At Home Practical

Piece to Camera

Disinformation and the media: the case of Russia and Ukraine

Week 1 – Fake News, Disinformation and Misinformation

Week 2 – ABC Fact Check

Week 3 – Fact Check Cred

RMIT offers a ‘micro-credential’ called Fact Check, which was created to teach students some media literacy skills, particularly being able to check whether a news source is accurate and trustworthy. It also shows students how to discern when pictures or videos are manipulated, or generated by Artificial Intelligence (deepfakes).

There was a quiz at the end to see how much we had learned, and I got 19/20. I’m not too sure if it was better or worse than I thought I’d get; but some questions were worded vaguely, which made me feel like I was just guessing some answers. With that being said, I don’t know if I’m the target market of the credential, as I already understood much of what was discussed inside.

Before completing the credential, I never really thought about the differences between primary and secondary sources. I also believed that fact-checking and debunking were essentially the same thing, and were done concurrently.  While there are certainly some similarities, they seem to have different roles, and examine different types of claims. Sites like Snopes showing both fact checking and debunking don’t help the confusion.

As I already had some prior knowledge about disinformation and bias, I’m not sure if the credential alone will change my media engagement to a large degree; however, I believe that the lessons taught in the cred will change how I find information when doing research while studying, as I have more of an understanding of when to choose between primary and secondary sources.

I believe that Fact Check is a useful course to take, especially if you are learning how to do research at an academic level; or need a refresher due to changes in the media environment. In my opinion, it would be a useful credential for students in first year alongside lessons in academic research; as well as for mature age students, who may not be familiar with the current media landscape.

Article chosen: RMIT ABC Fact Check 2020, ‘Was former Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate correct when she said taxpayers’ money wasn’t used to purchase Cartier watches?’ ABC News, 18 December, viewed 11 March 2021, <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-18/did-australia-post-use-taxpayers-money-to-purchase-cartier-watch/12967188>

This Fact Check article discusses the recent scandal involving Christine Holgate, the former CEO of Australia Post, as well as the relationship between the federal government and Australia Post. I was interested at looking at this article because it was based on something that was only short-lived in this media cycle. When the scandal was first revealed openly, Melbourne was about to end their COVID-19 lockdowns, and the USA were about to vote; taking the oxygen from a comparatively minor story. Also, as a long term Post employee, I assumed that I was familiar enough with the watch scandal to be able to understand what facts were being checked.

The article itself was thorough, as it needed to explain Australia Post’s structure, as it is a ‘government business enterprise,’ something that may not be understood by the average person. I found it helpful that Fact Check remained on topic with the single claim, rather than trying to examine the entire scandal, as it could easily make the article confusing. It discussed the history of Australia Post specifically its change from a government department to a GBE, and the reasons why the government chose that structure. It also looked at the difference between government ownership and government funding.

For evidence, Fact Check examined legislation that governs Australia Post’s operations, as well as financial statements and Hansard. They also interviewed commercial law academics, and referenced a journal article and editorial piece. I believe that the use of both primary and secondary sources was well balanced, and made for a trustworthy and accessible investigation. The ‘Not cut and dried’ verdict is a reasonable finding, considering how fine the line is due to Australia Post’s business structure.

This otherwise dry article is important, as government funding and ownership is often oversimplified by some media sources, especially when the loaded term ‘taxpayer money’ is used.

From my understanding, fake news is a type of media that is designed to deceive some casual media consumers into believing a certain viewpoint. A fake news piece is designed to emulate legitimate news sources, but contain fabricated reports. Fake news is often shared through social media, usually by private users.

In class, we spoke about using the term disinformation instead of fake news, but I believe that disinformation is better used as an umbrella term, with fake news as a specific category.

Satirical journals, such as The Onion, The Chaser, and The Betoota Advocate, would not be considered fake news by the modern definition, because their articles are not written to be interpreted as factual, through elements such as subject matter, comedic references and writing style. A journal used for disinformation would instead be written in a more serious tone with no comedic elements, which would potentially be taken ‘more seriously’ by an otherwise uninformed reader.

Misinformation is where false information is understood as real. As media literacy has only recently become a talking point with the general public, it may take a number of years to reach a point where misinformation is no longer a dangerous weapon.

I get the majority of my news from social media – usually Facebook or Reddit, like most of the people I talked to in class. I also have a few news apps on my phone that push notifications. Interestingly, from my thorough research that totally wasn’t talking to others in class, the only legacy media source that was nearly as popular was the radio.

To be honest, I have unintentionally shared fake news. It was thankfully a fairly harmless article about something non-political, though I still felt a bit embarrassed after realising that the article I shared was fictional.

By the end of the semester, I want to learn how fact checking is done professionally, and possibly even reverse-engineer the ways that disinformation and misinformation are created, to counter and destroy them.

A draft of my voiceover script

When I first enrolled in Screen Lab, I assumed that the studio would be more related to using film as a way to educate. While this was the current assignment, I realised that there was an equal amount of time given to experiment, realising that the name of the studio has a double meeting.

Screen Lab was a great opportunity for me to be able to experiment with different concepts and techniques. In class, we learned how to chroma key and colour grade. We also looked at newer technologies that are used in the industry, such as the virtual production studio.

I was particularly interested in the role that sound plays in film, which is something that I feel is often overlooked when learning about filmmaking. Practicing the audio recording process was invaluable, and am looking forward to improving my skills in the future. It was also interesting to learn about foley, how it involves extensive improvisation and ingenuity, and the impact it has on the tone of a film.

If we were able to work on campus, it would have been easier to practice our skills, because most of us didn’t have access to the equipment and studios available on campus. As someone who is neurodivergent, I find it incredibly difficult to study at home, so even just having edit suites, labs and study spaces available would have made it easier for me to finish assignments.

For my assignment, my subject was A Beginner’s Guide to Film Editing. I chose to present my topic as a video essay, as it would be an efficient way to present my information while still featuring entertaining elements. It’s a great educational tool, and tends to be more personal. A topic like ‘editing’ can be a little flat, a video essay would give this a fresh look. It would allow me to use a variety of interesting visuals, and music to support the tone of the video as well as allowing me to be more creative with the editing. I could also add light humour to help emphasise my content, providing an informative, engaging and entertaining production.

A video essay is also much easier to produce at home, compared to filming my own footage. While I would have enjoyed filming my own footage or making an animation, working at home during lockdown made this more difficult, as I had limited opportunities to work with classmates and teachers in an informal setting, where we could share ideas, experiences and resources.

I was able to source a large amount of information on film editing in my research. My challenge was to condense this information into the required duration of my film. This meant that I needed to be strategic in my workflow, decide what would be needed to be discussed in full, and what could be abridged or removed altogether.

I decided that the best way to present the information was by dividing the different types of edits into four categories: cuts, continuity, assembly, graphics. My presentation would start with a brief introduction to explain the purpose of film editing.

I decided to use a voiceover on these categories, and use supercuts to show the different types of edits that fit within each category. This provided me with a structure for setting an easy to follow pace for my video. It would have been tempting to include as much information within the time limit as possible, but the voiceover would probably lack enthusiasm, like the ones at the end of government ads, a sure-fire way for a viewer to lose interest.

Artistically, I wanted to incorporate elements of vaporwave, an audio-visual style that combines irony and nostalgia in an exaggerated way. While it runs the risk of becoming dated quickly, I believe it would work with the visuals featuring footage of film editing suites during different eras. It would also interact with my opening statement: ‘Even if technology has changed, the basics of editing are the same.’

I plan to use clips from a variety of Australian films; mainstream and independent, classic and modern, as the main audience of this video essay would be ACMI patrons, who would either be Australian, or are interested in Australian media. The viewer would be able to relate to the clips, if they had seen the film before, or they would be inspired to watch the original source due to its editing style.

To bind the video essay together, I will use soft, slow, ambient music that would complement the ‘vaporwave’ visuals without distracting the viewer from interacting with the content. If I am unable to find something appropriate, I would use other ambient music that I can manipulate to suit the video. Depending on the video clips I use, I can either keep the background music playing, or crossfade it. I would need to experiment during post-production.

I wanted to include an interactive portion to maintain viewer engagement, however limited time, resources and knowledge made this part impossible. ACMI could work with corporate partners, such as Blackmagic Design, to provide an interactive experience.

As I am currently completing my script, I am excited to begin production, and to eventually see my film together with my classmates’ at ACMI.

It’s great to exchange opinions or ideas with the other students and provide feedback. By giving feedback helped me to reflect on my own interpretations and ideas on particular aspects of my assignments.

Perhaps due to the lockdown, this semester has made me realise the importance of collaboration, and how I used to take it for granted. It’s great to exchange opinions or ideas with the other students and provide feedback. By giving feedback, I was able to reflect on my own interpretations and ideas on particular aspects of my assignments.

Working in a virtual environment has been a challenge to engage in group work. While we had opportunities; not being in a traditional classroom setting made it harder to get to know each other, and therefore form groups. Classmates would disengage whenever opportunities to chat in small groups were provided. It could be because using talking without eye contact feels overly formal.

For me, typing felt more natural – because I didn’t feel like I was interrupting, and could revise what I was trying to say. I felt that my contributions were more valued.

There were also technology issues, mostly disconnections and poor call quality, hindering the flow of discussions.

While all of my classmates had interesting proposals for their major assignments, I want to focus on Jessica Robson’s presentation about the clapperboard.

I like Jessica’s proposal because it is interesting and engaging, making me think of something I had not thought of before, the clapperboard. Jessica appears to have well researched the topic developing a logical flow to the narrative, building on each concept as she presents.

The three-topic structure that Jessica outlined is effective, as it provides enough time for all of the information to be presented, while still adhering to an easy-to-follow pace. It is also helpful that she has calculated the time needed for each part, as it’s easier for viewers to picture how she’d structure the film. Her ability to summarise her research demonstrates that the film will likely be the right balance of being both informative and concise.

The decision for Jessica to film herself can be an effective approach to capture the attention of the viewer, as it creates a more conversational connection with them.

In addition, Jessica’s use of a clapperboard as a prop also adds to that conversational feeling, although in the current environment, it might be difficult to source one.

Highlighting the clapperboard’s Melbourne origins is a brilliant way to engage audiences, as it adds a local connection for the viewer, even more so for Melburnians, who, like Australians as a whole, display a certain level of pride about local scientific discoveries and inventions. This is important to capitalise on, especially considering the symbolic role of the clapperboard in filmmaking. Jessica could consider including more Australian examples featuring the clapperboard.

The graphics and colour scheme that Jessica has used are subtle but effective, and would carry over well to the final film. Using period music in the background would add a historic tone to the film, which would complement the historical significance of the clapperboard.

I am looking forward to seeing Jessica’s presentation at ACMI, and learning more about the clapperboard.

This week, we watched rough cuts of everyone’s silent short films. I was impressed with everyone’s work, especially the way that everyone took a different approach to the assignment brief. While some classmates paid homage to, or modernised the traditional silent film, others experimented in different ways. Some students even used stop motion, visual effects and even colour to communicate in their films.

I unfortunately couldn’t show anything, because of the changes of plans, and constantly having to go back to the drawing board because things weren’t working. As much as I want to actually hand in a finished product, I feel like it’s unlikely to happen. While I’d like to learn more about animation in the future, I will probably do it in my own time, when I at least have the energy for personal projects.

This week, we looked at Assignment 2 again, first at the requirements, then at some short films for inspiration. Unfortunately, the mate who was going to help me out had a death in the family, so I don’t think it’s a good idea to ask him for help at this time. It means I have to go to the drawing board, and worse, possibly have to attempt animation again, but if it’s the only way I’m going to be able to do it, then so be it. I’m not too sure how to write a “script” if there’s no dialogue though. With that being said, I’ll watch some old silent films and animated shorts for inspiration.

We also started looking at our major assignment, starting with defining what makes a “good” gallery experience. From my understanding, it involves striking the right balance of informative and engaging. From anecdotal experience, it makes a lot of sense. Growing up in Canberra, I was spoiled by well-resourced museums and galleries, where curators were able to invest in the overall experience, especially compared to much smaller private galleries, where investment was limited to purchasing and maintaining the collection.

This week, we started off by watching everyone’s short films for assignment 1. It was interesting to see how others in class experimented with different styles, as well as adapting their filmmaking skills during this almost surreal time. That was my reasoning for giving animation a go, but I completely overestimated my drawing skills, and underestimated the animation learning curve, hence my work seems to look like something blammed from 2001-era Newgrounds. Hopefully my Canberra-based friend can act through Zoom or Discord for assignment 2.

On Thursday, we looked at the technical side again, this time working with visual effects. One of the main things was chroma keying. While I have some experience working with it, it was good to go over it again, especially in Premiere. It’s much easier to create good results than in After Effects, the software I had used before.

We also examined some elements used in making the TV series The Mandalorian, especially their use of a Virtual Production workflow. From what I can understand, scenery is sculpted and rendered using a game engine, and is displayed on LED panels installed on set; in the case of The Mandalorian, in a 360º circle. It is rendered on the fly, so adjustments and modifications can be done up to the point of shooting; and uses motion capture to move around with the action on the set. It would be interesting to experiment with virtual production, especially when combined with practical effects.