My Final Project for English 344, One Degree of Separation, is complete. It can be viewed here:
http://sites.google.com/site/english344project
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Revised Manifesto
As I re-read my Manifesto, there were several phrases that struck me as being particularly relevant as I consider the scope of the information contained in the course over the past semester. I would not make any changes to any of the information contained in the Manifesto, but would definitely re-emphasize the following phrases if I were to re-write it:
“the buying and selling of knowledge (which is inherently intangible), serves only to inhibit serious intellectual development and growth which may in effect lead to an empire in creative thought.”
The example that comes to mind when re-reading this statement is the debate over MIT Open Courseware. MIT feels that while information can be free, there are still certain procedures in place when it comes to obtaining a degree from their institution. While technological developments in empires such as the internet have led some to admit that certain practices are outdated and ineffective, changes do not have to take place within the hierarchical structure of obtaining a formal degree.
“we reject all forms of censorship”
I think the idea of censorship throughout this class goes far beyond the idea of omitting offensive content from novels such as Lady Chatterley’s Lover or 1984. The fact that The New York Times requires subscriptions to site content could be viewed as a form of censorship. Expanding on the last example, professors in the academic setting who choose to restrict the use of their knowledge on the ground that it is their “intellectual property” also becomes a form of censorship when simple information is not made available to the public. The success of the internet is that it thrives on the fact that knowledge and information are both available. Removing either of these essential components would serve only to inhibit the progress that had been made thus far in the technological fields.
“the buying and selling of knowledge (which is inherently intangible), serves only to inhibit serious intellectual development and growth which may in effect lead to an empire in creative thought.”
The example that comes to mind when re-reading this statement is the debate over MIT Open Courseware. MIT feels that while information can be free, there are still certain procedures in place when it comes to obtaining a degree from their institution. While technological developments in empires such as the internet have led some to admit that certain practices are outdated and ineffective, changes do not have to take place within the hierarchical structure of obtaining a formal degree.
“we reject all forms of censorship”
I think the idea of censorship throughout this class goes far beyond the idea of omitting offensive content from novels such as Lady Chatterley’s Lover or 1984. The fact that The New York Times requires subscriptions to site content could be viewed as a form of censorship. Expanding on the last example, professors in the academic setting who choose to restrict the use of their knowledge on the ground that it is their “intellectual property” also becomes a form of censorship when simple information is not made available to the public. The success of the internet is that it thrives on the fact that knowledge and information are both available. Removing either of these essential components would serve only to inhibit the progress that had been made thus far in the technological fields.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Group Project Revised Commentary
Gordon Marshall Bigsby, JD Mink, Elizabeth K.
Video
Watch the video first, and then read about the process:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8jniQLAIEs
Process
Based on the suggestions made in Justin’s review, we decided to utilize the YouTube annotation system as some “choose-your-own-adventure” projects had which he had referenced. This entailed restructuring the end of the video in order to accommodate the alternate endings that we had created. We removed the initial options which had scrolled through the screen in the initial video which had been created and left a black screen over which we added annotations which linked viewers to the alternate ending scenes. Colours were added to the annotations in order to help the viewer distinguish between the three options as they differentiated each option by making them more recognizable.
We attempted to integrate various forms of multimedia by making use of different formats in creating our alternate endings. Option 1, Keep Playing the Tune, was created by using Louis Armstrong’s “After You’re Gone.” This option is an audio clip; however, we added an image of the artist (found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave_finlayson/2988238517/) and turned it into a YouTube video in order to make the structure of the project work. There’s a catch here, though. Instead of allowing the listener to listen to the original tune, I added a sinister audio track from Freesound.org (all CC licensed content. Credit to James Duckett: http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=55082) to the beginning. Listeners will not actually be able to listen to the original tune as they had hoped. Instead, they are tricked into listening to a “butchered” version of the song (the tune has been reversed and chopped up using Audacity, the free audio-editing program). I picked a “dark” image of Armstrong to go with the evil laugh that plays in the beginning.
Option 2, Let the Cat Get Revenge on the Stooges, is a video clip spliced together by using various scenes from The New Three Stooges’ “Aloha Ha Ha” cartoon, and “The Hep Cat Symphony.” In this clip, it appears that both the cat and the Stooges are outside and the cat is chasing the Stooges off into the sunset.
Option 3, I Want Popeye Back, is a still image (found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dominicspics/1128401985/sizes/l/) which was edited with audio. The audio which plays in the clip was created using Vozme (a CC-like license, explained here: http://vozme.com/licenses.php?lang=en). I picked computer generated audio to give the viewer/listener a distanced feeling. In other words, while the viewer wants to have Popeye back, he/she can’t truly have him back. In a cold/unfriendly computerized voice, Popeye rejects the viewer by saying, “Listen, you can’t have me back…my girl’s name is Olive Oyl. Got it? If you’re a guy, understand this: I don’t swing that way.” You can’t have him back. Why? He already has a girl.
Note that the original video says, “Choose Wisely.” These three options only leave option 2 as the most “wise” choice, because the other two mess with the viewer’s mind. In the first option, the listener gets an unfaithful rendition of the tune. In the third option, he/she is rejected by Popeye.
Conclusion
The whole process was terribly difficult. We spent hours and hours trying to figure it all out, and ultimately, we conquered the Internet and YouTube. Call it a digital exploration. We explored, witnessed good and evil, and declared ourselves triumphant.
Video
Watch the video first, and then read about the process:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8jniQLAIEs
Process
Based on the suggestions made in Justin’s review, we decided to utilize the YouTube annotation system as some “choose-your-own-adventure” projects had which he had referenced. This entailed restructuring the end of the video in order to accommodate the alternate endings that we had created. We removed the initial options which had scrolled through the screen in the initial video which had been created and left a black screen over which we added annotations which linked viewers to the alternate ending scenes. Colours were added to the annotations in order to help the viewer distinguish between the three options as they differentiated each option by making them more recognizable.
We attempted to integrate various forms of multimedia by making use of different formats in creating our alternate endings. Option 1, Keep Playing the Tune, was created by using Louis Armstrong’s “After You’re Gone.” This option is an audio clip; however, we added an image of the artist (found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave_finlayson/2988238517/) and turned it into a YouTube video in order to make the structure of the project work. There’s a catch here, though. Instead of allowing the listener to listen to the original tune, I added a sinister audio track from Freesound.org (all CC licensed content. Credit to James Duckett: http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=55082) to the beginning. Listeners will not actually be able to listen to the original tune as they had hoped. Instead, they are tricked into listening to a “butchered” version of the song (the tune has been reversed and chopped up using Audacity, the free audio-editing program). I picked a “dark” image of Armstrong to go with the evil laugh that plays in the beginning.
Option 2, Let the Cat Get Revenge on the Stooges, is a video clip spliced together by using various scenes from The New Three Stooges’ “Aloha Ha Ha” cartoon, and “The Hep Cat Symphony.” In this clip, it appears that both the cat and the Stooges are outside and the cat is chasing the Stooges off into the sunset.
Option 3, I Want Popeye Back, is a still image (found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dominicspics/1128401985/sizes/l/) which was edited with audio. The audio which plays in the clip was created using Vozme (a CC-like license, explained here: http://vozme.com/licenses.php?lang=en). I picked computer generated audio to give the viewer/listener a distanced feeling. In other words, while the viewer wants to have Popeye back, he/she can’t truly have him back. In a cold/unfriendly computerized voice, Popeye rejects the viewer by saying, “Listen, you can’t have me back…my girl’s name is Olive Oyl. Got it? If you’re a guy, understand this: I don’t swing that way.” You can’t have him back. Why? He already has a girl.
Note that the original video says, “Choose Wisely.” These three options only leave option 2 as the most “wise” choice, because the other two mess with the viewer’s mind. In the first option, the listener gets an unfaithful rendition of the tune. In the third option, he/she is rejected by Popeye.
Conclusion
The whole process was terribly difficult. We spent hours and hours trying to figure it all out, and ultimately, we conquered the Internet and YouTube. Call it a digital exploration. We explored, witnessed good and evil, and declared ourselves triumphant.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Group Project Critique
For the group project critique, I chose to examine the Copyright project, the “Official Site of the ‘GMU Copyright Education’ Team.”
I thought this project was extremely well done. I really like the main page of the website that the group created; it’s simple, clean design makes it easy for users to navigate, and the white copyright logo is featured prominently on the site as it contrasts with the black background, again clearly stating to viewers the purpose of the site. The site is broken up into four other pages—Information, History, Modern, and Interviews. Each of the site’s pages is just as sleek and navigable as the main page—users are able to readily identify important content and locate information.
The information and history sections of the site are useful as they provide contextual information through which to frame the site. The mission statement manifesto adds humor to the issue, but clearly indicates the complexities and stipulations of copyright. The history section that the authors have provided is useful, as it is important to know the origins of copyright to understand its complexities and affect on consumers in today’s society. The site creators have also provided information on copyright in modern society. The addition of the screenshot with the broken YouTube video is perfect—so often we visit YouTube expecting to watch a video only to find that the content has been removed for one reason or another. This is often a sobering experience, reminding us all of the reality of copyright claims. The inclusion of this was a well-planned move on the part of the site creators. The final interviews section ties the site together and makes site users aware of peoples’ knowledge of copyright. It is always interesting to see whether the average person really understands what copyright is and means for them.
This project is well-designed and the site provides plenty of useful information about the subject of copyright law and infringement. The website design is excellent and humor is well-used as it makes a difficult subject such as this easier to handle.
I thought this project was extremely well done. I really like the main page of the website that the group created; it’s simple, clean design makes it easy for users to navigate, and the white copyright logo is featured prominently on the site as it contrasts with the black background, again clearly stating to viewers the purpose of the site. The site is broken up into four other pages—Information, History, Modern, and Interviews. Each of the site’s pages is just as sleek and navigable as the main page—users are able to readily identify important content and locate information.
The information and history sections of the site are useful as they provide contextual information through which to frame the site. The mission statement manifesto adds humor to the issue, but clearly indicates the complexities and stipulations of copyright. The history section that the authors have provided is useful, as it is important to know the origins of copyright to understand its complexities and affect on consumers in today’s society. The site creators have also provided information on copyright in modern society. The addition of the screenshot with the broken YouTube video is perfect—so often we visit YouTube expecting to watch a video only to find that the content has been removed for one reason or another. This is often a sobering experience, reminding us all of the reality of copyright claims. The inclusion of this was a well-planned move on the part of the site creators. The final interviews section ties the site together and makes site users aware of peoples’ knowledge of copyright. It is always interesting to see whether the average person really understands what copyright is and means for them.
This project is well-designed and the site provides plenty of useful information about the subject of copyright law and infringement. The website design is excellent and humor is well-used as it makes a difficult subject such as this easier to handle.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Group Project Commentary
J.D. Mink:
My process in selecting video clips was rather simple. I decided first to strictly use cartoon clips in the video project. I searched the Internet Archive (www.archive.org) for cartoon clips which were in the public domain. I compiled cartoons by searching the Archive for themes rather than by identifying particular cartoons or characters to include prior to selecting specific clips. I had no intention of selecting cartoons for inclusion which I found to be thematically related.
As I watched the cartoons, I made note of scenes which particularly seemed to stand alone—in other words, scenes which had self-contained plot content not crucial to the overall plot of the story. I found many of these in each selection, especially as the early 20th century cartoons were sporadic in nature, constantly shifting from general plotline to subplot and secondary material.
I first wanted to select a cartoon that had something to do with adventure. Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba’s Forty Thieves (1937) came up as a search result. I was familiar with the cartoon, but had not watched in sometime prior to reviewing it for the project. I felt that the scenery and detailed illustrations made the cartoon a particularly worthy selection.
I looked at both the Little Audry cartoon, “Goofy Goofy Gander” (1950) and the Max Fleischer’s Superman cartoon “Billion Dollar Limited.” (1942). Due to their age, I think there is a great deal of similarity in their animation and artistry; their content however is quite different. I found the teacher in “Goofy Goofy Gander” to have particularly noir qualities. There was something quite dated about her appearance and mannerisms which paired well with the portrayal of Lois Lane in “Billion Dollar Limited.”
I also found rewarding scenes in “Hep Cat Symphony” (1949), a cartoon about a fight between musically-inclined animal housemates…a saxophone-playing cat and an orchestra of mice who live in the wall.
The content and nuances in the Popeye selection were unmistakably representative of the Popeye series. Popeye contains humor unlike any other cartoon. The animation was quite similar to that in the Felix the Cat cartoon, “Neptune Nonsense” (1936).
I also attempted to gather scenes which did not feature the main characters in the cartoons. This was an especially important technique in cartoons such as Popeye—it allowed me to focus specifically on the secondary scenes which would stand out in our presentation if isolated. I also feared that the cartoon’s secondary qualities and the artists’ undertones might be overshadowed if I attempted to portray characters in scenes which contained main characters such as Popeye or Olive Oil.
I made few suggestions about connections which I found between specific clips. As I did not make the final determination on which clips would be included in the cut, I left that to the discretion of Elizabeth, who volunteered to edit the video. I did not consult other members of my group prior to selecting specific clips. We each located clips independently which we thought would be best suited to the theme of the project.
Gordon Marshall Bigsby:
Our project was somewhat ambitious in that we had intended on putting together various, unrelated scenes from different movies/cartoons to see if we could create an output that flowed quite nicely. The catch is that this was completely uncoordinated since our project was divided into several parts. After JD and I independently selected our scenes, Elizabeth would put them together without input from us. Elizabeth had no way of knowing what we were going to send to her, and we had no way of knowing how she was going to arrange the scenes. The same applies to the work that JD and I did: he did not know what I was working on and the same was true for me.
To stay within legal limits, I stuck to Archive.org and found a mixture of movie and cartoon scenes. JD and I were only required to find a total of five scenes, but we were not told to find any particular scenes from any time period or place. It was, as you might imagine, a stab in the dark. My emphasis was on finding scenes that would make sense on their own—exactly what JD had done. I went for a combination of different factors. I knew I wanted to find ones that would work well as intro and ending scenes. Furthermore, I tried to locate scenes that contained different emotions (happy, sad, etc.) along with humorous and scary content. I was hoping Elizabeth would have a good range of material to work with. To make things a little easier, I noted the scene start and end times so she would be able to locate the exact scene immediately.
My process in selecting video clips was rather simple. I decided first to strictly use cartoon clips in the video project. I searched the Internet Archive (www.archive.org) for cartoon clips which were in the public domain. I compiled cartoons by searching the Archive for themes rather than by identifying particular cartoons or characters to include prior to selecting specific clips. I had no intention of selecting cartoons for inclusion which I found to be thematically related.
As I watched the cartoons, I made note of scenes which particularly seemed to stand alone—in other words, scenes which had self-contained plot content not crucial to the overall plot of the story. I found many of these in each selection, especially as the early 20th century cartoons were sporadic in nature, constantly shifting from general plotline to subplot and secondary material.
I first wanted to select a cartoon that had something to do with adventure. Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba’s Forty Thieves (1937) came up as a search result. I was familiar with the cartoon, but had not watched in sometime prior to reviewing it for the project. I felt that the scenery and detailed illustrations made the cartoon a particularly worthy selection.
I looked at both the Little Audry cartoon, “Goofy Goofy Gander” (1950) and the Max Fleischer’s Superman cartoon “Billion Dollar Limited.” (1942). Due to their age, I think there is a great deal of similarity in their animation and artistry; their content however is quite different. I found the teacher in “Goofy Goofy Gander” to have particularly noir qualities. There was something quite dated about her appearance and mannerisms which paired well with the portrayal of Lois Lane in “Billion Dollar Limited.”
I also found rewarding scenes in “Hep Cat Symphony” (1949), a cartoon about a fight between musically-inclined animal housemates…a saxophone-playing cat and an orchestra of mice who live in the wall.
The content and nuances in the Popeye selection were unmistakably representative of the Popeye series. Popeye contains humor unlike any other cartoon. The animation was quite similar to that in the Felix the Cat cartoon, “Neptune Nonsense” (1936).
I also attempted to gather scenes which did not feature the main characters in the cartoons. This was an especially important technique in cartoons such as Popeye—it allowed me to focus specifically on the secondary scenes which would stand out in our presentation if isolated. I also feared that the cartoon’s secondary qualities and the artists’ undertones might be overshadowed if I attempted to portray characters in scenes which contained main characters such as Popeye or Olive Oil.
I made few suggestions about connections which I found between specific clips. As I did not make the final determination on which clips would be included in the cut, I left that to the discretion of Elizabeth, who volunteered to edit the video. I did not consult other members of my group prior to selecting specific clips. We each located clips independently which we thought would be best suited to the theme of the project.
Gordon Marshall Bigsby:
Our project was somewhat ambitious in that we had intended on putting together various, unrelated scenes from different movies/cartoons to see if we could create an output that flowed quite nicely. The catch is that this was completely uncoordinated since our project was divided into several parts. After JD and I independently selected our scenes, Elizabeth would put them together without input from us. Elizabeth had no way of knowing what we were going to send to her, and we had no way of knowing how she was going to arrange the scenes. The same applies to the work that JD and I did: he did not know what I was working on and the same was true for me.
To stay within legal limits, I stuck to Archive.org and found a mixture of movie and cartoon scenes. JD and I were only required to find a total of five scenes, but we were not told to find any particular scenes from any time period or place. It was, as you might imagine, a stab in the dark. My emphasis was on finding scenes that would make sense on their own—exactly what JD had done. I went for a combination of different factors. I knew I wanted to find ones that would work well as intro and ending scenes. Furthermore, I tried to locate scenes that contained different emotions (happy, sad, etc.) along with humorous and scary content. I was hoping Elizabeth would have a good range of material to work with. To make things a little easier, I noted the scene start and end times so she would be able to locate the exact scene immediately.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Critique Three: Online Literary Journal Review—Clapboard House
I wanted to examine Clapboard House, found online at www.clapboardhouse.wordpress.com. When this journal was mentioned in class, I thought of Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina. I may actually have come across this journal once before while researching Allison, because it turns out that she is judging a contest that is to be featured in the journal. I also found the title of this journal inviting; I thought it would be a nice opportunity to examine the genre of fiction which the journal includes. Stories written about Appalachia—or, as the journal puts it, the American South, are predominant here.
I am not sure whether Clapboard House is available in print form. I suspect, though, that those in charge of the publication are most familiar with print writing as their primary means of storytelling. I say this because the website includes little in the way of innovations as far as digital writing or non-linear forms of fiction. The website is little more than an online site through which to store print work. For its purposes, though, the site is effective. I don’t imagine that much fiction dealing with the American South ventures into digital and technological formats.
I was concerned about the impact of the Wordpress blog format on the content, but the site creators have effectively utilized Wordpress’ service in formatting their site. Comments have been disabled, and the links on the sidebar are used for directing readers to different authors’ work. The page has a clean looking design—it is sparse in content and easy to find authors’ work. However, the site only seems to include current work and not back entries.
I would be honored to have my work published in Clapboard House; however, I do not generally write fiction and do not write fiction that deals with the American South. I would consider this a respectable venue for anyone who writes within this genre. This site courteously provides links to other journals which contain work within this sub-genre. I am impressed with the selection of fiction and poetry I have found here, and hope to take advantage of the contents of this site and others which contain fiction related to the American South.
I am not sure whether Clapboard House is available in print form. I suspect, though, that those in charge of the publication are most familiar with print writing as their primary means of storytelling. I say this because the website includes little in the way of innovations as far as digital writing or non-linear forms of fiction. The website is little more than an online site through which to store print work. For its purposes, though, the site is effective. I don’t imagine that much fiction dealing with the American South ventures into digital and technological formats.
I was concerned about the impact of the Wordpress blog format on the content, but the site creators have effectively utilized Wordpress’ service in formatting their site. Comments have been disabled, and the links on the sidebar are used for directing readers to different authors’ work. The page has a clean looking design—it is sparse in content and easy to find authors’ work. However, the site only seems to include current work and not back entries.
I would be honored to have my work published in Clapboard House; however, I do not generally write fiction and do not write fiction that deals with the American South. I would consider this a respectable venue for anyone who writes within this genre. This site courteously provides links to other journals which contain work within this sub-genre. I am impressed with the selection of fiction and poetry I have found here, and hope to take advantage of the contents of this site and others which contain fiction related to the American South.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Remix Project Review
I chose to examine Angela Hart's Remix Project. I really liked the techniques she used and the way she transformed pieces of the setting. I would hesitate to say that there are pieces of this project that didn't work. I think the alteration of this image goes to show that when the GIMP techniques are applied to already-existing images, then the alterations look most professional. For example, the alterations to the hair and railing, already-existing "structures," seem to work better than the writing. I must add here that I'm not familiar with the GIMP program, and it seems that the writing application may be a completely different type of effect than what was used on other aspects of the photo.
I really was inspired by how true to life the alterations in the hair and railing were. The hair colors were the same shade as dye would be. I was most impacted by the change in the railing and the alteration of the black iron to brown with ivy. The railing retained all of the same properties as in the original photo, and it appeared as if there was sunlight on the railing.
The most interesting effect was that which was used (or, perhaps expanded if it was a sun glitch in the photo) to create the heart. I would love to see what kind of qualities an object or a shape would take on if it were applied over top of that. (For example, a heart shaped box.)
I thought this was a very nice project. I hope that such techniques might be applied in other situations in order that they might assist in providing re-interpretations of seemingly mundane images.
I really was inspired by how true to life the alterations in the hair and railing were. The hair colors were the same shade as dye would be. I was most impacted by the change in the railing and the alteration of the black iron to brown with ivy. The railing retained all of the same properties as in the original photo, and it appeared as if there was sunlight on the railing.
The most interesting effect was that which was used (or, perhaps expanded if it was a sun glitch in the photo) to create the heart. I would love to see what kind of qualities an object or a shape would take on if it were applied over top of that. (For example, a heart shaped box.)
I thought this was a very nice project. I hope that such techniques might be applied in other situations in order that they might assist in providing re-interpretations of seemingly mundane images.
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