The final assignment of this semester named ‘The Complete Judging By The Cover’ is a developed version of our last project. We continued to explore the album cover and interpretation, while covering four characteristics of online media making. Among these features, the most significant two are user-generated and multi-platform.

The original Korsekow project is ‘web specific’ in a superficial extent. The most obvious point is that we used fragmented clips. All the clips are about 30 second, but still have their independent and completed meaning, which differs from the traditional narrative films and TV series. In this assignment, we decided to keep using this possibility not only in Korsakow but also for the interpretation of audiences comments. ‘Fragmented’, also can be understood as ‘modularity’, is a basic but important feature. Firstly, it fits people’s viewing habits in this digital era. For me, I need to find a proper time and atmosphere to watch a film, but usually watch numbers of short videos everyday through smart phone. Most people do not want to spend too much time on one media project, because there are numerous interesting things happening online and they want to watch as much as they can. Secondly, it can be developed in various ways. The traditional media often shows up as a finished work. However, as our Judging By The Cover, it still can be changed into a quiz, a blog, a website, and so many possible forms, because itself is also a fragment that can be combined with other media works. 

Based on this feature, we created the quiz and the Facebook page. Korsakow is a tool to present our work, but it is not able to knowing about audiences’ thoughts. To increase the level of interactivity, we wanted audiences to reflect on the Korsakow project and also try to express their first impressions of a new album cover, which is mainly related to ‘user-generated’. Compared to ‘fragmented’, this one is even more ‘web specific’. Clearly, the quiz and Facebook page were created online, so our possible participant can be anyone on Facebook. Social media platform is a new but powerful media form that allows users to communicate directly with creators. Also, it shows one’s comments to the public. Sometimes, the comments become the attracting point of a project, that benefits both the audiences and producers. Because of the efficient communication, a web-based work is able to develop its content by using audiences’ ideas, like our follow-up videos that interpret users’ words. Or, it can be changed to cater audiences’ taste. In online media making, user is a fatal existence. As audiences, they respond to the project and tell whether they like it or not. As creators, they express their opinions, which are also part of the media. 

Internet offers the possibility to link things together. For the media exhibition, we used three computers (because it’s more convenient) to show the Korsakow film, the quiz, and the Facebook page. In tradition media, this is how our project works. However, the final Wix page actually covers every component, so viewers can know about the procedure. When audiences watched your Korsakow clips, they gave some comments and asked questions, so having the Facebook page is necessary to interact deeply. Some of them went straight to do the quiz, and they also enjoy that, which proves media pieces can work both individually and cooperatively.

By doing assignment 4, I learned that new media is blending in people’s daily life. Internet makes media a common thing that people can easily access from their phone, computer, or any other electrical products. In addition, creating online media seems like a easy work because everyone can do it now, but it’s actually difficult to attract active audiences.

How can we make engaging online content? This is also mine question at the beginning of the semester. I personally like two projects in our studio: Time Out about isolation and Crash Course about accidents in travelling. Compared to our project, these two are more related to everyone’s life. The theme is common, but the way they did it is not boring. Most people may have experienced the similar emotion, so they are willing to respond. In my opinion, a project can’t be engaging for everyone, but we can make it easy to get people involved. After actually doing a project, I think the most important point is to express our own ideas, instead of thinking about how many audiences can we have for doing this. If all the group members like the idea and contribute to it with enthusiasm, the project will be better. 

How do we cater media to a specific audience? It’s decided by the platform we use to a large extent. There are numbers of social media apps, and every of them has its emphasis. Maybe we should think about the features of users at different platforms and know about how the platform works. Then, it is also important that the platform can efficiently present the content. Further, maybe creators need to do research about the related projects, like we did this time, to have a general understand of the theme. From my opinion, online making provides a broader range of audiences, that creators can try to adjust their work into different platforms and see which one works better, instead of having a very specific target at the beginning.