“Time waits for no one”

I continually have a great appreciation for how film-makers condense such a baffling concept in less than three hours, whether it’s in action, comedy or even romance. Although science fiction is embedded within most of these films, time travel tales have become so abundant and complex over the years that they challenge us to follow along. Furthermore, the fact there’s no evidence that time travel is plausible, it situates film-makers in this oxy-moronic sounding position of creating a “believable” time travel movie. Below is a list of some of my favourites (so far):

Predestination (2014)

Director: The Spierig Brothers
Starring: Sarah Snook, Ethan Hawke, Noah Taylor
-Australian made film that leaves you guessing until the end (or even after the end).
-Temporal frequency is used throughout in order to provide a different perspective of the repeated scenarios.
-Temporal duration of ninety-seven minutes portraying a story that takes place within forty years.

Source Code (2011)

Director: Duncan Jones
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan
-Subtle changes in lighting aids with the progression of the narrative and repetition of the eight minute sequence.
-Much like Predestination, Source Code extensively uses temporal frequency to present the theory of time travel

Donnie Darko (2001)

Director: Richard Kelly
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Daveigh Chase
-One of the best plot twists.
-Explores the theory of the Tangible Universe in a not-so complicated way.

About Time (2013)

Director: Richard Curtis
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Domhnall Gleeson
-A not-so cheesy romantic comedy with a twist of time travel
-Use of motifs such as the closet allows the main character’s transportation
-Uses the theory to lead onto a great life lesson at the end

Midnight in Paris (2011)

Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams
-A homage to the thriving 1920s.
-Main character taking a trip to nostalgia lane while also making us fall in love with Paris.

Back to the Future I & II (1985 & 1989)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4QLKKqjk7A
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd
-Explores the linear time line where altering the past can result to Marty McFly’s extinction.
-Who doesn’t love those pop culture references?
-Their ambitious predictions for 2015.

Meet the Robinsons (2007)

Director: Stephen J. Anderson
-The contrast between a dystopian and utopian future.
-An underrated Disney movie featuring relatable and charismatic characters that you either love or love to hate.

The Girl who leapt Through Time (2006)

Director: Mamoru Hosoda
-A teenage girl accidentally has the ability to leap through time. She tries to use this power to her advantage, but soon discovers that tampering with time can lead to some rather unexpected results.
-Analysing the mise en scene foreshadows the progression of the film.
-The plot twist will melt your heart.

So as you can see, there’s isn’t this certain structure that must be followed when it comes to the time travel sub-genre. When a concept like this is still mysterious and ambiguous, let your imagination and creative loins go wild! Are any time travel movies you’d recommend I NEED watch next? Comment below, and I’ll add it to my list.

Yes, Nick Moore’s video essay on video essays is quite meta and as entertaining as it sounds. Video essays are a different approach to the traditional written essay, and quite honestly, a lot more engaging and beneficial for people with hyper attention (I can attest to that). The one thing that Moore emphasises is that there’s no formula when it comes to creating a video essay. Indeed, no need of the TEEL structure that we’re constantly bombarded with in high school.

According to Moore, “supercuts are the easiest to make” while also providing a montage of anything. In this case, we would have to use copyright material sparingly for educational purposes such as providing evidence or an example to the topic. Throughout the entire video, Moore was conversational and kept a witty tone that provided the entertainment factor. Upon meeting with my group, this entertainment factor became our aim through witty dialogue and constantly referring to recent and popular examples. Moreover, our focus was on the script and establishing humour both visually and aurally.

Another thing that Moore brought to my attention, was the way we were to present our references. As a group, we came to the consensus that we were to feature Desktop screenshot and use subtitles for the video snippets. In order to carry the essay along, we have decided to combine voice narration with a host to camera rather than just relying on voice narration alone. Right after viewing this tutorial, we’ve all become comfortable to what we were to tackle this essay and now have a vision to what we want to achieve as a group. A big thank you to you Nick Moore!

“Media institutions are enduring. They regulate and structure activities”

Many institutions fall under the media institution umbrella. Facebook and Community radio are just two examples that share the same characteristics that would be defined as an institution; values, mode of address and professionalism. But then again, they differ within these characteristics.

Facebook is the primary social media that values connections, sharing, data information and social relations. In terms of its mode of address, Facebook is converses casually with an interface and involves personalised choices. Over the years, Facebook has converted into a social conglomerate for having purchased Instagram and Whatsapp.

Courtesy of: http://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/467500666/640×0.jpg?fit=scale&background=000000

On the contrary, community radio values diversity, education, a smaller scale, a broader range of views and is exclusive. Although it values being exclusive, its mode of address involves being inclusive, showcasing to smaller audiences, aims for a local community and has a narrow casting. In terms of professionalism, community radio is a training ground and stepping stone for those who are starting out in the industry.

Courtesy of: http://www.3cr.org.au/sites/default/files/images/news/KCR-ForDigitalStationWebsites-ShowYourSupport-1.jpg

The National Broadband Network promised by the Labour government was to provide fibre connections directly to our households with speeds of up to 1 gigabyte per second.

On the contrary, The Liberal party proposed the Multi-technology mix National Broadband Network (MTM NBN). This entails fibre to the node where fibre is attached through a box on the street and delivers a speed of 25 to 50 megabits per second on copper wire to the household.

With this whole “complex assemblage of infrastructure networks, communication devices, software, location, user subjectivity and political input”, Australia’s ranking in the global ranking for internet speed has lowered from the 30^th to the 60^th position. Thanks to today’s workshop, I’ve discovered that we Australians are paying for how much data we are given as supposed to other countries who pay for the speed of their internet, again it relates back to politics.

Since the privatisation of Telstra, competitors struggle to attract consumers. For example, TPG offers $69.99 worth of unlimited data and calls to Australian mobiles and landlines. But the problem is, landlines have become almost obsolete in every household. Again, what we as the consumers are most interested in is SPEED. As a media practitioner, I constantly hear the familiar screeches of “why is the internet so slow?” for every single time I’ve had to upload a video or re-upload just in case the first and second time didn’t work out.  Check out Waleed Aly’s response to this whole political debacle.

Reference: M. Dias, M.Arnold, M.Gibbs, B. Nansen & R. Wilken, ‘Asynchronous speeds: Disentangling the discourse of ‘high-speed broadband in relation to Australia’s national broadband network’, Media International Australia, Incorporating Culture & Policy, Jun 2014, Issue 151, p.117-126