Participation Week 8

Publish a review of a link to an article or academic writing

http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2014/05/18/caught-in-the-acts-2/

This week’s link is to a piece of writing on David Bordwell’s blog regarding the structure of hollywood screenwriting and the template of writing commonplace in Hollywood in what he describes as the ‘three-act structure’. The piece titled ‘Caught in the Act’, begins with Bordwell’s personalized commentary asserting Field’s implied statement of the a classic three-act structure utilized in Hollywood scriptwriting

Bordwell continues from here to evaluate the practice from a perspective that sees it rather as something that might have arose implicitly, or rather something that was developed with intention throughout the evolution of Hollywood and thus passed on to future generation of Screenwriters.

By referring to arguments set by various different proponents of Hollywood Scriptwriting, Bordwell utilizes the Fieldian Framework of the 120 minute script as a deductive lens through which a series of films are evaluated to observe this possible employed methodology.  Contrasting to the week’s reading, a large motivation for my choice of this Bordwell piece was driven by the contrast of the rigid objectivity of Bordwell’s film writing to the very abstract and experientially driven writing of David Shields.

Personal Assessment Matrix

WEEK Analysis Execution Reflection Learning Total
8 3 4 4 4 15

Provide a link to single form of Multimedia

For the sake of mixing flavors, I have decided the link for this week to be the full video of the animated film ‘La Planete Sauvage’ by Rolan Topor & Rene Laloux. The film is an experimental feature that contextualizes itself in a strange world with no relational positions apart from a sentient human like species that appears to hold prominence in the narrative’s world. What stands interesting about the piece is the almost ‘observatory’ nature in which the author has constructed the animation to depict the series of events almost like an expose into the differing reality. With an overt narration that portrays itself as such, the film acts contradictory to this apparent observational mode by providing a linear construction of visual rhetoric which portrays the story of a human-like ant captured by its relatively goliath like captors. It is almost a narrative film with core premises of observational documentary whilst lacing together its story through these moments of ‘apparent’ observation (which in its core work to actual progress the story). All in all it is truly enjoyable and mind bending experience.

 

Participation Week 7

Publish a review of link of article or academic writing

http://litreactor.com/columns/out-of-order-a-discussion-of-nonlinear-narrative-structure

This week’s link is a discussion about the discourse of non-linear narrative through examination of recent major Hollywood film productions and the analysis of the story “Continuity in Parks” by Julio Cortazar. The piece is called “Out of Order: A Discussion of  Non-Linear Narrative” by Taylor Houston on litreactor.com.

She begins by simply outlining the construct of a non-linear narrative and the key premise being its manipulation of space and time. As such, the effect of such action is placement of story elements in a juxtaposed fashion that entices a renewed narrative structure that may draw different effects upon audiences in their linear perception of the work. Citing ‘Memento’ as example, such design can be seen as the film presents itself from the end of a story and builds its way back to the start.

What’s crucial in looking into ‘Memento’ is the idea of how the actual story of the film would not have had its web of complexities and narrative flair were it not for the depiction of its story elements in the backwards fashion given the nature of the main character and the premise of focus on the narrative through his perspective.

Ultimately, the article outlines a simple way at looking at Non-linear narrative construction and entices readers to try it themselves. Grab a random plot you have lying around and jumble it around to see what combinations you can come up with.

Reflect on reading for the week and pose thoughts on a symposium question

This week’s reading examines an excerpt from Bettina L. Frankham’s book on Documentary analysis and approaches. The chapter dubbed ‘Complexity, flux and webs of connection’ attempts to unravel the distinguishing characteristic of traditionally unseeingly connected rhetoric of images of placement. She comes to generalize this characteristic of non-linear documentary mode as an interconnected ‘web’ of relations.

Essentially, Frankham claims that the non-linear documentary attempts to incite an audiences critical thinking by providing images and rhetoric in a juxtaposed manner that the lack of over narration of temporal continuity will allow a space in which the viewer can derive a meaning for himself/herself. As such, this would indicate that such documentaries work to produce an aesthetically environment of film in which its viewers may actively participate by forming the understanding of relations between what they are viewing and the sequence in which they are viewing them.

Frankham further delves into this discourse by ascertaining how most films of  non-linear fashion to having a list of key elements that work to build the foundation of this networked relationship. She describes this as an approach away from the ‘object-ness’ of art but rather a viewership and appreciation of the relational aesthetic. By interrogating the forms of mosaic and the montage through this lens, she connects the intention of such documentaries utilizing this style of filmmaking to further reinforce the prominence of such a characteristic of non-linear documentaries

Ultimately, Frankham provides a possible approach towards defining such documentaries towards rubrics of relational aesthetics, by which the underlying connection between images is what translates the message to insight critical thought rather than the overshadowing voice of narrative direction. Clearly, Frankham details the difficulty however, in placing such rubrics as by defining it to rubrics may in itself void it of its ability to be beyond the linearity of norms.

As such, the bigger question that is left open to readers is the idea of how we may come to give form to such a formless art form.  This follows naturally for society to understand the following implications, or arguably, drawbacks of doing such a thing towards defining the non-linear narrative. Furthermore, the subjective and fragmented nature of associations defined by the viewers towards these relational aesthetics themselves may make it difficult to ascertain such fixed norms of analysis as the whole intention and purpose of the form is prod viewers towards a stream of critical thought. This places difficult when this stream of critical thought is codified and ambitious (as inherent in the nature of documentaries) which could prove a further problem in unifying its definition given the fragmented sense of viewership.

Personal Assessment Matrix

WEEK Analysis Execution Reflection Learning Total
4 5 3 4 16

Provide link to single form of multimedia

Viewing this week’s discourse surrounding approaches to assembling non-linear documentary, the week’s link is a short-film called ‘Sound// Mosaic”. The reason I had chosen this film was because I found it interesting how the author had used juxtaposed images to a backing track that have no causal or linear relationship however, he has utilized a linear voiceover to express a particular message that the images rhetoric can be argued to be associated with. As such, the piece attempts to prod the viewer’s ability to build the relational aesthetic with the over narration provided. Overall, it blurs the boundary between a nonlinear demonstration of rhetoric with the linear direction given by over narration. Enjoy!

 

Participation Week 6

Publish a review of a link to an article or academic writing related to this week’s topic.

http://i-docs.org/2013/07/31/interactive-documentary-and-the-future-of-journalism/

In view of the formal introduction to Korsakow and multilinear filmmaking from its creator Matt Soar, I have chosen an article that looks at the interactive documentaries, similar to the multimedia nature of Korsakow, and their relevance in today’s world in context of the current industry of Journalism.  The article blog is ‘Interactive Documentary and the future of Journalism’ written by Jess Lingington.

In the article, Jess introduces the ideal of the interactive documentary by presenting the case of ‘Snowfall’ an interactive documentary created by NY times that garnered much attention due to its detail of production in presenting a form of current affairs.  When reflecting this under the notion of interactive documentaries being the ‘future of journalism’, Jess comes to evaluate the statement by firstly acknowledging the power of engaging its audience however comes to cross the clear distinction of how it is technically longer and more expensive to produce than a piece from the current model of real-time news journalism. As such, in viewing it as an alternative to traditional Journalism, Jess calls upon this difference to assert the functionality and pragmatism of such an initiative.

On one hand yes it may prove to be extremely informative and deep in its analysis of a situation however, is it worth the forgone cost of a more efficient news production. As such, it comes to raise larger issues concerned with the process of journalism that entails the viewers understanding of the subject matter and his depth of involvement, holding interactive documentaries to have a higher degree of such practice.

Ultimately, Jess comes to evaluate the argument from a basis of proposed functionality. She does not disregard interactive documentaries as a means of information dissemination, however, she proposes until such a thing can match the efficiency of traditional journalism, it may not hold potential or possibility to fully replace such a paradigm.

Provide Progress Report on ongoing course work

Having realized certain clips of my footage to be less adequate for their prescribed themes, I have reshot the clips for my theme of perspectives and objective in view of what I felt worked better. Given such an open-ended theme, I had realized that my content perhaps needed a more distinct measure that translates the notion of either/or towards an audience. As such, my solution was to change the aesthetic and cinematic progression of the clips to better stand out and portray either quality of perspective and objective.

For example, my original Konstraint clip for the perspective of a house insect had to be reshot as I reconsidered the concept of embodying the subject matter through the camera in a way that clearly portrays the connection to the theme of perspective. As such, I had utilized more jittering camera movement and control in the pace of movement to mimic the behavior of the insect i intended to portray (which would be a house spider in the case of my film). In the similar vein i had reevaluated my other clips and as such have reshot some of them to better demonstrate aesthetically clarity whilst others I have entirely changed due to the lack of relevance I felt it had in demonstrating their relationship to the prescribed theme.

Personal Assessment Matrix

 

WEEK Analysis Execution Reflection Learning Total
4 4 4 3 15

 

Provide link to form of multimedia

The link for this week is a video to a documentary by the counter-culture magazine VICE who are famous for their web-released documentaries and infotainment segments. What stands unique about today’s link is the fact that it is a consituent of VICE latest series dubbed ‘VICE news’. Unlike the conventional web documentary that may take time to produce and publish, which VICE is known thoroughly for, the new series of VICE news attempts to bridge the interactive documentary to meet the real-time journalistic expectancy. As such, they are now actively disseminating short documentaries on key issues that are happening as for current. With the timeframe still nonetheless stepping away from direct immediacy, it is interesting to notice how the channel has attempted to merge to two extremes with what can be said to be a compromise in the middle. Perhaps this is the concept of investigative journalism meeting a well produced film. I hope you enjoy.

 

Participation Week 5

Reflect on reading for the week and pose thoughts on Symposium question

http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/sight-sound-magazine/features/deep-focus/video-essay-essay-film-some-thoughts

In view of building a more expansive perceptual arsenal in understanding film framework, I have chosen an article that attempts to dissolve the ambiguity proposed by film essay theorists  (such as Rascaroli’s reading excerpt) by proposing a form of definition that is grounded by the fact of its functionality. The article is ‘Video essay: The essay film’ and is written by Kevin. B Lee.

Lee attempts to clarify the very definition of the film essay supported by the week’s reading through the words of Hans Richter. What Lee claims confounds the clearness of the definition is the ambiguity of Hans’ description of the film essay as anything that ‘transgresses the parameters of traditional documentary, granting imagination free reign’. To Lee, this covers anything that differs from normalized cinema in any context hence providing a very ambiguous definition to the term.

As such, Lee works to conclude that a Film essay can be defined based on the characteristic that the work facilitates the process of thinking by explicitly reflecting on the material it represents. By breaking down the identification and misallocation of various different film essays and identifying particular polemical issues with original discourses on the matter (such as Rascaroli’s excerpt), Lee comes to a functional conclusion of the film essay holding the pragmatic end of its purpose as a means of investigation and knowledge into the various different spheres of our existence; A function that determines its nature as a Film Essay whilst also standing as the motivation that drives it inherently.

Provide progress report on ongoing Konstraint work an Filming

With the coming weeks towards submission, I have begun forming the concept of thematic connection for my Korsakow Film. Having completed the Konstraint tasks, their thematic and technical limitations have allowed me to find synonymous patterns within the work that allow their grouping and linking.

As such, based on the thematic limitations of the Konstraint tasks, I have decided to structure my Korsakow film around these key three themes:

-Light and Shadow

-Squares and Circles

-Perspective and Objective

Utilizing each one as a key theme, I plan to break down each theme into two keywords. As such, my filming has allowed for equal proportionality of all 6 subdivisions hence allowing for a neutral keyword network. I personally feel this works great with the overall intention as it has allowed me to equally subdivide clips for each section, hence ensuring a equalized exposure to these themes to an audience.

Personal Assessment Matrix

Personal Assesment Matrix (Total Grade for Matrix is Sum of points= Total % weightage)
WEEK Analysis Execution Reflection Learning Total
5 5 4 4 3 16

 

Providing Multimedia Link

Having had practice with the interface this week, I have decided to include a link to a video that explains the essential functions and design of the Korsakow program. Understanding that it can generally be a confusing program to use, I realized after watching this video that providing a visual aid showing the process of development helps register better as it proves more engaging. Much like the film essay, the engagement of the author to facilitate the thinking process can prove as a tool for learning.

Participation Week 4

Publish a review of a link to an article or academic writing related to week’s topic

http://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/narratives-in-the-21st-century-narratives-in-search-of-contexts/

For this week’s link, I will be reviewing an article by counsellor Jackie Gernstein called ‘Narratives in the 21st Century’. In the article, Jackie draws upon the current generation’s rapidly evolving user-based media technologies. As such she points out to the rise of the 21st century narrator who tells his/her story through the context of various different platforms and user-based medium such as twitter, Facebook, Foursquare etc.

The bigger implication she draws from this established notion is the idea of how this advancement is indicative of a new type of user-made narrative in the 21st century where the key focus is for others to find ways to deliver their own story and find an audience.

She draws upon the importance of such a system for this generation and how its integration and continued use can be seen as a viable tool for the overall progression and development of society. Utilizing her background as a counsellor, she shows this a medically imperative perspective that further supporting the topic of user-based platforms as narrative mediums by society as a whole.

Reflect on reading for the week and pose thoughts on symposium question

This week’s reading is an excerpt by Ryan Marie-Laure on Defining Narrative and is a discourse by the author into defining the semantics the determine the narrative and the notions by which it can be determined distinctly amongst the fora of various media that exhibit similar characteristics.

The first distinction Ryan draws in structuring this definition is the difference between story and narrative purported by H. Porter Abbott as the story being the sequence of events and the ‘narrative’ as being the order it is represented in. Ryan critiques this first notion by pointing out its relative objectivism and applicability to a variety of mediums thus rendering its generality in proposing a distinct definition. However, he trumpets the positive implication of such discernment as it works as a functional characteristic in describing narrative.

In further detail, Ryan determines key semantics, much shadowing Bordwell and Thompson’s explanation of cinema narrative which are:

-Spatial Dimension

-Temporal Dimension

-Mental Dimension

Formal and Pragmatic Dimension

These criterions help further filter the definition of Narrative towards larger constraints. However not fully disclosing narrative texts, its proposes various criterion that help further determine rubrics by which the ‘narrativity’ of a text can be realized.

In general, these 8 criteria (with the speculative nature of the 8th) seem to point to the indication of effective narrativity based on a text’s aversion from the inclusion of natural causality and change forces, implementation of causal connectivity between constituents of a text and lack of use of over-arching concrete objective grouping of narrative subject matter (i.e. the entire human race, Mother nature etc)

What can be deduced from Ryan’s excerpt is the idea that he attempts to distinguish strongly between the notion of story and narrate by identifying the essential element of codification that occurs in narrative work. Seing as a story may depict a series of events or a particular event sequence, a  narrative holds distinction in the tapering of these story elements in a structured progression with valid material codification subject to the nature of the text at hand (E.G Cinema, Fictional Book)

Symposium question

Bordwell and Thompson state that after watching Rail Road Turnbridge a person “cannot see bridges in the same way” thus experimental films are not just art for arts sake. Can/are Korsakow projects art for arts sake, or can they effect the way people see things? Or like Rail Road Turnbridge are they both at once?

I like to see the question particularly as two implications of the same initial action. However, what holds interesting is whether the initial action was designed with the intention of the first, being ‘art for art’s sake’ or the latter which is to affect the general perception of art in the public sphere. The synonymous link between the two however is the fact that experimental film itself finds its name due to the fact that it challenges mainstream norms of the medium. Much similar to the example of Rail Road Turnbridge pointed forth by Bordwell and Thompson, can seeing a medium a different way be inherent enough to push forth a change of societal perception.

If so, how does Korsakow have an ability to do so? Is it simply ‘Art for Art’s sake’? Relating back to my approach to the matter, i feel anything that technically and/or thematically varies from normalized perception of  a medium automatically can constitute as something that changes perception. However, much like the bridge example, the greater determinant I feel that sets a piece’s ability to change perceptions is driven by the reliability it has to norms while proposing an alternative. Something can only change people enough if enough people are able to see it. This concept entails that this greater determinant is dictated by a critical mass. As such, viewing the relatively new idea of multi-linear filmmaking, the degree to which I feel Korsakow can affect public perception is invested the relevance it will have to the general sphere of media attention. Despite being a technical change to the text, which can be argued to be a deciding element of changing perceptions, I feel the greater extent to which it truly acts as a culture changing medium is the point at which its use effectively garners the right amount of attention which ultimately decides its ability to shape the perceptions of people.

Personal Assessment Matrix

Personal Assesment Matrix (Total Grade for Matrix is Sum of points= Total % weightage)
WEEK Analysis Execution Reflection Learning Total
4 5 4 5 3 17

Provide a Link to form of MultiMedia

For this week’s link i will be providing a link to an interactive narrative created by James Mellers. James Mellers is known particularly for his website Thismanslife.com and his portfolio of photo narrative projects.

Given the week’s topic, I decided to present a form of Narrative for my Multimedia link that challenged a sense of convention using the experimental medium photography narrative that is inherent in James Mullers work. Whether it is convention shattering or ‘Art for art’s sake’, it is definitely very cool.

http://www.thismanslife.co.uk/newstart/

 

 

Participation Week 3

Publish a review of a link to an article or academic work related to this week’s reading topic

http://www.arthistoryunstuffed.com/definition-avant-garde/

Following the vein of this week’s reading regarding Bordwell and Thompson’s analysis of the film industry and its developments, this week’s article by Dr. J Williete outlines the definition of Avant-Garde through the lens of its precursors of societal and historical context. While not necessarily proposing any particular diversity in academic opinions, the article focuses on the author’s perspective toward’s the genre’s definition based on Peter Burger’s postulations of Avant-Garde as a systemic approach to art due to the rise of the middle class.

Dr Williete details how following the romantic era, the identification by artists of a lack of genre that disregarded freedom of aesthetically expression was lacking in society due to the domination of bourgeois values and the disinterest of the remaining middle class. As such, Williete explains how historically the association of this experimental genre is linked to the individuals that saw such a divide which called them to action in prompting the genre. From there on Williete goes further to detail how this evolved to an inform development and its own subdivisions as future proponents saw deeper criticisms with the system of Avant-garde art.

Ultimately, Williete attempts to assert most importantly the observation of how this genre and form of art had come to rise from the romantic period and how much it positioned itself as a challenge to mainstreamed norms of art and appreciative culture. From what Williete is suggesting, the key premise fueling Avant-Garde art is the concept of restructuring normalized Values.

Provide Progress report on Ongoing work

With Week 3 underway, I have begun the production of my third Konstraint. After familiarizing with the Korsakow interface, I have become more acquainted with the software and its potentialities.

The process of producing short ‘vine-like’ videos has proven to be an unordothadox approach to film production that has required me to consider a different set of aesthetics than what would be expected of a traditional film production model.

Questions such as : How may I best use the format, How do i create a powerful piece given time constraint, How can I approach given Konstraint limitations both thematically and technically

My new approach to this frontier has nonetheless been an interesting journey and I feel the biggest lesson has been learning the implications of using such a new means of production. As presented by the questions, these type of notions have come to arise due to the fundamentally simplified nature of this new form of documentary making given our weekly ‘Konstraint’ Limitations, I look forward to the remaining weeks of producing my Korsakow Film.

http://raws.adc.rmit.edu.au/~s3286349/blog2/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/im3.jpg

Personal Assessment Matrix

Personal Assesment Matrix (Total Grade for Matrix is Sum of points= Total % weightage)
WEEK Analysis Execution Reflection Learning Total

 

3 3 5 4 4 16

Provide link to Multimedia

For this week’s media link, I am going to be linking a Vine Video of a popular internet identity KingBach. His claim to web stardom had begun with the introduction of his Vine videos. Catching popularity for its comedic value, his continual contribution to the sphere of Vine videos has abetted to his rising popularity.

Personally I had chosen this individual as I felt he best exemplified the integration of time constraint into the production of video. The notion of how he uses the 6 second time constraint of a Vine video to Jam pack a package of comedic content much inspires my quest to understand how well limited mediums can be used. Without further ado, I present you KingBach.

 

Participation Week 2

Publish a review of a link to an article or academic reference based on weekly topic.

http://computationalculture.net/review/review_of_networks_without_a_cause

For this week’s article, I will be publishing a review link to one of the prominent figures in the discourse of networked media and its affiliated field of user-based journalism. In view of the Astruc’s discourse of the changing face of documentary filmmaking, the article examines a commentary on Geert Lovink’s position of the current age of user-based media and its implications on the current taxonomically organized system of journalism production based on his book “Networks without a cause”.

What lies interesting in this article is Geert Lovink’s statement of how the inclusion of Web 2.0 is promoting a more decentralized approach to the dissemination of information with the rise of the web documentary and decline in popularity of the traditional documentary production model. As such, Geert proposes a new shift in the industry that is calling such established production means to action in either embracing this new shift of less-centralized and time-orientated journalism with a more sporadic and efficient reporting that will start to match the new user demographic of web-based platforms.

Additionally he comes to outline how such news agencies and journalistic powerhouses chose to incite or provoke a response through their presence disallowing a more naturalistic observation of situations which he proposes occurs through the simple phenomenon of a user-made video. Such an example would be the dissemination of current affairs through users in the twitter-sphere. Such a situation illustrates a paradigm in which the conscientious user creates content through continuous accessibility to user-media tools.

 

Reflect on Reading for the week and pose thoughts on symposium question

This week’s reading ‘Digital Video and Alexandre Astruc’s Camera-Stylo: the new avant-garde documentary’ by Bjorn Sorenssen comments on Alexandre Astruc’s postulated theory of a de-centralized era of mass-media production empowered by the general public rather than capitally empowered corporations or organizations due to mass accessibility of media production tools. Bjorn first addresses how this so-called ‘prediction’, which was initially intended to foreshadow the changes to the industry via the introduction of 16mm Film format,  mirrors very closely the developments to media production that have come about from the past few decades from the initial introduction of the VCR and Camcorder to the more sophisticated tools and platforms we have today such as mini cameras on iPhones to the accessibility of open hosting platforms such as Youtube.

Bjorn goes further into this theory to discuss how this breakthrough of digital production and distribution of documentary films has truly lived up to Astruc’s prophecy. Ultimately using a Youtube user ‘Geriatric1927’ as a case study and point of comparison, Bjorn relates to Astruc’s theory of a democratic media sphere through usage of ‘Geriatric1927s’ videos exemplifying it as a perfect example of a form of individualized documentary.

The key list of criterion Bjorn states in summary of Astruc’s vision are as follows:

1)New Technology Provides new means of expression. The development of the film medium from being exclusive to becoming a commonplace form of expression

2)Resulting in more democratic use of medium (film in this case)

3)Hence opening up new possibilities and different forms and usage (the birth of a contemporary use of medium and experimental use of medium)

Bjorn attempts to link these criterions through the reflection of video communication technology and its developments over the years. Concurrently, Bjorn also addresses the many fears and issues Astruc actualized in his prophecy of this supposed ‘new-age’ of mass visual media production and distribution.

Raising the VCR and Camcorder as the first successful frontier of mass-media production (with consideration of the 16mm’s potential but costly implications that failed its mass-distrubtive success), Bjorn also considers the fear of dilution in the general quality of distributed work which was carried through Astruc’s words. He shows this indicative through the notion of how most individuals who did acquire the Camcorder had less awareness of cinematic techniques and aesthetics hence still distinguishing it far from its more professional, corporate powered film theatre counterparts. As such most videos were depicting of the home environment and related spheres, holding little interest for the general viewership of Television.

Another core concern raised by Astruc was the formation of segmented social groups he feared would occur in the public space. He had suggested how despite the enabling nature of such technology, there will be individuals who identify to certain values due to pure embracement of a particular aesthetic. Bjorn evaluates this on the current scale of media production, wherein which he relates to the common youtube user Geriatric1927. Using Geriatic1927 as an example, he illustrates how the very personal commentary carried forth by the user and its following support and fandom are indicative of rather the converse, in which individuals are truly and more openly connected due to the realm of user-made content and the Web 2.0.

Ultimately, Bjorn associates the paradigm shift in documentaries from a entity-centralized genre (exemplifying industry documentaries on one end) to a more egalitarian paradigm in which the genre is now more decentralized (Holding a user like Geriatric1927 as and example of the other). As such, the following implications such as the quality of the work and the idea of widespread dissemination of information VS structured media focus come to follow. Bjorn comes to show how ultimately holding both its positives and negatives, the shift is nonetheless a new foray into documentary making and individual film expression that brings the camera as a pen to the everyday individual.

Symposium question for the Week

1. Documentary as a ‘project’ in regards to definition is becoming very broad – so, does it need to be redefined or broken up into categories? Does a taxonomy of definitions need to be created?

This question poses great relevance especially in regards to the reading which handles the issue of taxonomy. As outlined by Astruc, The defining parties of documentary films have always been placed in a position to dictate the genre’s developments and positions as it lies natural in the fact that they are the dictating powers at hand. Such with the inclusion of Web 2.0 and user made content, the diversity and variety of new forms of genre expression are changing the definition of a documentary making. So the ideal is the notion of a ever-changing genre. However, if one was to dictate a system of Taxonomical identification, it can be argued that it will hold limited relevance in a position of time due to the genre’s ever expanding nature. As such, a counter argument would propose that such taxonomy is void of function as the dynamically evolving genre of documentary film making is reaching new heights from day to day.

Personal Assesment Matrix (Total Grade for Matrix is Sum of points= Total % weightage)
WEEK Analysis Execution Reflection Learning Total
2 5 4 4 4 18

Provide a link to form of MultiMedia

Given this week’s topic, my multimedia upload for the week is going to be about the one and only ‘Geriatric1927’.

 

Key Learnings and Thoughts from Week 2.1 Workshop

With the recent symposium, we had discussed the concept of Designed Fiction and its sphere of involvement. Throughout the discussion, my fellow classmates on the panel shared ideas about how Design Fiction can be used and how in certain uses, its delving design can even almost foretell a potential reality that we may see ourselves.  A great example brought about by one of class panelists was how the film A Space Oddessy by Stanley Kubrick had the use of an Ipad like device with similar touch screen and processing capabilities.  With that it shows how at moments how Designed Fiction can almost interchange our suspension of disbelief rather with a rationalized acceptance based on the potentiality of what’s presented. Conclusively, the panelists brought great insights and arguements into the ideas and concepts surrounding Designed fiction and its potential spheres of influence.

Additionaly, I’ve provided a link to one of the panelists herself, Esther, who has made a great read regarding Designed Fiction and its fundemental Nature. Please do check it out.

http://countingletters.wordpress.com/

The concept of Design Fiction, explained by Bruce Sterling (Week 2.1 Reading)

As described by Bruce Sterling, Design Fiction is the use of ‘diegetic’ prototypes to suspend disbelief about change. Essentially it means using ideas that project very closely towards objects and services that people can relate to in a manner that has them speculating about the potentiality of its existence.

Diegetic- A type of storytelling that presents the detail of a story’s interior world. As such design fiction would fall as something diegetic as it attempts to tell a story to individuals through the design of narrative, more likely physical, artifacts within the world of a story.

From an interview with Bruce Sterling, one of the biggest proponents of design fiction, we come to understand more about this new conceptual genre of
fiction that has been gracefully propelling itself in more intricate ways.
In his conversation with editor Tori Bosch, he explains how the ideal, effective use of design fiction is by showing people the interaction of services and objects with seemingly normal activity.

So no avatar-like heroes, as Bruce describes, but rather something along the lines of this:

From here, Bruce further goes onto explaining the essential quality of design fiction is the fact that it relates more to technological advancements hence working effectively as a neutral interest that anybody could hold fascination to regardless of their standpoints and opinions.

He makes the distinction between Hollywood’s purpose and design fiction as something that CAN correlate, but not necessarily to replace one another, primarily to the fact that elements of designed fiction can be used in support of purporting a potential technological story world rather than replacing the qualities it has.

Using space odyssey as a example, Bruce demonstrates how the object such as the Ipad like idea which was used in the film shows the success of a diegetic artifact that was, and has become acutualized, as a relatable protoype, being the Ipad.

 The Bad

Further into the interview, the points Bruce Sterling makes towards bad design fiction builds a clearer picture of the rubric he sees the genre through. As he describes, a concept with a lack of aspiration towards inspiring others to imitate. With the example hes given of a guy thinking of ‘flapping’ his arms to get to the moon, he shows that it is imagination that lacks a compelling factor.

As such, it can be understood from Bruce Sterling that successful design fiction would have to attain a compelling quality, or rather, an ability suspend disbelief about change with its success as a piece of design fiction determined by the extent to which it can do so effectively.

(Im sure Bruce Sterling wouldn’t be too approving of something like this, [picture credits to www.organizationalphysics.com])

Bruce wraps up by commenting on design fiction’s presence as a new set of tools society has at hand to engage the world with. Despite uncertainty to whether it is something  that will lead the economy (as implied jokingly by Bruce), it certainly raises interesting ideas and implications, or perhaps thoughts toward a practice that will more intricately be able to fortell the potential future.

With creative thinking and visualization becoming a common meme of society, especially with more user-based outlets of expression, it is interesting to see how far contributions to design fiction will go and how much people are able to stretch the perceived boundaries of this new ideation.

However, Matthew Ward continues where Bruce stops and looks further into the possible implications of this concept and how it be stretched beyond the aspect of literature.