In taking New Media I have learned many things throughout the semester. The class not only focused on cinematography but also how the media affects us. Everyday the media bombards us with images. These images are not only meant to entertain, but are also meant to make us consume. I am now able to see that the influence the media has on us is great. In this society it is very hard to be an individual due to the media working to unify our ideals.
I Now look to see what messages corporations promote through the advertisng and distrobution of their product. For example after this weeks Iowa cuacus AOL placed a headline on their sign-on screen. The headline featured a picture of a smiling John Kerry and read "Dean is Done". This bais media manipulation is meant to shape or views. Many times in the past I would find myself absorbing the media's ideals. I am now more skeptical and thoughtful about the products I buy. I feel that New Media has taught me how to be much more critical of their motives. This helps me make better dicisions about what I want to consume.
The media holds an amazing amount of power in our society. It can manipulate people into buying certain products and can convince them to vote for a certain candidate. Classes such as New Media are important in that the American media affects our lives on a day to day basis and it is important that we, as consumers are aware of this. This class has helped me to analyze the advertisements I pass by every day, I am more concious of why advertisers chose the placement and content of these ads and how they are used to catch the eye of its consumers.
This class has enabled me not only to be more critical of the media but also more intrigues by its ability to send information globally. The media has grown especially in the last decade as technology evolves. I am more educated in the "fads" that occur and why certain things are popularized such as reality television. This class has taught me that the media can be a reflection of our society and can also change our society and it's beliefs due to it's power.
Entertainment seems to be a small role in societies life, its purpose is to entertain when you dont have nothing else to do. But in reality entertainment and media plays a large role in our societies life. The media affects the way we look, dress, act and at times feel. This new media class has taught me that we may think the media is not important and is just a source of entertainment but in reality we base our lives and figures around it. Many problems that society have are surrounded with what we see in TV, magazines, books and other sources of communication. For instance their is a very high percentage teenage girls with eating disorders in America, but this is mainly societies fault because they promote what a beautiful women, skinny, tall young adults see this image and feel they have to be the same but in reality it should'nt be that way. Also media does not give us a chance to have some independent originality, it makes us dependent on the lastest fashion etc. To conclude this new media class has shown me the importance and the influence our socities media has on us.
In new media this year, I have learned a lot. First we started talking about the Media and the types of things it does to get people to watch. We also talked about reality TV, like Survivor and the types of things it does to keep the people who watch it entertained. Then we started filming and I learned many different ways to shoot a scene and the right ways to do it. I also learned somewhat how to use the computer to edit and make my film.
I veiw media in many ways. It is people who want to get stories, like reporters, and sometimes they go to extreme measures to do it. Also, the media is TV and Movies, and many types of entertainment. It is advertisments also. I watch TV a lot so I get a lot from the media, and sometimes, they probably influence me, but sometimes the media can go to far. I like reality TV, and I watch Survivor sometimes. I think it is very smart how they mix things up to keep viewers of the show entertained and I'm guessing it works because reality TV is very big now. There are so many different reality TV shows, from survivor to like who wants to mary a millionare. Some forms of reality TV I like to watch, like fear factor, but I really like the who wants to marry a millionare types of things. This year, I also learned that there are right ways to shoot in film making. Like the over the shoulder shot. Now when I watch TV or Movies, I can see that most shots that are filmed with people talking are over the shoulder. So that is interesting. I also learned that to make a great film, you have to do creative shot angles, and I did that in my movie.
This year in New Media class I had an exellent experience in all aspects of the class. The initial conversations about theory and the explanation of film was actually very interesting and helpful. Especially, the conversaton and explanation of how to film a conversation between two people. That type of conversation is what got my analyzing all of the film i saw on telelvision differently, as well as, movies.
In thinking about what to do for my main video, my mind began to draw a blank. i had no clue what to do that would be, "kool" as I knew it had to be. In fact, I couldnbt even think of a bad video to do. next, as a group, we began to mold bad ideas into good and refine poor conceptys into finer ones. This brainstorming method lended itself to be how I got to the final project that I had.
Another affect of the New Media course has had on me is how i look at film. My main interests and comments on a piece of moving footage have to do with the amount of light or the camera placement. When I watch a fast moving televison show like, ER, for example, i am amazed at the skill of the camera placement and how they work up to 5 characters into one shot as they surround a patient. Next, i consider a show like Real World, which has actually very poor camera shots, but another amazing quality. Whenever i think about why they've chosen such a shaky camera shot, I realize that its for a reason. Of the many days that they shoot, editors then cut it down to a 30 minute television program-plus commercials.
As Ms. Reed wuold watch our videos, she wuold often say, "too long" which prompted us to cut that scene down because it was-too long-thus boring. This forces you to think abou twhy things that dont progress the video or are not visually pleasing are even in the video at all.
During my G band New Media class I have experienced so many great things. Not only did I make my first film and learn how to use Final Cut Pro which I will be able to use in the future, but I met a great teacher and new friends.
When the class first started, I did not think that I would be capable of making a whole movie by myself so I decided to work with Matt and Colby. After making our story board, our schedules just never worked out to film so I decided that in order to get a good grade, I would have to work on my own. With the help of two of my best friends, I filmed one day after school and came in the next day with at least half of my footage. I continued to work on my movie with Ms. Reed and the help of my classmates, and in no time at all, I was almost finished.
This experience was amazing and I actually want to try and pursue something with photography or filming in the future. I learn things that deal with computers really easily and I feel that I am capable of doing all of this.
All in all this was a wonderful experience and I hope that next semester I can take somewhat of an AP course in New Media and make a longer and more amazing video.
Media isn't easlity defined, yet if you look in a dictionary it will have a definition. To me, media has a deeper meaning then any dictionary could ever tell. It is a form of expression. Its used to create a new narrative through an old one. Media, in the sence of high technologies such as digital camcorders and Final Cut Pro, is very new to human kind. But media is a lot more then technological advances. It is how a person sees an idea or an event. In fact, media can be so closley related to so many subjects, such as history and english.
I find it fasinating how I could record an event that has happened and remaster it, make it my own. No matter how fast or slow, I can speed up or lower the speed. No matter how loud, I can mute or put my own background music. I remember in 9th grade when my hsitory teacher came in the room waved an American flag and left. He told us to record what we saw. Obviously we all had the same event, but it was but into different words. Well media is a lot like that. An event will happen, and through however context, it will be rereated in our own style, self-expression.
I recelty saw a gossip-y show on E! where they "revealed the truth about Reality TV." First of all, I wasn't very interested in watching it, but because of the absence of my remote control, the channel didn't change. Producers of the show admitted that they would reenact certain sences over and over again so the camera men could get a "better" shot. Now, is that still real? Those actions DID happen, they just were redone a few times. One more thing about such television shows, do they have directors? I havn't botherd in watching the credits. If the television show is suppose to be real and unscripted, how could a director possible have a place on set? I can understand how a director could be in the editing room, but I can't imagine a man or woman telling "real life" people to do "real life things."
New Media class was a lot of fun. I enjoyed working on my film with Leemore and almost wanting to kill the computer because of the full scratch batch. As an individual I have learned to appreciate the people who create and edit films for a living. As I have found out, a lot of things could go wrong, and when they do you need to make with what you have.
Throughout my many months of New Media class I have learned numerous things pertaining to the media's effects on my life, and others. I have learned that the media is not only an art, but an attempt to unite all people who view the media. The media creates opinions in those that view the many masterpeieces it produces, and opinions are what makes the human race unique. It allows people to judge possible outcomes to other people's lives, whether they are fictional based or non-fictional based, and apply those outcomes to their daily lives. The lessons learned through the numerous forms of the media benifit all who experience the media's wonders. Furthermore, the people are affected by the media greatly, whether the lessons learned are on a sub-conscious level is not evident, yet in the end, the media is what makes the people great.
By enduring the many forms of the media, I have learned of the media's true power over all who share the experiences of the media. Despite the media's positive intentions to provide entertainment for its viewers, the media has negative effects. Moreover, those negative effects are very common amongst the media's viewers, for the media has vast influence. I have learned that these influences can be beneficial or non-beneficial pending the viewers situation. Such as, one who supports the skirmishes of others will be negatively effected by a reality show which promotes fighting. Although a reality show that does not promote fighting may cause the person to cease their liking to fighting. Therefore it is apparent that the media has both positive and negative influences. Yet these influences are greatly effected by the media's power over the people.
I have discovered that the media has an infinite amount of money it can dispense to help promote their lessons. In today's world, when one has money, one has power, and when one has power, one has influence. With such a great amount of money at the media's disposal, the media can be a great threat towards the individual person, for many media-based industries have only the intention of making money in mind. The commercials the media produce, along with the trailers to movies that are seen on the television can cause one to spend enormous amounts of money on the media. Truthfully, I feel as though this may be a problem in the future, and personally it has effected what I spend.
Through studying the media I have learned to be more selective about what I buy. If I were to buy movie tickets to a horrible movie my money would have been spent for nothing, and the media will have benifited. Therefore, I only spend my money on media-based things if it is worth the money. Further, the only reason I can select better movies now is because I have pursued a study in the media. Through the experiences I have seen, I can now be more critical of movies and other media-related forms. The quality of media-related forms are much more evident through my studies. Because I have gained this new skill, I find myself enjoying media-based products much more frequently.
Now that I have studied the media, I find that I am better suited to live in today's world. From the lessons I have learned about filming, and the experineces I have seen through watching media-based products ans criticizing, I find that I have a better understanding of the world. I have discovered that one should not let the media control their lives, for the media does have many positive influences, yet it has many poor influences as well. Using the media as a guide and assimilating the positive teachings of the media is the best for an individual. The media is what makes up the world today, and without it, the world would not be as enjoyable as it is today.
In this media class I learned about the art of film. How the position of the camera makes for a very crucial part of the movie. How much detailed could go into that one single point, and how much that effects it. In general, the production, and the ideas behind the movies was the main thing I learned in this class.
As for the manipulation of the media, my ideas are the same as they were before. Before the class, and now nearly after. The media is only able to control you as much as you let it. It's the people that watch the televisions, go to the movies and pay the cost. So if the people decide they're tired of mindless commercial, and movies that are just really long commercials, things will change. But until things do, people will follow trends, all big time movies will convert to a single plot, and reality tv + sitcoms or reality sitcoms will rule over your tv. Offcourse you could change the chanel, read a book, watch some avantgarde movie. But even if one person does, they're are still millions that will watch FOX.
I enjoyed taking this class, for the simple fact that I got to make a movie. It came out to be alot harder then I thought it would be. My ideas shifted alot, some were completly thrown out, and in the end I just ended up with a weird lo-budget film, that I am proud of.
Looking back onto this past semester, it seems like so much has changed. Now when I go to see a movie I do not just look at the content of the movie, but I am now looking to see how it is filmed. Whent he mvoie is done, my comments revolve around the shooting of the movie, rather than the story plot. I feel that I have learned so much about the media and how to make media related things, injust this short period of time.
To start at the beginning, the first thing I learend was what makes a media project so good. In other words, the shots one would want to use in order to get the point of their movie across, while keeping it interesting. Another thing I learned was how the media really effects one's life. The media sets the standard for everyone to abide by, or at least try to follow. The last important thing I learned was how to actually make a movie. Which was great lesson.
So I think that this smemseter, was a very inofrative one, in which I learend so much. I learned the basis of what there is to know about media, whihc is a good where to start. I only wish that I wcould learn more, like how to become more advacnce in this topic.
what have you learned about the media? What have you learned about you being a consumer of the media?
Over the course of the past three months I have noticed that instead of approaching the media (tv, magazine) more i have pushed further away from the it. i think that i don't have any definite answer why this has happened. hey who knows maybe it was Ms. Reed's constent conversations about how the media is affecting us. But i'm only joking.
I have learned only the simple/mere things about the media world. One of the things would be that if you don't give the media (meaning people) what they want to see and hear then they won't pay any attention to you. With me being a part of billions of other consumers i could see how hard it is for the media to satisfy the consummer's requests.
It was hard for me to actually be the media for 3 months and try to full fill the audience's requests becuase i don't know what they expect from me. and I'm still working on the project but it's hard for me to creat something that eceryone will enjoy watching. Sometimes it's more important to put aside your persons "likes" so that you will make others like it and enjoy it. becuase not everything thing that you like others will enjoy.
I have always thought of myself as a very conscious consumer (or as ms. reed would say "conshuuuumer"... haha, just kidding :P) of the media, but I don't know to what extent that would have happened if I was at another school. As we all probably know, the first thing they teach you when you get to Beacon is how terrible the media is and when you're a freshman, you're like... sitting there wide eyed like, "But I like television!". But if you turned out like I did, you hardly watch anything anymore... Except for HBO Sunday nights, of course. Anyway, yeah, so Mr. Letiecq and Mr. Alm (way back in the day, only rachel, jenn and theresa know who i'm talking about there) were the first ones who instilled that notion in my head and I remember being in such disbelief as a freshman, saying, "My Dad watches CNN, how can it be corrupt!?", but by the end of the year, I had completely given in to that part of the "Down with the System" mentality. So New Media is definitely a nice little biweekly reminder of all those wonderful little values that were bestowed upon us when we first walked into the wonderful (well, it was...) place that is The Beacon School.
What's really cool about this class is the background that you get on the aspects of media production... And that is twofold. First, you learn about how films are marketed, how they reach the big screen, the tarps that they use, the strategies that they must employ to succeed in the corporate atmosphere that is today's entertainment industry. Then, you get to literally *produce* a piece of media which you write, direct and create all by yourself. Obviously, you're not making a piece of work that requires full scale commercial representation, but seeing the challenges that filmmakers deal with and the qualities that they bring out in their work is quite an interesting experience for someone who comes in, essentially from the outside. When we watch films, we are often more focused on the plotline and the character development than the artistry of how those elements are brought the screen. Such parts of the story are considered the "interesting" parts and what makes the story tick... But when you're the one behind the camera, you realize that the cinematography of a piece is extremely vital to the scheme of the things and that the effect of one angle is extremely different from that of another. In film, you are forcing people to see what you want to see through an eye that goes unseen, which is your lens. Your lens is essentially acting as the eye of the audience and that, obviously, is a very important eye, for it is who you are making your film for in the first place. In art, parts join together to make a magnificent whole and being behind the camera really lets you see that. Being the one sitting in front of computer lets you craft every moment the way you want it and the way you see it in your mind. Everything is in your hands and your mind is the drawing board... So, then... You're pretty powerful!
Let's face it... A lot of the stuff out there today is shit. The media exploits people for no reason, films are made with no regard for art anymore... At least the majority of films that "people" (whoever they may be) see... But we're so blessed to be educated in an environment that teaches out about these things... About beauty and art and AGGGH, now I'm getting all pseudo intellectual. But my point is... It's special. And I treasure it. So there. Fin. Thanks. ;o)
Love,
Leemore
Every since the beginning of entering Ms.Reed's class I knew I would have to work hard and also have fun at the same time. The media to me was always "the media" something that you don't always realize, for example: t.v., shoes,clothes,movies e.t.c. But ever since I started taking this class I realize that the media has an effect on everyone not only me, i look at the t.v. sometimes and the surroundings around me everything always has a sign sort of making a click to your brain saying " oh I have to get that" or " I need that" or because this person has it I need it. I'm more aware of the media nowadays then I was before, which I think is a good thing. Although I don't watch to much t.v. because I don't have time, I am sometimes effected by the media of advertisments/commercials.
I think that from September till now, I find myself analyzing more of the media than I did before, but only when I have time.I think that if you realize what the media puts infront of you then it always has some sort of effect on you but if you go into your own world and don't really realzie it which is sometimes pretty hard then you just might not realize those little things.