Thursday, August 26, 2010

A party made for one

A PARTY MADE FOR ONE

I have never been one to rely on technology, basically what I am saying is that I have never been able to operate half of it and therefore use it minimally. At least that’s what I thought until Saturday night.

My family and I participated in earth hour. After turning off our lights, we lit candles and enjoyed the warm glow that reflected onto our faces and the walls around us. Its like we were kids again, anticipating what adventures this long hour of darkness might bring as it restricted us from using our televisions and computers and Playstation games. This time however, it felt different. The room was silent; our movements limited; our arising boredom evident. From brief looks at the time on our IPhone’s, to talking about the latest applications available we were all surfing the internet and playing various games in the touch of a second, oblivious to the fact that we were missing the idea of earth hour all together.

Over the years it seems I have become unaware to how reliant I have become on technology. When I eventually managed to pull my head away from my Ebook library (an application allowing me to download any novel in the world and access it on my phone), it occurred to me that technology devices- such as the IPhone and Blackberry Smartphone’s- create endless possibilities that wouldn’t be possible in real life. In this darkened room with no electricity, my mother was able to bake, my brother able to fish- and actually catch something for that matter- and my dad able to instant chat with his brother who lives on the other side of the world. Although entertaining, does this social environment not withdrawal us from our family and the real world?

Of course it does, this virtual world seems to be providing more opportunities than the real world, however in all that time not a word was shared between us. Ultimately the term ‘virtual’ should be renamed silent as should ‘internet’ be renamed alone because that’s exactly what it is. A party made for one.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Week 5- Tutespark

Culture Jamming
I think the best and clearest description i can find of the term 'Cultural Jamming' is from wikiHow:
'Culture jamming is the art of hijacking the mainstream media, corporate advertisers, and the public domain to get across a message against one-way communication. Basically, culture jamming is sabotage of corporate or public property for political purposes.'
http://www.wikihow.com/Culture-Jam

Culture jamming can be done to underlay issues and bring awareness to make a statemnt. They are highly political. Its almost like appropriation of something in order to make a statement.

Most culture jamming originated from art. There are many sites that say who created the first culture jam but it is very unclear. What i found is:

Nery traces the spirit of culture jamming back to the absurdist carnival traditions of medieval Europe. Most modern historians, however, would regard the brief dada art movement of the early 1920s and the absurdist Situationist International movement of the 1950s as the primary artistic influences of today's culture jamming community.

http://www2.inow.com/~sam/cultjam2.html

3 examples of Culture Jamming
Borat the movie is an example of Culture jamming in a video format. He pretty much mocks every celebrity and political issues of the typical American and typical European. Here's a short clip from the movie of him making fun of Pamela Anderson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftY2p0L8F-Q

The second one we were shown in class is- and probably the biggest!: Rage Against The Machine Shoots New Video With Michael Moore.

This story really interested me and the power of culture jamming is intense especially in situations like this when they make the new. I can see why people do it, it seems highly addictive. This video shows the band Rage against the Machine and how they made world wide news as they played for their fans on the steps of the stock exchange. This unexpected drama cause the entire stock exchange to close for like a whole day!! insane!!! The funny thing about it is, that cops and everybody knew about it- that they were going to play- but thought it was a hoax. When it actually did happen they were unprepared and chaos let loose. They did this to shoot a film clip for their new song, the clip is highly entertaining but the story behind it is like no other. Hilarious!
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x236hb_rage-against-the-machine-sleep-now_music
Info from:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1433553/20000128/rage_against_the_machine.jhtml

Adbusters is a site that constantly uses culture jamming to stir emotion.

Adbusters
This picture is pretty funny and true most likely!
Pepsie MAn
McGut
This ones also very controversial:
Ipod

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Week 4 - Big Screen to Small Screen

3 Short films

One of my favourite short films is by my friend Kelsie Rimmer. We had to make a short arthouse film in class last year to post on the internet. She won a couple of awards for it and also won the title for 'The young filmakers' award on the Sunshine Coast. Her video is below. She filmed it all herself, acted in it, edited it and sang and edited all the music. The younger girl is her sister. I think it is brilliant because she captivates the audience with unique shots and thrilling noises. The graphic imagery is also very captivating. The editing in particular has movement, its constantly changing and going to the pace of the music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCJAlneA7qM

This short film is an animation that is very well made and has an interesting storyline. It could easily be a scene in a movie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-cFHeoXAw8

Doll face is a really awesome short film. Its about a robot face being programmed by the way it is expected to look and be.
In the youtube comments bobthemagicianman says: 'What a phenomenal video, in a matter of a few minutes this director was able to convey so much. To me this is a statement of societies constant desire for beauty, excess, and our perpetual discontentment of self. The television, which is so apropos, represents the influences that are pushing us into this patterns of destruction and its movements a representation of how its images are and will always be just out of reach.' I agree with him fully.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl6hNj1uOkY

Week 4 tute task

1.Where and when did usable online video start? (provide some refs. and an example if possible)
Only in 2004! It seems like its been around for ages. It mainly started because of broadband and the ability to watch and stream video's a whole last faster and clearer.
'this perfect storm would not occur until nearly the end of the election and 2004 can be seen as the end of flash animations and the begging of online video. It was really this year, in 2004, that online video would be born.'
http://dembot.com/post/310798115/a-decade-in-history-of-online-video

2.In the lecture we heard about technological innovations that were used by the studios to lure audiences. (mostly to combat the popularity of TV)
What recent innovations are being used to lure us in the movies?
What are they luring us from?
-Movies in 3D are very popular these days cause they cant be screened from home in 3D.
-Gold class cinemas, viewing a movie in big comfortable chairs with a super hugee screen.
-Newest movies that aren't available online yet, some people may want to see a movie as it comes out. Inception is a good example of that, people are going to the cinemas to see it purely because if they haven't they feel left out of discussions about how good it is.
-the social aspect of it. A place to meet friends and get dressed up.
-The tradition of movies, popcorn etc..
They are luring us from the free videos available online. They are lurring us from the comfort of our home, our fancy new dvd players, the cheap tuesday video rentals.

3.Are short films still being made? Why? Who pays for them to be made?
Of course short films are still being made! They are alot cheaper, can be used as a proposition to create a film of something.
'plot - in the sense of a telling of a story with a beginning, middle and end - ceases to be dominant - the essence of short story is to portray the individual moment, scene, or person in isolation from the outside stream of life -'
'presents life as fragmented - a slice of life ' It is more narrowed to a specific event or person.
http://www.sfu.ca/english/Gillies/engl207/shortsto.htm
The idea of short stories began thousands of years ago as a form of entertainment, the tradition of them is still very much appreciated. I enjoy them because they are short. There's a short amount of space to create emotion and an impact on the audience. For this reason i believe they are sometimes better because more effort has been put into a shorter space of time. The grudge was first a short story that was then produced into a movie. Many short stories are made by students that are proposing an idea or creating a short film for experience.
upcoming directors may only be able to afford to create a short story. Film production companies may pay for short stories to be made for adverts/commercials/billboards.

4.The term viral is thrown about adhoc but what does it mean in film/movie arena? Give some examples.
Viral basically refers to a virus- something that replicates. In film terms this would be asscoiated with duplicating files of films. Streaming videos online, downloading movies for free instead of buying them, limewire used to share and swap files with another people online. In this way the number of viewers for a certain film is uncountable. It is like a virus duplicating over and over again spreading information that is- in a sense- 'stolen'. There are many movies online. You can find almost any thing you wanted for free. Music videos, series, tv, films, deleted scenes.
http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=define%3A+viral&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

5. Online video distribution isn't limited to the short film format. We are now starting to see television styled shows made solely for internet release (webisodes). Find an example of this style of content and discuss how viewing television content in this way can positively and negatively affect the viewer's experience.
The difference from sound to film, Tv is like the radio whereas our ipod is like youtube. Although the possibilities of downloading any song or film is awesome, when something comes on the radio or tv like a movie i love its so much more exciting. By having everything at our finger tips, we never stop. Were never satisfied, we always want more.
http://www.webisodes.org/ is a site primarily for watching videos/episodes for the internet. They are not screened on tv.
http://www.theawkwardman.com/ is a site that screens 9 videos of a guy that just broke up with his girlfriend and it shows how he awkwardly relates to situations. It is very humorous. I believe many people who make a film/skit purely for entertainment and/or mockery choose to screen it online only as it may not be quality entertainment.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Week 3 Treasure Hunt

Answers found without goodle or wikipedia
I found ask.com the most helpful toolbar and surprisingly i thought yahoo really sucked.

1. What is the weight of the world’s biggest machine? How much did it cost to build?
The large Hadron Collider!
'The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a gigantic scientific instrument near Geneva, where it spans the border between Switzerland and France about 100 m underground. It is a particle accelerator used by physicists to study the smallest known particles – the fundamental building blocks of all things. It will revolutionise our understanding, from the minuscule world deep within atoms to the vastness of the Universe.'

It weighs 11 000tons!!! Holy moly thats like double my weight! Jokes :P

http://www.scribd.com/doc/7821298/Lhclarge-hadron-collider (viewed: 11 August 2010)

2. What is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact Ozzy Osborne?

contact Ozzy Osbourne's Manager:

Sharon Osbourne

Sharon Osbourne Management

9292 Civic Center Drive

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Phone: 310-859-7761

http://famous-relationships.topsynergy.com/Ozzy_Osbourne/Contact.asp (viewed: 11 August 2010)
YAAY maybe he'd like to meet up and have a cup of tea with some scones. 'One lump or twoooo?'

3. When and what was the first example of global digital communication?
http://www.ac6v.com/morsetid.htm
Morse coding!

4. What is the cheapest form of travel from the Gold Coast to Melbourne?
I went to flight centre to compare flights (because it is cheaper than filling up your car and the train.) and the cheapest right now is $109.00 through Jetstar. You could walk but that would really suck and u might just die of starvation.
www.flightcentre.com

5. Who is Hatsune Miku? What company does she belong to? What is her birthday?
Ask Jeeves: She is the most popular vocaloid designed by Crypton future media, birthday is November 17th, 2008. This information was found on http://www.mikufan.com/
Its insane that a fictional vocaloid can perform at concerts that people actually buy tickets to go and watch! An invention to do the same thing as a performer, she wont be a dive, she doesnt eat and need a jacuzzi back stage, she never gets tired, she wont die of a drug overdose, she can do almost anything and she's free!

6. Find a live webcam in Antarctica. Find a place to stay in Antarctica.
http://www.live-webcam-directory.com/antarctica/live-webcam-macquaire-island-station.html
There are no actual hotels in Antarctica
http://www.mapsofworld.com/antarctica/hotels/

7. What song was top of the Australian pop charts this week in 1989?
1. The look by Roxette
http://www.ariacharts.com.au/pages/flashback.htm

8. How would you define the term 'nano technology'? In your own words, what does it really mean?
I went to the oxford dictionary http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/00320961?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=nano+technology&first=1&max_to_show=10

The branch of technology that deals with dimensions and tolerances of 1 to 100 nanometres, or, generally, with the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules.
They are so small they could fit into the head of a pin!

9. What type of camera is used to make ‘Google Street View’?

'At the heart of Immersive's services for Google and a number of other contractors is the Dodeca 2360, a softball-size camera that records from nearly a dozen different angles at 30 frames per second. Later, photos can be extracted and stitched together to form pictures with a resolution of 2400 by 1200 pixel—a frame "bigger than any high-definition image," says its inventor and chief technology officer, David McCutchen. '

Just recently on facebook i saw an app called 'the dead girl found on google street view.'I joined it and it was such a scam. The stupid app got all my details and change my status to 'i am bored' then to 'omg this dead girl things insane with the link' bla bla bla. It took me agesss to delete the dam thing. I remember when facebook first became famous like 3 years ago the apps were so much better and didn't have the option to see all our details and post stuff on our status. I used to love the aquarium where you could get points and buy fish to send your friend. Virtual fishes are sooo much cleaner!

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/news/4232286

10. Translate these questions into Klingon.


Klingon- [Answers] tu'ta' Hutlh [goodle] joq [wikipedia

] nuq 'oH [the] [weight] vo' [the] [world’s] [biggest] [machine] chay' 'ar ta'ta' 'oH [cost] Daq chen [
The] [large] [Hadron] [Collider] [
'The] [Large] [Hadron] [Collider] [LHC] 'oH [a] [gigantic] [scientific] [instrument] Sum [Geneva] nuqDaq 'oH [spans] [the] veH joj [Switzerland] 'ej [France] [about] [m] [underground] 'oH 'oH [a] [particle] [accelerator] [used] Sum [physicists] Daq [study] [the] [smallest] Sovta' [particles] [–] [the] [fundamental] [building] [blocks] vo' Hoch Dochmey 'oH DIchDaq [revolutionise] maj yajtaHghach vo' [the] [minuscule] qo' [deep] [within] [atoms] Daq [the] [vastness] vo' [the] [Universe] ['
It] [weighs] [tons] le' [moly] [thats] rur [double] wIj [weight] [Jokes] [P

http] [www] [scribd] [com] [doc] [Lhclarge-hadron-collider] [viewed] [August] [

] nuq 'oH [the] [best] [way] [quickest] HochHom [reliable] Daq [contact] [Ozzy] [Osborne] [
contact] [Ozzy] [Osbourne's] [Manager] [

Sharon] [Osbourne

Sharon] [Osbourne] [Management

] [Civic] [Center] [Drive

Beverly] [Hills] [CA] [

Phone] [-] [-] [
http] [famous-relationships] [topsynergy] [com] [Ozzy] [Osbourne] [Contact] [asp] [viewed] [August] [


] ghorgh 'ej nuq ghaHta' [the] wa'DIch [example] vo' [global] [digital] [communication] [
http] [www] [ac] [v] [com] [morsetid] [htm
Morse] [coding] [

] nuq 'oH [the] [cheapest] [form] vo' [travel] vo' [the] SuD baS [Coast] Daq [Melbourne] [
I] mejta' Daq [flight] [centre] Daq [compare] [flights] [because] 'oH 'oH [cheaper] [than] [filling] Dung lIj [car] 'ej [the] [train] 'ej [the] [cheapest] nIH DaH 'oH vegh [Jetstar] SoH laH yIt 'ach vetlh [would] [really] [suck] 'ej [u] [might] [just] Hegh vo' [starvation] [
www] [flightcentre] [com

] 'Iv 'oH [Hatsune] [Miku] nuq [company] ta'taH ghaH [belong] Daq nuq 'oH Daj qoS [
Ask] [Jeeves] ghaH 'oH [the] HochHom [popular] [vocaloid] [designed] Sum [Crypton] [future] [media] qoS 'oH [November] [th] vam [information] ghaHta' tu'ta' Daq [http] [www] [mikufan] [com] [

] tu' [a] yIn [webcam] Daq [Antarctica] tu' [a] Daq Daq [stay] Daq [Antarctica] [
http] [www] [live-webcam-directory] [com] [antarctica] [live-webcam-macquaire-island-station] [html
There] 'oH ghobe' [actual] [hotels] Daq [Antarctica
http] [www] [mapsofworld] [com] [antarctica] [hotels] [

] nuq bom ghaHta' [top] vo' [the] [Australian] [pop] [charts] vam [week] Daq [
] [ THE] legh [ Roxette

http] [www] [ariacharts] [com] [au] [pages] [flashback] [htm

] chay' [would] SoH [define] [the] [term] ['nano] [technology'] Daq lIj ghaj mu'mey nuq ta'taH 'oH [really] [mean] [
I] mejta' Daq [the] [oxford] [dictionary] [http] [dictionary] [oed] [com] [cgi] [entry] [single] [query] [type] mu' [queryword] [nano] [technology] wa'DIch [max] Daq cha' [

The] [branch] vo' [technology] vetlh [deals] tlhej [dimensions] 'ej [tolerances] vo' Daq [nanometres] joq [generally] tlhej [the] [manipulation] vo' [individual] [atoms] 'ej [molecules] [
They] 'oH vaj mach chaH laH [fit] Daq [the] nach vo' [a] [pin] [

] nuq [type] vo' [camera] 'oH [used] Daq chenmoH [‘Google] [Street] [View’] [

'At] [the] tIq vo' [Immersive's] [services] vaD [Google] 'ej [a] mI' vo' latlh [contractors] 'oH [the] [Dodeca] [a] [softball-size] [camera] vetlh [records] vo' [nearly] [a] [dozen] [different] [angles] Daq [frames] [per] cha'DIch [Later] [photos] laH taH [extracted] 'ej [stitched] tay' Daq [form] [pictures] tlhej [a] [resolution] vo' Sum [pixel—a] [frame] [bigger] [than] vay' [high-definition] [image] jatlhtaH [its] [inventor] 'ej pIn [technology] [officer] DavID [McCutchen] ['

http] [www] [popularmechanics] [com] [technology] [gadgets] [news] [

] [Translate] Dochvammey [questions] Daq tlhIngan

Week 3- Tutespark

Definitions:
Digital
Involving or relating to the use of digital or computer technology, esp. the Internet; (of a person) computer-literate, making use of digital or Internet technology.
and
Relating to or involving the capture, storage, or manipulation of images by digital means; (of an image) stored or represented digitally; (of a device) capturing or generating such images. Also Film: utilizing this technology in film or television production.

http://dictionary.oed.com.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/cgi/entry/50063921?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=digital&first=1&max_to_show=10

Analogue
An analogous word or thing; a representative in different circumstances or situation; something performing a corresponding part.

http://dictionary.oed.com.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/cgi/entry/50007887?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=analogue&first=1&max_to_show=10

Communication
The transmission or exchange of information, knowledge, or ideas, by means of speech, writing, mechanical or electronic media, etc.; (occas.) an instance of this.

http://dictionary.oed.com.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/cgi/entry/50045213?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=communication&first=1&max_to_show=10

Electronic
Using or involving the storage or transmission of information by electronic means; carried out or performed using electronic devices or computers.

http://dictionary.oed.com.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/cgi/entry/50073038?single=1&query_type=word&queryword=electronic&first=1&max_to_show=10

TYPES OF DIGITAL DEVICES THAT ARE NOT ELECTRONIC

-An abacus
It deals with numbers and information in a binary way. It is a digital device that has been around for centuries and has been adapted into modern day technology like calculators and pc programs.
-An instrument
It creates music and can be seen as a digital device in that it communicates sound.
-A shadow clock
An instrument used to tell the time due to the direction of the sun. Its amazing how such historic inventions have been adapted to modern day technology. Something like the time is so common to us that we look over it various times throughout the day without thinking how it has advanced and became easily accessible to us over the years.
-A pen or writing device
Typing is now a more common way or writing because of technology. It is also a lot faster and once typed you can have endless copies of it without the trouble of a photocopier etc.
- Fire
Instead of a heater- not a communication device though :P
-Bow and arrow
Instead of a gun
-A compass
Used for direction due to magnetic fields. We now use GPS's. Thank goodness! A compass can be such a mission
-A globe of the world
-Microscope and telescope


Thursday, August 5, 2010

random thought

Our house is on show. Its pretty interesting cause our agent was taking pictures of the property to put on the internet. He says the market has changed so much that no longer do they have to advertise on the internet. The only houses they tend to show in the newspaper are ones marketed at elderly people as they don't know how to use the internet. Can u imagine not knowing how to use it, or being kept behind in a world wide advancement in technology. Since the internet is a primarily source of communication, adjustments have to me made for those who cannot use it, but even then the information is very limited compared to the opportunitys online. Its like were living in a totally different world from other generations. Does this cause a gap in communication from old to young? I think it does to a large extent and because they didn't get the chance to learn about the ways of computers and the internet they have given up all together. The way technology advances every year, the longer they put it off, the harder it is becoming to connect with them and keep them up with the worlds everchanging ways.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Week 2- Tute

This tute was awesome, we chose a slip that had a story line on it and had to create the narrative through the use of a variety of shots. Sami, Brooke and i picked 'Waiting for Romance'. YAAAAAAAAAAY. I love romance movies/ stories/ books and the actual thing. We all did. So it was a pretty easy task . We decided to take pictures of a girl waiting and a guy waiting doing similar expressions. They are both waiting for each other but are at the wrong coffee shop. We spliced together their same expressions. It starts off they are both alone at a coffee shop, a long shot shows crowds around them and themselves waiting. Close ups of their eyes show them looking around for one another. Medium close up show them looking at their watches .This indicates to the viewer that they are waiting. Medium long shots display the scene they are at showing a coffee sign and a cafeteria. Images of the girl walking are shown as if she realizes she is at the wrong spot.At the cafeteria they are both still waiting, unaware that their love is right next to them. This was supposed to be the end of our slideshow, but we decided to have a happy ending and show them together smiling and happy. naaaaaaaaaaaaw!
here it is below....


Just recently my friend and i were at home playing around with the camera and decided to make a new 'waiting for romance' as she didn't have one, and i thought mine could be better. So heres the new one.. Its pretty much a comical piece and was pretty fun to shoot as i got to be very stupid and wear clothes i hadnt worn in a while...

Week 2- Lecture

The lecture was all about film shots and how certain shots can tell a story without an actual narrative. Long shots, medium long shots, mid shots, medium close ups, close ups, big close up, extreme close ups and soooo many more. The lecture was showing us how certain types of shots add to the visual narrative of a story. For example we were taught to recognize shots with questions. Asking what- a mid shot would display what a person may be looking at or doing, how- how did they get there? visual image of a car. How did he steal her purse? A close up of his hand stealing it from under a ladies chair. who? Close up- Imagery of a person or animal that caused a situation or who are being referred to. where- a long shot showing scenery and where someone is going or a location. When? Imagery of things that display time- light, watch, darkness etc. Why?- a big close up of a face or object connecting to the narrative. We learnt about the rule of thirds and the 180 degree rule which will assist us in filming and photography.
I am very interested i all of this as i hope to major in film. Arthouse films in particular interest me the most as they use a wide variety of creative shots to explore different subjects. Hollywood cinema is also very interesting. Slumdog millionaire in particular was a very well produced movie as every shot tells a story and gives the viewer an indepth and honest view into the lifestyle of a poor child in India. Inception seems to be the word on everybody's mouth lately, apparently its an insane movie that plays with the mind. I enjoy movies like that. It seems that New com tech is linking all my subjects together from this semester and last semester by providing relative infomation about new and old information while expanding on things iv already learnt. Its pretty sweet.
The trailer for Requiem for a dream uses short shots to tell a story. It is compiled very well and is engaging....