MERCHANTS OF COOL LINK

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/

Select watch online....

10. Key Concept #6: Media have social and political implications: A vision of students tomorrow

We talked in class this week about the different impacts that the Internet has had on society focusing specifically on social and political issues.

Take a look at the video clips below.

Did You know 3.0: created by Karl Fisch an American educator


"A Vision of Students Today" - created by Michael Wesch for an ethnography study


On your OWN blog - Write about the vision you have for the high school students of tomorrow - will the media and technology available to future students change the way they will experience their education? What do you think will have to change in order to meet the needs of these future students?

(consider things like classrooms, instructors, credits, courses offerred, school layout, requirements to graduate, assignments, exams, facilities etc...)

NOW: See if you can find a visual to add to your response. Look for a picture that might represent an element of your discussion about future education. You will have to find and save the image to your computer, then use the add image button found in the toolbar in your posting box.

9. Key Concept #4: Media have commerical implications: The Superbowl

"What Recession? Super Bowl Ads Cost $3 Million For 30 Seconds"

Superbowl ads have grown increasingly more expensive, this year costing a whopping $3 million dollars for one thirty second spot.

WHY?

Read through some of the articles listed below and watch some of the ads themselves. Some of the articles have video links as well...enjoy!

Article One
Article Two
Article Three
Article Four
Article Five
Article Six

Here is a sampling of the commercials that aired during the 2010 Superbowl....

Then write your own blog post.....tell us how you really feel..... is it worth it? What do they get for their $3 mill? End with your own analysis of WHY Super Bowl commercials are so expensive.

8. Key Concept #3: Audiences negotiate meaning : Screentest audience

Key Concept #3 is that audiences negotiate meaning in media.

Basic to an understanding of media is an awareness of how we interact with media texts. When we look at any media text, each of us finds meaning through a wide variety of factors: personal needs and anxieties, the pleasures or trouble of the day, racial and sexual attitudes, family and cultural background. All of these have a bearing on how we process information. For example, the way in which two students respond to a film depends on what each brings to that text. In short, each of us finds or "negotiates" meaning in different ways.

For example, The short animated film "The Cat Came Back" is linked with the following description: "This hilarious Oscar®-nominated animation is based on the century-old folk song of the same name. Old Mr. Johnson makes increasingly manic attempts to rid himself of a little yellow cat that just won't stay away... Also won the 1989 Genie Award for best animated short film. " It is an award winner, and heralded as a Canadian classic....watch it and decide for yourself.

Do you agree with the above description? http://www.nfb.ca/film/the-cat-came-back/
One of my favourites is called "The Sand Castle" http://www.nfb.ca/film/sand_castle/
Do we have similar tastes?

____________________________________

NOW, Watch a series (3-6) short films found on the NFB of Canada website:
main site: http://www.nfb.ca/
Playlists: http://www.nfb.ca//playlists/
Animated Shorts: http://search.nfb.ca/search?q=animated+films&entqr=0&output=xml_no_dtd&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&client=beta_onfb&ud=1&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&proxystylesheet=beta_onfb&proxyreload=1&hl=en&lr=lang_en&site=beta_onfb
Documentaries:
http://search.nfb.ca/search?q=documentaries&entqr=0&output=xml_no_dtd&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&lr=lang_en&client=beta_onfb&ud=1&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&proxystylesheet=beta_onfb&hl=en&proxyreload=1&site=beta_onfb
Short Films: http://search.nfb.ca/search?q=short+films&entqr=0&output=xml_no_dtd&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&lr=lang_en&client=beta_onfb&ud=1&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&proxystylesheet=beta_onfb&hl=en&proxyreload=1&site=beta_onfb


1. Embed the video of or add a link to the films you watched to your own blog.

2. Then write a post or series of posts where you identify films you liked, films you didn't and provide reasons for each. Try to really identify why you did or didn't like the films you chose. Think about what you are bringing to the analysis (your gender, age, family or cultural background, personal interests) and how these might impact your perception and enjoyment of the films.

3. If you did not enjoy the film, comment on who you think the preferred audience might be for the film.

7. Key Concept #2: Media construct reality: The CSI Effect

In class we read about the CSI effect to better understand

Key Concept #2: Media construct reality

(that is - media helps to create our sense of what is real, and right and true in our world and thus affects our ability to sift through what is real and what is not. Because media is carefully crafted, it creates its own version of reality.)

To reveal this idea of media creating a reality of its own - we investigated a phenomena called the CSI effect. From Wikipedia: The CSI effect (sometimes referred to as the CSI syndrome) is a reference to the phenomenon of popular television shows such as the CSI franchise raising crime victims' and jury members', even criminals', real-world expectations of forensic science, especially crime scene investigation and DNA testing.[1]

For those of you who were absent - or those of you who want to watch it again - we watched "Turn, Turn Turn" from the original CSI Las Vegas television show, featuring Taylor Swift as 16 year old Hayley : As Hayley says "Forensics is just science...." or is it?

follow the links provided for the five parts of the tv show...

Put in a web search using "CSI effect" as a prompt and see how much information turns up.....books have been written about it, tons of interet bloggers have discussed it, and even OPRAH has featured a show on it.......

_________________________________________

Complete your next blog posting on Key Concept #2: Media construct reality. Complete the following:

Identify and include examples of other media texts that show us media is a constructed reality (think of examples from tv, magazines, radio, music, internet etc...)

What effect do these media created 'versions' of reality have on society?

Why can't people seem to distinguish between fiction (what has been constructed by media) and reality?

FOR FUN!!!!! Are you a CSI fan? Do you want to find out if you really know the way real crime scene investigations work?

Take this sleuth's quiz:

http://www.the-csi-effect.com/The%20Quiz.html

6. Key Concept #1: Media are a construction: The Retouching Epidemic

Today in class we finished our introduction to . . .

Key Concept #1: Media are a construction

(that is - media texts are carefully crafted, they are planned and executed carefully)

Here are some videos we watched together in class about Retouching, and some new ones that reveal the technology used in this craft.

DOVE EVOLUTION:


PHOTOSHOP - THE PERFECT LIE


DOVE EVOLUTION PARODY


HOW PHOTOSHOP WORKS


NOW on your own blog - post a video or series of photos that you can comment on.

1. ACTIVITY: Find and embed onto your media blog pictures or videos that display photo retouching.

(Note: if you would like to embed a video as I have done (rather than post a link) you will need to click on the "Edit Html" page found to the left of the "Compose" page when you are creating a new post. Then to the right of the video on youtube, copy and paste the "embed code" onto this page. Make sure you hit "enter" before the code and again after the code so the page will read it. When you click on "preview" you should see the video on the page.)


2. BLOG RESPONSE: On your media blog post your opinion about whether or not you feel computer retouching has gone too far, and what effects it might have on you or the genral audience. Does your knowledge of computer retouching make you feel differently about the images you see in media? Be sure to offer specific examples from our class investigation and your own sources to support your conclusions.

5. Blog Rules

EMS 30 BLOG RULES
J. McConkey

Just a reminder of our blog contract.

1. No last names, school names, or addresses, even in your profile will be stated.
2. Do not link to your personal blog/journal from your school blog; you may reveal information on your personal blog that you don't want to reveal on your school blog.
3. If you want to write your opinion on a topic, make sure you're not going to be offensive to anyone as you write it. It is okay to deal with controversial topics; however, you do not want to be the instigator of that controversy.
4. Always make sure you check over your post for spelling and grammar errors. Part of your evaluation is for communication, attempt each time to organize your writing so that it communicates clearly to the audience.
5. Never disrespect someone else in your blog, whether it's a person, a group of people, or a recognized organization.
6. Don't write about other non-public figures without their permission; if you can't get their permission, use first names only. Never share someone else's last name. This is not a venue for school or celebrity gossip.
7. Watch your language! This is a school assignment. It must be professional; use appropriate language.
8. Make sure things you write about are factual. If in doubt - check the accuracy and reliability of your sources.
9. When you are commenting on others’ blogs, be sensitive to the fact that they are stating their feelings, ideas and opinions. You may disagree, but do not be rude or hurtful in your comments.
10. When you comment on someone else’s blog, be positive, but not empty. Do not comment if all you have to say is "I totally agree." or "Great comment!" Make sure your commentary has substance.

Signing this contract will acknowledge that I have read and understood the above blog rules, and will meet the expectations outlined here and on the blog etiquette posting. I understand that if I ignore these rules, my blog will be deleted and I will receive an R for this summative assignment.