Media Production Year Two
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Monthly Archives: March 2012
What Happens Once A Viral Video Hits The World….
Yes, You probably know already what I am about to begin talking about. I first apologize as since it has gone viral the media have gobbled it up and spat it back out at every one who will listen. However as a future media producer I have to voice my opinion on this situation, The consequences of this video since going viral needs highlighting.
For anyone who doesn’t know about the “KONY 2012” Video, Where have you been for the past week!
Jason Williams has made this video to highlight the situation that is going on in Uganda. This man “Joseph Kony” uses children as his soldiers by kidnapping them in their sleep and making them kill people even their own family. The video is making awareness of this and is hoping that if enough people can help build awareness together we will make a difference and help in capturing Kony and putting a stop to this.
I Start with some newspaper articles :
Firstly from the Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/10/kony-viral-video-change-world?intcmp=239
“Jason’s message was released last Monday. By Thursday it had amassed 26 million views. When I last looked at it on Saturday it was up to 63 million views (with 1,212,109 “likes” and only 59,702 “dislikes”). So, in the jargon of the day, it’s “gone viral”. In that sense, it represents the most successful manipulation of our new media ecosystem to date because “virality” is what every huckster, politician and advertiser now craves – but very few achieve.”
“Viral dissemination received a really powerful boost with the launch of YouTube in 2005. Thereafter, people were able to post striking, amusing or daft videos online and the service made it easy to “share” anything that viewers liked. This is what led to the LOLcat explosion and the astonishing viewing totals for charming videos like Charlie Bit My Finger,which has been watched more than 12 million times since it first appeared in 2007.
There has been so much media coverage about this Viral Video, but then I guess that was the point. I remember seeing it on my facebook newsfeed and I didnt think anything of it if I’m honest. It wasn’t until more and more people re-posted it and so the hype began. It was scary how fast it suddenly went viral, within the couple of hours everyone on my Facebook was watching it and posting things up about it. However now after the hype has gone down and the video is now longer on my newsfeed… where has everyone gone?
“There comes a point when the shouting that “something must be done” can no longer be ignored. We saw this in Kosovo and Libya and we are now hearing it about Syria. If the Kony video does lead to increased US pressure on the Ugandan regime to catch the LRA leader then we’ll know that the era of network power has finally arrived. But I wouldn’t bet on it”
Its both incredible and scary the impact a single video can have. We live in a world that is so incredibly mediated that sometimes it can cause it to have more harm then good. I think its great that we can use technology for good and to highlight issues and campaigns from one side of the world to the other but it comes at a price.
“The Kony 2012 film about the Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony and his child abductions has become a Facebook phenomenon, viewed nearly 76m times, and prompting reactions from the British, American and Ugandan governments. But it has also triggered fierce debate online. While advocates say it has brought attention to the plight of child soldiers in Africa, many Ugandans have questioned the tactic claiming that the portrayal of their country is out of date.”
I think KONY 2012 will possibly go down in history as the fastest viral video so far and the impact it has created has gone worldwide. With a lot of people having something to say about this video. From blogs, to Facebook, discussions with friends, Video responses.
I don’t think we have heard the end just yet….
AudioCheque – Challenge 7 FLASHMOB
A flashmob… highlighting the obsession we have in today’s society with being famous.
So.. what is a flashmob?
A web definition : A flash mob is an activity which consists of a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place performs an unusual and seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, and artistic expression.
Whether you agree with this statement or not it pretty much sums up the context of a flashmob.
When we were told about creating a flashmob.. there had already been quite a few discussions about doing something with the world’s obsession with “Celebrity Culture”
A few ideas were discussed these include :
– Running around town .. A group in front of the other.. running through the town center, Trying to create an impact.
– Planking in town?
– Sleeping in town? In random places… just stopping everything and sleeping.
– Dancing?
We had many more but were kinda on similar lines. In the end we all decided to go with creating a fake celebrity because of the world we live in constantly being inspired and obsessed more and more with reality TV shows such as big brother, the only way is Essex, Made in Chelsea. It was perfect.
Take a look at this… and see how they did it.
Starsuckers! by Chris Atkins
So taking from this as our inspiration for our flashmob.. we got to it and began making our own “Music Band”.
While we were creating the flash mob, people in the town center started to engage by coming up to us and asking who they were and trying to see what the fuss was about. I guess that it is a natural response when you see a large group of people in one place.
Also the fact we had set it up with paparazzi and security guards made it look a lot more realistic I think. Although the security guards looked young and the band were not famous as such, the public was still engaging and interested. All because they thought they had the chance to see someone who was famous.
For our flash mob we created it in the hope of making it go viral along with many of our Creative Activism work.
We posted it in our Year two group on Facebook for the rest of our year to see. We also had it on you tube under a creative commons licence. We hoped by using the social media network to distribute our video, it would have a higher chance of going viral. Youtube is well known for its content so by placing it in this community, it hopefully would be seen by millions of youtubers!
Carrying on more with Chris Atkins work…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2010/aug/06/urban-fox-hunting-hoax
Check this video out :
Christ Atkins created a video about fox hunting in an attempt to get it in the press, to prove that the press will print anything. They do not care about printing the truth but about making money.
The reason why I am mentioning Chris’s work is because he created an impact by using the media against itself if you like. He manipulated it into printing the story, with no evidence that it was real but it was still featured in the BBC News.
Your probably thinking how does a flash mob going viral make any connection with this?
Well Chris Atkin’s work both “Starsuckers” and “Urban Fox hunting” shows that by using social media to showcase your work really can get it noticed. His urban foxhunt video was uploaded to an anonymous blog yet ended up on the BBC! …
I think we should be questioning how powerful our influence on the internet can have… Or how stupid is the media, and can we really trust what we see and hear in the media.
Picturing the what now?
Picturing the body has been a very intriguing and challenging module, I have seen a variety of different styles of photography. Some have inspired me and some have changed the way I now view the body.
I think the human body opens a world of possibilites when it comes to photographing it. I have really enjoyed photographing the body and learning different ways to present them. Just because we are photographing the body it doesnt mean that it cant be creative. When I mentioned to my friends that I was doing the picturing the body module, many of them were very put off by photographing themselves or the body. I have to say that I did share this view at the start of the module, I was slightly anxious about having to photograph myself naked or my subject but looking back across the projects. I think that ive learnt a lot from each photographic set that I have produced.
So lets begin with a quick (as jonathan would say).. whistle stop tour of each task.
“Photographing A Stranger”
– This task for me was properly the most challenging but as I said before rewarding of the lost. All of the tasks brought their own different challenges, successes and failures. Photographing someone I feel can be a very personal activity as you are taking an image of how the world/and I myself see them. We all have very different perspectives on how we see ourselves which I find fasnicating, Maybe Im reading too much into it but this what I felt during this process.
It took me very outside my comfort zone as I am very used to photographing people I know. Put me in a room with my family and I’ll happily snap away like Mr David Bailey but photographing someone Ive never met, makes me probably just as uncomfortable as the subject.
What have I most taken away from this task :
– Probably how much more confident I feel now, I feel I’d be able to do this again with more practice I think I could be quite confident in taking more photographs on the street even!.
“Experimenting with light.”
Now this task, I had previous experience in as I used to dabble in photography at a-level. This is where I picked up most of the foundation of photography from. Working in groups, Myself, Helen and Jenny booked out lights and a light meter… and a camera.
We began at first playing around with the exposure and the shutter speed. It took a bit of getting used to as I think its safe to say we were all out of practice. With a bit of help from jonathan we began experimenting with our photographs.
What have I most taken away from this task:
– Having a Good old classic photographic skill re-visted and a fresh outlook on lighting :).
“Nude and Naked”
As werid as its going to sound but I really enjoyed engaging with this task. It was very outside my comfort zone and I took a lot from it. I photographed myself naked and my friend of mine. Although technically I did not photograph him completely naked as I felt it wasnt needed, from looking at the shots I took already I was happy enough for the pants to stay well and truly on.! I guess if im honest majority of it was down to the creative decision, I wanted to prove and insight anyone viewing my work that “picturing the body” wasnt all about getting people’s bums and boobs.The body can be an incredible tool for photographing whether its presented in close ups or angled. I dont judge or slate anyone who has done this, I have seen some fasnicated work from my fellow picboders! and photographers that we have been introduced to on this module. I just didnt feel for my ideas and final aretefact that it, was needed :).
Photographing myself was interesting for me, I had never exactly stripped down and snapped away before. However it really helped inspire me for the texture project and to draw out factors ive learnt about my photographic skills which has helped me grow and develop.
“The Clothed Body”
Now for this task… all we had is a subject and a white t-shirt. Bet your thinking thats probably all you normally have when photographing someone. However this time the t-shirt was to be used for our addvantage and to be used as a prop you may say. I found it difficult at first as I was lacking inspiration to what could be done with this tshirt… sounds silly doesnt it? but I wanted to focus on texture, tone, what the white tshirt did to the subject if anything.
From looking at my other picboders work, We have all, developed different styles within in our work. Some of used shirt shirts some have used polo shirts, it creates a nice variety to view.
What I most taken from this task:
– That you can be creative with whatever you have. An image speaks a thousand words.
Okay so I think I wrapped this up, I hope from reading this, (I apoglise its so long, but I wanted to break the module down it to the parts that I most learnt from and to have a piece of evidence to refer back too, next time I dabble in photography.
I thank Jonathan Worth and Matt Johnson and all those picboders out there ;)! Hope you’ve learnt as much as I have if not more on this journey with PICBOD.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gottacaptureitall/ – My Flickr Account.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/picbod_tasks/ – PICBOD Flickr Account.
http://www.picbod.covmedia.co.uk/ – PICBOD Website
Scrapbook and Final Book!
Final Set Of Images
Here are a few photographers that inspired me for my final set.
This set of photographs were taking from the “nude and naked” task. Where I used myself and my subject to explore the body and carry on my theme of texture.
For my final set of images, I used the black and white set that I took during the nude and naked task. Orginally I had both sets printed.
Colour – Texture :
So these are the set of images in colour of texture that I photographed of the body. Although this idea is different and isnt exactly some peoples view of “picturing the body”. I stand by my decision and I like the idea of using the body to create slightly surreal and the texture and tone that can be overlooked with skin.
These are the set of photographs that I have used for my final set of prints. I placed them into a book which I made after having the book binding session. I decided to go for a book because It was a nice way of presenting my final set.
– Photos of the book to be included.
Photographing A Stranger
For this photographing a stranger task, I decided to use “A friend of a friend”. Many would argue that approaching this task in such a way is in fact easier then if you were to approach a stranger on the street and ask to take their photograph. Granted that would be a lot more difficult but that doesnt mean that photographing a friend of a friend was any less awarkward for me..
I knew my subject through friends and had spoke to a little, but its completely different photographing someone your close with a close friend or family member, then photographing someone you’ve met twice and have very little in common with.
However this task really made me think about my subject and how to frame the image to achieve what I wanted to get. I guess I didnt really plan the shoot before hand, I mean I knew roughly what photographs I wanted but I hadnt set up any postions or fixed environments. My reasoning for doing this was because I wanted to make the subject feel as comfortable as possible, it can very offputting having a camera snapping in your face following your every move. In doing this I decided to let her get on with what she would normally be doing and I would photograph her. Similiar to photographing for “being inside the tribe” task, I felt I could relate to what I had learnt during that task with this shoot also.
I tried to almost go “unnoticed” and to try and achieve naturalistic photographs. Im happy with the set of photos from this shoot. I feel that this set would be more of an experimental set and something that I have learnt a great deal from which will enhance my skills as a photographer. Although there are only a few final images that I would print and exhbition.
Overall what I have taken from engaging with this task, is how important people skills are. If you can develop people skills, simple ones such as being easy to talk to, feeling confident around new people it can have such an effect on the process. Making your subject feel comfortable and at ease with you can be the most challenging (if they are not used to having their photograph taken) and most rewarding thing about being a photographer. You need them more then they need you.
Photographing Sam – “The clothed body”
For this task, We had a subject and white t-shirt. This was an interesting task I felt quite excited by it at first because it took away everything and gave us bare minimals to work with. It helped to focus and frame the photograph, to set the photograph up.
Although we were stripped to bare minimals, this did make it challenging too. I often felt when I was taking the photographs what what my aim, my purpose, what did I hope to achieve from these set of photographs. However although it is a good thing to think about these things and to structure the shot up, sometimes it is also good to just experiment and to use what you have. In this example a subject and a white t-shirt and see how the tshirt changes the subjects portrayal.
To begin with, I wanted my subject to try and act normal and to go about his day. This was easier said then done as people have a tendency to act differently when a camera is shoved in their face. So having a camera on him did make him react differently. Experiencing this is something, I have picked up on throughout this task and this module. I need to work on being more naturalistic in taking photographs. I am very eager and quick to set an shot up to get what I want instead of letting the situation fold out and the subject become comfortable. Taking part in this task has shown me that I need to work on this issue, I think that I need to be more patient when working with my subjects and letting the camera do the work.
These contact sheets show all the photographs I took of this task.
Im still not 100% as to what I wanted to achieve by producing this set of photographs. I particular like the images where my subject is showing with the tshirt. As the shirt is white it obviously goes see-through which I thought would make a good texture. I really like the effect the water had on the tshirt because it gave a rippled effect on the shirt which was interesting to look at.
Hereward College Project – Audio 2.3.12 – Day 13-14
I have been carrying on with this project involving Hereward College. The exhibition is being displayed at the Herbert art gallery, it will be opening in the next few weeks. So not long left.
Kye and Amber have been doing all the photographers and after talking to Mandy and Paul who are leading the exhibition, we discussed having audio to go alongside the pictures. So today and last friday I went up to the college and began recording the students voices. I used a marataz and microphone, I felt quite confident using the equipment and just focused on getting good quality sound.
It was a really good experience for me because I was working independently which was rather refreshing yet scary. It was just me and the subject, I didn’t have anyone working with me but then I didn’t really need anyone. I’ve learnt throughout this project that I am very capable and have very good technical skills, which I can adapt and plug into any project I am working on. This project has taught me that I should just jump in and that I shouldnt be afraid to work on projects and use the equipment because I can do it.
I have also being working on a “documentary style making of”, to show the process and developments of the project. I wont lie I am slightly anxious about the overall edit as I don’t feel I have got as much footage as I hoped for. When I first started this project and understood the idea of doing a “making of” I hoped I would have had longer to collect footage. unfortunately I did join this project later than Kye and Amber therefore It was more of a case of seeing what I could do and then contributing by applying my media skills to the project. I will capture all the tapes and all the footage next week and then began to work through edit. I have also to edit the audio which shouldnt take me too long as I have worked with editing audio previously, it’s just a case of spending time on it.
Its been a great opportunity to work with Kye and Amber and to learn more into what its like to live with autism or learning difficulties. It has opened my eyes to students living with these issues and problems everyday. Working on this project has inspired me to want to volunteer at the Hereward College, Once a week working with the media students and hopefully putting my skills to good use. (So fingers crossed that will all work out :)).. Its to be continued.
How has working on this project made me more of a professional, I hear you ask. Well being involved with this project has gave me the insight into working independently. I now have more of an understanding to what it means to work alone and to not have to wait or depend on anyone. I am much of an independent worker as I am a team player, but it’s just nice to now know I can do it by myself and that I can get things done. It is has given me a new perspective of working, more initiative.
This whole project has been leading towards an exhibition at the end, It has been challenging and stressful and still is, to know that people are going to see your work. But it’s not about me, I just hope the exhibition is a success and that people learn that these students are like everybody else, they are capable of doing things and that they shouldnt be treated any differently.
Catherdal Videos – Day 12
This project was one of the smaller projects I did during proffesional experience however it was still a good project to be involved with.
The first time I was part of the filming crew for the Coventry Catherdal Promo Videos, I helped out as sound operator. While the camera operator was filming key moments of the schools tour I was focusing on picking up sound. Although recording background sound wasnt extremely important as it was not neccessarily going to be used it was still good to record everything.
Working on smaller projects such as these is a good way to work within a smaller crew. Although it does mean you need to have reliable people because you dont want to be let down and have to do more then your own share, which can be a pain on smaller shoots as you dont have room for errors.
I wouldnt say that my skills have been enhanced by the project, I didnt learn anything new by taking part in this project but it was another good chance to work on the skills I already have and put it to good use I guess. It gave me the chance to work with people who I had not previously worked with before, So its always good to see how different people work and their style techniques. If I take anything away from this project is that I would prefer not to do free lance work if I had the chance, I would rather work for a company or in a company as part of a team then work alone. With that comes down sides I guess with working in a company you could loose your creative freedom that you get with working freelance. I suppose you could argue that this project has made me realise that I would like to work in a company which will help my career path, although I do not know where I want to go within media as of yet I am learning from everything experience, which is all you can do really.
Experimenting with Light “Task 2”
Week Two saw us experimenting with using a light meter and lights. We experimenting with using the camera and the lights to get the right exposure.
This first one, we experimented with slowing the shutter speed and we experimented with exposure.
Looking at the contact sheets, I think that the experiment was successful. It was good practice to use the light meter and the lights. Also it was good to use different lighting in the shot. As lighting is very important and I think ive learnt more into the inside of how lighting can really benefit the effect a photograph can have.
Media Production Year Two 