Tag Archives: experience

Why Can’t We Just Have Both?

Posted on by under Entertainment, Life, Networked Media

I gave this a little thought awhile back. Jake makes some good points, and offers a different perspective. One that I agree with completely. Subscription and cloud based services offer us something extraordinary; that is the ability to literally carry everything from the world around us in our pockets. Well, not exactly, it’s all up in the cloud (That’s also known as Council Bluffs in Iowa, USA). But still, we have access to it all in our pockets. And that’s what we need, to increase productivity, efficiency and accessibility. The potential wealth of knowledge and data available to us as beings of this earth is sensational. It’s the kind of thing that was unfathomable to most, but George Orwell, 50 years ago. And it’s great.

As Chris Anderson notes in “The Long Tail”, this accessibility also provides us access to the entire network of knowledge. It’s thanks to this huge network and the interconnectivity it yields that we have access to so many great things. I’m definitely an advocate of this. I love music. I can’t afford to pay huge dollars to go see an unknown band to satisfy my ever increasing hunger for good music. I can subscribe to Spotify though. Recommended artists. Perfect. Only problem is, sometimes I feel I get a little swamped by people like Amazon, Spotify, Ebay and their other friends. Sometimes they try and do a little more than suggest, they almost preach. They know so much about me, yet why do they still offer me the latest tracks from some pretentious hipster black metal band I clearly have no interest in? I think sometimes the only problem with these services is the network is so complex and interrelated, that sometimes things that seem relatable to you, don’t actually relate to you. There’s plenty of people out there who like The Rolling Stones and the Beatles.But there’s some who are Beatles purists and won’t touch the Rolling Stones and their “edgy” rip off of the Beatles. That’s where the computer loses. Some things can’t be predicted. While the network can help computers relate to us, it also reminds us that computers are not people.

Alois also raises valid contentions in this response. The digital and cloud technologies are less resource heavy then physical belongings, they’re simpler to store. That’s why they’re great. And I guess, for people like Alois, who only use things once, it is an obvious choice as to which kind of possession is more suitable. This is why the possibilities of technology are so exciting. For some people though, like myself, the experience that is related to the physical mediums is to rich to give up. Is it still wasteful to have a tangible possession if you use it repeatedly? I have a lot of things, and I lament it at times as space can be an issue. But I love to immerse myself in these things too much to give up on “real things”. I have lots of books, but I read them more than once. I have lots of records, but I have listened to them through a multitude of times (that number’s still counting). I have a lot of Blu-ray movies, but I watch them more than once. I’m not saying that digital possessions can’t be used more than once. But to me if it’s an experience you can repeatedly enjoy, I do not see it as a waste.

I guess that brings us to the crux, and my initial statement. I talked about this a while back, and it’s something I support. I can’t see a reason why it wouldn’t be viable in the market. It’s a great idea. Physical books being accompanied by a download for a free ebook version. One of the reasons I haven’t given up my physical possessions is that when I buy a lot of them (most vinyl records, all blu-rays, etc) is that they come with a digital version. I have a beautiful tangible object that yields an experience that is more intimate and irreplaceable, but I also have a convenient and accessible version that I can take with me wherever I go. I think this is the path to go down for the future. Sell digital content of all medias on its own. But sell physical versions with a digital interpretation. It would help propel the digital industry and help connect more people to the network, while still embracing the traditional experience based medium.

A Heightened Sense of Things

Posted on by under Life, Networked Media

Quality. Photo: Stefan Dotti

If nothing has come of my time at University, it has helped me to strengthen and tighten my senses, giving me control over what I see, hear and retain. That’s a skill for life that’s going to help me regardless of what sort of career I end up in. If nothing sums it up better, its this statement Dilios makes in Frank Miller‘s 300:

A heightened sense of things. The seaborn breeze, coolly, kissing the sweat at his chest and neck. Gulls cawing, complaining, even as they feast on the thousands of floating dead.

Beautiful and vivid. That’s exactly the kind of attention I pay to my surroundings and environment. I have always had an attention to detail, the stimulation that comes from noticing is a reward for my brain. But between the concepts in Networked media, and the exercises performed in WMT, I have learned a greater control over my senses. Particularly hearing as well as retaining information. I collect vinyl records, so I am used to a higher quality analog sound regardless. I love the depth in the music when its played at its warm and ambient best. When you learn how to use your ears to distinguish, hone in on and control a selection of sounds from the soundscape around you, the experience is even deeper. From these two activities combined, my perception of sound has been completely altered.

I pay attention to tones, sonic qualities and textures in sound that I never experienced before. Even when hearing a song through my car stereo I can now separate the layers and elements of the sound and identify a much cleaner and crisp rhythm, beat, riff, or line. It’s the richness of the experience that I’ve come to enjoy.

It’s the same visually. Taking in the sights around me, noticing those little details and textures of a building, of a piece of furniture, of a car. It creates a more vivid and colourful memory. Something almost tangible. Lucid in its very being. This sort of thinking, the behaviours are only going to help me in life. If you can pay attention to things, retain this information and communicate it effectively, there’s going to be a whole lot of roadblocks that don’t impede you anymore. Paying attention to detail and caring about your environment are important parts of any aspect of life. But as I am starting a career in the media industry within the near future, it becomes even more relevant.

Blogging Builds Brains

Posted on by under Life, Networked Media

Stars and a power pole. What’s more inspirational than that man? Photo: Lisa Ng

Clever alliteration. Thanks, I know. With the assessment for the blog due in a week, I have been putting some thought into why I blog and what I gain from it. Obviously as part of the requirements for the class, the purpose of the blog is to engage with the relevant content and topics in a thorough and speculative manner. I’d like to go a step further than that and look at the greater and wider purpose of my blog. There’s got to be more to life right? Some divine purpose, holy mission, etc, etc. There is. As I celebrate my 40th blog post, I’d like to think that blogging helps me to reach that purpose.

So, at the end of semester one, I knew that my time had come. It was time to do that thing that so many people do. Defer for a year. Why didn’t I do it straight out of school. I think I wanted to get my degree over with as soon as possible. So why don’t I think that any more? Well, I don’t want my degree to end. Don’t take it that way, I actually do, but I don’t think I’m ready for it yet. I feel there’s a lot more I can put into this degree, and at this moment in my life, I’m not ready to engage with the degree in the most beneficial manner. So I’m going to take a year off. Find my passion, invigorate my brain, get some real world experience. It’s not that I’m not enjoying the course, or doing well enough in it. I’m not happy with doing well though. I want to take advantage of every opportunity that is available to me in this course. Kevin is someone who has done the hard yards, and is willing to get into the mix. He dives right in. To his credit, this is something we can all learn from. It’s something I feel I need a little more confidence to do first. So that’s what I’m going out to do.

Anyway,  let’s nut this down to the point. What this blog has done has created an opportunity for me. Someone who can often have trouble expressing things in face to face communication, this blog has really helped me become more expressive and literate in my communication. It’s also shown me the power of being connected and involved in the network. It’s helped me find things I love, express how much I love them and share it with other people. Sure, it might get 15 views a day. But those 15 views are irrelevant. It’s how it makes me feel on the inside.

I feel empowered at the moment, with a whole load of positive energy. This course has got me thinking differently about everything. I speculate, appreciate, evaluate. I plan, I take more risks and I think of things in a long term sense, rather than acting quickly and irrationally. Everything I do, I put more thought into and notice more. The set up of this class has really helped me and my brain. We’re in a good place now, me and brain.

So you might ask, why defer now when you’re feeling such good vibes man? That’s exactly why I’m going to take a break. I’m taking these positive vibes and continuing to work with them. I’m putting them into life, instead of just my studies. My plan is to continue to use this blog, over the next year and throughout my degree and career. Overall, I feel the best way to use this positive energy is to do some hard work, build some resources and get myself involved with my craft and what I love. I need to produce some work, gain some experience and really stretch myself to explore my potential. When that’s done and the year is up, I’ll come back refreshed, keen and eager. Just as I am now, but with a little bit of confidence, a little bit of experience and a little more backing.

For me, this blog has given me a little bit of confidence and a few handy skills, but most importantly it’s helped me feel creative and find my passions. I love to write, so it works well. How well I write will change as time goes on. Things can only get better. But we’ll see if my plans are a golden dream or whether I can make them happen.

Who am I kidding. Of course I can. I’ve got this, man. Anything’s possible (be realistic). Let’s do it. Thanks Kev for the inspiration.

 

Richmond

Posted on by under Entertainment, Life

An old photo, but contextually perfect. Photo: Rachel Hofton

I’ve been a member of the Richmond football club since 2002. I would’ve been seven. I’m now eighteen. Since then, I’ve gone to -on average- eighteen games of AFL each season. Out of a possible 261 wins across that period of time, Richmond have won 95 games. For all you who shade away at the sign of maths (I don’t blame you), that’s roughly 36%. It’s fair to say I am experienced in taking a loss on the chin. I’ve been through enough. But I’m still here, week in week out supporting my team. We’ve been through a lot, me and Richmond. I still love it. Through that period, Richmond has managed to boast strong membership numbers and attendance records almost every week. There’s a lot of love for Richmond, it takes a bit to really get it out though. This article from the Herald Sun (#1 Credible news source in the world) sums it up perfectly.

THERE’S a “frequently asked questions” page on Richmond’s website about how to access finals tickets.

It looks fresh – which isn’t surprising given the last time the Tigers were in the finals, just 42 per cent of Australians had internet access.

If I had to sum up the article, these two lines do it well. This highlights two key issues.

  1. The world is an entirely different place since 2001 when Richmond last made the finals. So much has changed. The fact that only 42% of Australian’s had internet then is frightening, I’m pretty sure it’s about 70% now. 30% more of the population are now connected to the rest of the world and can communicate with anyone, anywhere with a few clicks and taps. This ties in beautifully with the idea of speculating the future and why design fiction is a credible practice. How many people would’ve foreseen the need to have a FAQ on how to book finals tickets online in 2001?
  2. The experience. Getting sick of me reeling this one off in every blog post? Has it hit home how important experience is yet? I took a friend (Carlton follower) to see Richmond play earlier in the year. He said to me after the game that he was legitimately considering becoming a Richmond member because of what he experienced at the game. The atmosphere. The crowd. The extra things that the football club endorse and exercise. For example, when the team runs out they’ve been lining the causeway with war drums (my simple man’s term for some giant oriental drum) and beating them to increase the adrenaline of the players and the crowd. The sheer ferocity of the crowd and cheer squad when the team plays well is incredible. It’s a beautiful experience. Coming home from a win makes my weekend so much better.

I’m going to the MCG today to watch Richmond vs. Carlton. There’s only two more games after this one, but if things wall to plan – maybe – just maybe, there might be a chance of even a top four berth for Richmond. Let’s not get carried away though. I’m trying to keep the lid down for as long as possible. But who am I kidding, I think it’s about time to open it. The haters in the AFL facebook page comments can bugger off. I’m excited, I’m proud. Let’s win some football.

The Cinema

Posted on by under Entertainment, Life

Beauty, atmosphere and experience. Photo: Andrew Tseng

After being a recluse (a cinema-recluse at least) for most of 2012, the last 10 months have seen more cinema action for me then I have experienced in a long time. Why? Well firstly, my girlfriend’s family bought a new TV with a bonus offer of free movie tickets each fortnight, so I don’t have to pay. But more so I think it is because of a reinvigorated love of cinema. The atmosphere in a cinema can’t be replicated, except for in the best home cinemas (I know of one in particular, which may be discussed in greater detail at a later date), there’s just something special about the gargantuan screen – I love a good dose of Vmax – and the engulfing wall of sound that exists in a movie theatre.

I can’t even remember all the films I’ve watched in the last 12 months, but I’ll do my best to recount some of the more memorable ones for you:

Don’t know about any others. Those were the ones that popped to mind. Interestingly enough, I’d be willing to go on record and say they were pretty much all outstanding films (with the exception of the start of The Wolverine being a little arduous). What’s great is the fact that I have been able to really resonate and think on a much deeper level with a lot of these films then I have previously, thanks to a little bit of enthusiasm and interest. I’ve always loved cinema, but recently I’ve really found its my passion – something that I can understand and relate to.

Red One. The future of cinema. Photo: Neilson Eney

I saw Elysium tonight, and while I agree to an extent that District 9 director Neill Blomkamp might be flogging a dead horse in terms of the conceptual thinking (well some critics seem to say so, personally I really like the thinking, you could call it design fiction), Elysium still stands as a film in its own right and shouldn’t be compared to the more creative and alternatively created District 9. The movie had the right level of emotional depth, politics and story to balance off against the high impact and fast paced violence. I didn’t feel like the fighting and action overshadowed the plot or values the movie projected – like a lot of films do tend to do in our highly fantastic and computer orientated industry.

What got me thinking today however was the relation between how we think of cinema and how we think of the essay. Adrian obviously chose to provide Graham’s article on the essay as one of the week 4 readings for a reason. To me after my deep thinking and speculation for the evening, I really feel that effectively this sort of ideology stands true for the film as well. You’d be hard pressed to find a cinema class at a university that focuses on the future of film – or even current film. We’re stuck in this trend of studying the classics. Learning how the classics work, when really, the cinema is heading in a completely different direction. Sure, the classics are the foundations of cinema and they let you understand how the Classic Hollywood, the French New Wave or the  Soviet Realist works (etc, etc). But what about learning how to understand cinema as it stands today, or how its progressing? The technologies behind it, a greater understanding of effects and digital effects. Are we afraid to admit how great an influence special effects has had on the cinema?

Our good friend Peter Jackson once again has a great idea on this. 48fps is the future. Advancing and progressing the art of cinema through contemporary and future technologies is high on Jackson’s important things to do list. Embrace new technology, respect the past – understand its workings – but most of all keep an open mind and embrace the future. It is obvious that cinema studies is intended to be what it is, to understand the classics and film history. But my question is, why isn’t there ever a course on offer that studies cinema as it is today and into the future?

 

Book Worming

Posted on by under Entertainment, Life

A good place for a worm like me. Photo: Raul Lieberwirth

I love books. I also love hearing things like this: Robinsons Bookshop in Frankston voted Victoria’s most popular seller. It’s great to see books still doing there thing and keeping alive in this e-dominated world. This bookshop is the closest traditional bookstore to me, so this is fantastic news that touches and warms my heart – what’s even better is it is completely relevant to what Adrian and Brian touched on in the Symposium.

One only has to keep up with the news to see that book stores aren’t doing to well out there. As a matter of fact – the big ones are all shutting down in Australia. Here’s some articles from the ABC, The Sydney Morning Herald and one from the Age about book giants Angus and Robertson and Borders closing up shop and moving conveniently online to bookworld.com.au to make a living. So why are independent bookstores still alive? How are they weathering the storm? Well according to Ms Horman who owns Robinson’s, they’re not shrinking their physical and retail presence; They’re expanding.

We want to grow. We are not following the trend of some bookshops because we feel confident in what we are doing and feel that the public still want books and they want bookshops

Instead of shutting down stores, they’re opening more stores? So what makes this possible. Well, from what I can gather, Robinsons and other independents out there are offering something that online stores such as Amazon can’t: a satisfying customer service experience and an exceptionally personal in-store experience. Buying books from a retail outlet is always going to cost more than Amazon or any online service. That’s where Borders and co. went wrong. Their prices were just as steep as any small book outlet, but their service was rubbish, there was no experience. Why would anyone pay more to put up with horrible waiting times and poor customer service, especially when they can order with ease and security with a few mouse clicks – even less if you’re automatically signed into Amazon.

So that’s what we want. That’s what we have to do in order to satisfy a public and society who’s expectations are on the rise and who can’t get no satisfaction. Let’s follow the example of Robinsons. Exceptional customer service. Personal customer service. Taking care of your customers. Providing a friendly and warm cafe and coffee shop in store. The stores aren’t busy, they’re intimate, you get one on one customer service and all the help you need. It’s warm, cosy, just like home. It’s a place to meet fellow book lovers. These are the kind of examples we should live by. This a great case study into what makes something successful.

We can all learn something from Robinsons. Sometimes doing things the old-fashioned way is better. And I think that with our generation, the world will become more experience based, to make up for all the experiences we’ve missed out on during our childhood.

 

Mapping the World

Posted on by under Life

A hole in the ground, what a swell place to dwell. Photo: Rachel Lovinger

A great pick up by Adrian here. While it is clear that there is some bias in these representations (Let’s have a look at who’s conducting the surveys and the fact that some countries aren’t even surveyed at all), it is also easy to glimpse a pretty simple graphical breakdown of a number of key aspects of society, global relations and the economies of the world.

Although it is only a debatable study as I previously mentioned, it does yield at least a few main ideas that I took away. I guess they come from the more contestable maps, but still, its nice to think that they’re accurate, because the results are promising.

For me, aside from economies – which point in a similar direction– it reassures me of my beliefs that Canada, Australia and New Zealand are the three preferable places to live in the world. Canada it seems, outshines even Australia in liveability and happiness. As we consider our futures, possible moves (both international and nationally), these are probably three of the most important things to consider. Nothing will make you more productive than feeling happy, loved and having a positive mindset. It does highlight that we are among the luckiest in the world. While we complain and protest a lot about our current statuses in certain areas (health, education, all the regulars), it’s important to note the reason we care so much about these things is because we have had a ridiculously high standard on a global level for our lifetimes. We only want more because we’re used to having more.

In this sense it’s important to remember empathy and to consider that despite us having more and wanting more, there are people who have consistently had less. I’m not saying we should devote all our finances, interests and energies into helping other nations. That’s not a feasible solution. What I am saying though, is that we should take great pride in where we are, how we got here, and continue to note the positive effect that it has already had on our lives, whether we realise it consciously or not.

I’ve always had an interest in New Zealand and Canada (I’ve been to New Zealand once and plan to go there again soon, Canada – never). They seem prosperous and full of opportunity and beauty. They are rich in culture and experience, and I guess that relates once again back to me being an experience based person. Even the horribly biased and sensationalised travel advertisements for these countries seem incredible realistic and tangible. I guess that’s because the countries are actually so rich in these aspects. Peter Jackson and Lord of the Rings come up again on contributing to New Zealand’s culture and prosperity.

With that I guess, I look forward to future exploring in the world and the exciting experiences and opportunities such places possess.

Symposium Mark I

Posted on by under Life, The Unlectures

Perhaps this is what the symposium would look like if it were dumbed down and lost a bit of its creative edge. Photo: Maryland Govpics

Promising, real promising. This is what life is all about. Discussion, contributions, feedback, analysis, speculation. The first official symposium contained all of these, plus more. They’re all things I don’t do enough of. It’s really inspiring stuff. Particularly the last points made by Adrian.

It’s about the experience. We’re in an experience based world. Well, we’re not in an experience based world, rather there are experience based “things” in our world. I posted about this earlier on in my blogging career. It’s something I’d like to touch on again. I am a big believer in experience. I buy things, lots of things. I might regret it one day, but I buy lots of things that I am able to use to immerse myself in experiences. They’re material possession’s sure, but I don’t just think of all material objects in the same way. There is a line between material possessions and experiences that is met well by a number of items in the world.

Movies are one thing, books another. Both material possessions, you can collect, buy, sell, trade, keep, etc. But they give you experiences. Some people choose to repeat these experiences and keep them, treasure them. Others choose to sell them after they are finished consuming. Owning a movie to me is not just about the movie, but the packaging, the collectables, what comes with it, as well as the memories.

Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies and The upcoming instalments in The Hobbit trilogy are a perfect example of this. They release numerous editions of the film. “They’re grabbing for money!”, some shout. “Peter Jackson wants a new private jet”, others proclaim. I think of immense happiness and joy. The collector’s edition Lord of the Rings and Hobbit extended edition movies are beautiful. The packaging itself is an art. But inside, the statues, work of the famous Weta Workshop, of course, are even more gorgeous.

I don’t just get a movie. I get to immerse myself in the experience of the film. I don’t just buy things that are marked “limited edition”, I want something that goes that extra mile and provides me with such an experience that the over priced tag is justifiable.

It’s the same thing as the Barbershop example I posted about earlier. I want an experience. I don’t want something disposable. I want something that will tickle my senses, evoke memories and provide me with a greater quality of life.

That’s what I took away from this symposium, more than anything. I love experiences, it seems people want that more than ever in the world. To succeed as a person, organisation, etc, we have to provide an experience.

Disclaimer | Background image: Emma Gawen
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