Real-World Media: Assignment #5.2

Real-World Media: Assignment #5.2

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1.The Maya Odyssey and the group that built a fictional world around their created races the Codans and the Arbors were two projects in “Real-World Media ” that to me well addressed key ideas from the studios. Having media that really engages upon other senses including audio and senses of touch were aspects I thought these two groups did well in that allowed users to be immersed into their created worlds.

The Maya Odyssey I felt used audio really nicely from their audio cues and effects that were played in assisting with their treasure hunt to their original created soundtrack which to me really suited the atmosphere of their exhibition. This group to me addressed and considered the use of platforms in that they create and customise their own digital platform on a web page in allowing users to experience their exhibition. In clicking and selecting parts of lands and aspects in their created maps seemed helpful and immersive in feeling like I was watching users discover more about their world bit by bit which was exciting.

As for the Codans and the Arbors their exhibition differed in that a lot of their work could be experienced via offline platforms. Their discovery area in finding artefacts from their told world was definitely a stand out to their exhibition for me and felt kind of nostalgic to when I was a kid playing in a sandpit. This aspect was really enhanced by having read their well explained and thorough lore from their posters. Even though their exhibition could be experienced in any order, it was intentional that they structured to put the posters of the lore right in the discovery area so that their world made more sense to users and they could make these connections with what they read. In this group putting items of work one before another, it established a hierarchy as to how to experience their exhibition at the optimal best. 

2. In having watched DREAMSCAPE and Heaven of Bronze and Iron from the media Studio “Immersive Sandbox” the blurred lines between a digital world and the real world is a key idea I got from watching both short films. Both films have a protagonist where they resort to being transported to an online dream-like world and escaping their worries from reality. A problem that these protagonists encounter is having these digital platforms interact and intervene with the experience and exclaim that they are their saviour and question if they want to continue living inside these digital worlds. I found it very interesting in that both videos resorted to different outcomes in their conclusion. DREAMSCAPE had their protagonist refuse and stop using the tool that transported her to this digital world. As compared to Heaven of Bronze and Iron, they embraced this idea of having the user choose to exist in this digital world she encountered and how digital worlds can provide comfort and safety for their users. However in DREAMSCAPE, I saw this glitch in the ending shot on the protagonist’s phone screen which to me told me that regardless in this day and age, we are to some extent present and immersed in these online platforms even if we refuse and think we much prefer reality itself. 

Aesthetic choices I found interesting in both films had these outdoor parks and areas with greenery to portray this calm and peaceful environment when characters experience being immersed into these digital worlds. To me the use of these washed pastel like colours in both of the short videos used, they were very dream-like. This made me think that these digital worlds can recreate and can soon have the potential to recreate these pleasant dreamlike experiences and provide a quiet area of escape which at times we may desire in this fast paced modern environment. 

 

Real-World Media: Assignment #4

Assignment #4: Week 13 Research / Reflections

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Week 13 Research / Reflections

In our showcase exhibition, I hoped for our group’s work to be viewed in a free and loose structure in a relaxed environment. This is also similar to watching fragments in replicating a dream-like experience as I have mentioned in my previous post. With our video edited in a looped sequence and having a space to discover and interact with what was around the set design, it allowed for people to enter and leave anytime but also fully engage with our exhibition. 

For our exhibition I was a bit surprised to see our exhibition space smaller in comparison to what I had imagined. However, setting up the partition walls and adding some prop items completed the image of our space replicating a bedroom. It was quite interesting seeing a main pattern of people entering exhibition space by watching our video to then walking around the space and reading or even writing in the dream journal. Even with no group members there to explain our exhibition, I saw from a distance our exhibition being quite intuitive and free in allowing people to discover the space and sit down in watching our video which I thought was very impressive.

I thought my group collaborated quite well in communicating our strengths and using them to complete our project. Also we felt quite comfortable in giving suggestions to one another about possibilities and adjustments throughout the process. In making our video, I thought we could have communicated more on the technical aspects of how we shoot footage so that it can look even more consistent throughout. As someone who is into video making and finds importance in these technical settings, I felt like I missed out on this opportunity of sharing what I know to my group members so that they can use what they have to the fullest potential. However I intentionally did not talk a lot about this as I thought it may overcomplicate the process but, I was very happy with our end product of what we made together. 

 

Real-World Media: Assignment #4

Assignment #4: Week 12 Research / Reflections

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Week 12 Research / Reflections

A question for our group this week in editing was how can we enhance our footage to be  dreamlike and replicate a dream experience. Our thought process whilst editing was to  showcase a series of fragmented shots to represent a dream rather than telling a full narrative and plot of events. An idea and question that gave me this thinking to edit towards was how “Why do people only remember dream episodes versus full narrative experiences?” (Strongman 2014). I found this relatable especially in recalling a dream and relying on the sensory of small visuals. With these small visuals Strongman states (2014), they are the ones we select as being the strongest out of the many our minds assume and have made in the dream state. This dream sequence in our video with a number of shots stitched together I then questions the viewer asking what they have watched, and then recalling these images similar to how we would recall visuals after we awake from a dream. Having these dream snapshots shown in fragments also act as representations of white dreams that are vague experiences of what people have seen or heard in their dream but are not able to extract finer details out of it. These types of dreams are described to be an experience of minimal consciousness and are “neither clear nor vivid, but reduced in quality” (Fazekas, Nemeth & Overgaard (2019). With this in mind our video can then also be concerned with and aim to represent this journey in this state of consciousness of travelling and skimming through these snapshots of dreams. 

 

References 

Luke, S 2014 “Conscious States of Dreaming” The Journal of mind and behavior, New York: The Institute of Mind and Behavior, Vol.35 (4), p.189-200, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/conscious-states-dreaming/docview/1688913453/se-2 

Fazekas. P, Nemeth.G, Overgaard.M (2019) “White dreams are made of colours: What studying contentless dreams can teach about the neural basis of dreaming and conscious experiences” Sleep medicine reviews, England: Elsevier Ltd, Vol.43, p.84-9, DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2018.10.005 

Real-World Media: Assignment #4

Assignment #4: Week 11 Research / Reflections

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Week 11 Research / Reflections

This week I had the intention of capturing footage from unusual angles that differs to the human eye in creating these multiple perspectives. I imagined this would contribute to our video in acting as a “sort of short-circuit inside consciousness involving both the spatiality and the temporality of mental life.” (Zippel 2016) of how our minds can jump from one idea to another when dreaming. These short circuit moments I see were insightful in giving me the idea of how they can create areas of spaces within the video that are reflective of the moments in a dream where our senses in reality may be heightened and more dramatised.  

Having found that from dream scientists, “characters, social interactions and emotions are the most valuable” (Fogli,Aiello and Quercia 2020)  in a dream helped me to come up with what type of footage I shoot and what it can represent in the final area. This gave me intention in thinking of multiple interpretations of what I could shoot and their meanings whilst imagining how it may look coupled with other footage. Our group then found it natural in shooting intuitively in areas of our daily lives (e.g regularly visited locations, locations) that were quite familiar to us with the aim of efficiently gathering this type of footage. At this stage of the production process, continuity and similarity in shots were not too vital as creating this dream state we wanted was work to be done in the editing phase for next week.  

 

References 

Fogli, L. M. Aiello, and D. Quercia (2020) “Our dreams, our selves: Automatic analysis of dream reports,” Royal Society Open Science, Volume 7, Issue 8, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.192080

Zippel, N (2016) “Dreaming Consciousness: A Contribution from Phenomenology” Rivista internazionale di filosofia e psicologia, Mimesis Edizioni, Milano, Vol.7 (2), p.180-201, doi:10.4453/rifp.2016.0019  

Real-World Media: Assignment #4

Assignment #4: Week 10 Research / Reflections

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Week 10 Research / Reflections

In Caracciolo’s research of dreams in media (specifically video games) in conveying an experiential and distorted perspective, I found an interesting diagram that describes types of experiences in how we take in information using our senses.

Caracciolo M (2014) states our experiences can range from feelings and senses we recognise with our bodies of a higher order cognitive functions which include conceptual thoughts, imagination and recognising languages. This then creates links to experiences made up of artefacts, beliefs and values relevant to cultural practices across the world. I see this diagram as valuable in thinking of the representative meanings of the footage we collect such as feelings of nostalgia or a scary type of anxiousness. It then leaves room for each of our shots to be very interpretive of a dream experience of senses inside a dreamstate to also potentially relate to meanings they share with real world events and feelings .   

Yume Nikki (2004) is an example I found in video games where the aim of it is to explore different dream states of the protagonist and collect items from these settings. The use of strong contrasting background scenes such as isolating elements on a black screen I find can assist in emphasising a specific motif (e.g an artefact) of a common dream pattern and what it may mean. Also the use of Yume Nikki contrasting the exploration of eerie and anxiety inducing areas with calming and nostalgic areas can be helpful in creating an engaging flow with a structured pacing of shots to keep the visual interesting in their sequence.  

 

References 

Caracciolo, M 2014, ‘Those Insane Dream Sequences: Experientiality and Distorted Experience in Literature and Video Game’, in M-L Ryan & J-N Thon (eds), Storyworlds across Media: Toward a Media-Conscious Narratology, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, pp. 185–199

Kikiyama (2004), Yume Nikki, PLAYISM

Real-World Media: Assignment #4

Assignment #4: Week 9 Research / Reflections

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Week 9 Research/Reflection 

The feedback on how sound design and it’s structure of it in my group’s project was an element I found myself thinking about more after the presentation. The feedback from the panel on giving film examples of films with good sound design such as The Outsider made me wonder and try to remember memorable dream-like sequences in film and screen media in how they portray a dream through its intensity and audio levels in soundscape in conjunction with visuals. 

In preparation for our presentation, I found an interesting idea of some dream studies in the when we dream (Fogli,Aiello and Quercia 2020), our mind tries to solve problems from an  unusual perspective which differs in comparison to when we are conscious.This has influenced my thinking of techniques in how we gather both audio and visual footage for our video which can include experimenting with in camera effects (e.g slow motion, timelapse etc)  and also post production effects such as speed ramping and distorting audio. Using these together can replicate the dream-like experience in trying hard to remember and figure something out within the dream as well as the shakiness in our memory in trying to recall these dreams from these perspectives that different to when we are awake. It is a possibility that this idea can carry over into the set design of placing objects in unusual positions and areas or as well as not showing them clearly to also blur this line between dream and reality. 

A challenge that I think that is not addressed yet in our group is with shooting on different cameras and gathering audio our way, how can we combine this footage together so that it is somewhat consistent and flows telling what a dreamstate can look like. 

 

References

Fogli, L. M. Aiello, and D. Quercia (2020) “Our dreams, our selves: Automatic analysis of dream reports,” Royal Society Open Science, Volume 7, Issue 8, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.192080

Real-World Media: Class Activities

Real-World Media:Week 8A Activities

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  1. What does McKee define as ‘The story problem’? Do you agree? Why/not?

Mckee’s “The Story Problem” is the further a story moves away from universal emotions and desires, the story results in being too complex and specific which then sacrifices elements that are symbolic and can relate to the audience. In some ways I do agree as moments experienced in a story can stick out to myself and others, creating a specific moments that stands out and acts as a highlight that can be talked about by anyone who has experienced it. I see this being used in dramas or even the thriller and horror genre in playing towards the theme of suspense and creating a fright in combination with telling a story. However there are examples that do come to mind in that this detailed fictional world created such as in the science fiction genre, people become very immersed and fascinated with it even though it is very different to their daily lives and does not really relate to them at all. 

2a. Think of two narratives you’ve completed (not abandoned part-way through).Recount the plot of both your chosen narratives.

The plot of Get Out is about the protagonist Chris and his girlfriend Rose who both go to the countryside to visit Rose’s family. As Chris meet’s Rose’s parents, he gets nervous and becomes a bit intimidated by their behaviour towards him but later on he finds very disturbing information about Rose and her parents past. 

The plot of Avatar The Last Airbender revolves around a world divided into four nations, the Earth Kingdom,the Fire Nation,the Water Tribe and the Air Nomads. Only a selected person (also known as the avatar is) within a certain time period can control all these four elements. Aang a 12 year old boy who is the chosen Avatar but as soon as the fire nation wanted to conquer the world, he vanished. Over 100 years have passed since and a sibling pair from the water tribe Katara and Sokka, find his body in an iceberg where he re awakens. 

2b. Tell me the story of both narratives.

The story of Get Out is about Chris an African-American man who visits his Caucasian girlfriend’s parents during a weekend getaway. Even though the parents initially seem norma he Chris is  not prepared to experience the secrets and horrors that lie ahead.

The story of Avatar The Last Airbender is about Aang who is the chosen who to save the world from the fire nation and to restore peace and unity between all four nations.

 

2c. What media were used to present these experiences?

Get Out was firstly initially released in cinemas whilst Avatar The Last Airbender was first broadcasted on TV. Both can now be streamed online to phone screens and computers.

 

2d. What affordances of each medium were used to good effect, in your opinion, and how?

For Get Out I think it was best experienced in a cinema as the surround sound quality of the speakers really heightened the suspense and fright I think is very intentional and is what makes a thriller movie have those elements of feeling disturbed and frightened as to what may happen next. The wide screen also enhanced the few jump scares and the framing of shots where the audience could easily tell when something may not look right. 

 

  1. Think of a story or story-world (different from question b above) that you felt immersed in. Can you relate what about the experience caused this sense of immersion?

Sleeping Dogs is an action adventure game I played on PC about a police officer in Hong Kong who goes undercover in investigating one of Hong Kongs most strong and well established triads. To me this game can be closely compared to being a Hong Kong version of the famous Grand Theft Auto. 

The overall look of the streets of Hong Kong in exploring it through the protagonist was an area I felt very immersed in. I can walk freely about in the wide city streets and also through the narrow streets of markets. The sound design also contributed to this immersion as I could recognise some to most of the phrases the NPCs shouted in English and Cantonese. Even when roaming around Hong Kong through driving, as well as listening to the outside soundscape of the car (e.g people, police cars etc), there were different radio stations I could flick which made me feel like I was driving through Hong Kong. 

 

  1. Would you define Forest 404 as transmedia? Why/not?

I see Forest 404 being defined as a form transmedia. The way in how sound design is implemented in how the sounds well fitted what the characters were talking about, the use of atmospheric sounds to science fiction to nature like sound which really fitted the audio work. To me it even at moments of silence with atmospheric sound enticed me to keep listening and at times made me imagine and draw an image of the setting of this world. The subject matter of characters reflecting upon their busy work lives and their own lives with a mass amount of media available was to me representative of the fast paced nature of the modern generation and how much is available which a universal audience can understand. Leaving visuals and something to look at out of the work interacted with listeners in calling them to use their imagination in travelling through this fictional world and take notice in discovering new pieces of information throughout. I was then able to subconsciously create meanings that made sense to me within these gaps.  

  1. Embed a video in your post from an internet search — this video should be an example of, or work to explain in some way, an aspect of transmedia storytelling. Underneath the video, reflect on why you thought it should be included, with reference to readings and/or your own research into narrative or crossplatform storytelling.

LEGO’s adaption of popular movies into a video game format is an example of transmedia storytelling. These adaptions in this case Star Wars can attract fans and viewers like myself who have seen the previous movies to be excited in playing a version of it expressed through legos. The LEGO Star Wars franchise can also be “characterized by the sensation of “being there” and describes an audience’s perceived connection with a story” (Gerrig 1993). LEGO does not only adapt the story into their games but also add an interactive experience of players being a part of this world which may have once been seen by the players through the movies. Due to the iconic nature of these games having minimal to no speech, there is a different element of humour in the way these characters communicate through actions which add to a different perspective to the story of Star Wars. 

Rutledge (2018) explains how in transmedia storytelling, it can have elements where the audience travels across different platforms in the world of the story. The LEGO Star Wars franchise has also adapted this famous narrative into their physical forms of LEGO as well as the video games, allowing for a different dimension and senses in touch, play and imagination to be activated when thinking about Star Wars on top of their iconic movies. 

Real-World Media: Assignmnet #2

Real-World_Media_CraftDoc_Trevor_Chan

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What is Craft? (Critical Reflection)

From what I have learned in Real World Media so far and making my documentary, I see the involvement of the human touch and personal control as a key element to craft. This is not limited to the purely handmade but can also include areas where things are made with the help of electronic tools and the creator is using it. I saw this especially at the ceramics studio as people were using the electric pottery wheel and adjusting the speed and when it spun. With the human touch however, I see that “there is always an element of risk in craftsmanship” (Howard 2004,p.165) which can appear as not knowing the outcome of the final product and also slight imperfections in the creative process, such as crack or mis-measurement. This links to the concept of wabi-sabi in what may appear odd or slightly off is natural but also an improvised result of the human touch on a craft. These imperfections found can “accumulate layers of story by the history of its owner’s use, repair, alteration of size or style” (Yuriko S and Peter C 2022, p.209) Users can then become actively engaged in how they see the craft and can be encouraged to carefully inspect how something is made.

Having a specialised knowledge of materials and tools used to create is how I see craft. A good foundation of this technical knowledge actively engages makers with the material and tools in knowing their properties and how they best work in their creative process. Susan and Nicola (2018) states that this specific understanding allows makers to not only respond to materials but also manipulate their creative process and judge for themselves how to counteract errors which may happen and work upon those opportunities while creating.  This thoughtful interaction in the process of making allows people to build upon the foundations and develop on what has been done before, prompting them to create an extra depth and stylised take from what they envision.

With this technical knowledge, craft then becomes an outlet of self-expression. Even though I watched everyone at the ceramics studio make objects similar to each other with the same methods, each piece of work was all different and made in a style that suited the preference of the maker whether it be the size and height of the object or the patterning done on the side. This allowed them to build an extra depth and expand from a concept based on their own judgements they make throughout the process.

Together with having this technical knowledge and self-expression, it reconnects the mind and body which is a unique and important experience I see craft bringing to people. This interaction between the two then results in a “transformation of our direct sensuous experience of nature into a world of culture” (Howard 2004,p.168). Through the personal involvement of practical methods and the process of making, it can trigger various senses and ways of thinking people may have not thought of before.  Craft then becomes a creative act which is an overall experience that contributes to a culture of making original pieces of work as a result of specific knowledge of materials and self-expression.

 

Reference List

Yuriko S and Peter C (2022) “The Role of Imperfection in Consumer Aesthetics”  Imperfectionist Aesthetics in Art and Everyday Life, Taylor & Francis Group, Milton, p.203-217, DOI: 10.4324/9781003251361-20

Susan L and Nicola T (2018) “Part 2 Craft, the ‘­handmade’ and contested ­commodification” Craft Economies , Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, p.59-104, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/rmit/detail.action?docID=5226721

Howard R (2004) “DESIGN, WORKMANSHIP, AND CRAFTSMANSHIP” Theory of Craft: Function and Aesthetic Expression,Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, p.162-170, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/rmit/detail.action?docID=880380