First off let me express my love for Neil Patrick Harris! And everyone involved in the production and creation of Dr. Horrible because I truly enjoyed it. I haven't enjoyed musicals in awhile. Generally I find them campy. Note: this is most likely due to six years and many mediocre productions of public school musicals playing violin in pit orchestra (although one year I had the honor of being THE fiddler on the roof.) Consequently unless I am wowed by a production, I am usually unmoved.
Dr. Horrible was an exception. Joss Whedon did a phenomenal job of producing a witty, clever and satirical musical that explored themes of love, good vs evil, idealism and even digital media.
Dr. Horrible is an incredibly appealing character. Like Dexter, he reminds us we can sympathize with a "bad" character and that traditional roles of good vs evil within the super hero narrative are never absolute. His blurring of the lines of morality transform what would be a typical heteronormative romance narrative into something dark, comical and smart.
The music is also wonderful. Whedon seems to be playing with the idea of traditional ensemble musical by fusing cinematic editing (superimposing, freezing etc.) with musical motifs that create a different affect than a stage musical has.
Like Ferris Buhler before him, Whedon has Dr. Horrible break the "fourth wall" and acknowledge his audience (within the frame of the film, his blog readers). This engagement creates a strong bond between the protagonist and the viewer, the viewers like voyeurs reading a blog on the computer screen, hearing Dr. Horrible and seeing him on film.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Guild
I am by no means a hardcore gamer. (Again, let it be known.) Ironically, I spend a lot of my time engulfed in research on the topic. A client I work with at Brew Raptr, ( http://www.raptr.com/ ) requires a great deal of marketing research on a target audience. The characters parodied by Felicia Day in "The Guild" are the market group I spend so much time learning about online.
These are the individuals to which I owe a great deal of respect. The gaming community has brought me praise within the office, and has taught me new and innovative ways in which to articulate something I used to write off as an awkward obsession.
Felicia Day does an excellent job of morphing a subcultural phenomenon into a light, playful and innovative series. What makes it even better is the means through which she not only produces the series but also presents and markets it online. The isolation of her characters are relatable to individuals on all levels and in doing so, she brings exposure to a community in which the mainstream media doesn't spend enough time acknowledging. Although a shift in the media is changing (to recognize the significance both from a sociocultural and economic viewpoint) the gaming community still represents a niche community that in my findings, seems rather isolated from mainstream media.
These are the individuals to which I owe a great deal of respect. The gaming community has brought me praise within the office, and has taught me new and innovative ways in which to articulate something I used to write off as an awkward obsession.
Felicia Day does an excellent job of morphing a subcultural phenomenon into a light, playful and innovative series. What makes it even better is the means through which she not only produces the series but also presents and markets it online. The isolation of her characters are relatable to individuals on all levels and in doing so, she brings exposure to a community in which the mainstream media doesn't spend enough time acknowledging. Although a shift in the media is changing (to recognize the significance both from a sociocultural and economic viewpoint) the gaming community still represents a niche community that in my findings, seems rather isolated from mainstream media.
Chapter 1: (Introduction) The Garden of Forking Paths
Timeline:
1941: Borges writes "The Garden of Forking Paths
- Jorge Luis Borges, Argentinian writer, librarian, played with the manipulation of space and time, disillusionment, can be read as hypertext novel, explored the concept of a parallel universe
1963: Jolio Cortazar writes Hopscotch in Paris
- Included "expandable" chapters, another Argentinian writer, Borges was familiar with his work and published his first short story in 1946
1987: Stuart Moulthrop creates a hypertextual version of "The Garden of Forking Paths"
- Also wrote hypertext novel set during Gulf War
Summary:
1941: Borges writes "The Garden of Forking Paths
- Jorge Luis Borges, Argentinian writer, librarian, played with the manipulation of space and time, disillusionment, can be read as hypertext novel, explored the concept of a parallel universe
1963: Jolio Cortazar writes Hopscotch in Paris
- Included "expandable" chapters, another Argentinian writer, Borges was familiar with his work and published his first short story in 1946
1987: Stuart Moulthrop creates a hypertextual version of "The Garden of Forking Paths"
- Also wrote hypertext novel set during Gulf War
Summary:
- Initially, the Web was rejected by the New Media community
- Borges' work can be analogous to concepts of New Media, hypertext, the creation of parallel universes and the manipulation of time and space
- Other texts inspiring writers in the digital age by Borges include, "The Library of Babel" and "The Book of Sand"
- The complex way in which Borges organizes his fiction parallels the way a computer programmer fiddles with codes in order to create things within the digital space
I was secretly thankful when I realized we would look at a Borges story I had already encountered here at NYU. The first time I discovered Borges was the way it should be read, in its vernacular Spanish. Although challenging, we were given Borges poems and stories to dissect in my 11th grade Spanish class. Obviously the task was daunting, and ironically now, looking back it was a lot of decoding. Translating at times, word for word of an idiom into English in order to insure my comprehension. Borges would be laughing at how removed from his original discourse I am right now...I'm reading a translation of a short story in a text book about digital media and blogging about it online...
The second time I encountered this story was in a Post Modern Fiction class I took in Florence. Although Borges does not necessarily fit within the chronological time frame of postmodernism, his ideas certainly do. His incessant flirtation with time and space is almost filmic and at times, very surreal. Again, I was delighted to find that Post Modernism was linked to New Media and New Media to Borges creating a non linear web of relativity that Borges would admire. I would love to see if any of his stories from Ficciones would translate well on film.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Water Printer, Sand Beasts, BINGO and RYAN
I am looking forward to more exposure to viral videos like these. A lot of the ones I have previously been exposed to are either a) not art/science related or b) not animated so I am anticipating exploring out of my comfort/familiarity zone with videos like Water Printer, Sand Beasts, BINGO and RYAN.
There was something very whimsical I found about the Water Printer that attracted me to it - almost like something seen at Walt Disney's Epcot Center. Part of the gimmick/appeal to Epcot Center is the forward-thinking ideals (primarily globalization, science and technology) that are infused into the the actual landscape of the park as well as its attractions. The Water Printer although impressive watching on video, I'm sure would be captivating in person and I could easily imagine something like this being found at an American amusement park such as Disney's Epcot Center.
The fusion of art, innovation, technology and something natural like water created an interesting juxtaposition as a form of "New Media" which is also explored in the Sand Beasts video. The Sand Beasts, which Jansen explains were inspired by dinosaurs and evolution, feed off the energy of wind to power them physically. Watching the Sand Beasts move fluidly on screen in a natural setting evoked in me grandiose prehistoric scenes from Spielberg's Jurassic Park.
I really enjoyed the surrealist imagery and non-traditional narrative of both BINGO and RYAN. Both films induced a feeling of uncomfort, frustration, and sadness for me, which I think speaks volumes about their ability to communicate well with the viewer. Generally, I associate animated films with lightness and comedy (although I think Up and Walle both had some darkness and depth to them, especially for children's films) so it was refreshing to contrast animated short films with (in the case of RYAN) more "adult" topics.
There was something very whimsical I found about the Water Printer that attracted me to it - almost like something seen at Walt Disney's Epcot Center. Part of the gimmick/appeal to Epcot Center is the forward-thinking ideals (primarily globalization, science and technology) that are infused into the the actual landscape of the park as well as its attractions. The Water Printer although impressive watching on video, I'm sure would be captivating in person and I could easily imagine something like this being found at an American amusement park such as Disney's Epcot Center.
The fusion of art, innovation, technology and something natural like water created an interesting juxtaposition as a form of "New Media" which is also explored in the Sand Beasts video. The Sand Beasts, which Jansen explains were inspired by dinosaurs and evolution, feed off the energy of wind to power them physically. Watching the Sand Beasts move fluidly on screen in a natural setting evoked in me grandiose prehistoric scenes from Spielberg's Jurassic Park.
I really enjoyed the surrealist imagery and non-traditional narrative of both BINGO and RYAN. Both films induced a feeling of uncomfort, frustration, and sadness for me, which I think speaks volumes about their ability to communicate well with the viewer. Generally, I associate animated films with lightness and comedy (although I think Up and Walle both had some darkness and depth to them, especially for children's films) so it was refreshing to contrast animated short films with (in the case of RYAN) more "adult" topics.
New Media Introduction 2: New Media from Borges to HTML
Timeline:
1989 - 1990: European institutions devoted to support/development of New Media
- ZKM in Karlsruhe (1989). Directed by Jeffrey Shaw and focused on visual media
- New Media Institute in Frankfurt (1990) Directed by Peter Weibel
- ISEA (Intersociety for the Electronic Arts) in the Neterhlands (1990)
1990: Intercommunication Center in Tokyo
- New Media Art
2001: Whitney Museum in NYC and SF Museum of Modern Art mount survey exhibitions of new media
- Bitstreams at Whitney and 010101: Art in Technological Times in SF
Summary:
1989 - 1990: European institutions devoted to support/development of New Media
- ZKM in Karlsruhe (1989). Directed by Jeffrey Shaw and focused on visual media
- New Media Institute in Frankfurt (1990) Directed by Peter Weibel
- ISEA (Intersociety for the Electronic Arts) in the Neterhlands (1990)
1990: Intercommunication Center in Tokyo
- New Media Art
2001: Whitney Museum in NYC and SF Museum of Modern Art mount survey exhibitions of new media
- Bitstreams at Whitney and 010101: Art in Technological Times in SF
Summary:
- Took appx 10 years for New Media to move from underground ("cultural periphery" pg 13) to visibility in the public and academia
- Late 1980's - New Media begins to gain exposure
- 1990's Japan and Europe are the leading locations of the emergence of New Media
- Slow U.S. engagement with this movement for 2 primary reasons: 1) US quickly assimilated due to low cost and easy access. This rapid transition led little time for reflection or academic intrigue. 2) Little appreciation/government funding for New Media Art
- Late 1990's - a shift occurs within US and its acceptence of New Media. This shift began with US Universities and Art Schools (West Coast particularly) and then took hold in Museums like NYC's the Whitney and SF Museum of Modern Art.
- Soon, conferences and workshops create buzz and mainstream publishers start coming out with books on the subject --> establishment of an academic and artistic field
- Historical parallelism (texts by artists and computer scientists) - and intersection art/history/technology
- Parallelism exists not just in ideas but also in form.
- HCI = Human Computer Interaction. Computer Scientists that created HCI should be treated/respected like artists.
- 8 Propositions (What is New Media?):
- 1. New Media vs Cyberculture - Cyber culture focuses on the social aspect of the Internet
- 2. New Media as Computer Technology Used as a Distribution Platform - i.e. Internet, Web sites, computer multimedia, computer games, DVDs etc.
- 3. New Media as Digital Data Controlled by Software - New media reduced to digital data that can be manipulated (multiply, edit, delete etc.) via Software.
- 4. New Media as the Mix between Existing Cultural Conventions and the Conventions of Software - for traditional media to change to digital data it takes time and, like most things, is not linear. Ex: Software is not used to control all aspects of film production, just some. This can be contrasted with Computer Games BOTH use a combination of more mature cultural forms and conventions of computer software.
- 5. New Media as the Aesthetics that Accompanies the Early Stage of Every New Modern Media and Communication Technology - Some authors suggest that New Media shouldn't refer to the current condition of computer-based technologies but rather see New Media as a modern form of technology that media passes through.
- 6. New Media as Faster Execution of Algorithms Previously Executed Manually or through Other Technologies - Algorithms which operate computers can technically be done manually, just slower. Ex digitally sorting files vs physically filing paper.
- 7. New Media as the Encoding of Modernist Avant-Garde; New Media as Metamedia - tracing New Media heritage to 1920s Avant-Garde art movement - qualitatively extension of technique as well as change. Manovich also relates "meta media" to postmodernism in terms of aesthetics as well as ideology.
- 8. New Media as Parallel Articulation of Similar Ideas in Post WWII Art and Modern Computing - 1960s cultural imagination and artwork as an open system
Getting in touch with my inner gamer: Noah Wardrip-Fruin's Lecture
I must honestly admit I'm not a hardcore gamer by any means.
I have never even played any of the games Noah used as examples in his lecture (besides Sims!) However, I think Noah did a good job articulating issues that were relevant to the gaming industry that were relatable.
I really appreciated his use of narrative throughout the lecture and the importance he placed upon it. The merging of both computer science and fictional narrative appealed to (I think) the whole audience by addressing those interested in both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of gaming and the construction of story telling within a digital landscape.
Using (and explaining) historically groundbreaking examples of games and technologies such as Eliza, World of Warcraft, Star Wars Knights of Old Republic and Sim City articulated clearly for those who were not familiar, the gradual transition of video game narration and the technological systems that support them. I think in doing so, he captivated a wider audience range and, also, probably taught just about everyone in that auditorium something they had not already been exposed to.
I have never even played any of the games Noah used as examples in his lecture (besides Sims!) However, I think Noah did a good job articulating issues that were relevant to the gaming industry that were relatable.
I really appreciated his use of narrative throughout the lecture and the importance he placed upon it. The merging of both computer science and fictional narrative appealed to (I think) the whole audience by addressing those interested in both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of gaming and the construction of story telling within a digital landscape.
Using (and explaining) historically groundbreaking examples of games and technologies such as Eliza, World of Warcraft, Star Wars Knights of Old Republic and Sim City articulated clearly for those who were not familiar, the gradual transition of video game narration and the technological systems that support them. I think in doing so, he captivated a wider audience range and, also, probably taught just about everyone in that auditorium something they had not already been exposed to.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The Wall
First off, I would like to point out although I dig (can I say digg?) technology for its innovation I am not a very quantitative person and Hahn's wall, truly fascinates me. I really hope he comes to class because I still am not sure exactly what Hahn's "Magical Wall" actually does. I mean I guess the video is visually explanatory but I feel like I'm missing something...
What I would like to focus on though, is the importance that these videos exist for NYU as an institution. Maybe it is just my misguided perception as a liberal-arts oriented Gallatin student, but I feel like NYU and its professors don't get enough credit/recognition for accomplishments like this.
I honestly had no idea that this technology existed, let alone it was created at NYU. I am sure there are tons of innovative things going on on campus but I feel like students aren't really given much insight into them.
I think because NYU has such a school-specific urban campus, it's hard to recognize innovations like this but I feel like, examining this from a PR perspective NYU should be doing a better job of making it aware. I mean, a professor's technology was not only on CNN but was culturally significant enough to be spoofed on the Daily Show? It's fucking awesome and should be brought to light more often.
Personally I feel like NYU does not necessarily have a public image that screams "academia" or "innovation" and I think this is one particular example of something that can be used to help restructure NYU's image to better fit what it is as an academic institution.
Pragmatically speaking, NYU's PR budget is probably allotted right now mostly to globalization/dealing with backlash from disgruntled students and negative portrayals on gossip girl (kidding....sort of) However, it is something I feel like should gain some exposure in the near future.
What I would like to focus on though, is the importance that these videos exist for NYU as an institution. Maybe it is just my misguided perception as a liberal-arts oriented Gallatin student, but I feel like NYU and its professors don't get enough credit/recognition for accomplishments like this.
I honestly had no idea that this technology existed, let alone it was created at NYU. I am sure there are tons of innovative things going on on campus but I feel like students aren't really given much insight into them.
I think because NYU has such a school-specific urban campus, it's hard to recognize innovations like this but I feel like, examining this from a PR perspective NYU should be doing a better job of making it aware. I mean, a professor's technology was not only on CNN but was culturally significant enough to be spoofed on the Daily Show? It's fucking awesome and should be brought to light more often.
Personally I feel like NYU does not necessarily have a public image that screams "academia" or "innovation" and I think this is one particular example of something that can be used to help restructure NYU's image to better fit what it is as an academic institution.
Pragmatically speaking, NYU's PR budget is probably allotted right now mostly to globalization/dealing with backlash from disgruntled students and negative portrayals on gossip girl (kidding....sort of) However, it is something I feel like should gain some exposure in the near future.
Beatboxing/Google
I saw this video first in the summer at the office where I work. Since we are all heavily involved in digital media, we often take out time a couple days a week to check out videos like this online.
Again, I am a huge high/low culture fan so the combination of all the things in this video fused together wonderfully for me. Beat boxing on a flute, a classical musical instrument (I am a violinist and hip hop advocate) really intrigued me.
In the past I have attempted (not exceptionally well) to explore new genres within violin. My classical Suzuki training made this challenging however, I did experiment with some Classic Rock and Jazz in high school. Some of my favorite mash-ups take hip hop and incorporate classical motifs into the track. A popular example of this would be The Verve and Jay-Z's "BitterSweet Symphony" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYvs5MaZkLA
I think this mashup was arranged by MTV/Viacom and was most likely some form of a PR strategy but nonetheless, I think it still holds some cultural significance.
Again, I am a huge high/low culture fan so the combination of all the things in this video fused together wonderfully for me. Beat boxing on a flute, a classical musical instrument (I am a violinist and hip hop advocate) really intrigued me.
In the past I have attempted (not exceptionally well) to explore new genres within violin. My classical Suzuki training made this challenging however, I did experiment with some Classic Rock and Jazz in high school. Some of my favorite mash-ups take hip hop and incorporate classical motifs into the track. A popular example of this would be The Verve and Jay-Z's "BitterSweet Symphony" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYvs5MaZkLA
I think this mashup was arranged by MTV/Viacom and was most likely some form of a PR strategy but nonetheless, I think it still holds some cultural significance.
Danyl Johnson X Factor
I am a huge advocate of high/low culture. So when viral videos hit mainstream media I am generally ecstatic.
I'm not particularly into American Idol/America's Got Talent etc. but I love finding things like this online. What makes it so intriguing is that truly, a video like this on YouTube has the potential to be the gateway to a career. Not just a career but an exceptionally profitable one. YouTube is an amazing site merely because it gives a voice and exposure to those who perhaps wouldn't have the opportunity to be seen or heard.
This video is reminiscent of another one I really like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0FPZolbYns
This is a link of PS 22. chorus in Staten Island, New York. The video is of 5th graders singing a rendition of Lady Gaga's "Just Dance."
Initially I saw this on Perez Hilton and New York Mag. Soon After their chorus director was on Morning shows, the news, and the chorus has performed on tv multiple times as well as in Washington DC. Yet another example of the power web 2.0 tools and technologies have to reach a large audience.
I highly encourage every to not only watch the "Just Dance" video by PS 22 but browse youtube for others - they are seriously legit group of 10 year olds.
I'm not particularly into American Idol/America's Got Talent etc. but I love finding things like this online. What makes it so intriguing is that truly, a video like this on YouTube has the potential to be the gateway to a career. Not just a career but an exceptionally profitable one. YouTube is an amazing site merely because it gives a voice and exposure to those who perhaps wouldn't have the opportunity to be seen or heard.
This video is reminiscent of another one I really like. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0FPZolbYns
This is a link of PS 22. chorus in Staten Island, New York. The video is of 5th graders singing a rendition of Lady Gaga's "Just Dance."
Initially I saw this on Perez Hilton and New York Mag. Soon After their chorus director was on Morning shows, the news, and the chorus has performed on tv multiple times as well as in Washington DC. Yet another example of the power web 2.0 tools and technologies have to reach a large audience.
I highly encourage every to not only watch the "Just Dance" video by PS 22 but browse youtube for others - they are seriously legit group of 10 year olds.
Inventing the Medium
"Inventing the Medium" - Janet H. Murray, Introduction 1 of New Media Reader
Murray begins by using two figures: Borges a humanist, and Bush an engineer, to establish a set of dualisms that compliment each other throughout a linear historical narrative of New Media. She does a good job of organizing the content of the chapter around these two frames of thought (humanism and technology) by picking apart each decade and technological advancement in computing and analyzing how each stream of thinking either was relative or impacted changes creating a new discourse surrounding computers.
Although this chapter was more ideology-oriented than expected, I think it captured the essence of what we love so much about technology, and for me specifically, the extreme captivation and awe I have over the web.
Particularly for me, the fusion of humanism and technology hold great personal weight. I encounter some collaboration of the two on a daily basis and find that when the two compliment each other just right, a truly amazing phenomena occurs.
What comes to mind is a client my company works for, Wordnik. Wordnik was founded by Erin McKean, an editor of the American Oxford Dictionary. As she so eloquently explains in her talk at TED in 2007 on "Redefining the Dictionary," there seems to be no place online that actually fits her needs as a linguist and lexicographer. Yes there are online dictionaries but they are merely digital versions of their print counterparts without the fun (for word nerds like me) serendipitous element to it.
To remedy this issue, she began a project, now a startup with web 2.0 capabilities. Quite simply it functions as a search. It is a data archiving system, the same way a dictionary is. What the site does differently is try to archive words in a new way. Wordnik does not edit new words. McKean believes that any word be it slang, made up or traditionally in the dictionary deserves to be not just culturally recognized but systematically archived as well.
Erin and the team at Wordnik archive in a unique way. For example when a word is looked up - seriously try it - there are definitions from multiple dictionaries, excerpts from essays, poems, articles, etc., pictures from flickr, real-time updates from Twitter with usages of the word, user comments and graphs, origins and history on words.
McKean articulates it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4VzuWmN8zY
With this, I begin my journey into the digital world not just as a blogger but as a employee, and finally as a student.
Murray begins by using two figures: Borges a humanist, and Bush an engineer, to establish a set of dualisms that compliment each other throughout a linear historical narrative of New Media. She does a good job of organizing the content of the chapter around these two frames of thought (humanism and technology) by picking apart each decade and technological advancement in computing and analyzing how each stream of thinking either was relative or impacted changes creating a new discourse surrounding computers.
Although this chapter was more ideology-oriented than expected, I think it captured the essence of what we love so much about technology, and for me specifically, the extreme captivation and awe I have over the web.
Particularly for me, the fusion of humanism and technology hold great personal weight. I encounter some collaboration of the two on a daily basis and find that when the two compliment each other just right, a truly amazing phenomena occurs.
What comes to mind is a client my company works for, Wordnik. Wordnik was founded by Erin McKean, an editor of the American Oxford Dictionary. As she so eloquently explains in her talk at TED in 2007 on "Redefining the Dictionary," there seems to be no place online that actually fits her needs as a linguist and lexicographer. Yes there are online dictionaries but they are merely digital versions of their print counterparts without the fun (for word nerds like me) serendipitous element to it.
To remedy this issue, she began a project, now a startup with web 2.0 capabilities. Quite simply it functions as a search. It is a data archiving system, the same way a dictionary is. What the site does differently is try to archive words in a new way. Wordnik does not edit new words. McKean believes that any word be it slang, made up or traditionally in the dictionary deserves to be not just culturally recognized but systematically archived as well.
Erin and the team at Wordnik archive in a unique way. For example when a word is looked up - seriously try it - there are definitions from multiple dictionaries, excerpts from essays, poems, articles, etc., pictures from flickr, real-time updates from Twitter with usages of the word, user comments and graphs, origins and history on words.
McKean articulates it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4VzuWmN8zY
With this, I begin my journey into the digital world not just as a blogger but as a employee, and finally as a student.
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