For this post, we were asked to find an example of pastiche in music, film, TV or art. I found an example in music: pop sensation Ke$ha's song "Tik Tok" was remade by a group calling themselves "The Key of Awesome." This group does parody versions of many popular songs and themes, including Lady GaGa, Justin Bieber and the "Twilight" movies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7n8GqewJ2M
a. This pastiche is a reworking of the past because it plays off of Ke$ha's original song that has been a steady radio and top 40 favorite. Though it is still recent, the original song is well-known enough to be made fun of and most people would still recognize the original from the parody.
b. This example is pastiche with parody because it makes fun of the themes in the original song by portraying Ke$ha as an irresponsible party girl on the morning after a particularly rough night.
c. The work is questioning the status of the original by calling attention to the fact that Ke$ha's music does generally revolve around themes of partying and reckless behavior. The version by The Key of Awesome challenges, in a humorous manner, the appropriateness of such themes by portraying the consequences of that behavior.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Assignment Four: Media Tracking
This assignment called for us to track the media we used during a 24-hour period and answer the following questions:
a. Which one form of media did you use the most? How much time did you use it?
b. Which one form of media did you use the least (but still use)? How much time did you use it?
c. How much time was spent communicating with other people over media (phone, e-mail, etc.)?
d. How much time was spent using media that was monologic (one-sided, such as TV or radio)?
e. What surprised you about the amount of time you spent engaged in the use of media? Why?
f. Based on this exercise will you do anything differently (increase or decrease) in using media? Why?
a. I definitely used my Blackberry and its various capabilities the most. I text and tweet almost constantly, and manage my two e-mail accounts from my phone so as to reduce my inbox when I actually open the e-mail clients on my computer. I realize that my Blackberry may not be an actual media channel, but my phone is so woven into my life that it almost became difficult to discern between the channels for which it was acting as a vehicle. Thus, I must say that I used my phone in 15 of the 24 hours.
b. The form of media I used the least was radio. I used it for about 45 minutes while I was getting ready this morning.
c. As mentioned in question a, I used my Blackberry;s Internet and/or texting capabilities in 15 hours of the 24 observed hours. This usage was entirely two-way communication, so I was pretty much in constant contact with at least one other person.
d. As mentioned in question b, I listened to the radio this morning for about 45 minutes, which is one-sided communication. While I was using the Internet to do research for various classes, I also listened to Pandora Internet radio, which is mostly one-sided, but since the user gets to choose what songs s/he likes or dislikes, it is somewhat two-way as well.
e. I can't say I was really surprised by any of my media usage over the last 24 hours. I know that I rely heavily on my phone and, however unfortunate it may be, feel disconnected and irritated without it. Additionally, members of Gen Y (like myself) have developed a characteristic of being tech and media savvy, so to us, being constantly wired and connected to others has become a habit; it's almost second nature. As such, my media usage was about what I expected it to be.
f. Based on the exercise, I probably won't change anything about the way I use media. It's how I stay connected to friends and family, get news on all levels (college, town, county, states, nation and world) and tell people what I'm up to. I enjoy using media and like to be in the know, so I wouldn't decrease my usage. I wouldn't increase it either, because face-to-face communication is still important. I think I strike a decent balance of being connected and being in the "real" world rather than the virtual.
a. Which one form of media did you use the most? How much time did you use it?
b. Which one form of media did you use the least (but still use)? How much time did you use it?
c. How much time was spent communicating with other people over media (phone, e-mail, etc.)?
d. How much time was spent using media that was monologic (one-sided, such as TV or radio)?
e. What surprised you about the amount of time you spent engaged in the use of media? Why?
f. Based on this exercise will you do anything differently (increase or decrease) in using media? Why?
a. I definitely used my Blackberry and its various capabilities the most. I text and tweet almost constantly, and manage my two e-mail accounts from my phone so as to reduce my inbox when I actually open the e-mail clients on my computer. I realize that my Blackberry may not be an actual media channel, but my phone is so woven into my life that it almost became difficult to discern between the channels for which it was acting as a vehicle. Thus, I must say that I used my phone in 15 of the 24 hours.
b. The form of media I used the least was radio. I used it for about 45 minutes while I was getting ready this morning.
c. As mentioned in question a, I used my Blackberry;s Internet and/or texting capabilities in 15 hours of the 24 observed hours. This usage was entirely two-way communication, so I was pretty much in constant contact with at least one other person.
d. As mentioned in question b, I listened to the radio this morning for about 45 minutes, which is one-sided communication. While I was using the Internet to do research for various classes, I also listened to Pandora Internet radio, which is mostly one-sided, but since the user gets to choose what songs s/he likes or dislikes, it is somewhat two-way as well.
e. I can't say I was really surprised by any of my media usage over the last 24 hours. I know that I rely heavily on my phone and, however unfortunate it may be, feel disconnected and irritated without it. Additionally, members of Gen Y (like myself) have developed a characteristic of being tech and media savvy, so to us, being constantly wired and connected to others has become a habit; it's almost second nature. As such, my media usage was about what I expected it to be.
f. Based on the exercise, I probably won't change anything about the way I use media. It's how I stay connected to friends and family, get news on all levels (college, town, county, states, nation and world) and tell people what I'm up to. I enjoy using media and like to be in the know, so I wouldn't decrease my usage. I wouldn't increase it either, because face-to-face communication is still important. I think I strike a decent balance of being connected and being in the "real" world rather than the virtual.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Assignment Three: Me in Pictures
For this assignment, we were to create a self-portrait using images to describe ourselves and then answer two questions of those given.
1. Are there any areas of intersection?
a. The only real area of intersection is that my shirt in the photo is a Zeta Tau Alpha related one, though my sorority sisters and I are probably the only ones that would recognize it from what little of it shows in the photo. This combined with the white violet on the right side of the page, which also represents Zeta, creates an intersection. I feel that not many people would realize that the white violet is Zeta-related either, so this area of intersection is not terribly significant.
2.Why did you choose the symbols you did?
b. The male and female signs at the top of the page, including the initials underneath them, represent my parents. I chose these symbols because without them, I wouldn't exist, and they are a huge part of my life. There is a close-up of a diamond and an astrological sign for Taurus, which both represent my birthday in April and many of my personal characteristics. I like looking at shiny things and am very stubborn. I'm also grounded and level-headed, but occasionally I can come off as bull-headed instead. Plus, I'm really clumsy, like a bull in a china shop. The white violet, as aforementioned, represents Zeta, but it also means "take a chance." Sometimes, I'm too cautious and need to be reminded to just dive in. The horses represent the fact that I have been riding and training horses since I was nine years old, and through them have developed a strong work ethic. I currently have a Paint named Barbie and my mom has a Quarter Horse named Target. The horse shoe dually represents my horses and the traditional "good luck" that horse shoes are supposed to bring. The cross in the lower left corner represents my faith, something with which I have struggled over the years but through which I have grown significantly. The Bible with the hammer and work gloves represents my passion for Habitat for Humanity. This organization has been imperative in my faith journey and is a group that I intend to remain active with for a very long time. The CD and headphones shows my love for music. I like a bit everything from Bay City Rollers to Tina Turner to Fleetwood Mac to Yellowcard to AFI to Brooks and Dunn to George Strait to Jay-Z to Lloyd to Drake to AC/DC to The Scorpions and back again. The PRSSA logo tells of my dedication to that pre-professional organization. I believe my involvement with ONU's chapter and on the national level has helped me grow both as a person and professionally. Lastly, the picture of the girl at the bottom is my sister. She has had enormous positive impact on my life and I really don't think I'd be the same person I am if she was not a part of my life. The two circles in the background, teal and wine, are my favorite colors because they are bold but not obnoxious and seem like passionate, intense colors.
1. Are there any areas of intersection?
a. The only real area of intersection is that my shirt in the photo is a Zeta Tau Alpha related one, though my sorority sisters and I are probably the only ones that would recognize it from what little of it shows in the photo. This combined with the white violet on the right side of the page, which also represents Zeta, creates an intersection. I feel that not many people would realize that the white violet is Zeta-related either, so this area of intersection is not terribly significant.
2.Why did you choose the symbols you did?
b. The male and female signs at the top of the page, including the initials underneath them, represent my parents. I chose these symbols because without them, I wouldn't exist, and they are a huge part of my life. There is a close-up of a diamond and an astrological sign for Taurus, which both represent my birthday in April and many of my personal characteristics. I like looking at shiny things and am very stubborn. I'm also grounded and level-headed, but occasionally I can come off as bull-headed instead. Plus, I'm really clumsy, like a bull in a china shop. The white violet, as aforementioned, represents Zeta, but it also means "take a chance." Sometimes, I'm too cautious and need to be reminded to just dive in. The horses represent the fact that I have been riding and training horses since I was nine years old, and through them have developed a strong work ethic. I currently have a Paint named Barbie and my mom has a Quarter Horse named Target. The horse shoe dually represents my horses and the traditional "good luck" that horse shoes are supposed to bring. The cross in the lower left corner represents my faith, something with which I have struggled over the years but through which I have grown significantly. The Bible with the hammer and work gloves represents my passion for Habitat for Humanity. This organization has been imperative in my faith journey and is a group that I intend to remain active with for a very long time. The CD and headphones shows my love for music. I like a bit everything from Bay City Rollers to Tina Turner to Fleetwood Mac to Yellowcard to AFI to Brooks and Dunn to George Strait to Jay-Z to Lloyd to Drake to AC/DC to The Scorpions and back again. The PRSSA logo tells of my dedication to that pre-professional organization. I believe my involvement with ONU's chapter and on the national level has helped me grow both as a person and professionally. Lastly, the picture of the girl at the bottom is my sister. She has had enormous positive impact on my life and I really don't think I'd be the same person I am if she was not a part of my life. The two circles in the background, teal and wine, are my favorite colors because they are bold but not obnoxious and seem like passionate, intense colors.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Assignment Two: Six Perspectives
For this blog post, our professor Mark Cruea asked us to choose one of Lester's Six Perspectives for Analyzing Images and apply it to an image of our choice.
First off, I had a difficult time choosing an image, so many thanks to Ken Colwell, with whom I'm privileged to work in Ohio Northern University's Communications and Marketing office, for allowing me to use his photo, "Dark Tree" for this assignment.
The first step in the process of this assignment is to list all the objects in the image. As far as I can observe, I see the tree, the sun, the sky, the ground, the snow on the ground, the weeds around the base of the tree and the horizon line.
Second, we are to notice the composition, including the center/margin and the shadows/lighting. The picture looks well-balanced to me, with the branches and color in the top half of the picture, and the sun and texture of the ground in the bottom half of the picture. It also looks balanced from left to right, since the tree is just right of center and the sun is on the left.
Third, we are to study the visual cues, including the color, form (shapes and lines) and depth. The colors are dark and rich, and contrast from warm at the top to cool at the bottom. The form of the shapes and lines is interesting to me, because the ground and sky seem horizontal, while the tree trunk is vertical but expands toward the horizontal plane in the branches. The depth of the picture is also significant, since the tree is definitely in the foreground but the horizon is clearly far off in the distance.
We then have to consider where the picture was made, which was in Hardin County, Ohio, and the image's purpose. Here I can only conjecture that Ken was looking to capture a beautiful moment in nature.
At this point, we are to choose one of the six perspectives: personal, historical, technical, ethical, cultural or critical. I decided on the technical perspective because I feel it's the most applicable to the way I reacted to the photo. I didn't notice offhand that the picture made me feel any particular emotion, but I did find myself curious about how exactly Ken captured the picture. I don't know an awful lot about photography, so I think that people who do know it are awesome.
The considerations involved in the technical perspective are: 1) How did the producer create the image? 2) What techniques were used? 3) What is the image's quality? and 4) Technology may restrict or enhance the ability of the image creator. The answers, as far as I can discern them, are as follows: 1) Ken created the image by capturing the scene on his digital camera, which is probably fancy shmancy and decked out with all kinds of professional photographer stuff that I can't even start to guess at. 2) I'm not sure what techniques are available to photographers, but I'm sure a keen eye for detail and composition is a cornerstone of successful photography. 3) The image looks of high quality to me, as it is evident that there is talent and thought behind the photo. 4) Again, being inexperienced with photography impairs my ability to comment on the technology behind the photo, but I feel that it did, in this case, enhance the ability of the image creator, in that Ken was able to capture the colors and definition of the shapes.
First off, I had a difficult time choosing an image, so many thanks to Ken Colwell, with whom I'm privileged to work in Ohio Northern University's Communications and Marketing office, for allowing me to use his photo, "Dark Tree" for this assignment.
The first step in the process of this assignment is to list all the objects in the image. As far as I can observe, I see the tree, the sun, the sky, the ground, the snow on the ground, the weeds around the base of the tree and the horizon line.
Second, we are to notice the composition, including the center/margin and the shadows/lighting. The picture looks well-balanced to me, with the branches and color in the top half of the picture, and the sun and texture of the ground in the bottom half of the picture. It also looks balanced from left to right, since the tree is just right of center and the sun is on the left.
Third, we are to study the visual cues, including the color, form (shapes and lines) and depth. The colors are dark and rich, and contrast from warm at the top to cool at the bottom. The form of the shapes and lines is interesting to me, because the ground and sky seem horizontal, while the tree trunk is vertical but expands toward the horizontal plane in the branches. The depth of the picture is also significant, since the tree is definitely in the foreground but the horizon is clearly far off in the distance.
We then have to consider where the picture was made, which was in Hardin County, Ohio, and the image's purpose. Here I can only conjecture that Ken was looking to capture a beautiful moment in nature.
At this point, we are to choose one of the six perspectives: personal, historical, technical, ethical, cultural or critical. I decided on the technical perspective because I feel it's the most applicable to the way I reacted to the photo. I didn't notice offhand that the picture made me feel any particular emotion, but I did find myself curious about how exactly Ken captured the picture. I don't know an awful lot about photography, so I think that people who do know it are awesome.
The considerations involved in the technical perspective are: 1) How did the producer create the image? 2) What techniques were used? 3) What is the image's quality? and 4) Technology may restrict or enhance the ability of the image creator. The answers, as far as I can discern them, are as follows: 1) Ken created the image by capturing the scene on his digital camera, which is probably fancy shmancy and decked out with all kinds of professional photographer stuff that I can't even start to guess at. 2) I'm not sure what techniques are available to photographers, but I'm sure a keen eye for detail and composition is a cornerstone of successful photography. 3) The image looks of high quality to me, as it is evident that there is talent and thought behind the photo. 4) Again, being inexperienced with photography impairs my ability to comment on the technology behind the photo, but I feel that it did, in this case, enhance the ability of the image creator, in that Ken was able to capture the colors and definition of the shapes.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Assignment One: True or False?
For this assignment, we were to select three of six photos provided and answer the following questions:
A. Are you familiar with the image? If so, how?
B. Do you think the image is “true” or “false”? Why?
C. What evidence do you have to support your conclusion?
B. Do you think the image is “true” or “false”? Why?
C. What evidence do you have to support your conclusion?
a. Unfamiliar with image
b. False
c. If people are flying out the back of the plane, how would the photographer have been physically capable of turning around in his/her seat to take photo? The camera/phone would have been sucked away, not to mention the photographer's seatbelt would have been unbuckled or loose at the least, increasing the chances that he/she would have been sucked out of the plane as well. Plus, in a moment of panic like that, most people’s first thoughts would not be to whip out his or her camera/phone to take a picture, but to assume the crash position and try to save his or her own life, or to help other people.
a. Unfamiliar with image
b. False
c. Hurricane winds are extremely intense, so the flying car itself seems plausible. I've heard stories after storms of all kinds of crazy things being tossed around like toys, so why not a car? However, if a car weighing a ton or more is flying around, how could a red light camera have held its ground against such high winds? I think the camera would have been torn from its station long before the car started flying around.
a. Unfamiliar with image
b. False
c. Whoever was taking the picture would have been able to see the shark coming and warned everyone, not to mention save his or her own neck. Also, most sharks are afraid of people and boats, one of which was sure to be nearby the divers. Further, sharks swim at much deeper depths than many tourist divers would reach, so this one probably would not have approached the divers in the first place.
Additionally, I feel that this entire assignment may be a trick question. "Truth" is in the eye of the beholder as far as perception of images go, so while I may see these pictures as "false," others may be firmly believe that they are "true."
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Next up!
Hello there, followers of my blog!
I know it's been quite a while since I've posted anything and for that, I apologize. Just a heads up, though, that for spring quarter classes, I'll be using this blog to post assignments for Mark Cruea's Issues in Organization Communication course.
It should be an interesting discussion at how images are perceived and used in mass communication, so I hope you stick around!
Best,
Natalyn
I know it's been quite a while since I've posted anything and for that, I apologize. Just a heads up, though, that for spring quarter classes, I'll be using this blog to post assignments for Mark Cruea's Issues in Organization Communication course.
It should be an interesting discussion at how images are perceived and used in mass communication, so I hope you stick around!
Best,
Natalyn
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Size Matters: Week Nine
This week in The New Influencers by Paul Gillin, we are reminded of the concept that small markets are the new big markets in that businesses no longer have to "talk to 100 people just to get three to listen." It is much more effective to utilize time and money wisely by more accurately targeting your audience.
I am provoked to wonder at the timeliness of this trend. I'm realize that the Internet has much to do with making the world a smaller place and thus bringing your audience into sharper focus, and I'm very grateful that we now have these tools. It boggles my mind that so much in the way of resources were expended wastefully in the past.
Between this reading and my experiences at the Public Relations Student Society of America National Conference in San Diego this weekend, I'm certain that I'm coming into the PR field at the right time. Even with the current state of the economy and job market, I'm quite confident that my peers and I are being allowed all the right tools to do more for a smaller market with less. New practitioners are to seasoned pros what social media is to traditional media: each has its own benefits and advantages but each is not nearly as dynamic or far-reaching without the other.
I am so eager to enter the job market in just seven months. I can't wait to learn from the best and to show the world what I can offer.
I am provoked to wonder at the timeliness of this trend. I'm realize that the Internet has much to do with making the world a smaller place and thus bringing your audience into sharper focus, and I'm very grateful that we now have these tools. It boggles my mind that so much in the way of resources were expended wastefully in the past.
Between this reading and my experiences at the Public Relations Student Society of America National Conference in San Diego this weekend, I'm certain that I'm coming into the PR field at the right time. Even with the current state of the economy and job market, I'm quite confident that my peers and I are being allowed all the right tools to do more for a smaller market with less. New practitioners are to seasoned pros what social media is to traditional media: each has its own benefits and advantages but each is not nearly as dynamic or far-reaching without the other.
I am so eager to enter the job market in just seven months. I can't wait to learn from the best and to show the world what I can offer.
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