Though all the projects being done as part of the Doing Mobile Media studio are creative and unique in their own ways, it is the MISSE app created by Rosie and Miya in particular that resonated with me, being an avid pet lover and dog mom myself. I personally think that this project addressed a particular topic being covered in class, namely the idea of pet wearables. It’s one of the many things that could be considered “futuristic” but are somehow already being implemented in today’s world. MISSE is able to incorporate this idea nicely by being able to connect existing smart collars with the app itself. It is here that pets are being treated as if they are family members. Though there is a market for such technologies however, it may not be as easy as it looks in terms of social acceptance. For instance, there are still those who do not want to “humanize” their pets in any way, shape or form, and understandably so, as it takes away from their pet’s nature. But I think that both Rosie and Miya were made aware of this concern through feedback during the presentations, so that they will be able to take note and adjust accordingly in order to keep working on the project.
Similarly, I was also particularly drawn to Bella’s #ACTIVATEMELBOURNE project, which in my opinion explores two of our studio’s key ideas, namely practice and placemaking. By building her project based on hashtags—arguably an essential part of our online presence—I personally think that it’s a very smart choice to develop it into something further. I find the idea of rebuilding the footprints of small businesses around Melbourne particularly creative and innovative by tying it in with the concept of reactivating a city post-pandemic through civic participation in social media and intimate publics. However, this does not overshadow the more renowned locations such as Melbourne’s Federation Square. Despite that being said, some people still tend to overlook one aspect or another that the place has to offer. This reminds me of another project that I encountered with in the past called Look Up, where it prompts individuals to get off their phone while crossing the street, or walking home from campus, and just look. up. But I think that #ACTIVATEMELBOURNE still incorporates the use of mobile phones very nicely, which took the project to a whole new level, essentially becoming a unique interactive experience by combining the digital and the real world.
For this section, I decided to choose the studio Poetic Video to reflect on. With reference to the video titled Up Close created by Bella, Ellis and Trevor, I would like to say that a key idea being communicated here is just how subjective “poetry” could be, such that each individual may have their own unique interpretations and perceptions of “affection” and “intimacy”, giving both the creators and audience the opportunity to elicit their own meanings and feelings. Another aspect that ties in very nicely with this is the altering in visuals from different perspectives, accompanied by their own narratives and voiceovers, yet the video as a whole just works as being one cohesive piece due to the exclusive use of close-up shots, hence the name of this video. Though one could argue that some parts just did not make any sense whatsoever, it is here that the beauty of “poetry”—being translated into visuals—does not have to be understood by anyone else but the creator. All in all, I found this piece of work particularly fascinating and thought to be incredibly well done.
From the Poetic Video studio, I also chose to reflect on the video titled Seen by Jasper, Kiera and Maddy. It is here that audiences are being presented with the uncanny feeling of deja vu, or the feeling of familiar unfamiliarity. I think that the “poetic” nature as being part of the studio’s key concept is communicated through the video’s juxtapositions. This reminds me of Maya Deren’s works that are very similar to that of this one. The overarching narrative and feeling of the video is being translated through the use of visuals and audio that are of a similar manner. Again, just like Up Close, some parts, or perhaps even the work as a whole, could leave people frowning by the end of it, having more questions than answers. But this could be intentionally done as part of the vision and mood of the theme being presented, such that the feeling of deja vu does indeed not make sense at all! It is simply incomprehensible. All in all, I particularly find that Seen is interesting to watch, and was done wonderfully both in terms of its media aspects, as well as the driving narrative behind it.
