Monday, August 31, 2009

Week 6: Lecture Summary

Hi there Gold Coasters!
(has anyone see the film UP? where the dog says "hi there!" - very amusing)
anyway, acoverdale here with the happenings of week 6.
We discussed Consumption and Production, and what it means to consume and produce media, products, anything really. We consume products of the media, content that has been professionally designed to captivate and interest us.
An example of this is in the 'Big Screen', for example at the cinemas or while watcing televison, we are passive consumers of content shown to us.
In the 'Small Screen' of life, mobile phones keep us constantly aware of and consuming the media surrounding us.
Fan-films and Fan-edits are another instance of consumption. When Star Wars fans produced the fan-film"TROOPS", it was consumed by Star Wars fans.
News Junkies also consume news then reproduce it for our interest/entertainment.
The above forms of consumption are beginning to filter through mobile phones, but are not entirely successful as they do not look or sound as clear as other mediums.

Week 6: Tutorial Task

Goodafternoon bloggers,
acoverdale here,
i have included both NCT's posts 'Week 5/6" and "This is to be worked through by the end of week 6" in this post.

Firstly, three internet delivered short films:
*THE EMBED TOOL DID NOT WORK I TRIED IT ON THREE DIFFERENT COMPUTERS AND WITH ALL MY VIDEOS, THIS IS WHY THE LINKS ARE JUST PROVIDED*

Number One:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AxtGqKT-Tw

This College Humour Film is a humerous enactment of a boy meeting his gf's parents - only to find out they are complete 'L33TS' or very technologically savvy people. I picked this film because it is short, amusing/entertaining, and has many geat camera shots such as the close up and medium shot, and great angles such as the low angle (looking up at the daughter on the stairs).

Number Two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_xy7am7cRI&feature=channel

My second film was chosen beacause it uses very few camera angles and shots, mostly close up and medium, but is still captivating. I like how the background noise is included.

Number Three:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plSc68nZWN4&feature=channel

My imaginary friend is a humerous but sad film clip detailing what happens to your childhood imaginary friends. I chose it because it uses both real life and animation imagery, a soothing voice, and many different camera angles.


Google Map:

http://maps.google.com.au/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&ll=-28.17281,153.549728&spn=0.077781,0.15398&z=13&msid=109316129290103342405.0004757a16a56d51de39f


Persona:

Interaction with 5 websites:
1. Vampire Rave - I made an account and did a few missions but did not like the way you were constantly ranked and judged! I will stick to facebook for "friends".
2.Polyvore - gave me the best ideas! I was very inspired by this website.


















Week 5: Lecture Summary

Good Morning Upper East Siders - just kidding.
acoverdale here.
This weeks' lecture was delivered by Jason Nelson - a breath of fresh air to the subject! Nerdy, but modern and down to earth, he held everyone's attention and even made us laugh. He started by showing us the 'speed net test', then covered a brief history of the 'Dot Com Boom' - and its deimise! (Basically everyone caught wind of the internet, and all tried to access it at once). The internet was essentially stil new so experimentation was invested in. Jason then explained how Yahoo and Microsoft are now Google's rivals. He then moved on to a popular topic amoungst us all - social networking sites. The internet is becoming full of new Content Manager Systems - inexpensive webspace. This allows virtually anyone to build a site such as Myspace or Twitter or maintain a blog like us. Is this a good thing? Jason also explained the way in which SNS's fluctuate with users ("friends"/"followers") and how we were all addicted to Myspace, the obsessed with Facebook and are now spending all our time on Twitter... WHAT NEXT?! We then looked at EDIS, a Hungarian government map showing emergency disasters and world hazards as they happen.
'United Breaks Guitars' was an amusing music clip about United Airlines breaking an expensive guitar.
til next week,
XOXO,
acoverdale

Week 5: Tutorial Task

GA (good afternoon) GC's (gold coasters),
acoverdale here with a new outlook on life, its called tonsilitis and glandula fever.
"here" being my bedroom, and the abreviations are due to the fact i can only spend little amounts of time on the computer at a time (due to extreme tiredness).
Fear not, i will continue to update your favourite blog with the scandalous happenings (lectures and tute activities) of NCT 09. Luckily enough this week was a catchup to make sure all activites are completed!
til next weeek,
acoverdale
XOXO

Week 4: Lecture Summary

Hi there bloggers,
acoverdale here giving you the inside scoop on NCT 09. I must say after looking at the two uploads of lecture notes to learning at griffith i am just going to post what i have handwritten in my notebook!

The Big Screen to the Small Screen:
1895 was the birth of cinema, the moving image. Fast forward to 1906, the first feature length narrative film of Ned Kelly was made. cFast forward again to 1927, which saw dialogue recorded and played alongside the action - "talkies". Two years later the first all colour film 'on with the show' was produced. 1933 was the year of the first drive in theatre!! In 1937 Disney released an animated Snow White film which was the first commercially released movie with colour and sound. Then, in 1939 Television was introduced at the New York Trade Fair. 1952 saw 3D technology emerge. And in 1955 Hollywood sold back catologues of movies to television (they were old pre released films of course - AND they didnt realise at the time but Hollywood should have sold them to cable first to make more money). The next year Ampex made the first two inch reel of tape used to record movies on (VTR). In 1959, Percepto Vision was invented which sent a mild electric shock to one chair in the cinema (called a nickolodeon because it was a nickle to enter) with the hope that that person would scream and so would others around them.

Then came 1963, the year both my parents were born and the year of the first consumer VTR. Also in this big year multiplex cinemas (with two cinema screens) and blockbuster movies (which screened more than one film at a time were invented - box office results skyrocketed). In 1967 Sony introduced VCR and portapack which allowed independant film makers the chance to work freelance. In 1970 Imax was invented and screens became smaller, towards the TV we have today. 1972 brought Pay TV to America. In 1985 the first blockbuster videoshop opened. Then in 1986 a CGI fully animated short film by Pixar called LUXO JR was released. Fast forward to 1995 when Toystory, the second CGI film from Pixar was made. Then in 1997 DVD was invented (no more video tapes!) Then... THE INTERNET (do doo doooo - piano doom sound). The internet and Hollywood did not connect very well - movies began appearing without license or permission. In 2002, Internet films, BMW short films like the driver which we watched and i like very much, and TROOPS (a take off of Starwars and Cops both of which i have not seen so did not understand very well.. but i did like the backdrop effects of the desert)

til next week,
XOXO
acoverdale

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Week 4: Tutorial Task

acoverdale here (actually here in class!) with the excitement of nct (and of being back on campus) as we engage in a virtual scavenger hunt without google or wiki - oh dear i hear you say. But all is not lost, L and J seem pretty confident we can do it.
The Challenges:
1. What is the weight of the world's biggest pumpkin? How long did it take to grow?
606.7 KG. According to my little brothers Guinness World Records Book 2005.

2. What is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact Lilly Allen?
Her website. Even though it is not a specific means eg twitter, it has contact information, and links to her myspace, facebook, twitter, youtube, bebo, lastfm, wikipedia and blog.

3. What is the length of a giraffe's tongue?
A giraffe's tongue is 18 to 20 inches (46 to 50 centimeters). http://www.ask.com/bar?q=length+of+a+giraffe%27s+tongue&page=1&qsrc=19&ab=0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sandiegozoo.org%2Fanimalbytes%2Ft-giraffe.html
4. How would you define the word 'glycomics'? In your own words, what does it really mean ? What does the term 'seagull manager' refer to?
Glycomics is the comprehensive study of glycomes (the entire complement of sugars of an organism. Glycomics "is the systematic study of all glycan structures of an organism. The term glycomics is derived from the chemical prefix for sweetness or a sugar, "glyco-", and was formed to follow the naming convention established by genomics which deals with genes.
The term seagull manager refers to a transient, highly critical manager whose interaction with the workforce consists of arriving, criticising, everything and everybody harshly and leaving again. http://uk.encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1481585101/seagull_manager.html
Another definition stated it is a manager who flies in, makes a lot of noise, craps on everything and then leaves. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=segull+manager

5. What was David Cronenberg's first feature film? Which of his films Had 'Blondie' in it?
"Shivers", orginally advertised as "It came from within". 'Blondie' (Debbie Harry) starred in "Videodrome".

6. When was the original 'Hacker's Manifesto' written?
January 8, 1986 - written by 'the mentor'. http://www.ask.com/bar?q=Hacker%27s+Manifesto&page=1&qsrc=0&ab=5&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.angelfire.com%2Flinux%2FFreedomUnlimited%2Fmanifesto.html

7. Why do phone numbers in Hollywood films start with '555'?
http://www.ask.com/bar?q=hollywood+phone+number+555&page=1&qsrc=2417&ab=2&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.telephonecollecting.org%2Fcode.htm

8. What is the cheapest form of travel from the Gold Coast to Sydney?
After my little brother suggested riding a bike, the cheapest way is definetely Jetstar's 5c flights.

9. What song was top of the Australian Pop Charts this week in 1965?
Shakin all over my Normie and the Playboys - also thanks to my little brothers talents.
10. Which Brisbane band includes Stephen Stockwell on keyboards and vocals?
The Black Assassins.
http://www.ask.com/bar?q=brisbane+band+stephen+stockwell+on+keyboard+and+vocals&page=1&qsrc=2417&ab=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fweb.revolutionrock.com.au%2Foral-hist%2Findex.php%3Fid%3D24

Week 3: Lecture Summary

Good afternoon, acoverdale here reporting on the exciting happenings of Thursday morning. The lecture got off to a bumpy technological start, but J (little J?) was patient.

Shot sizes:
VLS/WS Very Long Shot/Wide Shot
LS Long Shot
MLS Medium Long Shot
MS Midshot
MCU Medium Close Up
CU Close up
BCU Big Close Up
ECU Extreme Close Up

Shots as words:
Who? - The closeup answers this.
What? - The midshot shows the 'what' doing whatever it is that the 'what' is doing.
Where? - Long Shot shows this.
When? - Wide shot and Close up are both useful to show places and time passing.
Why? - The Big Close up reveals all
How? - A series of Close ups can explain this.

Head room, Talking room, and Rule of Thirds:
Allowing enough head room is important so that your character's head is not cut off or cut out of the shot.
Also, allowing enough talking room so that the character and their mouth can be seen is essential.
The rule of thirds ensures the character is taking up at least two thirds of the picture - this is measured by the intersections of the lines, it must cross through four points.

The 180 degree rule:
This rule ensures that the audience always knows who is speaking, see the diagram page 13 of the lecture notes for further annotations, but basically the way in which you position the camera affects the audiences perception of who is in the frame and who is talking.

*Inserts and cutaways are used to provide extra information about a scene.
*Making a statement is important.

til next week,
XOXO
acoverdale

Week 3: Tutorial Task

acoverdale here keeping you up to date with new com tech 09 (as well as one can keep others up to date when she is in bed STILL with the flu, unable to make it to class)...
Language of the screen:
On intial search many blogspot blogs fill the results, sorry guys i must remain credible and reliable in the information posted.
VLS/WS - A wide shot is where the figure is shown in relation to thier surroundings.


LS - A long shot occurs when the subject is shown in a small scale.


MS - A medium shot is where the body is shown from the waist upwards.


MCU - A medium close up shot shows throat, neck and head.


CU - A close up is simply just a persons head.


ECU - An extreme close up just focuses on the eye.

Next task, identify the who, what, where, when, why and how of a television program.
I though you would never ask... Gossip Girl Season One - Episode One.

Who - Serena Van der Woodsen.
What - Her return after mysterious disappearance to boarding school.
Where - Grand Central Station.
When - In the holidays.
Why - She figures everything would have blown over/misses her brother.
How - Gossip Girl.

til next week,
XOXO
acoverdale.

Week 2: Lecture Summary

acoverdale here, updating you on the second week of New Com Tech09!
Thursday's lecture topic was dry, but made bareable by Prf. Stephen Stockwell's outstanding background knowledge and interest in computer history. This is what was said:

Babbage, Turing and the birth of 'THE COMPUTER':
The first 'computer' wasa mechanical device invented by Charles Babbage in the 19th century and served the purpose of mathematics calculations only. Ada Byron then improved the computer to compose and play music, and to be of everyday use. The next innovation was conceived by Alan Turing, who developed the machine to decipher German codes in WW1. Fast forward 20 or so years to 1950 when IBM began comercially producing computers - large, expensive devices that were not seen as a necessity by all.

Xerox PARC, Apple and the PC:
Xerox-PARC released the first PC, but it didnt have a language (needed for interaction from humans). Bill Gates (a very young and poor Bill Gates!) wrote the first program for the computer and named in BASIC. In order to market this program he began a small company called Microsoft.
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak are the creaters of Apple. They began the company by producing a small circuit board called 'Apple 1', and sold them to people interested in creating the software. They then produced the 'Apple 2' - which sold beyond belief. In 1979 then bought a computer program called Visicalc, and the PC became a powerful business tool.
Meanwhile, IBM continued to produce mainframe's, determined to enter the PC market. They bought Microsoft, an operating system from Bill Gates, and eventually after several complications, the 'language' needed to run the system was too aquired.
At the same time this was occuring, Apple launched thier Graphic User Interface - thinking this would secure their position as market leader. IBM quickly caught on and released thier own version, titled Windows.
In 1991, Linus Torvalds invented another operating system to compete with the existing. Linus approached the invention in an unorthodox manner, by posting his ideas and discoveries on the internet so as to have maximum help and input. Eventually he created GNU/Linux, which is a combination of Free Software Foundations's GNU, and his own.

The Internet, the Web and Cyberspace:
The internet is a network of networks, often called internetwork. The networks include servers, mainframe's and PC's, loosely connected through the telephone system. The idea of 'internet', came from a business named RAND, who believed they could create a network of systems that could outlast a nuclear war as it has not central base and can easily be relocated. The US Department of Defence founded this research and project, which quickly escalated into a problem as email, hackers and MUD's (multiple user domains) took over.
The World Wide Web, or WWW as it is often referred to, is a use of the internet. The web includes all websites people have posted around the world - all written in HTML (Hyper-Text Markup Language). Websites are easily accessible through 'browsers' such as Internet Explorer, which essentially read the HTML and translate it into commands and the English language. It is important to note that the internet is a collection of computers, every website on the internet is a collection of files, and when we use a web browers such as Internet Explorer we are looking at those webpages of files.
Cyberspace is a conceptual space, where words, relationships, data, wealth and power are manifested by people using computer language.

Early Internet Applications:
Email is a virtual system, which sends documents from one disperser to one or mulitple receivers. Mail Software Systems, and Webmail eg Hotmail are the programs in which people hold and view their mail. Email is asynchronus in that emails are sent, but not always received, and not always read on time, it is a one way burst of information.
File Transfer Protocol is uploading photos or data directly from your computer to the web. File transfers using this method are quicker than downloading directly through a browser.
Internet Relay Chat in its most common forms exists as chat rooms. People can type to each other in sychronus style, that is receive a reply instantly. With IRC you can exist in cyberspace as seperate identity.

MUD's:
Multiple user dungeons, such as WOW, were the first online games with many multiple users. There are limited pictures and actions take place by typing words. For example when you enter a room, you are told in words what is happening in the room and who you are with.

More Recent Internet Applications:
Some modern applications include Instant Messaging, Twitter, Myspace and Facebook.

I have also included one of my favourite youtube vidoes on the topic of 'The Internet' - please watch it as it is quite funny :)

Week 2: Tutorial Task

Good morning Gold Coasters,


acoverdale here. Unfortunately your favourite source for credible information has not kept you in the loop lately as i have been on my deathbed with an acute case of the flu. Worry not, the tasks and summaries are completed, just not uploaded. Keep your eyes peeled as all will be restored in good time.


This weeks tutorial task revolved around the theme of convergence.


What on earth is convergence.. read on to be enlightened!
My sources say that having our tute on the Wednesday is both a good thing in that we are semi-ahead with the topics/readings, but bad as the tutorial tasks only make sense on the Thurdsay... What will L and J do to combat these discomforts felt by students?
'til next week,
XOXO
acoverdale

Convergence is defined as the occurrence of two or more things coming together, the approach of an infinite series to a finite limit, overlap: a representation of common ground between theories or phenomena, the act of converging (coming closer). This was found on the website wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn which i have found to be very helpful in understanding concepts, but like wikipedia it is not the safest option for referencing!
Therefore an example of a technology that is convergent relating to communication is the Otterbox (an obvious example but one none the less, it claims to be an innovative convergent technology solution, Phone, PDA, keypad, GPS and ruggard device in one!)



A second example of convergent technology related to communication is the transformer phone which on the website http://mobilitytoday.com/news/005547/iPAQ_OtterBox_ruggedized_cases_6515 had underneath it a neat list of why it, but convergent technologies in particular are so popular.

"Convenience of carrying a single device, always have a camera, music player, internet with you and a phone, only one device to maintain - keep charged, clean and protected, more ecologically friendly - one instead of three or more batteries, only requires on charger, screen, processor etc to be produced".


The third example of a technological implement that is convergent in some way is the Wegner giant swiss army knife! http://www.gaj-it.com/4181/wenger-giant-swiss-army-knife-when-a-nail-file-just-isnt-enough/ This incredible knife is a convergent technology like no other - it has 85 implements and performs 100 tasks from cutting to repairing to a flashlight!


Still reading? Well done :) My fourth finidng is the first ever colour e-book from fujitsu - basically a digital learning tool for youths in the form of a book.







http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10198920-1.html

Not sure how much "prowess and skill" is showed off in these edits but here they are:

Next, two youtube videos, one for convergence (iphone) and one of my choosing(gossip girl show opening):













My Interaction with the Internet Timeline Post and History of Computing can be seen in my Week 2: Lecture summary post.

Lastly, the video, very bad recording from my phone but it was so worth it i love the fray and listen for my little scream at the end! :)

Week 1: Lecture Summary

Hi there goldcoasters, acoverdale updating you on New Com Tech 09 - from the inside.
til next week,
XOXO
acoverdale.

After quick introductions, a search for permanent markers and an apology for spelling abilities, Josh Nicholas got started on what turned out to be a very interesting lecture. We disscussed in detail the following:
  • Considering New Media - new technologies such as the computer, mobile phone and internet (email, message boards, IM, twitter, blogging, social networking sites and youtube, which tied in nicely with the first reading of cociane jesus) and old technologies such as oral, written letters and morse code were decided upon as vital for communication, especially the development of communication through time.
  • What is 'Communication'? - Josh defined communication as any process that transfers, transmits or makes information known to other people, an example of this is the speaker produces a message that is heard by the listener. He then explained that there are two types of communication, or rather two channels by which the one term communication can operate through. These are: 1. intersubjectivity (the listener interprets the message and changes it as they send it along) 2. intertextuality (no message is ever complete and any message gains meaning through context and culture)
  • What is 'Technology'? - Technology as defined by Josh in the lecture is the scientific study of mechanical arts and their application to the world. Marshall McLuhan argues that technologies are extensions of the human body - a tool is and extension of the hand, a wheel is an extension of the leg and and book is the extension of the eye. It is hard to define such as broad term and therefore throughout this blog there will be many definitions.
  • Contours of the communication disclipline - There has been a mass explosion of broadcast media forms and from that many studies and new technologies have developed. These include: communication studies, media studies, cultural studies, journalism, public relations, advertising, marketing, design, new media studies, cyber studies, internet studies, cyberculture studies and web studies.

"This sprawling, brawling mass of disciplines and pseudo-disciplines is what the academic study of Communication has come to".


The suggested readings were helpful and interesting (none of the semi-colons and sentence structures from the compulsory subject last semester).
I enjoyed cocaine jesus (youtube clip), it highlighted what undercover people risks in their professions!
And Babel, thankyou to whoever had nothing better to do than compile that list! (def keeping it close - did you know the difference between block check character and blind carbon copy? a colon! oh dear last semester is coming back)
and finally the American Communication Journal is going to be a lifesaver when it comes to the essay.

'til next week,

XOXO
acoverdale