MEDIA INDUSTRIES: Online Seminar Critique

Boasting a day with great content, theme, catering and a line up of guests, the ‘On the line’ group presented us with the final seminar from the 2014 Wanted seminar series.

The most district aspect of the seminar was the appropriate theme and staging of the event. I really liked the digital/ matrix visual style of the event, which I anticipated to be present after watching the group’s video trailer for the seminar, earlier in the week, which really introduced their theme. Upon walking through the seminar room doors, I was pleasantly surprised to see the whole visual environment of the room. I really liked the use of the multicolored green and white lighting to accompany the overall low-key lighting, their choice of ambient music, visual graphics projected onto the screen as well as all the room decorations, particularly the binary coded banners at the front of the stage, to support the atmosphere of the room. However I wouldn’t mind seeing more physical props positioned on stage to fill some space and enhance the mise en scene.

It was evident that the group was well prepared (as they were the last presentation group) and technically competent. In addition to the intimate lighting arrangements, the sound quality of the audio set-up was consistently loud and clear.  I additionally enjoyed seeing the detailed graphic and text screen visual animated slides that were shown via the projector, to support each time a guest introduced themselves.

I consider the group promoted their event rather effectively. In addition to the group’s decently produced video posted on the Wanted series’ Facebook page, I saw many posters not only in building 9 but around several populated areas and notice boards around RMIT’s city campus

Although there was an individual missing, the remainder of the guest line up featuring Beatrix Coles (Screenherd), Anna Horan (The Vine) and Steinar Ellingsen (Melbourne Webfest), were appropriately chosen by the group to talk to us students. I believe the two hosts were great with interacting and constantly ‘interrogating’ the guest online content producers to get all the required responses to their questions.  Because of this, the content and discussions throughout the seminar, greatly covered the broad subject of transmedia and the effectiveness of the current online landscape of media rather well.  However I especially liked the discussion of internships, and the advice the guests were able to share, based on their experiences while working as interns. “As soon as you feel like you’re being exploited, get the hell out“ exclaimed Beatrix, which was one of her many words of advice.

Therefore the final seminar series wrapped up in spectacular fashion as the event was well executed and rather enjoyable.

Score:HD