Today in class the rough cuts for our PB4 audio essays were due. Ryan is voluntarily assigned to the role of official audio editor, so he is in charge of this process. The plan was he was going to show us what he had come up with from all our footage and to then edit it properly as a group in class. Unfortunately, a few people (including me) in the group forgot to give him our footage (so I forgot to give him the interview I did with Hannah) so he didn’t have enough time to properly create exactly what he had in mind. So we didn’t even get to preview it until Louise came over and listened to it – so this was the first time we had all heard it all together as well. This meant we didn’t have time to discuss as a group what could be better, or to edit it together.

But we will get this done in our next meeting for sure, just weren’t able to during this lesson.

At the beginning of tutorial this week we held the discussion of internships and different types of areas people within the class are interested in. It was actually very interesting to hear this as we are ultimately all doing this course to find our place!

Some of the areas that were discussed included:

• Video production
• Radio
• Music journalism
• Radio
• Film and TV
• Creative agency
• Online magazines

I am extremely keen to complete an internship in the film and television area as that it what I am most interested in and it’s where I can definitely see myself working in the future. I don’t exactly know what just now, but I know it’s a good start.

Once we had each thought about our specific areas, we had to generate ideas as to how we would find internships. Louise stated that the most important thing to do before anything is research. If I am interested in film and TV, I need to ook speicifcally at production companies at the end of each film or show I watch, and get in contact with them. BUT before this, I need to research. I need to find out everything about this specific production company (or whatever company it ends up being) so show that I am knowledgeable, and most of all I genuinely want an internship there and I am super keen (to simply put it).

I completely agree with this 1005. There would be nothing worse (I can imagine) than not knowing anything, or even just knowing the basics, of a specific place, company or whatever it may be that you are interested to work in/ have any connection to.  It could come across as not very enthusiastic and quite challenging for the people hiring (e.g.).

So… RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH !!!

Yesterday at our PB4 meeting we were so productive – we got virtually all our audio complete. We each did a mini introduction for our interviewee’s interview, and Ryan recorded the monologue. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until the meeting had finished and we were all at home when we realised that Jason and I’s recordings were both too loud and the frequency caused the audio to be crackly and unclear. This meant we had to re-record. So today in tutorial we found a quiet, empty room on level 9 and re-recorded our mini sections. It was fine, it only took roughly 15 minutes to complete. I also had to record the disclaimer section to include in the end of our essay, which took a while considering I had to completely read out everybody’s email address!

In today’s meeting, we had aimed to complete majority, if not all of our audio. This was quite successful as all we had to do was introduce our interviewees seeing as the dialogue would predominately consist of the interviews.

Ryan took three takes before being happy with the sound of his 1 minute monologue where he would introduce the entire essay in a quirky, matter of fact way.

The day as a whole was a success as we got through exactly what we planned.

The room in which we booked was located in building 9 and it kept in sound really well, without echoes and gave our dialogue the clarity it needed.

Overall this process took about 1 hour.

Internship just feels like a completely foreign concept as I’ve always thought it was ages away. It was only today that the realisation came upon me that we are beginning to actually think about it. It’s so exciting! I feel so old. I feel so inspired now, now I finally can start to think about what I want to do and what area I am most interested in.

I am super keen and egar to go into the film and TV industry at the end of this course, so I will definitely consider doing interships at different film and TV studios and companies.  I have no idea exactly what without this area yet, but I will definitely soon find out after lots of researchJ

Today in tutorial we continued to work on our PB4’s in our groups. Ryan, Lydia, Jason and I assigned each other specific roles so everything can be done quicker and more efficiently. Since a draft of our audio section to the assignment is due next Wednesday, we assigned roles for that first before the video section.

My task to complete before next Monday (because our group meets on Monday and Tuesday) was to interview Hannah in our class. Trigger warnings essentially originated in the US and are predominately used there. Hannah is from Detroit in America, thus would have a greater understanding of trigger warnings, and her opinion/ experience with them is valuable information. I borrowed an audio zoom microphone and found a quiet room on level 9 where the interview could take place. The room was small, however the effects were still quite echoey, which didn’t really affect the quality, just could have been a bit clearer.

I asked Hannah about her experiences with trigger warnings, and when she’s encountered them or being immersed within them in any way.

She began discussing how predominate they are on social media or online in general, which she believes is a positive as acts as a protector to graphic or offensive material.

She then drew the issue of trigger warnings being placed on content in universities or any other educational environment, which she finds ‘ridiculous’ as university in particular is meant to set people up for life, and there aren’t trigger warnings for life. Good points Hannah!

PBS = public broadcasting service. When PBS’s butt heads with social media, it can become problematic very rapidly.

Q and A is a television program on the ABC that involves two sides of politicians discussing current issues in the media, with the input of the audience. It is an incredibly interactive television show where the audience is able to have their say, their opinions are valid and they are most of all encouraged to be a part of incredible discussions with intellectually experienced individuals in the political field.

Although the producers and everyone involved with the production have complete control over the show and what it involves, they definitely can’t control what these audience members say. To my recollection, I believe the questions of those within the audience are checked and possibly manipulated, however the producers still can’t guarantee that these individuals will say their question. When it comes their turn to ask their question, an audience member could flip and start swearing, saying something completely different to their question, completely irrelevant, they could start dissing the program – anything could happen, and the producers don’t have control of this.

 

Furthermore, audience members on twitter are able to provide their input as well. Tweets with the hashtag #qanda are included in the program at the bottom of the screen throughout the show. During an episode recently, a tweet with the hashtag #abbottlovesanal was included on the screen. This is what can happen when PBS collides or comes in contact with social media. Although social media is a fantastic way for the public to come into contact with specific things related to the media, it can definitely be a negative because is can’t be controlled.

This week in lectorial, we spoke about institutions and the different types including social and cultural.

“Concern with organising structures of society and have certain values and principles.”

Marriage as a social and/or cultural institutions. I never thought of these events such as marriage that we hear in every day to be classified as certain institutions, until now it does make sense. It means different things to different cultures and is celebrated in different ways – thus is a cultural institution. It is looked upon differently through different groups of people (society). It changes family values as two people are coming together to create a family – thus is a social institution.

In regards to both the audio and video essays for our PB4’s, it was suggested that ‘ideas’ was the central element as all the other elements seemed to draw back to it. The other elements within essays consisted of research & observation, quotes, intelligence as primary matter, personal voice ‘subjective’ and affordances of the medium/ techniques.

This week I was unwell so didn’t come in for our group’s scheduled meeting; and I missed much more than I was expecting! My group entirely changed our main idea for the audio essay to a concept I have never heard before – trigger warnings. I literally had to google what these were because for some reason I didn’t know a thing about it!! So after some research I found out that it’s essentially a warning presented before any material that could be offensive to viewers or ‘trigger’ certain things in people.

 

Urban Dictionary:

Trigger Warning

A phrase posted at the beginning of various posts, articles, or blogs. Its purpose is to warn weak minded people who are easily offended that they might find what is being posted offensive in some way due to its content, causing them to overreact or otherwise start acting like a dipshit.

 

They are predominately in the United States and there is apparent speculation that they will eventually be introduced here down under.

 

Since I didn’t know what it was/what they were, I couldn’t contribute to the group meeting even over social media / our collaborative google doc because I have nothing to share, however I am looking forward to our next meeting where I can actually hear what Jason Ryan and Lydia have come up with regard to this topic, and hopefully by then I will be able to contribute a bit more! Go team

This week’s lecture was based on the concept of audiences. I was able to gather the information given at the lectorial and come up with the distinct differences between two types of audiences – passive audiences and active audiences.

Passive audiences are easily convinced by the media, they are brainwashed and essentially believe all they are told, and are easily manipulated by the delivery from the media.

Active audiences are not easily influenced by the media and are able to make their own decisions on what to believe.

Fans were also mentioned in the lectorial as they were described as regressive social subjects. I initially didn’t understand why it was necessary to alienate them as these so called ‘subjects’, and why they were referred to as regressive. Do they mean they are less developed in the knowledge they hold in regards to the media? It was also said that the emergence of participatory culture and interaction practices on the part of audiences due to new technologies and changes in media industries.