Media Blog | Archives | 2015

The (your name) Effect – Lectorial 5

Date March 31, 2015

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How lovely would it be to leave this world with an idea or process known as “The Liam Effect.” I assume it would be much more powerful a thought if your name were Liam, so I suggest you read and understand it as “The (your name) Effect.” Liam’s effect is a work in process, and my “Jarrod Effect” is yet to be conceived and there is a flurry of contraception blocking my way – the commitments to work, uni, sport and family limits the chances of “The Jarrod Effect” being ready for production any time soon. One person who has succeeded in bringing their effect to public view (no, not Ashton Kutcher’s Butterfly Effect) is Lev Kuleshov.

This is quick video that sums up his theory, that how we interpret an image or scene is influenced by what immediately follows or precedes. Bare this in mind while you watch:

Kuleshov took the stock footage of a reasonably expressionless man and played it three times interposed and edited against various scenes. He believed that viewers understanding of the man and his expression would change each time depending on what footage it was placed against. Indeed his audiences of the 1920s saw that if seen after the bowl of soup the man appeared hungry, after the body of the child he seemed upset and towards the lady he seemed lustful. Personally I did not feel that his expression changed at all (it doesn’t) however the meaning and my understanding of this man still differed in each scenario.

My perception of the man is that he is disinterested and unaffected by whatever it is that is happening. How then could he appear to others to be hungry upset or lustful? Still, my reading of this man as a character changed with each section, against each of these images I found myself asking what kind of a man responds like that; the important question, WHY?

Shown after the bowl of soup my idea of him was as a man well-off, to whom food was in constant supply and his disinterest was due to his wealth and satisfaction. Depicted following the deceased child this man took on a completely different identity, somebody unaffected by this sight must be psychopathic or disturbed, I began questioning whether he was a killer. In contrast to the lady his disinterest created a new level altogether, the passing of time, or a history, as in my opinion he no longer seemed interested they may have previously been an item and he has grown tired, moved on or been betrayed.

This effect while seeming obvious today was groundbreaking research in these youthful years of film. Today this effect is used in every piece of edited media to one extent, people master in the manipulation of audience understanding or response and purposefully make viewers develop their own ideas as their perception is actively influencing in blank space.

Reflection on Peer Portraits – Practical 5

Date March 30, 2015

Posted by jarrodmcdonald

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It was a great experience going around the class and having a chance to see the styles and features of the other self-portraits. Throughout the room there were people who had experience in photography but were editing beginners and the vice-versa, there were poets and playwrights, observers and performers so there was something to learn from everyone. To be able to hear the ideas and processes behind the works and more-so what they saw as important about themselves gave an interesting insight into the various styles, themes and approaches to this project.

I learnt that Sebs life revolves around his kitten and his kitchen, whereas Sally found identity and memory in her bedroom. I also learnt that Daniel and Trong’s perception – as bike riders – found a different meaning to Tyler in his video clip that included a bike lane on a long empty road. Jasmine’s previous experimentation with lighting and contrast saw an extra level in Tim’s use of darks and lights in every shot which he claims was a “happy accident”. What this showed me was how the meaning, of something as ambiguous as identity, can have such a wide scope in the eye of the producer. This demonstrates the importance of our own understanding and perspective on life, behind the camera, in affecting the way media is portrayed to audiences.

…Of The Beholder

Date March 24, 2015

Posted by jarrodmcdonald

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Her black and white photo still sits alone on the maple wood mantle. I’m lost in this fading memory that perhaps would be better off forgotten. Her calming voice speaks to me, helping to guide my family. In daydreams I brush her soft blemished cheek and her eyes still weep. I will never truly know her; how she laughs or the reasons she smiles. If I truly looked into my mother’s eyes after all these years I’d surrender to tears that would make me feel warm.

Nobody knows the day I was born so I celebrate the 27^th of May, today. It was in 1967 on this day when our own nation recognised us as citizens with thought and reason. We were forced from our families, the stolen generation. Schools will not teach it and soon we will become the forgotten generation. I know that mother was a maid and father died shortly after I was taken. I love my children endlessly with the subdued fear that they could be taken at any moment.

“Have I ever told you Catherine?” I implore. “How full your eyes are, and how much that comforts me.”

“Yes, you have,” she smirks. “You were thinking about her weren’t you?”

“The photo. I can spend hours…”

“Can I get your help to cut the cake? Quickly?” she asks, looking down. “This one could come any moment.”

I kiss and thank my boys James and Charlie, a peck for Catherine and one on her strained belly for the unborn Boddah.

“HOLY SH… UH CRAP!”

Catherine cries in exasperation, her water breaks and the room starts to shake. My mind races in a panic and I stare again at my mother’s picture to restore balance. I am in this moment. I am here and I always will be. My smile, my voice and my eyes will forever comfort my children. Nobody can change that.

James fumbles for his seatbelt, the car kicks into gear, Catherine moans and Charlie cries. I race the red light and park the car, we rush inside and I scribble on a form. The kids sit down, the benches crowded and Catherine finds her bed. She takes my hand, she breaks my hand and the doctor says she’s doing well. My mind races, my vision blurs, sounds become distant and Catherine’s all I see. Her face strains, her back arches before she collapses in relief. Boddah’s in my arms, I cry fresh tears of sadness and joy, I hold her to my chest and I feel warm. I am here.

Catherine turns to me and wipes my tears “Are you okay?”

“Yes” I manage. “She has her eyes.”

Secret Diary of a Text Boy – Connection 4

Date March 24, 2015

Posted by jarrodmcdonald

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I myself am a call boy, there’s no denying it. All my friends will tell you that trying to have a conversation with me over text is near impossible. If there was to be a face-to-face discussion at the pace of my texting anyone incapable of hibernation would die of starvation while waiting for a reply. Not that I don’t have an answer, or the right thing to say, in fact I’m quite unsure as to why I am so terrible at texting.

My (then) prospective partner had been trying to wittingly engage me through sms and mms, apparently this had become a major part of modern courting ritual. Sometimes I would reply but then get distracted or walk away, other times I wouldn’t check my phone until the message had lost relevance. I would stand by in awe as my friends would whip out their phone, send a message and resume conversation like second nature. Another of my friends would be constantly messaging his girlfriend in endless essays of trivialities.

In my case, however, what sealed the deal was not my lightning emoji reflexes or proficiency with the relevant gif. No, it was the old 1, 2: meal and a movie, followed by the highly unconventional 3: early morning drunk dial for kebabs. Surprisingly it worked and I guess that brings me to my point.

For a type of media to be effective the author and the audience must be able to meet at a certain point, a destination. The composer of material must be comfortable with the form or medium and proficient with the skills and techniques to engage or persuade an audience. In this instance I was comfortable with the forms of face-to-face and phone conversation, and was able to use charm and shock-tactics to arrive at the final destination: a second date. This may not of been as well received if my girlfriend was – like most others – impervious to drunken expressions of interest. Know your audience, know your means. Or else you’ll end up like this poor drunk lad who replied to his own text here.

Blood in the Gutter – Lectorial 4 – subtitled: we’re gonna need a montage

Date March 23, 2015

Posted by jarrodmcdonald

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As we continue to work on our creative self portrait the class has become oriented around the techniques and effects of editing in media. Next week our second project brief is due and it is helpful to understand what message can be conveyed or implied through the editing of film media. An interesting read about just how important the space is between two frames is Scott McCloud’s “Blood in the Gutter” (1993). It discusses comic strips and how most of the action happens in “the gutter” the place between frames as the reader perceives the passing of time or the happening of an action. While not as prominent in other mediums of multimedia, what is left out is often just as important as what is shown.

In the making of film there are various staples, whether concrete or abstract happenings that often act as a signal for a greater meaning. For example the sound of a church bell could be used to signal the start or the end of something, when that is matched with an image of somebody stressed the viewer instinctively reads that they are late. Sound bridges can be used to signify two separate scenes occurring simultaneously or immediately after. One feature used in many films that is riddled with cliches of structure, texture and technique is a montage. Here’s a satirical take on a montage that makes it just how apparent the effects of editing are:

(You may have to click the link to take you to youtube if it doesn’t work)

Editing In iMovie – Practical 4 – subtitled: Inspired by a movie about a book, based on a true story

Date March 22, 2015

Posted by jarrodmcdonald

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This week in Media 1 was the first time we were able to create media in class time. We were asked to piece together a small edited clip to the theme “colour” composed of online archival footage on a program that we had handy or were familiar with. It was a welcome change from the housekeeping and beat-around-the-bush trivialities of previous weeks. It was my first time using video editing software so I would have appreciated some more teacher involvement but faired okay from intuition and the help of peers.

The software I was using is the simple free-to-mac iMovie, which on first impression appeared tidy, organised and user friendly though soon proved otherwise. As I feel is the downfall with most mac programs was its ability to make the simplest components hard to find by instinct. For example to start editing video one must first create an event, within which you create a movie, within which you import clips, within which you can start a timeline process for editing. Initially this is unnecessarily complex but with time the process became faster but still seemed unnatural. This set-up would be useful for somebody who simultaneously works on numerous large-scale projects.

iMovie offers simple and straightforward cutting, ordering and playback features. However it fell short in many simple areas. As my project was based around “colour” I found it frustrating the lack of a palette to apply to frames and had to rely solely on contrast and saturation (this was further antagonised by the inherent fact that most archival footage is black and white.) This would be less applicable to everyday videos but would be a simple addition that would please me greatly.

The program is also quite limited in what you can manipulate with raw footage. I was left high and dry searching for ways to flip images and reverse playing order. I was told by friends that the adobe premier pro is much better software that offers a wider range of techniques and applications. I was however able to speed up, slow down and add transitions, titles and texts from a large sample library. Though this was useful to play around with in a relaxed project it would become frustrating from a professional perspective as you are completely unable to add your own designs or templates, you’re even roadblocked if you want to align the text as subtitles.

One positive for the program is its efficiency with basic audio. The ability to easily extract audio footage from clips is supported by the simple process to record or import other audio and sample from a large library of apple sounds and loops. The structure of the timeline also makes it easy to match the audio with video or vice-versa and cut or fade to suit.

That seems a harsh criticism of iMovie considering this is my first time using video editing software but my peers also hold a common opinion that it leaves much to be desired. Nevertheless, here is my iMovie edited footage titled “Tickle Me Pink (Just Another Day In The Office)”. It is inspired by a movie about a book, based on a true story of a psychotic cow who wants to plunge the world into never-ending black and white, who can only be thwarted by a time-travelling plumber who can change the world by jumping on turtles. The characters in this film are animated and any likeliness to persons living or dead is unfortunate. Enjoy.

Caps (not CAPS)- Practical 3

Date March 17, 2015

Posted by jarrodmcdonald

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In a group of 4-6 we were seated around tables to compliment and critique each others self portraits (mine can be found the next blog down – be as constructive or destructive as you like, I can take a metaphorical punch.) Our excuse to be as ruthless as possible was kindly gifted to us by the teacher when she instructed us to answer while under the cover of a “criticism cap”. The colours and characteristics are as follows:

Yellow: Sees the things that work and what they liked (you have to tell the mother that her baby’s cute right?)

Red: The gut responder, how it affected them on a personal level. (the sympathiser who yawns when you yawn.)

Black: Criticisms for aspects that didn’t work. (Tread wisely)

Green: Creative alternatives and suggestions (Like black cap but not as rude)

I think that it was an efficient platform to be able to discuss each others ideas and was able to receive some great feedback. We saw through each others works that we had similar thoughts; that the text component was the most personal as it was a concrete way of expressing conscience. We found alternative ways of introducing concept; Jordan’s way of finding himself through other people or Ellie’s running theme of her eyesight.

Looking forward to the next brief I need to find a way to bring the aspects together as one cohesive unit. At the moment they are separated in sections but as suggested at the table I will consider playing with an idea of “duality” the contrasting or opposing sides of my life, the push-pull effect found. I’m going to work on the video aspects to provide better quality film and mess around with some editing.

Overall I’m happy with where the portrait is at the moment but there’s still plenty to do.

Project Brief 1 – Self Portrait

Date March 15, 2015

Posted by jarrodmcdonald

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Following is the first brief of my Media assignment, an original creative self portrait. It is broken into four main themes and mediums:

“You(th)” – Images
“Dogs, Rabbits and Foxes” – Audio.
“Head Over Heals” – Video
“Utopia” – Text

On each will be a small explanation of the ideas and components behind each piece and it’s relevance to my self portrait.

YOU(TH)-

A portrayal of the haste with which we grow up due to pressures from our family, community and above all, ourselves. I got my first part time job at 13, left home at 15 and continued through work and high-school to university. The only time I’ve felt discriminated against is for my age.

“KANGAROOS, RABBITS AND FOXES”

These two pieces are representations of my cultural heritage, Italian, Aboriginal and British. It portrays the influence they have on my interactions, lifestyle and perception. The focus is on the historical conflict between the British and Aborigines and the struggle to preserve indigenous values and beliefs in a modern society. They are titled “Static” and “Rabbits” respectively.

“HEAD OVER HEALS” –

These two videos are for probably the only stable thing in my life, my partner Ellie. Thanks for playing the lead role in what will continue to be an amazing experience for as long as we’re both lucid, and hopefully for some time thereafter. I love you to the moon and back.

“Utopia”

‘This is the world he made for himself when the real world was not enough’ (Krist Novoselic). My creation through music that is never limited by context, is impervious to deprivation and that thrives beyond reality; composed by billions of hearts and minds: human and animal, living and dead.”

The Notice-board of Directors – Connection 3

Date March 13, 2015

Posted by jarrodmcdonald

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As a result of quite an inspiring reading assigned to us for our media class I have been putting in the effort simply to notice things. John Mason suggests in his piece “the discipline of noticing” I have repeated to myself upon entering/exiting a doorway that “I am walking through a doorway”. Not only does it make you realise how utterly reliant you have become on doorways in everyday venture but also makes a wonderful conversation starter as you hold up a line at public toilets.

Among other things I have noticed that my analog watch doesn’t have numbers or symbols, it does however have a scale replica of half the earth and accurate lines of longitude and latitude. I have noticed that I most often use the black side of my pen, but the red is my most favoured to click in times of boredom or brain-naps. These are a few things that I have “set myself” to notice which Mason points out is the first step towards noticing as it shows intention, however it is not always reliable.

Over the past few years I have tried to set myself to remember to put my phone on the charge before bed, check the mail everyday and look at the best before date before putting the milk into my tea, all with limited success. Sometimes consequences can vary, from getting in the principals bad books for forgetting to pick up your child to having to rinse out a mug with an unpleasant smell. It goes to show that while we may think we are on top of things, we are most likely on top of 30% of things which we have selectively noticed and absorbed while happily oblivious to the 70% of clothes left on the line before a storm and assignments due by the end of the week.

Mason categorises our interactions into three categories:

Noticing, Marking and Recording.

Noticing, whether consciously or not, is isolating something you sense (see, hear, touch, smell or feel) from other stimulus around it. Being able to at the time establish a clear distinction of what it is and certainly what it isn’t, what makes it different from its surroundings. Things we notice can easily be lost in the background of our thoughts until another interaction encourages its reprisal to the forefront of our mind.

Marking is the next level of interaction which requires more focus, attention and processing. Something we ‘mark’ we can source ourselves to “remark” to somebody in conversation. This action of reproducing the fact that we noticed and mark will make it more memorable and accessible for further reflection later on.

Finally, recording is the third level of interactive noticing. This upper level often relies on immediate relaying of informational to an external source. This could simply mean jotting down a note for later, drawing a small diagram or taking a picture for concrete evidence to access. Recording requires the most motivation as compared to the intention of “setting yourself” it requires you to immediately engage and enact with your markings.

Over the next few days I will continue setting myself trivialities to notice and hopefully that will lead to increased potential for marking and consciously I am applying myself to record, for uni if not anything else. Now if you’ll excuse me I am walking through a doorway that leads to my bed.

The Media Front – Lectorial 2

Date March 12, 2015

Posted by jarrodmcdonald

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One hour down in our media lectorial (it’s a word) and we are sent forth from the depths of our dimlit den to prey upon the world. Like Mr. Burns releasing the hounds our teaching staff decided to unleash roughly a hundred admitted clue-less students into the unprepared media ridden world. To lighten the blow we were separated into groups, in an attempt to cover as much area as possible. Our battalion (group 2) was assigned the Queen Victoria Building with the objectives of gaining entry and taking note of every source of media they were armed with.

Without a moment to lose we shuffled out from behind our desks, checked once, twice, three times that we were the right group and staggered out of the RMIT building not sure who was leading the way and who we were waiting for. We took a sharp turn south, narrowly avoiding Colonel Sanders’ signboard and brushing away progressive propaganda posters with hand singles reminiscent of the original Karate Kid. This job was going to be much harder than we thought with socialists and self-promoting sou chefs outflanking us.

Our every move caught on video from the overhead security cameras we stumbled over graffiti and discarded food packaging barely catching a glimpse of the happy green man before he transformed into a flashing red symbol of rejection. The few behind us weren’t so lucky, including the suited man chatting with his handsfree and the schoolgirl identifiable by her blazer emblem. This media was everywhere and it showed no sign of slowing down, from the digitalised welcome sign at Melbourne Central to the relentless advertising on the skating rhinoceros.

It was becoming claustrophobic, printed media everywhere telling me not to smoke, not to litter, not to put my feet up and to keep a keen eye for cyclists in the area. Luckily I was able to find salvation in the street-art of one man, knelt down, brushing the grey pavement with a coloured bundle of horse-hair. Spirits were once again high as we arrived at our destination, stopping to discuss the journey we found we could already have enough inside information to fill one double-sided page of A4 paper divided under subheadings such as “up high” and “in your hand” – perfect because that’s just the inventory we had.

Inside QVB the media were waiting to ambush us, they’d conscripted an army comprised of all mediums. The air-cover was provided by banners and billboards bombarding us with logos and images of attractive youths in clothing. From the left came a wave of interchangeable motorised screens, juice-bar menus that rolled to the frontline special after special after terms and conditions after specials. At the same time bringing up the rear were radio waves of top 40 hits, catchy jingles and news updates.

In order to get through this we attempted to fit in. Tyler took out his camera to “snap some pics” of complimentary magazines, Matt recorded some customer interaction and I attempted a panorama of the media lined arcade but captured a few blurry and disembodied passers by in the process. It was amazing the amount of media we had access to in both public and private domains. This is modern life, a society littered by strategically placed screens and interactive software at your fingertips.

It was a successful mission from which we’ll take away a keen eye for noticing media in everyday life. There is quite a contrast between media in Melbourne and media in my hometown Wagga Wagga. Rural society can still be defined as modern media life with access to books, newspapers and maps but is lacking in comparison multiple streams of stimulus in such a concentrated area, and the QVB is only one of few. I’ll have to remember when visiting back home to set my watch, my phone and my laptop back twenty years.

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