Music Addiction: Stimulation versus Segregation
Voodoo Prunes Members
Jen Chiu
Robert Hunter
Rebecca Rodrigues
Hypothesis
The overuse of Mp3 players has negative social and psychological effects on users.
Research
The video production consists entirely of primary data from interviews with members of the student populations and professional interviews with experts in the fields of psychology and communication. Research suggested that the overuse of Mp3 players was a strategy for creating a private personal space while drowning out the world, as opposed to a simple addiction to stimulation. This suggested a larger social problem caused by proximity in urban environments.
Secondary research was not referenced in the production, though it did narrow the field of research while providing greater insight into the issues at hand. Secondary research suggested that the extensive use of portable listening devices has been causing social transformation since the release of the Walkman nearly 3 decades ago, with physical concerns that included hearing loss and attention deficits, in addition to the loss of social interaction and awareness. Research indicated that some scientists felt that the modern world was defined by its “soundscape”. With personal listening devices controlling this soundscape, societal change would become a concern as players held more music, lasted longer, and operated more as organisms (with friendly interfaces) than machines.
Methodology
Interviews with normal subjects were random, while professional interviews were scheduled events. Question structures were rigid to allow equal treatment of subjects.
The video was rendered with Final Cut Express and re-rendered with iMovie. Due to several unforeseen software disasters, the team was forced to make the video minimalist, plain, and speech driven. While this did not fit the original plan, the effect may prove nearly as effective given the subject matter.
Conclusion
The hypothesis was disproved when research indicated that overuse is the symptom of a social problem, as opposed to the cause of one. However, the confessions in the video prove a powerful testament to unexpected findings about the state of the urban soundscape.
Works Cited (secondary sources)
• http://cdhi.mala.bc.ca/test/issue2/essay5.htm
• http://clearlyexplained.com/answers/ipodethics.html
• http://www.4hearingloss.com/archives/2005/07/ipods_could_mak.html
• http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/6679.cfm
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2005/jul/28/thisweekssciencequestions
• http://www.hunfi.hu/mobil/2004/Bull_webversion.doc
• http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/i-listen-therefore-ipod/2006/12/01/1164777785702.html?page=3
• http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/07/28/musical_hallucinations/
• http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2140422/ipod-help-produce-musical
• http://www.wired.com/gadgets/mac/news/2004/02/62396?currentPage=2
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Group Project Proposal
Production Concept /Area of Investigation
It is clear that technological advancement in the twenty first century has brought with it several negative consequences. The video podcast composed by Voodoo Prunes will address the changing face of humanity in terms of technological impact on innate and learned social skills, in addition to the general formation of subjective social reality in a virtual world.
Working Hypothesis
The working hypothesis of the production will be centered on the distortion of reality currently taking place as a result of overwhelming amounts of information, convergence, and the rapid deterioration of social norms. Essentially, the production will deal with the information-driven technological and sensory bombardment of people in modern society, and the effect this is having on the human condition.
We expect to discover that people are finding themselves lost, alone, and unskilled – living an inept existence in a world that they cannot recognize, and are charged with redefining a world that is moving far too fast for them.
We will analyze this through the following analyses:
· The deterioration of language skills as a result of changing internet dialects.
· The deterioration of academic, social, and physical skills promoted by over-ease in technology. This topic will include an analysis of young people developing conflicting skill sets through gratuitous use of computer games.
· The paradoxical nature of social interaction online, in which friendship and family become the subject of popularity contests without real value or significance. This topic will include discussion of cyber personalities.
· The inability to venerate anything that is considered old or obsolete, creating and eventual loss of meaning in society, interaction, experience, education – essentially, the concept that if people and objects cannot keep up with the rapid changes happening online, they are left behind and forgotten. This will be an overarching theme of the production.
Research Approaches and Useful Links
The content and the above working hypotheses will be supported by survey, statistics, and interviews, in addition to relevant journal research. Most research will be primary sources obtained by Voodoo Prunes. Academic research, aside from statistics, will be used extremely sparingly. We are looking into conducting interviews with professionals in the field of psychology and sociology, as well as teachers in elementary schools, if possible. In addition, we shall conduct our own ethnographic observations within online communities.
So far, our sources include:
*
A specific study citing the ephemeral nature of internet friendships done by Sheffield Hallam University. [http://www.switched.com/2007/09/12/your-online-friends-arent-real-friends-says-study/]
*
A personal experience identifying the impacts technological development has on (human) writirng. [http://scholarsportal.info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/pdflinks/08012601321811100.pdf]
*
A case study about the impacts a new technology system had on a working environment. [http://scholarsportal.info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/pdflinks/08012601364511463.pdf]
*
A study about the impacts of information and telecommunication technology in view of its capacity toward information circulation. [http://scholarsportal.info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/pdflinks/08012601411711756.pdf]
Media usage statistics as they apply to children in North America. [http://www.frankwbaker.com/mediause.htm]
· Articles and studies pertaining to social skills in computer gamers. [http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Computer_Games:_Social_Implications]
· Articles concerning the psychological impact of technological overload [http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/5/18/144041.shtml]
[http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN2221996620080123]
Treatment and Production Details
Researched information will be analyzed, edited and presented using sound, pictures, videos, and overarching emotion to convey effect. The production will do everything possible to avoid narration and cast narcissism.
· Interviews will be videotaped. Recorded segments will be included directly in the podcast.
· Quotations from research in the form of glorified scene transitions, with music in the background and production-specific images in the foreground.
· Statistics will appear in small sections of the screen to accent points of discussion within interviews or commentaries. Surveys will be treated as statistics.
· Scholarly information if not in the form of quotations will be presented as voiceovers by a member of the cast, while relevant images and video material takes its place on screen.
· Commentary will not be talking head style. It will be filmed on location, and will be accented with facts and images. Cast members will be assigned a specific location, style, and approach.
The material will be tinted slightly, to match the images, colour themes, and mood set by the film – likely Indigo-based. The video will be presented in a cinematic style, with audio synchronization, smooth transitions, and dramatic flare. Music will be used to accent transitions, add dramatic effect to emotionally charged points, and will follow the style and mood set by the production. It is likely that sliced portions of only one or two songs will be used to promote continuity.
In essence, the mood will be entertainment and effect based, attempting to bridge a gap from academia to sensationalism. In addition to iMovie, we intend to use Final Cut Express, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Premier.
Cast time will be split as follows:
Craig Rattos: Commentator, Researcher
Jen Chiu: Interviewer, Researcher, Graphic Designer
Rebecca Rodrigues: Interviewer, Graphic Designer
Robert Hunter: Commentator, Producer
It is clear that technological advancement in the twenty first century has brought with it several negative consequences. The video podcast composed by Voodoo Prunes will address the changing face of humanity in terms of technological impact on innate and learned social skills, in addition to the general formation of subjective social reality in a virtual world.
Working Hypothesis
The working hypothesis of the production will be centered on the distortion of reality currently taking place as a result of overwhelming amounts of information, convergence, and the rapid deterioration of social norms. Essentially, the production will deal with the information-driven technological and sensory bombardment of people in modern society, and the effect this is having on the human condition.
We expect to discover that people are finding themselves lost, alone, and unskilled – living an inept existence in a world that they cannot recognize, and are charged with redefining a world that is moving far too fast for them.
We will analyze this through the following analyses:
· The deterioration of language skills as a result of changing internet dialects.
· The deterioration of academic, social, and physical skills promoted by over-ease in technology. This topic will include an analysis of young people developing conflicting skill sets through gratuitous use of computer games.
· The paradoxical nature of social interaction online, in which friendship and family become the subject of popularity contests without real value or significance. This topic will include discussion of cyber personalities.
· The inability to venerate anything that is considered old or obsolete, creating and eventual loss of meaning in society, interaction, experience, education – essentially, the concept that if people and objects cannot keep up with the rapid changes happening online, they are left behind and forgotten. This will be an overarching theme of the production.
Research Approaches and Useful Links
The content and the above working hypotheses will be supported by survey, statistics, and interviews, in addition to relevant journal research. Most research will be primary sources obtained by Voodoo Prunes. Academic research, aside from statistics, will be used extremely sparingly. We are looking into conducting interviews with professionals in the field of psychology and sociology, as well as teachers in elementary schools, if possible. In addition, we shall conduct our own ethnographic observations within online communities.
So far, our sources include:
*
A specific study citing the ephemeral nature of internet friendships done by Sheffield Hallam University. [http://www.switched.com/2007/09/12/your-online-friends-arent-real-friends-says-study/]
*
A personal experience identifying the impacts technological development has on (human) writirng. [http://scholarsportal.info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/pdflinks/08012601321811100.pdf]
*
A case study about the impacts a new technology system had on a working environment. [http://scholarsportal.info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/pdflinks/08012601364511463.pdf]
*
A study about the impacts of information and telecommunication technology in view of its capacity toward information circulation. [http://scholarsportal.info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/pdflinks/08012601411711756.pdf]
Media usage statistics as they apply to children in North America. [http://www.frankwbaker.com/mediause.htm]
· Articles and studies pertaining to social skills in computer gamers. [http://wiki.media-culture.org.au/index.php/Computer_Games:_Social_Implications]
· Articles concerning the psychological impact of technological overload [http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/5/18/144041.shtml]
[http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN2221996620080123]
Treatment and Production Details
Researched information will be analyzed, edited and presented using sound, pictures, videos, and overarching emotion to convey effect. The production will do everything possible to avoid narration and cast narcissism.
· Interviews will be videotaped. Recorded segments will be included directly in the podcast.
· Quotations from research in the form of glorified scene transitions, with music in the background and production-specific images in the foreground.
· Statistics will appear in small sections of the screen to accent points of discussion within interviews or commentaries. Surveys will be treated as statistics.
· Scholarly information if not in the form of quotations will be presented as voiceovers by a member of the cast, while relevant images and video material takes its place on screen.
· Commentary will not be talking head style. It will be filmed on location, and will be accented with facts and images. Cast members will be assigned a specific location, style, and approach.
The material will be tinted slightly, to match the images, colour themes, and mood set by the film – likely Indigo-based. The video will be presented in a cinematic style, with audio synchronization, smooth transitions, and dramatic flare. Music will be used to accent transitions, add dramatic effect to emotionally charged points, and will follow the style and mood set by the production. It is likely that sliced portions of only one or two songs will be used to promote continuity.
In essence, the mood will be entertainment and effect based, attempting to bridge a gap from academia to sensationalism. In addition to iMovie, we intend to use Final Cut Express, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Premier.
Cast time will be split as follows:
Craig Rattos: Commentator, Researcher
Jen Chiu: Interviewer, Researcher, Graphic Designer
Rebecca Rodrigues: Interviewer, Graphic Designer
Robert Hunter: Commentator, Producer
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Team for Assignment 2
In week 5, I joined a group that consisted of:
Jen Chiu
Robert Hunter
Rebecca Rodrigues
and myself of course.
The main topic we were interested in discussing was how technology has been an essential tool to the growth, and to the decline of human beings across the world. We will discuss things such as child obesity, technological determinism, and how computer gaming and consoles have affected the development of the youth. We will take a sarcastic and satirical approach to this video, providing humour and truth to this subject.
Next weeks blog will have more of an in depth look at our group and what our exact intentions are, along with the role of each group member.
Jen Chiu
Robert Hunter
Rebecca Rodrigues
and myself of course.
The main topic we were interested in discussing was how technology has been an essential tool to the growth, and to the decline of human beings across the world. We will discuss things such as child obesity, technological determinism, and how computer gaming and consoles have affected the development of the youth. We will take a sarcastic and satirical approach to this video, providing humour and truth to this subject.
Next weeks blog will have more of an in depth look at our group and what our exact intentions are, along with the role of each group member.
Monday, February 4, 2008
What makes a good video podcast? A review of my favourite podcast: "NBA Stories: Toronto Raptors"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4Att8k4T264
“NBA Stories: Toronto Raptors” video podcast had everything that a viewer would possibly be interested in seeing. This documentary was by far my favorite video podcast and we will further assess why I liked this video so much. This documentary is about Canada’s NBA team, the Toronto Raptors. This video focused on the success that the Raptors had in the 2006-2007 season, and compared it to years past when the team was not doing so well. There is a narrator who walks the viewer through the up and down struggles of the Toronto Raptors and the continuing growth and success of the team in the past season (2006-2007). The video also gives first hand perspectives, such as members of the Toronto Raptors talking about their struggles in the past and the success and winning that they were accustom to doing recently. The coach also talks about how he challenges his players to work harder and get better. Overall, the story is well written as the narrator adds suspense with his voice.
To critically assess this video, let us take a look at the context in which the video is situated. This video is a documentary, so automatically, there will always be suspense because documentaries tend to have suspense to keep the viewer interested and excited. From the beginning of this video, I was interested and excited. This video is suspenseful because in the beginning of the clip there are moving images of the Raptors struggling and losing early on in the season. The slow and depressing music adds such an effect to the moving pictures, almost making the viewer feel the pain that the Toronto Raptors went through. The narration goes perfectly as well because the narrator has a deep voice that penetrates into the heart of the viewer. So while we are only viewing the video, it almost feels like we are apart of what is going on. There were also in depth moving images of the Raptors practicing, and the coach coaching gives the viewer an in depth look at how hard this team worked to get better and become a better team overall. The viewer also gets perspectives from the coach and the best player on the team – Chris Bosh. This was well done because good documentaries have meaningful interviews and first person perspectives. The mood of the video is never the same. Towards the end, the viewer almost gets a proud feeling because of what the team had to overcome in order to be a really good team. The music becomes a lot nicer and more soothing, giving a very calm and relaxing mood. This goes well with the moving pictures towards the end because it ends nicely, having a nice ending to a very well done documentary.
There are so many features of this video podcast that were well done. The story telling and narration were excellent. It was a very easy plot for the viewer to follow. The beginning was dramatic and exciting, which was a good start to the video. There were strong, and emotional moving images that the viewer could follow along with the narration. Interviews such as the coach, the best player on the team, and the president of the team were excellent because each interview showed different perspectives and gave the viewer different angles on what it took for the Toronto Raptors to be successful. The music was excellent. It was dramatic when it needed to be, and calming and relaxing towards the end leaving the viewer proud, satisfied and happy. The best part about this documentary is that you almost felt like you were a part of the story. That is how well written and scripted this video podcast was.
“NBA Stories: Toronto Raptors” video podcast had everything that a viewer would possibly be interested in seeing. This documentary was by far my favorite video podcast and we will further assess why I liked this video so much. This documentary is about Canada’s NBA team, the Toronto Raptors. This video focused on the success that the Raptors had in the 2006-2007 season, and compared it to years past when the team was not doing so well. There is a narrator who walks the viewer through the up and down struggles of the Toronto Raptors and the continuing growth and success of the team in the past season (2006-2007). The video also gives first hand perspectives, such as members of the Toronto Raptors talking about their struggles in the past and the success and winning that they were accustom to doing recently. The coach also talks about how he challenges his players to work harder and get better. Overall, the story is well written as the narrator adds suspense with his voice.
To critically assess this video, let us take a look at the context in which the video is situated. This video is a documentary, so automatically, there will always be suspense because documentaries tend to have suspense to keep the viewer interested and excited. From the beginning of this video, I was interested and excited. This video is suspenseful because in the beginning of the clip there are moving images of the Raptors struggling and losing early on in the season. The slow and depressing music adds such an effect to the moving pictures, almost making the viewer feel the pain that the Toronto Raptors went through. The narration goes perfectly as well because the narrator has a deep voice that penetrates into the heart of the viewer. So while we are only viewing the video, it almost feels like we are apart of what is going on. There were also in depth moving images of the Raptors practicing, and the coach coaching gives the viewer an in depth look at how hard this team worked to get better and become a better team overall. The viewer also gets perspectives from the coach and the best player on the team – Chris Bosh. This was well done because good documentaries have meaningful interviews and first person perspectives. The mood of the video is never the same. Towards the end, the viewer almost gets a proud feeling because of what the team had to overcome in order to be a really good team. The music becomes a lot nicer and more soothing, giving a very calm and relaxing mood. This goes well with the moving pictures towards the end because it ends nicely, having a nice ending to a very well done documentary.
There are so many features of this video podcast that were well done. The story telling and narration were excellent. It was a very easy plot for the viewer to follow. The beginning was dramatic and exciting, which was a good start to the video. There were strong, and emotional moving images that the viewer could follow along with the narration. Interviews such as the coach, the best player on the team, and the president of the team were excellent because each interview showed different perspectives and gave the viewer different angles on what it took for the Toronto Raptors to be successful. The music was excellent. It was dramatic when it needed to be, and calming and relaxing towards the end leaving the viewer proud, satisfied and happy. The best part about this documentary is that you almost felt like you were a part of the story. That is how well written and scripted this video podcast was.
Monday, January 28, 2008
The future of Podcasting and Web 2.0
Podcasting and Web 2.0 are both integral to society today. Both have become so popular and will continue to grow and become more popular in the future. People will become more dependant on Web 2.0 and Podcasting in the future, as both will continue to grow and become “normalized” in the future.
To begin, let us take a look at podcasting and where it could potentially be heading. In 2005, 1 million internet users per week would download a podcast. By 2010, it is predicted that 18 million internet users per week will download a podcast. (http://www.bridgeratings.com/Images/The%20Future%20of%20Podcasting%20Slides_files/frame.htm)
To me, this seems reasonably correct because almost every major internet site has podcasts that are available to stream and download. The reason for this is because of the rapid change of technology and the emergence of the mp3 formatted file. Podcasting is the future of digital audio. For instance, some professors at University of Toronto will podcast their lectures so that students can access them on the internet. This is an example of how popular podcasting has become. We see it everywhere. Experts predict in the near future that video and audio files will be pushed through the RSS feed. (http://www.podcastblaster.com/podcasting-the-future.html) These experts also predict that in the future, companies will develop new products to make podcasting more accessible to the public. So we can see that in the future, podcasting will continue to grow and become more accessible to the public. It will continue to grow as it will become more and more popular in the future.
In regards to the future of Web 2.0, software will continue to be more advanced and capable for hosting multimedia content. According to Bill Gates, "Every year we just move to more of a digital environment. We take away the older approaches." (http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2007/1/28/6781) Web 2.0 and Podcasting almost go hand in hand. As Web 2.0 continues to grow, so does the development of podcasting. As Bill Gates said, the internet is moving to more of a digital environment and we can expect Web 2.0 to be more digitalized then ever in the future. Things such as online storage devices and personal media will continue to get better in the future. We will be able to use our computer as a television, as there may almost be no existence for televisions in the future. Gates also says that in 5 years, we will look back and laugh at what we had now because Web 2.0 will continue to grow and emerge as time goes on.
To begin, let us take a look at podcasting and where it could potentially be heading. In 2005, 1 million internet users per week would download a podcast. By 2010, it is predicted that 18 million internet users per week will download a podcast. (http://www.bridgeratings.com/Images/The%20Future%20of%20Podcasting%20Slides_files/frame.htm)
To me, this seems reasonably correct because almost every major internet site has podcasts that are available to stream and download. The reason for this is because of the rapid change of technology and the emergence of the mp3 formatted file. Podcasting is the future of digital audio. For instance, some professors at University of Toronto will podcast their lectures so that students can access them on the internet. This is an example of how popular podcasting has become. We see it everywhere. Experts predict in the near future that video and audio files will be pushed through the RSS feed. (http://www.podcastblaster.com/podcasting-the-future.html) These experts also predict that in the future, companies will develop new products to make podcasting more accessible to the public. So we can see that in the future, podcasting will continue to grow and become more accessible to the public. It will continue to grow as it will become more and more popular in the future.
In regards to the future of Web 2.0, software will continue to be more advanced and capable for hosting multimedia content. According to Bill Gates, "Every year we just move to more of a digital environment. We take away the older approaches." (http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2007/1/28/6781) Web 2.0 and Podcasting almost go hand in hand. As Web 2.0 continues to grow, so does the development of podcasting. As Bill Gates said, the internet is moving to more of a digital environment and we can expect Web 2.0 to be more digitalized then ever in the future. Things such as online storage devices and personal media will continue to get better in the future. We will be able to use our computer as a television, as there may almost be no existence for televisions in the future. Gates also says that in 5 years, we will look back and laugh at what we had now because Web 2.0 will continue to grow and emerge as time goes on.
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