TIF – A4 FR

Final Reflection

 

There are 4 characteristics of online spaces that our project fits in, which are interactivity, modularity, nonlinearity, and variability.

First of all, interactivity. There are four industries focused and explored in our project, including, photography, film & documentary, music and journalism. In order to achieve fair selection and avoid content hierachy like Balloons of Bhutan as mentioned in development post. In our project,  those 4 industries/sections are equally displayed at the centre of the screen. Based on that, the audience is able to choose their interested industry/field and decide the viewing order.

After that, the audience can also choose the person that they want to know and the format of the interview, such as video and written text.

Hence, our proejct responds to the interactive possibility offered by online spaces.

Second, modularity. Media elements are assembled into larger-scale objects but continue to maintain their separate identities. The objects themselves can be combined into even larger objects, again without losing their independence  (Manovich, 2001). Our project has the characteristic of modularity as every industry is a separate section, which can be understood independently. However, they can also be put together and formed a larger object, which is Net Adaptation in the art industry, our project. Thus, our project responds to modularity, which is one of the possibilities of online spaces.

Moreover, nonlinearity. It can be seen that there are three to four 1 – 2 minutes short interview videos under each person, which has their question marked as covers. Those interviews were 5 – 6 minutes video each originally, nevertheless, the online space enables chopped up version. Every question can be seen as independent or combined randomly to form a ‘narrative’. There is no particular storyline in our interactive online documentary. Every question, every person, and every industry can be a narrative. Therefore, our project responds to nonlinearity online spaces characteristics.

Last, variability. “A new media object is not something fixed once and for all, but something that can exist in different, potentially infinite versions” ((Manovich, 2001). There is no certain order in our project. Each industry, interview, and the question can be viewed randomly. There are numerous versions and interpretation in terms of one project. Hence, it responds to variability.

Our project is considered to be web specific to a great extent.

Even though, there might be a film that focuses on online branding in the art industry. However, it is hard to combine different art forms in a film, for example, there are both video and written interview in our project. Also, online format is easier to access and engage as every industry and interview or question can be viewed individually. There is no requirement of watching a whole film featuring different interviews in various art industries. The audience can choose freely whatever industry that they like, whoever that they have an interest, whatever media format that they prefer, or even whichever question that they want to know to watch and explore more. However, in the traditional format, for example, a film, the audience has to download and watch the whole film or keep skipping in order to find the industry, person or question that they want to explore. It is inconvenient and time-consuming. Thus, our project is web specific.

In regard to the question originally asked, there are some limitations of online screen production, for example, it cannot force the audience to interact if they do not want. Also, it is hard to get participation. Also, there is a considerable difference between a smaller scale and traditional media. First, there are fewer people involved in the production. Second, small-scale work is more flexible, easier to change or add new keywords in a second. It does not have to be what it has to be or what it is planned to be. However, in a big production, normally everything is locked off as there is a continuity that has to make sense before and after. Last, the online project can be ongoing and never finished. Nevertheless, the traditional media is fixed once it finishes. What is more, it is considered difficult to make engaging online content as the ‘trend’ is changing quickly. It is hard to predict the next trend. Also, following the current trend is conceived as inadvisable and unnecessary as it might be out of date next second. Hence, under this circumstance, to set up constraints is useful when preparing or making an online project. Moreover, it is necessary to choose the target audience and subsequently analysis the tren within that demographics.

In terms of our exhibition, there are some areas for improvement, especially technical. As we did not figure out how to create ‘go back’ from the 2nd interface to the 1st one, hence, it blocks the audience’s interaction due to the fact that they need to refresh when everytime they want to explore another industry. Also, there is a lagging issue in our project, which uses up the audience’s patience and once again affects the interaction.

 

 

Reference List:

Manovich, Lev. The Language of New Media. The MIT Press, 2001. pp. 18-31

TIF – A4 D#4

Cowbird is a public library of human experience. It is a user-generated or contributed content online screen media project. Every individual contributes videos to different tags or themes, such as Noise, Music, and Hunger.

When you click it, there will be a picture shown.

Subsequently, you can see a story related to the picture in written form.

Finally, it will link to other stories which share same or similar tags or words within tags.

A particular motion or action will relate to a word, the meaning of which varies to different individuals. There are multiple perspectives in terms of the same word, which will add depth and richness to particular contents.

After viewing this project, our group considered connecting our project contents in various ways instead of only one way, which is according to different industries or fields. We thought about link our contents based on the interviewees, for instance, students and teachers. Also, the contents can be connected based on the same question or similar answers. This will add multiple approaches to our project and contents.

Also, we revisited the project Balloons of Bhutan. We found out something I did not realise earlier.

It can be seen that there is more than one page of stories.

It means that not all of the stories are displayed evenly on the screen. There is a hierarchy of the content. Obviously, the user will tend to look at and choose the stories from the first page compared with the second one.

On the contrary, Cowbird seems equal regarding the display of the contents or stories. The users can randomly explore them.

Hence, we decided to lay out our contents more fairly after comparing these two projects. We will display those four industries next to each other, which will form a square and be placed at the center of our interface. There will be no hierarchy or priority in relation to the contents. The order of exploration depends on the users.

TIF – A4 D#3

Development Post #2

 

It is possible for up-and-coming unsigned/independent musical acts to share their music and message worldwide due to social media, which is impossible before. Also, artists can market themselves, their music and sell them to the world via social media, as well as the necessity of having or signing with a label company to publish music began to decline. (Collard, 2012)

This applies to not only the musician, but also other artists, such as photographer, designer, and journalist. Social media provides a great platform and opportunity for unsigned, freelance, and independent artists, to promote, market, and sell their works worldwide. It is not necessary to sign with and work in a company for selling the works nowadays. Social media makes it possible.

“As with almost all other industry sectors, traditional music industry-related marketing is being replaced and or supplemented by artists and bands using social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to engage fans, promote their work and connect with others.” (Collard, 2012)

Nowadays, artists will use social media, for instance, TwitterFacebook, and Instagram, to the market and promote their works as well as engage with fans, such as replying and answering them, which is different with the traditional format, for example, radio, television, and newspaper advertising.

Based on our research and common interest on social media, we narrow down our topic to online branding associated with artists in four fields, including, musician, film or documentary maker, photographer, and journalist.

As we don’t have too much time, we decided to interview one student and one teacher for each category as well as ask for another teacher/professional in related field to write a text in response to our question and perhaps link their works since they might be busy, not convenient conduct do the interview or even on overseas. The interview will be conducted at RMIT University, either at an empty study room or their workshops as the students and teachers are from RMIT. However, some interviews might be taken at home if there is a scheduling problem.

We also came up some broad questions that will be asked to every interviewee, for example, How do you go about promoting yourself online? Is there a specific platform and why are you drawn to this platform over others?

 

Reference List:

Collard, M 2012, ‘Musicians utilizing social media to increase brand awareness, further promote their brand and establish brand equity’, Master of arts thesis, University of Southern California.

TIF – A4 D#2

Development Post #3

 

 

The artist’s branding is a series of the strategies that are marketing individual personalities as products (TOMIUC, 2015) Also, a branding process is a tool that used for building up the credibility and trust needed in both the art world and contemporary society (TOMIUC, 2015).

It can be seen that, nowadays, it is important to brand and market as an artist in contemporary society. The branding of an artist’s personalities resembles the marketing of a product.

Branding is considered as the process of creating value through the providing of an attractive and consistent offer and customer experience that will please customers and keep them coming back (De Chernatony & McDonald, 1992, cited in Simmons, 2007). Consumers will develop their trusts in the brand because of their satisfaction with use and experience. Hence, companies have the chance to establish relationships with them, strengthen their brands further and differentiate them from competitors (Doyle, 1998, cited in Simmons, 2007). “Brands, therefore, enable a company to establish a unique identity and to increase the opportunity of attracting a large amount of repeat business. ” (Ibeh et al., cited in Simmons, 2007)

Although the journal is about companies’ branding, these theories also apply to the artists’ branding. As the artist’s branding is also a process of creating and providing appealing and quality contents that satisfy the potential employers and customers. The followers or potential clients will develop their trusts and royalties in the artist due to their fulfillment of contents. Thus, a special relationship will be built up with them, which helps the differentiation from other similar artists. Therefore, artists with their unique identities have the ability to attract more followers and clients.

Due to the importance of branding and marketing as a contemporary artist, our group would like to focus on and further discover this topic. Also, as we live in a digital world, we decided to narrow it down to the online branding.

Here are some questions that relate to it:

  • How do you go about promoting yourself online? Is there a specific platform and why are you drawn to this platform over others?
  • What do you see as the benefits/limitations of online promotion?
  • What do you do to separate yourself from others in your industry?

 

Reference List:

Tomiuc, A 2015, ‘Branding in the Art World: The Contemporary Visual Artist’, Journal of Media Research, vol. 8, no.1, viewed 17 May 2018, https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-3723208571/branding-in-the-art-world-the-contemporary-visual

Simmons, Geoffrey J 2007, ‘i‐Branding”: developing the internet as a branding tool’Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 25, no.6, pp. 544-562, https://doi.org/10.1108/02634500710819932

TIF – A4 D#1

Development Post #1

 

Our project is inspired by a docubase project, called Seven Digital Deadly Sins. It is an interactive documentary that reflects how online life affects human’s moral compass in a digital age using the classical seven deadly sins.

The interface of this project is consists of 7 components. Each one represents a different sin.

After clicking on each component, there will be a short interview video surrounded by some articles and questions corresponding to the sin. The results of questions will be shown as a graphic after answering. However, it will be considered that the graphics and statistics are useless to the project.

It can be seen that this is an interactive, user-generated/contributed content, modularity, variability, multilinearity and multimedia online media production. 

 

As the user can interact and contribute to the content or the project by responding, which is answering those questions. Every component is an individual story about a sin, nevertheless, they can also reflect how online life affects human’s moral compass in a digital age as a whole, which is modularity. Also, the content of the video is multilinear. In terms of variability, there is no order in terms of viewing and experiencing the project, the user can select whatever sin that they would like to explore at first. The decision and order of viewing are determined by the user. Moreover, this project combines with different media types, such as video, article, and music. 

 

After inspiring by this project and selecting of 4 characteristics of online screen media production, including modularity, variability, multilinearity, and user-generated/contributed content, we decided to make an interactive documentary focusing on how the online platform/the internet influences various art forms, for instance, designer, musician, journalist, and media practitioner.

The interface of our project will be similar to Seven Digital Deadly Sins to a great degree. (As we all like the way how different components are displaying on the screen, which is easily accessible and interactive. ) Each type of artist will compose a different element, for example, designer section, musician section, and journalist section. After clicking on each component, there will also be a short interview video surrounded by some articles and questions corresponding to that particular artist or art forms.

However, for the diversity of media types in our project, we might also link to some external videos, such as ABC interviews of professionals and YouTube videos. What is more, regarding the questions/survey in our project, we will like to develop some more interactive and useful questions and a statistical approach to show up the results contributing by the user for a better participation.