Electronic Communication?  Like cell phones right?  Oh, a class?  Interesting.

Like many students, I wasn’t exactly sure what my adviser had signed me up for with this class but I knew I liked the course title and, for me, that was a start.  When I found out that we’d be blogging, making podcasts, videos and a few other new concepts, I was intrigued but a bit weary as to how I was going to handle these new technical terrors.  But alas, I survived and learned a thing or two along the way.

Of all the projects and concepts listed on the class syllabus, I was into the idea of creating podcasts and videos.  This is probably because these are two things I had no experience in and was eager to learn the ins and outs.  For me, these two projects overshadowed the Sound Slides project because, while I was already more interested in the podcast and video to begin with, I felt like they were a bit more applicable and practical to learn.  I don’t think the Sound Slides assignment should be nixed completely, but I do think that the podcast assignment could come first and be helpful.  I think students learn more about GarageBand through the podcast and are able to work with Sound Slides interviews more easily after being introduced to just Garage Band, rather than Garage Band and Sound Slides simultaneously.

Aside from the projects, I found the blog assignments to be relevant, useful and fun.  I enjoyed the idea of writing personal thoughts and opinions about the topics and comparing them with other students in class.  The topics were always relevant to what we had discussed in class, which was a lot more helpful and easier to write about than a simple “free write” every week, although the occasional impromptu blog was a nice change.

Overall, I’d say Electronic Communication is a success.  And I have a “No Lying on My Blog” policy.

Also, it got me into using Gmail, so consider a Google endorsement.

Online Portfolio

Here is a link to Cassius’ great online portfolio.  Cassius is a “creative print & web designer based in Melbourne, Australia.”

The greatest thing about this particular site is definitely its simplicity and aesthetics.  The home page includes a picture, unique logo and a quick two sentences about who he his, where he’s from and what he does.  Upon entering the site, you immediately know where you are and what you’re getting into.  The picture is a nice touch, giving viewers a little insight into the personality of Cassius and possibly appealing to a particular age group or people with similar interests. Contact information is in plain sight in the lower corner of the page and links to various social media sites and pages are in the adjacent corner, again, using simplicity in a very successful way.

I really like the fact that Cassius only has three links to the pages of his portfolio.  I came across many sites that had cluttered home pages filled with more links than I could count and links scattered across the top of the page.  While there’s no doubt that those people are providing a lot of information and examples of their work, sites as crowded as those discourage me from being able to explore the site and find what I need without devoting an afternoon to navigation.

Perhaps the most important part of a portfolio, the samples page, is where Cassius site shines.  Upon clicking the “Projects” link atop the page, I was directed to a simple page with examples of Cassius’ work displayed in links across the center of the page, each one appropriately titled and with a thumbnail image.  Each image took me to its respective page, giving a brief background on what the project entailed and a fun and interesting way to display the pages of the project.

For a successful portfolio, a simple layout and strong colors are staples for success.  Cassius may be onto something:  ”The right website is both an investment and a fast return.”

Drinking and Driving

How to Be Tight (and make a great video)

“How to Be Tight” is a video that was created by an Internet sketch comedy group known as “Magic Hugs.”  A friend had sent me this video and we both thought it was hilarious and extremely well-made.  The video is a spoof of current MTV shows and is great for a few reasons.

For starters, the content of the video is very funny and exaggerated to the point that anyone familiar with MTV can relate and see the angle they’re going for here.  For me, the over-the-top jokes and embellishing of the often ridiculous nature of “Music Television” make the comedy aspect a huge success.  Above all else, the edits and use of effects in this video are spot-0n for a parody of MTV, using outrageous sound effects and cuts to exagerate the usually cheesy and “extreme” directing of many of MTV’s modern shows.  The overall quality is great, from the faux intro to the ending credits.  My only disappointment was the realism getting my hopes up for the day when I actually found out that “How to Be Tight” was not on my TV Guide channel.  I applaud this group for making a great parody and a great video.

Better Late than Never

I’ve nearly lost all hope in the state of modern sitcoms.  Yes, I’m all the way down to sitcoms on the list of “Things That Could be Better.”  I can’t seem to get into many of these new evening shows, with the exception of the occasional one or two, in the same way that I was/am with older sitcoms, a list I like to think of as “The Classics.”  And at the very top of “The Classics” rests my all-time favorite television show:  Seinfeld.

Now don’t get me wrong, there’s a decent sized list of shows that occupy a position in this list, but when it comes down to it, nothing beats Jerry and the quirky, neuronic gang.  But how hard is it to beat a “show about nothing?”  Seems simple enough:  Do something.  But as George Costanza once said “Everyone’s doing something. We’ll do nothing!”  and oddly enough, it worked.  And not only did it work, it worked well for 9 years, winning a number of Emmys along the way.

I’ve often wondered why this show is the absolute number one for me and on paper, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.  The show premiered in 1989, the same year I was born.  Now I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t really remember catching the series premier.  And the show ended in 1998, when I was at the ripe old age of 9 years old.  I don’t know a ton of 3rd graders who are into dry humor and off-the-wall references, so this too, doesn’t really help me figure out why I developed such a love for the show.

But when I really take a look at it, all signs point to Robert and Jamie Adamson, my loving parents with whom I tuned in each week to watch a show that I understood 6% of.  Each week was the big build up for my parents’ favorite show, Seinfeld.  Every Thursday I’d lay in the floor of the living room and sit through the opening act of Ted Danson and the cast of “Cheers” on the way to Seinfeld.  So for a few years early on in my life, I was conditioned to at least be somewhat interested in the show, solely based on the fact that:  It was on and my parents loved it.  At the “Parents’ Word is Gospel” point in life, that seemed like enough for me.  But it wasn’t until I got older, more perceptive, and a little more cynical that I began to understand and laugh hysterically at the same show I had been staring at since childhood.  I have yet to find a show that I can watch countless reruns of and still find myself laughing and relating to each character in some way, save the occasional Newman moment.

Maybe it’s the nostalgia?  Maybe it’s a comfortable thing.  Maybe my future self really was captured in a the form of a sitcom in the mid 90′s.  Either way, 12 years after the show ended, you can find me with nine seasons in my DVD collection and acting as if TBS reruns are brand new episodes each evening at 6.

Antoine Dodson: YouTube Intruder

Well, here it is.  Arguably one of the most popular viral videos of 2010 and, more impressive than its overall popularity is the fact that the video was just released at the end of July.  We’ve all seen and heard Antoine Dodson warning us to “hide your kids” and “hide your wives” because, just as we all suspected, “they’re raping everybody up here.”  If for some bizarre reason you’re unfamiliar with the original video, then surely you’ve heard the hit song that the the video spawned which has become more popular than the video itself or you had to have heard all your friends quoting it, even if you didn’t know what it was from.

But why?  Why is this video so popular?  What made a news story about a burglary go viral with more than 18 million views?

Because it’s funny.  And not just a little funny.  It’s really funny.

This video features an irate Dodson, whose sister was an apparent victim of an attempted rape, doing his civil duty as a member of his community and warning the public about the perpetrator still on the loose.  Only Dodson delivers that warning a little differently, with his own twist and delivery.  The fact that this man was broadcast on the nightly news for all to see adds to the already hilarious nature of this video.  The sheer outrageous nature of Dodson’s interview undoubtedly appealed to the public, causing friends, media and celebrities alike to tune in and make this video an Internet phenomenon.

How NOT to make a video

 

In this instructional video, the creator shows you how to tie a tie, in 43 seconds flat.  The only problem is, the video has just a few minor flaws.

For starters, the room has very poor lighting and, while lighting is not entirely essential to being able to to see the tie, this makes it very unpleasant to watch and was the first thing I noticed upon clicking the video.  After all, if your viewers don’t enjoy watching your video, they won’t stick around to hear what you’ve got to say, no matter how useful it may be.

On top of the lighting issue, the stationary camera is positioned in such a way that the wind from the open window picks up on the microphone more than the man’s actual voice.  As to why the window is open when making a video in the first place, well that’s another story and another post all together.  So for an instructional video where the dialogue is a must, you can’t afford to have your voice drowned out with such poor room choice and camera placement.  Also, on the topic of dialogue, the man speaks very quickly and forgets to annunciate his words.  This seems rather odd seeing as how, he chose to make this video and knew well that the video’s success was largely dependent on his instructions.  Sadly, we can’t hear those instructions.