumers and users of media wear for the internet world to see. I also find the ever-growing social love for online networking and trading to be interesting. The idea that our society’s love for the internet can spiral out of control is something that perks my interest. There is a really good anime film called Summer Wars that explores the ideas of online buying, playing, business-conducting, and networking becoming pivotal in humanity’s existence. The traffic lights are controlled by a city maintenance system online, every luxury store is located online; even land is exchanged through the internet. Then one day, a virus is created and injected into the network city (called “Oz”). This virus wreaks havoc, crashing city power grids, flattening stock markets, and wiping out company savings, among other things. Summer Wars creates a world reliant on social networking, and then looks at what would happen if it were infiltrated and destroyed. Check it out!

A Sad 3-D World

Hot Topic: 3-D Animation

                Personally, I cannot stand the new phenomena of 3-D films. I believe that the 3-D technology deployed in Avatar has been the only cutting edge development in the genre. Because James Cameron spent so much money and time to create a new system of cameras and filming technology, the digital breakthrough of the 3-D deployment is striking. In theaters, I had never experienced anything quite like that movie experience. 

The special effects were gorgeous, even though the film was tacky, and the technology did help in bringing the story to life. However, I have seen a handful of 3-D films after Avatar’s release and they are nothing noteworthy. I actually dislike the animation style. 3-D technology has not been evolved or researched enough to create an environment worth participating in. 

                The rest of the 3-D movies I have watched have all deployed cheap, predictable uses for the technology. For instance, Resident Evil: Afterlife’s 3-D graphics consisted of weapons flying at the screen and epic shots of rain falling—and don’t forget the cheesy slow motion shots of women in battle. The movie itself was terrible and its use of 3-D was even worse. Yet, movies such as this draw in large crowds because they employ a new style of movie-watching. 

After Avatar’s success, scores of films began releasing in 3-D. Other movies, especially Disney ones, rereleased in the same manner. I believe this is a ploy to draw crowds to the box office. With the rise of Netflix and internet watch-sites, as well as “On Demand,” people have been going to the cinema less and less. So film companies flounder about, grasping for an advantage. Because 3-D instantly caught on (especially with the release of Nintendo’s 3-DS), movies began automatically releasing in this newly developed format. 

While it has been a bit of a success, I know people (including myself) that strickly avoid 3-D movies. They give me a headache and the graphics are not good enough to endure the pain. The technology distracts me from the film itself—and I think that is a crucial error in movie creation. It seems like the films that are released in 3-D are not as rich in plot or dialogue as the ones that retain the normal format.

Exploring the Concept of Opinion

Exploring Concepts: Film Chapter 

On "Avatar" and the Reviews Thereof

                Most film critics tick me off because too often they do not look at the message or ambiance of a film and instead choose to reflect on the budget, acting quality, lead names, and actions of the directors and producers involved. I believe that even if a film is poorly made or underacted but has a great plotline or an original idea, it should still be recognized for its positive qualities instead of being hatefully bashed. The most prevalent cases that come to my mind are some of the reviews about “Avatar.” 

While there were a group of critics that hailed it, loving the imagery, technology, and themes within the picture, there were an equal number of spiteful reviews. These reviews bashed Cameron for his overuse of explosions and his stereotypical, stock characters. Others called it Pocahontas in space.

 In actuality, these criticisms I believe to be true—however, they do not change my mind about the general ambiance of the film and the message (even though regurgitated from previous movies like “Dances with Wolves” and “Pocahontas”) is beautiful. Being one with nature thrills me as a pagan and I loved seeing my spirituality depicted through a gorgeous alien race and their fantastical beasts. It is also a topic that modern society needs to heed more attention to. Speaking of beasts, another aspect of the film that did not get as much attention from the critics as it deserved was the creature designs employed. 

The neon-strung, six-legged monsters were stunning and the, for lack of a better word, coolness of the alien animal designs thrilled me to the core. I actually shed a few tears from the shear awesomeness of the bestial visuals. I believe critics should pay more attention to the artistic aspects of film, like set, dress, and the like, and not just focus on the actors and directors involved.