The Worries of Digital Media

  I have many worries about digital Technology and its role in our lives.  Today I feel as though it plays a large role in our lives.  Its part of our every day life but in no way does it consume our lives.  Technology does not reason for us it does not think for us it does not do many human functions that are needed in daily life.  Yet it only aids us in the many tasks of our life.

  My worry is that technology will not just aid us but do many things for us.  My worry is about the day when for example a computer can read our thoughts and ideas and then formulate them into a perfect paper.  This idea can be applied to many things.  I think this will eventually happen with the development of wetware.  This is the technology that will interface directly with the human body in specific the brain.  Many people today think that digital technology controls our lives.  For many this is true, due to there are some that do not disconnect ever from the digital world. Imagine a future where you could live your life through technology, it would no longer give us a reason to interact let alone use basic human functions.  This is my hypothetical but possible concern about the advancements of technology.

  A concern in today’s society is people’s reliance on technology.  For many they cannot research with out the use of the Internet. Another example that is dear to my heart is that of the art of drafting.  Today with computer drafting it has modernized and sped up this art form.  But for many there are no longer learning how to do it by hand.  Which is a important skill, this skill can then help for one to become a better draftsman because if you do it by hand then you understand the concept but doing it by computer does not teach the concepts and the knowledge needed to be a good draftsman.  That is why digital is not always the best way to go all the time, but certainly is helpful often.

Video Composition

  This video composition was the hardest part of this course I feel.  For me video editing is the one forms of media that I don’t not have past training in.  this lent for a great opportunity to learn.  This project allowed me to learn Final Cut Pro. Which for me was a awesome experience that I believe ended with a good result.  And thanks to Kes Jones for teaching me Final Cut, she was very patient with me and was able to teach me pretty advanced editing techniques.

  I went into this video project with the idea to express freedom of speech.  The first clip I decided to use was that of Edward Murrow played by David Strathairn, discussing freedom for humans during the red scare.  I feel as though his speech strikes home to that of Wikileaks and their freedom to publish.  I then overlaid this with many iconic speakers, and many recent events.  I then flashed many images that showed disorientation, and helped lend to the panic that needs to be felt by this situation.  After the content was selected and in order and transitioned well, I then did some color correction and did a good amount of image and motion adjustment so that the film was astatically pleasing.

What is Digital Media?

  What is Digital media? Well frankly it is just about every thing today.  We interact with it many times a day.  Whether its video, audio, images, or even text.  All these mediums are no digital.  There once was a day when there was no such thing as a digital form of these medias.  But today these digital forms have changed our lives. They have made out lives instantly.  The Internet is a large part of this, it allows us to consume and send information in seconds, where as before it would take days to do the same thing.  These changes in our lives have sped up the way we live.  Today things move at a faster pace in comparison to that of 25 years ago.  Digital media has created jobs in this world it has created art.  In many ways if has changed this world for the better and will continue to.  Digital technology is constantly being developed and implemented.  Digital media in our lives is so important, a example of this is how today to function on a day to day basis many people need smartphones, because the ability to have email in your pocket along with the internet, allows for instantly communication and research seconds away with you at all times.  For me I could not make it through a workday with out my phone, because email, phone calls, texts, and the Internet are so necessary in the entertainment industry.  This is just one example of how digital media consumption, transportation and creation has changed our lives.  But there are millions of ways it has changed us, and will always change our society.  but when will digital media go to far?

Audio Composition

  The digital age that we live in has changed the way events happen.  They happen now instantly.  New goes around the world in seconds.  This audio file explores the idea and impact of Wikileaks.  Wikileaks has caused a information war around the globe in a matter of second with the help of the internet. 

  The basic music I have used for this is a song called Uncle Sam God Dam, by Brother Ali.  This song discussed the hypocritical nature of this country.  I feel as though the song lends light to how the US might break an amendment to prosecute wiki leaks.  I have also mixed in various news clips that lend light to the panic that these leaks have caused.  The static also lends to that feeling.  I have also layered in audio from a trailer for a documentary that discuses cyber warfare and how it has changed how we look at war, and how just information it self-can start a controversy, and how the internet has armed every one around the world with this power.  Wikileaks is just one group using this power, what will happen when more follow like them/ what will this lead to? Can we possibly imagine a world of censorship where the government filters every thing on the Internet?  That’s a scary thought in my opinion, and that was the message I tried to convey.

Boundary and Dissolution

There are many boundaries in life. And one that we face as students and working artists is that of borrowing/inspiration and plagiarize.

I feel it is necessary to “barrow” work.  Not in the sense of stealing it and plagiarizing it but barrowing ideas and developing them.  Where would we be today if every one started there ideas from scratch? We would be no wear because there would be no new developments in any fields.  With out the building on ideas we cant get anywhere.

In my field of scenery constructing there are many ways to build scenery there are good ways and bad ways.  We often barrow the good ways because that just is the right way of doing it.  Yet we often build on the set good ideas to better fit our needs.  I truly don’t see this as barrowing but rather it is the use of public knowledge of ideas that were not originally your own.  In no way is this plagiarizing but rather it is just the nature of the field I work and frankly live in.

With out development on the building blocks that are already built then we will never reach the sky.

Image Composition

   This image for me represents a lot of my view on the rights of humans.  I believe we all have the right to freedom of speech.  And wiki leaks is no exception to that matter.  I chose the bill of rights because it states that we all have the right to freedom of speech, press and so on.  That is why I have highlighted and edited the first amendment to stand out.  I have also shown image such as the gavel striking down on wikileaks to represent to ideas of how the courts can destroy freedom of speech by prosecuting wikileaks.  I have also add lady justice because is it justified to prosecute Wikileaks? And last of all I have included an image of the rattlesnake that was so symbolic of our countries rights during the 1700s.  The symbology of this image is to show the importance of our rights humans and as us citizens and how they are threatened by the fate of Wikileaks.

Blending of Intellect and Creativity

I believe that intellect and creativity go hand in hand.  Creativity for me is the ability to express your ideas in a unique fashion.  But to be able to do this well one must be intellectually able to understand the basic methods and ways of expressing this.  In photography for me having the creativity to think of a composition is the first step.  Having the intellect to compose that shot, and the intellect to properly take the photo are all-necessary to get a good photo.  Having the creativity to think of unique ways enhancing the photo is necessary when editing it, but having the intellect to do the editing is necessary.

I also apply this in my field of study.  As a Technical director in the theater I am charged with the responsibility to take a designer’s ideas about a set and they’re drawling and engineer them and build them and make it a reality on stage.

Having the intellect to engineer strictly sound scenery is necessary to be safe and successful at your task.  But creativity is also extremely important this is because there is not just one way to engineer it to work.  And to achieve unusual designs one must be able to creatively think of new ways to engineer and implement the designs.  With out creativity then this would not be an art form.  Because my field is truly I hybrid of these ideas, it makes it there by necessary to posses them both. And with out them I can fail at my job. That is why these traits are extremely important traits for a artist to have