With Youtube becoming increasingly more popular, the average person recording, editing, and publishing video has become a common occurrence. As a student in the communications field, I personally feel it is extremely important to know how to at least edit video. It is quite possible that I'll one day be in charge of managing website content and nowadays a website without some kind of embedded video is pretty much pointless.
The role of shooting and editing video at home is rapidly becoming more popular among my generation. The film Napoleon Dynamite was shot on a minuscule budget, and edited in the director's home using a $6,000 Macintosh and the program Final Cut Pro. This film grossed over $40 million in the United States.
As far as for personal use, home video is everywhere. My Blackberry takes pretty decent video and I will video my friends and me in funny situations and then have the ability to immediately post it to Facebook or Twitter. Celebrities often update their Twitter accounts or websites with video blogs, making their fans feel appreciated and connected. I think that personal home video is actually connecting people in an amazing way. Three of my best friends live in Chicago, and when I post a funny video, they have the sensation of experiencing that moment with me, even though we're not together.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The Digital Switch
For many, the TV switch from analog to digital last summer meant nothing. Most Americans subscribe to some form of cable service, so the change over was pretty much irrelevant. However, there are those who still pray that the rabbit ears wrapped in aluminum foil will make the picture clearer, and for them, the switch meant total darkness.
As discussed in class, 98% of US citizens own at least one television. However, only 94% of Americans subscribe to some form of phone service, cell or land line. This information leads me to believe, although I have no firsthand experience, that the small percentage of Americans that can't afford phone service did not purchase the digital converter box needed for the analog to digital transition. I do know that when the switch happened, some 2 million Americans with televisions were left in the dark. I've heard that the government was offering a coupon for the converter box, but I can't recall seeing any sort of information on how to obtain that coupon or where to get the boxes for that matter.
My point? I think that with many Americans still shunning new technology or without the funds to embrace it, the digital TV conversion most likely left people without entertainment, or more importantly their window to the world. While I enjoy the clearer picture, I know that lots of people are now without television service. I think that the switch alienates those without the education, formal or otherwise, to understand it. While I haven't personally witnessed any severe backlash because of the digital to analog switch, I'm positive it's out there and that there are a large number of people without that link to the world.
As discussed in class, 98% of US citizens own at least one television. However, only 94% of Americans subscribe to some form of phone service, cell or land line. This information leads me to believe, although I have no firsthand experience, that the small percentage of Americans that can't afford phone service did not purchase the digital converter box needed for the analog to digital transition. I do know that when the switch happened, some 2 million Americans with televisions were left in the dark. I've heard that the government was offering a coupon for the converter box, but I can't recall seeing any sort of information on how to obtain that coupon or where to get the boxes for that matter.
My point? I think that with many Americans still shunning new technology or without the funds to embrace it, the digital TV conversion most likely left people without entertainment, or more importantly their window to the world. While I enjoy the clearer picture, I know that lots of people are now without television service. I think that the switch alienates those without the education, formal or otherwise, to understand it. While I haven't personally witnessed any severe backlash because of the digital to analog switch, I'm positive it's out there and that there are a large number of people without that link to the world.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The radio makes hideous sounds. - Bob Dylan
I prefer to think of my life as a film and all of the music I listen to is its soundtrack. Whatever I'm listening to has to fit the moment and my mood, which is why I own an iPod. I have a 30 gigabyte iPod video and it's currently holding about half its weight in music. I don't necessarily NEED all that space, but I like knowing it's there just in case. I like knowing that I have every song I own at my fingertips for whenever I may need it. Below, I've included the very first iPod commercial. I believe it accurately depicts what I do while listening to my iPod. Isn't this what everybody does?
That brings me to the question of when I listen to music. I listen to music every chance I get. I am a contemporary dancer and choreographer, so music is a part of my livelihood. I listen in the car, when I'm walking around campus, at work, when I'm in the shower, when I'm cleaning or doing laundry, and basically any other spare moment I get. As previously stated, it's imperative that I have music avaiable to me in the instant that I need it.
Aside from the good ole' iPod, I also listen to streaming radio sites online like www.Pandora.com. These are websites, or in some cases smart phone applications, in which you can type in an artist that you enjoy, and the site will provide you with that artists and several others like them. There are also options for you to tag certain songs or even immediately download what you're listening to in that instant. These sites are my main source of new music. As my quote says above, "The radio makes hideous sounds."
That brings me to the question of when I listen to music. I listen to music every chance I get. I am a contemporary dancer and choreographer, so music is a part of my livelihood. I listen in the car, when I'm walking around campus, at work, when I'm in the shower, when I'm cleaning or doing laundry, and basically any other spare moment I get. As previously stated, it's imperative that I have music avaiable to me in the instant that I need it.
Aside from the good ole' iPod, I also listen to streaming radio sites online like www.Pandora.com. These are websites, or in some cases smart phone applications, in which you can type in an artist that you enjoy, and the site will provide you with that artists and several others like them. There are also options for you to tag certain songs or even immediately download what you're listening to in that instant. These sites are my main source of new music. As my quote says above, "The radio makes hideous sounds."
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Video Killed the Radio Star
Introductions are hard. I never know what to say about myself other than the fact that I am a media hag. Which I guess is completely appropriate for this type of writing assignment. I love all things movie, television, books, music, and so on. And with that love of media comes the love of media, or communication, technology. Yes, I have a "Crackberry." Yes, on my Crackberry, I have a Twitter, Facebook, and Internet Movie Database application. Yes, I visit a ridiculous number of blogs and websites dedicated to media on a daily basis. So, there you have it. My name is Allison, and I'm a Techaholic.
Now, as far as radio goes, I have one in my car. I honestly never use it. I have an iPod that holds thousands upon thousands of songs and a handy auxiliary cord that I just plug into my car and can begin to jam away. My friends tend to be like me, they avoid the radio at all cost. We love Lady Gaga as much as the next person, but not 30 times a day....literally. My mom on the other hand, loves her some Akon and 50 Cent, so the radio and specifically local pop stations are her cup of tea. She also can't figure out how to work the remote for the digital cable box.
In the future, I predict that radio will still have a place, but it will continue to grow smaller and smaller. For example, when the television became a household appliance, radio simply changed is MO. Instead of full length shows and soaps, it switched is broadcasts to music and news, where it has stayed for a long long time. Personally, I think that with the advent of HD and Satellite radio, it has become more of a niche technology, which is well-suited for individualist-driven America. As long as radio gives people exactly what they want to listen to, people will keep listen to it. Simple as that.
Now, as far as radio goes, I have one in my car. I honestly never use it. I have an iPod that holds thousands upon thousands of songs and a handy auxiliary cord that I just plug into my car and can begin to jam away. My friends tend to be like me, they avoid the radio at all cost. We love Lady Gaga as much as the next person, but not 30 times a day....literally. My mom on the other hand, loves her some Akon and 50 Cent, so the radio and specifically local pop stations are her cup of tea. She also can't figure out how to work the remote for the digital cable box.
In the future, I predict that radio will still have a place, but it will continue to grow smaller and smaller. For example, when the television became a household appliance, radio simply changed is MO. Instead of full length shows and soaps, it switched is broadcasts to music and news, where it has stayed for a long long time. Personally, I think that with the advent of HD and Satellite radio, it has become more of a niche technology, which is well-suited for individualist-driven America. As long as radio gives people exactly what they want to listen to, people will keep listen to it. Simple as that.
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