Film in Remediation

The notion of how film continues to change is intriguing especially since more and more movies are integrating graphics into their movies. What Disney has been doing is interesting because they are remediating classic stories. Using animation, Disney can do more with this medium in terms of camera techniques and a movable shifting perspective than with actual film. Certainly, animation with Pixar had gone even further than Bolter and Grusin explain here. As these films continue to flourish in the industry, it is possible that actors careers might be in jeopardy because these characters are becoming more life-like. The new phenomena in recent films such as Avatar and Alice in Wonderland aim at a more in depth ideal of immediacy. What will the future hold in terms of what will be remediated? We can only wait and see.

Digital Art in Remediation

An interesting aspect in the chapter on Digital Art is the idea of digital products. Newer art constructed by graphics artists consist of pixelated images rather than actual oil based paint or watercolors. This form of art has now become an art in itself distanced from traditional pieces and even though digital art has its roots, it doesn't always try to emulate an actual photo or painting. The idea of digitizing images is particularly interesting considering a recent controversy over President Barack Obama's picture during his campaign for presidency. A graphic artist took the picture from the associated press and manipulated it; eventually it became the ubiquitous unofficial Obama logo. Just as Bolter and Grusin explain, “Such algorithmic transformations raise the question of agency in digital art: whether the digital artist is to be regarded as the agent of the image in the same way a traditional painter or whether her role is more like that of a photographer.” The concern now is, who owns this image? It can be argued that Obama owns it, the associated press owns it, or the graphic artists owns it. I myself cannot answer this question so I will leave it for the lawyers to argue this one.

Computer Games in Remediation

The chapter, Computer Games, in Remediation talks about a variety of ideas but I like the ideas of the status quo and how these ideologies stem from film and television. Interestingly, the ideological aspects of the status quo are reestablished by asking the player to defend the action of violence. Examples the authors give are: Space Invaders, Doom and Quake. Furthermore, it is argued that video game violence stems from films through the form of 3D graphics, and narrative functions. Although these examples are outdated, one can most likely look for the same status quo ideas in more modern video games and movies. Indeed, video games are a reflection of movies and television.

Disembodied Performance on facebook

Facebook has the power of expressing an image of oneself that isn't actually self. In other words, it's a great way for a person to have an individual PR campaign. The type of comments someone makes about themselves, others, and the type of pictures that a person publishes will project an image (disembodied self) of themselves as they see fit in the world. I have witnessed people post wonderful pictures of themselves and their family when I know them personally and I know their lives are miserable. It is a facade. I personally don't try to live on Facebook because I don't think it's a valid community as it doesn't build deep relationships. Ask me to be your friend on facebook and most likely I won't think twice. Ask me for my phone number and I will definitely think twice. In this respect, facebook allows social interaction that is at a superficial level. The upside to this argument is that if a person portrays themselves in a more than favorable manner, and it is not reality, chances are people will believe what they see and consequently it can become reality. Once again, it is a PR campaign.

How to use Remediation in a first year composition course

Based on Bolter and Grusin's argument in Remediation, the implications for a first year composition course resides in making students aware of remediation. Since technology has become an inherent part of today's youth, their culture is embedded with remediation. Many of these students might think that some of the technology is new but in fact is a remediation of the past technology. An interesting assignment for the students would be for them to first, make them aware of remediation. Secondly, have the students choose some form of technology that has a critical, functional, and rhetorical function. And Lastly, have students trace back the particular form of technology to other forms of technology. This type of exercise can allow students to understand that knowledge has always been the same and always will be. However, the medium of how we communicate has changed and learning and understanding these media and their histories will help students understand culture.

Thoughts on xtranormal

The xtranormal project was particularly interesting. I was intrigued on how a user can create different scenarios using different characters and different voices. I could spend all day making movies and pushing the envelope. Although I probably wouldn't spend my free time using this program, I would imagine that a lot of high schoolers would love it. It could potentially be a great tool in the classroom as it could teach students textual analysis and turn-taking sequences ( as Tom demonstrated). The program doesn't work exactly the way I would want it to, as some features took too much time to load and the voices didn't always have the proper intonation but, in the future, I think it'll be better.

Remediation about Remediation

Remediation is the notion that news medias stem from past medias. Remediation about remediation is a more developed process whereby the new medias don't necessarily reflect the original media which it originally came from however, the method of presenting content is still the same. Bolter and Grusin do a good job connecting the genealogy of media and how they have affected one another.

Hypermedia is a term the authors use to talk about media that contains multiplicity. This idea reminds of the MTV genre of music and how a myriad of messages are sent out to reinforce a particular ideology. Bolter an Grusin state that “stage representations of rock bands like U2 are celebrations of media and the act of remediation”. In the recent performance at the super bowl half-time show The Who, performed with an array of choreographed grandiose lighting and sound and when it's put together, it embodies an entirely new way of presenting a concert.

First 50 pages of Remidiation

The first fifty pages of Remediation are interesting. Not only are there visuals in the reading, there are also a lot of references to pop culture which makes the reading easy to contextualize. Bolter and Grusin discuss how film, photography and other media have stemmed from other forms of media. Websites emulate graphics and digitized photographs from the 1960's and the1910's. CNN uses a hypermediated form of presentation where text, graphics, and videos in multiple panes and windows. The authors also discuss the notion that remediation does not stem from digital media but it has previously been done by artwork. Medieval illuminated manuscripts and seventeenth century paintings have elements of hypermediacy. Looking at the media in the past, I find it interesting in terms of how they “play as signs”. There are so many signs being sent thought media, it sometimes becomes overwhelming.

I'm Hungry!

Rhetorical Literacy

In the section of Rhetotical Literacy, Selber urges readers to just recognize what is going on in technology but to go beyond the basic understanding. In terms of interface design, I don't know how skilled I can be at reversing the current state of affairs however, some readers might be more keen on this aspect. I have delved into music software and I have found ways to manipuate the programs but I don't know how affective this is in changing social status. I am glad that Selber is urging readers to fight fire with fire but I am not sure if this is my calling.

Critical Literacy

According to Selber, Critical Literacy questions the politics of computers and finding out what kind of motivation is behind such technology. Selber asks question like, Who profits? What is left behind for what reasons? How is software politicized? Therefore, critical literacy aims at bringing awareness. Perhaps for students like myself, this is self evident since my critical liteacy stems from everything I've learned in English class. However, I don't think many highschool kids are aware of the powers behind these tools. I like how Selber quotes Paulo Freire and Donaldo Macedo saying, “a person is literate to the extent that he or she is able to use language for social and political reconstruction”. We must change what is already constructed.

Selber's view of functional literacy

Selber explains that functional literacy is when students are users of technology and they use computers as tools. The purpose of becoming literate is for a student to be skilled enough to acquire employment. However, he criticizes the vast approaches because they are overly simplistic an harmful. The main purpose of these approaches is to help people economically and that ignore power, and culture. Even though functional literacy allows access to a culture it can be brought forth in a better way so that its not made exclusively for one goal.

There seems to be a misconception of the word “functional” as being remedial. However, functional doesn't just refer to basic skills on a rudimentary forum of knowledge, it refers to approach of well rounded knowledge in various areas. Its difficult to change the semantic meaning of a word so perhaps changing the terminology will help. Furthermore, making a basic computer class a lower level requirement will just bring forth complaints so I suggest making a basic computer class part of a capstone. Although there might certainly be backlash at this type of initiative, it would still be a valuable class that would insure that many students will not fall back in the perpetual technological revolution. Students should leave college with basic computer skills that will allow them to function in various potential employment arenas.

Computer Memories

Computer Memories

I had contact with computers sometime in middle school which was around 1995. My homeroom class had a green screen computer and I remember playing frogger on it as well as other games. My favorite game was Organ Trail; I'm sure many people have fond memories of this game. I also remember the dusty fragile floppy disks and how our teacher stressed to be extremely careful with them. Every Friday was our computer day and since we only had two computers in the classroom, we would always argue over who's turn it was to play.

In high school around 1998, I remember a friend of mine; Brian Burch bought a brand new computer. His mother financed it for him and he paid her back by burning Cds of the latest music and selling them. At the time, copying cds was a phenomenon and at three dollars a pop, they were selling like hot cakes. Despite the fact that burning cds was illegal, it was the main reason why I wanted to buy a computer. With the invention of the Cd burner I began to be exposed to new music.

Since I grew up in an extremely religious household, I was not allowed to listen to music. However, I eventually saved enough money to buy a discman and a few Cds from Brian. With the acquisition of music my ways of thinking began to change. For the longest I felt out of touch with other classmates and now that I was listening to the newest music, I was able to socialize better with classmates. I listened to variety of music: The Beatles, Wu-Tang, Rage against the Machine, Incubus, Red Hot Chili Peppers.

When you're frustrated with technology...

I bet we've all felt this way before at one time or another.

What would creative or innovative writing look like for a freshman composition class?

I asked a group of High School seniors how they would like a freshman composition class to be. A few students gave me blank stares and said that they didn't have a clue, others suggested more use of visuals, and others expressed that the formal essay was okay because writing is one's thought that can be jotted down and then those thoughts could be developed further.

After considering the different point of views, I came to the conclusion that too much of any medium wouldn't work. However, a combination of visuals such as magazine articles, music, music lyrics and other pop culture mediums combined with the traditional essay might hold students' attention. A possible suggestion would have students bring in advertisements that they found interesting or any kind of article about anything that they found interesting. Not to marginalize the future incoming freshman, but perhaps making course work look like a magazine might help.

To publish or not to publish? (response to Faigley)

If seems that when 93 million voices are hollering at the same time, one’s voice might be drowned out. While Faigley argues that the internet is a powerful tool to express one's ideas and opinions others argue that online publishing is ineffectual. Whatever the case may be, this medium of expression is easily accessible in this so called modern era. Even if one's voice is lost in the outskirts of the information superhighway, a small number of people will hear it and at the same time, the loudest voices remain the main attraction by seeking the pursuit of controversy.

Artificial Worlds

I agree somewhat with Mark Slouka who blames technology for our lack of civic engagement and I also agree with his statement that people seek artificial worlds because the real world is uncertain and unpleasant. When I look at cell phones and how they are now connected to the internet, it seems like a lot of this new technology is unnecessary. In many ways, technology has become a huge distraction to the truth of reality. People tweet about ridiculous mundane activities as if others actually care; no I don't need to know that you just ate at mediocre tasting Big Mac at McDonald's. Moreover, the online communities of myspace and facebook have now taken the place of real-life friendships.

My very first blog

This is a test to see if this works. If you are reading this then I was successful in creating a blog. More will be added soon....