Category Archives: Media 1

Assessments, Media 1

Reflections

From the very start of Media 1 I was reconfiguring how I thought about media. Initially, in week two, I thought I’d discovered that I’m a hyper-attentive learner, but as I continued through the course and my productivity dwindled I realised that I work better when I focus solely on the task at hand. I constantly encountered moments like this where I had to modify (and sometimes destroy) my previous notions of certain topics and ideas related to media.

Looking back at my assessment submissions for the year is really eye-opening. My Project Brief 2 is, basically, terrible. I struggled with putting myself into a video, and took the easy way out by making the video not really about me. This disengagement with the idea of the assessment was reflected in my mark, which was by far the lowest I received all semester, but luckily I took that to heart and things definitely improved after that.

I’m quite proud of my work on Project Brief 3, to the point where I’ve actually been happy to show it to friends and family who ask about what I’m doing at RMIT. I learned so much in the process of making PB3, and although it’s definitely not perfect I think it was exactly what I needed to put me on the path to becoming a better practitioner. I definitely consider PB3 to be the “start” of my engagement with the course; the point where everything clicked and I realised what was required to get the best out of the course.

With Project Brief 4 I think adding the element of collaboration was really valuable. Not only did it force me to get used to working with others (including all of the potential problems inherent in that practice), but I think it actually resulted in better work than I could have achieved on my own, particularly with the video essay portion. Over the break I’m considering other ways to keep collaborating with other students, with the goal that I’ll be perfectly comfortable with sharing the workload on group assessments for the rest of my degree.

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This is a learning graph of my progress through the semester. Plotting a graph like this forced me to revisit my work and old blog posts to determine exactly how (and how much) I progressed from week to week, which was an enlightening experience. Looking back at the semester as a whole I definitely feel like I’ve grown and learned a lot, but it wasn’t until I put it all down on paper that I realised just how quickly it all happened.

From the very start of semester I’ve always felt like I had a good grounding in the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings on media making, especially textual analysis and the like. This is the area in which I’ve grown the least, which is not surprising considering I’ve concentrated on making progress in other areas. I also consider myself a “good student” (since I’m used to working a 9-5 job and having immutable deadlines), so the professionalism aspect of the graph is also mostly high.

By far my most dramatic improvement has been in the category “practice”, which describes creativity and actually operating like a media maker from day to day. This definitely wasn’t something I considered a strength at the start of the year, I basically just coasted through life without realising the impact media has on me, but now every day I’m thinking about my daily experience in terms of media – I’m constantly looking for projects to take on, making note of ideas I might like to explore, engaging with texts in new and interesting ways, etc. It’s fair to say that doing this semester at work has completely reconfigured my brain to be thinking about media in ways I never did before.

Finally, here is a small selection of some of my favourite posts from the semester:

  1. The Edit (March 10)
    This post describes a Lectorial in which we learned about the conceptual ideas behind editing in cinema. Discovering the nuts-and-bolts behind a process that I previously took for granted was a fantastic learning moment, and it also gave me a new and deeper understanding of Martin Scorsese’s Casino, which a film I love but hadn’t explored in great depth.
  2. Vocal Timbre (March 22)
    Taking what we’ve read about in class and applying it to my experience of other media is probably my favourite thing about Media 1. In this post I apply the idea of sound timbre to two podcasts hosts, and analyse why it might be that I love one and dislike the other.
  3. Will technology destroy cinema like it destroyed the music industry? (March 29)
    Another highlight of my semester was applying concepts and ideas explored in one subject (say, Music in Popular Culture) and applying it to what we were learning in another (say, Media 1). This post is a kind of thinkpiece where I consider changes that decimated the music industry, and whether or not new media students like myself should be worried that the same could happen to other industries.
  4. Do you see what I see? (April 10)
    This is perhaps my favourite post of the entire course, because it brought back to mind an incredible documentary that I’d originally watched with just a surface level understanding (amazing though the film was), and recontextualised it to my current knowledge and understanding of media. I still find the idea of cultural divides influencing physical experience to be absolutely fascinating, and hope to explore this area further later in my degree.
  5. Medium theory and technological determinism (May 16)
    Being much older than most of the students in the Media 1 cohort, I often have different, older social or cultural touchstones that inform my understanding of Media 1 topics. As I was in my 20s when the original iPhone came out, I’m now able to consider its influence much easier than perhaps other students can, and I used this to discuss technological determinism in the context of a Lectorial topic.
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Media 1, Thoughts

My weekly media moment

In our Workshop this week we were encouraged to consider a “weekly media moment” – an interesting or instructive encounter we had with some form of media. Last night I went to see a conversation between Ben Birchall and Starlee Kine at the Wheeler Centre on all things podcasting and storytelling.

I don’t know why but a lot of American podcast hosts are in town at the moment. PJ Vogt (of Reply All) appeared at the Sydney Writers Festival over the weekend, and Hrishikesh Hirway (of Song Exploder) will also be at the Wheeler Centre in a couple of weeks. Perhaps they’re on some kind of podcast host field trip, I’m not sure.

Starlee is a journalist, writer and radio producer with whom I first became familiar through her work with This American Life, where she worked as a story producer for over a decade. She’s something of a confessional storyteller: her radio stories generally revolve around events in her own life, and as such have an irresistibly charming personal touch to them. I find this kind of personal memoir to be among the absolute best form of media when done right, but unfortunately it’s very difficult to do right and can often result in boring, interminable waffling from people I don’t care about.

Last year Starlee wrote and produced the first season of her new podcast Mystery Show, which for many reasons I consider to be the best podcast ever made. It’s a complete reinvention of the form, differentiating itself from the accepted “formats” in common use, and Starlee’s personality and open, conversational nature give rise to some incredible conversations from unlikely places.

To hear her speak was wonderfully compelling. Among other topics she described the process she follows to create, develop and execute her ideas into finished form, which is something radio producers rarely do for competitive reasons. The thing that surprised me most was that Mystery Show existed as a pilot episode for two years while she searched for a platform that would take on the show. (Presumably This American Life passed on it to make Serial – probably a sound decision.)

I’d never really considered that creating a podcast pilot and trying to sell it (as a TV producer might do) could be one way to get a podcast idea off the ground. I’ve created a couple of podcasts in the past but they were small exercises between me and my friends, not intended to be treated too seriously, and we just kept pumping out episodes as quickly as we could make them.

Obviously in Australia there are no large-scale podcast networks like PRX or Radiotopia, which makes it difficult for Australians to sell podcast ideas (other than to Radio National), but since Science Vs made it to Gimlet Media last year it’s not out of the realm of possibility that an Australian podcast might again be picked up in the U.S.

Now I just need an idea…

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Assessments, Media 1, Workshops

PB4 video essay rough cut and feedback

In today’s Workshop we received some feedback from Louise on our video essay rough cut. As Katrina is doing the first pass edit for our video it was the first chance I got to see what she’d done as well, and I was so happy to see it all coming together. There was still plenty to be done (and our feedback reflected that), but as a draft it was very good and I feel like we are well on the way to a finished essay that comes close to our initial vision.

We wisely decided to cut a whole chunk of content out of the middle of our essay before we even presented the rough cut, because while it was interesting it wasn’t particularly relevant to our thesis. This saved us a lot of editing time and pushed our video down to around six minutes, which is still over the final maximum length but will be easier to cut down than if we’d included that chunk.

Louise’s feedback was that the bones of our essay were good — the structure and argument that we chose was effective and managed to get our point across succinctly. I was happy to hear this because I feel the same way — I think we locked into a good structure early in our discussions as a group and have followed it through to the finished product. She also pointed out that there were several parts that could be trimmed to save time, which we’ve happily done. One of her suggested edits ended up not being possible because later in the essay we refer back to something mentioned in the cut section, so if we wanted to keep one we had to keep both — and we needed to keep the second one. I think this will be a valuable lesson in making sure I have multiple potential “cut points” in my scripts that can be removed depending on how close I am to the desired length. Cutting down a long, stream-of-consciousness script is nearly impossible without losing some coherence.

Like our audio essay feedback this was an incredibly valuable exercise and will result in a much improved final product.

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Lectorials, Media 1

Studios

Today we were introduced to the Studio system that will define the rest of our participation in the B.Comm (Media) program. Based on what I know of last semester’s Studios this will be an incredible experience, working in medium and large groups on projects throughout the semester. Topics seem to range from highly theoretical / technical subjects to finely focused practical explorations of a single medium.

My main worry is that I’ll probably want to do all of the Studios. When I enrolled in my classes for semester one I had a short list of about 10 electives to choose from and I really agonised over choosing only one to actually enrol in. I even considered turning up to lectures for two or three subjects in the first couple of weeks so I could decide for sure which one I wanted to do.

Obviously this won’t be possible with the Studios, but hopefully over the next five semesters I’ll be able to complete a nice selection of Studios that both appeal to my interests and help to develop my theoretical and practical knowledge.

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Media 1, Thoughts

Werner Herzog teaches filmmaking

The online education provider Masterclass has just announced that it has (somehow) convinced German filmmaker Werner Herzog to create a five-hour video seminar series on filmmaking. You can pre-enroll for the course now to get early access for US$90, which sounds pretty reasonable for five hours of listening to Herzog speak in his amazing German accent. I’ll definitely be signing up.

I can’t even imagine what he’ll be talking about, but if it’s anything like his list of advice for filmmakers it’s going to be amazing.

Werner Herzog’s Advice for Filmmakers

1. Always take the initiative.
2. There is nothing wrong with spending a night in jail if it means getting the shot you need.
3. Send out all your dogs and one might return with prey.
4. Never wallow in your troubles; despair must be kept private and brief.
5. Learn to live with your mistakes.
6. Expand your knowledge and understanding of music and literature, old and modern.
7. That roll of unexposed celluloid you have in your hand might be the last in existence, so do something impressive with it.
8. There is never an excuse not to finish a film.
9. Carry bolt cutters everywhere.
10. Thwart institutional cowardice.
11. Ask for forgiveness, not permission.
12. Take your fate into your own hands.
13. Learn to read the inner essence of a landscape.
14. Ignite the fire within and explore unknown territory.
15. Walk straight ahead, never detour.
16. Manoeuvre and mislead, but always deliver.
17. Don’t be fearful of rejection.
18. Develop your own voice.
19. Day one is the point of no return.
20. A badge of honor is to fail a film theory class.
21. Chance is the lifeblood of cinema.
22. Guerrilla tactics are best.
23. Take revenge if need be.
24. Get used to the bear behind you.

 

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Assessments, Media 1, Workshops

PB4 audio essay rough cut and feedback

In our Workshop today we presented a rough cut of our PB4 audio essay to our tutor. It was a valuable opportunity to have someone outside our group listen to it and provide unbiased feedback — and I’m glad to say that we seem to be on the right track. However, there are definitely a couple of areas we could improve.

Firstly, the essay is too long. Even without all of the elements we planned to include it was nearly 50% over the maximum length, so we’ll have to do some work to cut that down before submission. I think we can do this without compromising quality or clarity, even though we might have to say goodbye to some “good tape”.

Secondly, we were also advised to include more sound effects and musical cues, to break up the monotony of hearing a single voice talk at length without a break. I completely agree with this note and I’m glad it was brought up at this stage, because we still have plenty of time to search for the right sound effects.

Overall our audio essay is progressing well and we will have the whole thing completed next week. I’m really proud of how it’s turned out and Emily and Kat have been really great to collaborate with — surprisingly, my first group assessment experience has actually been pretty positive!

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Lectorials, Media 1

Medium theory and technological determinism

In today’s Lectorial the concept of medium theory was introduced, as well as the role technology has to play in wider social and cultural development.

Medium theory is the study of particular types of media, and the way they differ (physically, psychologically and culturally) from other types of media. To me it seems related to the idea of media affordances, but on a much broader and more philosophical level. There are three main metaphors that are used to answer the question “what is media?”:

  1. Media as conduit, otherwise known as textual analysis (i.e. media contains codes and messages that can be decoded and analysed)
  2. Media as language (i.e. particular forms of media have a unique language and grammar)
  3. Media as environment (i.e. the analysis of media without regard for content [textual analysis] or grammar [affordances])

Technological determinism is the idea that shifts in society and culture are caused by technological advancements. This theory contrasts with an instrumental approach, which says that a society develops and uses the technology it needs as it needs them.

I can see how technological determinism might be an attractive theory in consideration of the industrial revolution, when advancements in manufacturing, transport and communication revolutionised many aspects of society and brought with them large-scale changes to the way society is organised in a relatively short time (i.e. modernity). But is it still applicable today, where the pace of development has greatly accelerated and is more or less continuous?

I remember before the iPhone came out – the mobile web was still in its infancy (text-only WAP browsers), and apps were basically not a thing. There was a strange year-long period there where you could actually SMS questions to a service and some person in an office somewhere would research the answer for you and send it back. Weird times. Did the introduction of the iPhone, arguably the most significant technological advancement so far this century, cause the rapid improvement of the mobile web, a shift to the app economy, and related developments? Or is it that there was an invisible, unarticulated demand for these things, and the iPhone just happened to be the first device that managed to satisfy that demand? It’s probably an impossible question to answer, which is what makes gauging the validity of technological determinism difficult.

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Media 1, Thoughts

Human Rights Arts & Film Festival

Since January I’ve been volunteering on the Human Rights Arts & Film Festival team as Awards Coordinator. It’s been a great experience, working with a very small team with tight deadlines and a lot of hard work required, and since I believe strongly in the ideals of the festival it’s been rewarding on a personal level too.

For months now I’ve been organising and facilitating three jury panels of industry experts to determine the winners of HRAFF’s annual awards: Feature Film, Australian Short and International Short. The panels are made up of representatives from the world of media and human rights, who each bring their own unique experience and knowledge to the table helping to amplify human rights issues through film and art.

Last Friday we presented the Best Australian Short Film award to Darlene Johnson’s Bluey, which is a spirited film about redemption and courage. Darlene was absolutely stoked to receive her award, which was a particularly joyful moment for me.

The festival continues in Melbourne for another week, so I definitely recommend you check it out if you have the time.

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Lectorials, Media 1

Institutional values

In today’s Lectorial we discussed institutions, and particularly the way that institutions can represent extremely different things to different people. To demonstrate this, we completed a little exercise where we came up with some attributes for a particular institution, for example:

Facebook:

  • What is their relationship to their audience? What is their mode of address? Facebook is a platform that in some ways attempts to be “invisible” (i.e. Facebook is your friendships, not just the platform on which you maintain your friendships). Facebook also uses inclusive, informal language to encourage casual everyday use.
  • What are their core values? Sharing, openness, building social ties and networks.
  • What is their status? Facebook is a trusted Silicon Valley success story, enabling revolutionary forms and levels of communication around the world. But in some circles Facebook is seen as a monolithic overseer selling its user’s personal data to unscrupulous advertisers.
  • How are they more than a business? To many people Facebook is a news source (for some, their only news source), a social gathering place, an indispensable communication tool, etc.. Facebook performs many functions outside their core money-making activity.
  • What forms of regulation constrain their activities? Laws and codes of conduct restricting the use of identifying information (cookies, Do Not Track, etc.) could affect their ability to use targeted advertising. Privacy legislation is the primary way that Facebook would come up against regulatory activity.
  • In what sense are they conduits for flows of power? In localised social groups (e.g. high schools, groups of friends, workplaces, etc.) Facebook either enables or denies certain people power. It is also big enough that it can affect real-world political issues, such a same-sex marriage debates in the United States.
  • What other institutions are they related to, engaged with or aligned with? Facebook owns Instagram, another major social networking website/app. It also maintains relationships with major advertisers, governments and regulators all over the world.

I also completed the exercise for NPR, which is an institution I’m personally interested in and contrasts in many ways to an organisation like Facebook.

NPR:

  • What is their relationship to their audience? What is their mode of address? NPR is primarily a broadcaster – traditional radio stations, plus creating content for syndication and online streaming. As a public broadcaster it retains a certain level of trust as it is less beholden to commercial imperatives than other major networks, and in general it is seen as an authority in the world of news and information exchange.
  • What are their core values? Community, inclusion, education.
  • What is their status? As the major public broadcaster in the American radio sector, NPR is very highly respected. However, it also garners criticism of left-wing bias, and as a (partially) publicly funded organisation it receives periodic accusations of being a waste of taxpayers’ money.
  • How are they more than a business? NPR contributes to the ongoing cultural conversation in the United States, and also exports its ideals and values internationally. NPR is also a training ground for presenters who go onto perform on higher profile platforms.
  • What forms of regulation constrain their activities? Broadcasting laws and regulations constrain.
  • In what sense are they conduits for flows of power? As a mass media broadcaster, NPR’s inclusion or exclusion of particular people/groups/communities from its airwaves gives them great power to influence discourse.
  • What other institutions are they related to, engaged with or aligned with? Partner radio stations, content providers, sponsors, other public radio organisations like PRX and Panoply.
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Media 1, Readings

Audiences

The “audience”, since it first became codified in the 18th century as a term for those who are consumers of an event of some sort, has been evolving along with the rest of thought around media/communication ever since. First it was extended to the mass consumption of media such as books in the 19th century, and then again expanded with the development of cinema and television in the 19th and 20th centuries.1

A mediated audience is one whose experience is restricted or directed — by, for example, the publisher of a widely-read newspaper. The publisher’s decisions about what to include in their newspaper, and what angle to take on particular issues, places them in a position of power as a kind of “gatekeeper” to the audience’s experience. Throughout history this has led to huge amounts of power being restricted to a very small number of (white, rich, old) men.

The development of the internet completely broke down this paradigm, as one-way broadcast media was quickly replaced with interactive, two-way communication. Now, instead of having to watch a news broadcast on television at 6:00pm, consumers can discover news direct from the source in real time. Instead of having to buy a DVD copy of a television show, consumers can stream it whenever they like. Publishers and broadcasters, who used to wield the majority of the power in their relationship with their audiences, lost much of this power to democratisation and the increased choice of unmediated experiences offered by the internet.

Today, audiences are just as likely to be creators as consumers. We have seized the means of production from monolithic overseers (through blogs, podcasts, web series, etc.) and have transitioned from passively consuming media to actively engaging with it through discussion, discourse and sharing.2 The fundamental distinction between creator and audience essentially no longer exists, and although there are remnants of the Old Way still present in society, they are actively losing power and relevance, not gaining it.

  1. Morley, D. (2005), ‘Audience’ in New Keywords: A Revised Vocabulary of Culture and Society, Bennett, T, Grossberg, L. & Morris, M (eds.), Wiley-Blackwell, pp.8-10. ↩
  2. Rosen, J. (2006), ‘The People Formerly Known as the Audience’, PressThink, June 27. ↩
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