Blog Post 4

As I have read the material in Seeing and Writing 3, I am reminded of a fascinating subject discussed in TMA 102 – Introduction to Film. We were learning about foreign films and focused our discussion on tourism vs. residency. I think these concepts are similar to understanding place and space through digital media.

I find Jerry Brown’s comment interesting and fairly accurate when he says that many people in this generation live too much of their lives digitally, resulting in alienating themselves from their community. I feel there is a balance between the two. There is a danger if someone allows digital space to overrun residential and social place – they run the risk of staying a tourist and never becoming a resident, so to speak. But if one learns to properly balance the two, one can enrich the other and vise-versa. A wise tourist can utilize his desire of sight seeing to look past the stereotypes of culture and place, and learn to dig beneath the surface and learn to become more residential. I’m not sure if that analogy is clear, but I feel it can be related to understanding space and place in digital media. We live in a time where vast and varied forms of digital media are at our fingertips, and it would not be prudent to disregard those opportunities. On the other hand, if we allow digital media space to replace residential and social place, then the byproduct of space becomes hollow.

There are many other things that shape my understanding of place and space that are not media related, especially when it comes to home. I connect with the book when it says you can understand place and space through smell, sound, sight, and relationships.

I have lived in the same household my entire life. I have five sisters, four brothers, and fifteen nieces and nephews! Most of my family lives in Utah Valley. One of my connections with home is when our big family gathers together for dinners, birthdays, or other activities. Because I have lived in Orem my entire life, the landscape and culture are embedded into my soul. I had all of these senses and feelings hit me like a ton of bricks when I came home from my mission. Being away from home for an extended period of time and being thrown back into it, immediately bombarded me with the different feelings that signified that I was home.

Media Identity Reviews

Sophia: I loved your presentation! The concept of stop-motion and having several pictures rotate in and out was engaging to see. I could tell a lot of effort went in to executing and presenting your project. I also enjoyed how each sequence of pictures had their own unique pattern of moving, which made the presentation interesting to watch while avoiding repetition. I thought you chose good music for your piece. It was really fun! I am interested to know how you approached production: Did you draw the camera? Did you produce stop-motion through still pictures or create the effect during editing? Did you use a template for the Polaroid’s? Because of the elements camera, Polaroid’s, and stop-motion, I am interested to know what your interests are in that field (photography, cinematography, stop-motion photography, etc.).

Rhonda: Your presentation was awesome! Through your use of pictures and music, I immediately made connections to who you are. I think your music choice was in harmony to the pictures you chose. I also like the film-flicker filter you applied to your project. And go Bob Dylan! I found it interesting that you incorporated many skateboard pictures. It made me want to learn more about the importance that, that is to you and to your family. I also noticed many pictures of musicians that appeared to be soul artists? Do you like soul music and what influence has that made in your life? That was a really fun project!