I learned a great deal from my experience with ENG 252 as beforehand, I had not participated in the many various forms of social media.  For instance, I have discovered true and useful purposes for media, such as Twitter and FaceBook, which I had previously dismissed as social nonsense.  With the proper application, these media can help us all to furthur our career opportunities and even help to discover the best deals on significant financial matters.  I also enjoyed learning from the viewpoints of my classmates on the various topics covered in our blogs.  While the text Convergence Culture by Henry Jenkins was a demanding read, it did provide insight into the ever changing and growing world of new media.  From our blogs and from our FaceBook discussions, I have included here a number of my responses on issues which particularly interested me. 

Plagiarism and Piracy

Information starts with one person. If it is original, they own that information. For what is that information being provided? In the academic world, the use and reuse of information is closely monitored. Any information can be used as long as it is cited and the owner of that information is credited. The theft of creative work is much harder to control. Technology has made it so much easier to reproduce all kinds of art for free. But it has also made it easier for artists to create their own work and put it out to be heard. Bear in mind that the corporate world has been screwing artists for decades.

What is Podcasting?

A podcast is a digital media file, audio or video, delivered online via an RSS, or really simple syndication, feed.  With the correct software, they are as easy to produce as speaking into a microphone and as easy to receive as a click. And, unlike TV or radio, they allow the user to choose their own content and listen to or view it when and how they want.  Podcasts are created for a wide range of purposes, from the personally obscure to detailed professionalism in fields as diverse as entertainment, education, business, or social work.  Users can search for podcasts through communities, directories, podcatchers, such as Itunes, or through subscription.  While the content for the most part is free, is the large volume of choice overwhelming or confusing? Is the content copyrighted, or is it public domain? Is choosing content to be played when you want convenient, or is something lost, like the element of surprise when you 'surf' for something that sparks your interest on TV or the radio?  Do you utilize podcasts? If so, do you find podcasts to be useful? How do you feel when your professors suggest utilizing the podcasting tool on Blackboard to make up for lost time or to allow you to listen to lectures at your own leisure? Would you find it helpful if professors utilized this tool to allow you to listen to previous classes or revisit lectures when studying or going over your notes?

MacKenzie Burke and Sarah Shaw

Making Your Visual Presentation

The only process of making a video that has not changed since the 1950s is the desire to create. The advancement of technology changed many times over those years and has developed to the point where editing, special effects, and overall quality are much easier for the general population. Absolutely, it is easier to make good videos with the utensils we have at hand. For example, the digital process is much less cumbersome and time consuming than the video cassette. For instance, you don't have to fast forward or rewind through long spans of footage to find your spot while editing. It is now done with a click. Storage of footage is much more compact as well. The components of a good video would start with a good idea. The actual recording conditions, such as lighting and sound, should be effectively coordinated. Costume or clothing are a consideration, as are angles, scenery, movement, dialogue, and music. A video that is not good would have been unsuccessful in appealing to the audience it was addressing. Short cuts on any of the technical aspects I've listed above would effect quality. Doing sloppy or not your best work, or not taking the time to double and triple check everything would effect the success of the video. To watch the full length of a video, I have to be fully engaged in at least one aspect of the video, be it story line, music, the need to get the information, or because I enjoy the actor/actors involved. If I were making a video, I would focus on the points I listed above for making a good video. I would most definitely use props. To make viewers interested for more of my work, I would give them just enough to leave them hanging. I don't want to overload them. I want them to wonder what else I can do and what is coming next.

Marketing Via New Media

Marketing via new media most definitely works. I go on YouTube fairly often and their advertising for new movies or television shows on the home page is always upfront and eye catching. Their advertising on individual videos is a bit annoying, but definitely noticeable. The information regarding the new movies is memorable and influential to me because they are like coming attractions. That is why it works. They stick that idea in your head and it won't leave. Right now, television is still getting the largest audience, though not nearly as much as it once had, and I am sure that television advertising space is very expensive. Marketers are definitely invading the public by using new media as a source of advertising. Like I said regarding YouTube, the advertisements on individual videos are annoying and more times than not accompany the most popular videos. At the low cost for advertising space with new media, people should most definitely use it as a source of marketing. They would be foolish not to as it is most cost effective. People will increasingly continue to market via new media in the future.

CSR Wiki Information

Under General Information, I added trivia- fun facts: The Saint Rose Campus Theatre at 996A Madison Avenue (behind 1000 Madison Avenue) once housed the third and fourth grades of Vincentian CCD and the building was called "The Barn." Also, the parking lot behind the Massry Center was once the practice field for the Vincentian Institute football team. I received this information from my father who was a student in that building and a member of the football team.

Networking: Do's and Don'ts

The do's and don'ts are fairly straightforward and make sense. But by the nature of networking and because it's more for business, community or employment purposes, very little personal information should be given. There is a line that should not be crossed between the two. Someone's personal life is, well, personal. It means that information that you keep to yourself or to only very close friends. And even then you should be careful. Why should anyone, other than your friends and your employer, have your address and your phone number? Thus, I am not comfortable giving random people any personal information. I have said before I don't feel comfortable using FaceBook or Twitter. I recognize their potential, but I really believe the huge majority of people are using it for nonsense. I don't think employers should have the right to go through anyone's personal pages with or without notification. Again, it's personal. If you use FaceBook, Twitter or a blog to express yourself artistically or creatively, it makes more sense because indeed people are watching your every move. In fact, everything you do on a computer is being watched. That is the reality of it. So, we all must be careful with any information we put forward.

Building a Following

This is very interesting for me because I really don't have any interest in Facebook or Twitter. I'm not sure I'm that unique as my brothers don't use it either. I am interested in viewing YouTube and I have contributed to my father's videos on that media as a videographer and have left comments on videos of interest to me. As a social tool, I much prefer the phone. If I want to communicate with someone, I would rather talk to them. This Sunday's Parade supplement to the Times Union had an article that gave reference to some restaurants accepting orders on Twitter from tables to waiters within the same building. The point of the article was the personal relationship the author had with her waiter and how much she enjoyed actually speaking with him. I can appreciate an artist's need for establishing and nurturing a following as I see that my father closely monitors the number of views that he receives. In that aspect, I fully understand the capabilities of these mediums. Perhaps in a few years when I am exploring new avenues, I will see that I may need to use these media more than I am at the current moment.

Best Mash-Up or Remix

The mashup I have selected is called "Pirates of the Potter- At World's End." The video is a combination movie trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End using video clips from several Harry Potter movies. The voiceover and music, however, are from the official Pirates 3 trailer. I am a fan of both series and found this quite appealing and rather silly, as the voice of Captain Jack Sparrow is perfectly lipsynced to Lord Voldermort. Will Turner is Hermione and Elizabeth Swann is Draco Malfoy. Video explosions are perfectly edited to audio explosions from the other series. It is appealing because it works and is very well done. This skillfulness is very important to the success because without the perfect timing, the silliness would be lost. As I knew all the material, I understood it. If one did not, they might not get it at all. Five pages of comments from viewers are more than 90% positive. The creator of the video ialexialexi responded by saying, "Thanks, that's exactly what we were going for- uniqueness and technique. As Will Turner said, 'A craftsman is always glad to hear his work is appreciated.'" I checked the official Disney website and googled Disney reaction to mashups of their material and found nothing. Apparently they are ignoring it. As Chapter 4 in Jenkins points out, corporations are learning to not alienate their fans. I think it is alright for them to play with copyrighted materials in this way because they are not creating new story lines involving the copyrighted characters. They are essentially advertising the copyrighted materials for the corporations.

Engaging Fan Pages

The Facebook fan page for the CW Network television show The Vampire Diaries is a good example of an effective page. It's format is exactly the same as the other CW series. It is very organized and broken down into general info, genre, schedule, a link to the official website of the CW, cast bios, and much more. The most significant means of reaching those who like the show is by engaging them in questions and polls to vote on about the show. The discussion boards allow the fans to interact with each other to elaborate upon different episodes and their opinions as to where the show may or may not be going. It provides the fans with a vast gallery of pictures displaying the cast both from the show and from other works they have done. Full episodes are also available in clips. Upcoming promotional events regarding the show and cast are posted, as well as detailed reviews. The elements of involvement, enticement, fact finding with an eye for the future of the show keep fans returning, as well as attracting new ones.

http://www.facebook.com/thevampirediaries?sk=app_4949752878

Here is the group podcast in which I participated.  It is about squirrels.  Pretty fascinating, huh?

http://soundcloud.com/eng-252-new-media/squirrels