Alcohol Campaign - 1st Step

Last Thursday after a location based lecture, me and my team member began working on the first part of our Alcohol Abuse campaign. As we had been inspired by posters as shown in my previous blog relating to the task at hand ('Give me a glass in the face...') as they made audiences think more about their actions whilst out drinking alcohol, I thought this might work in our favour if we created similar sorts of posters to include in our own campaign. After sourcing a few images off the internet, i managed to put together a few ideas that we may just use in our final presentation;

I do think these pictures look rather professional, however i'm unsure of their effectiveness at this stage so will have to seek confirmation off my tutors as to whether the text or pictures themselves will work successfully as part of the campaign.
My team member also made a blackboard style sign, like one you would see outside a pub, again using the sarcasm yet serious technique as i did in my posters. Once i get hold of the picture i'll be sure to put it up!
The next stage in the process will be to film a short video clip of a young male who goes on a night out, giving users the choice to pick their own ending as part of our concentric narrative basis, which i personally believe will make our campaign more effective as there will be more choice for users to interact.

Lime Pictures

Now that i'm in my second year of University, i think it's very important for me to start looking for work experience within the media industry in order for me to come out of the degree with not only a qualification in Media Professional Studies, but also relevant work experience that will strengthen my chances of actually getting a job in the media much more likely. Last week we were emailed about placement opportunities at Lime Pictures for a 2 week experience so instantly i thought this is something that i'm very interested in and because the placement is paid, it motivated me even more to apply. Lime Pictures are offering roles such as 3rd Assistant Director, Camera, Sound, Runner, Lighting and Digital Media so i will be applying for at least 2 of these positions. Which ones, i'll tell you if i get it! I think this experience will be one to remember seeing as it would be my first look into the televison industry on a work based premise. Wish me luck!

Progress so far for Transmedia Activism Task

During our free time from lectures, me and my team member for the first Convergence Media Teamwork task thought it would be beneficial for us to come into uni and start working on the assessment. From the research we had gathered in the first session (shown below) we added some more facts and inspirational viral campaigns in hope that they would give us more of an idea of what elements are needed for a successful campaign.
From the research that i had found myself on alcohol abuse campaigns, i noticed that the still image aspect worked most successfully when putting audiences in the position where they feel concious about their actions. For example the image you see below with the male and female, says 'Give me a glass in the face, a six-inch scar and a bag of salted peanuts.' therefore creating a sense of sarcasm along with adding a serious element, as no one really wants a glass in their face or a six-inch scar. From this me and my team member decided it would be useful to use this sort of imagery in order to start off our campaign in the most effective way.

We eventually put all of the research we had both collated and collected into a Powerpoint, ready for the 5 minute progress presentation this coming Thursday. Details include what brief we have decided to go with, a list of links we have visited, videos we have watched and what our ideas are for our own campaign. The image above shows a few slides from the presentation.. so far it's looking good! I'll keep you posted :)

Submission of Team Report

Yesterday was a very stressful and long day! The final assignment for Digital Media Cultures had been set a few weeks back and involved the reading and knowledge from 5 different articles/books/journals in order to write up a dissertation synopsis. However, as the reading involved took a while to get through, we were left with little time to actually write up the 1000 words needed to complete the assignment. As i mentioned in my previous blog about this assignment, our topic was based on Globalization however, as this topic was relatively new to me as i hadn't chosen this topic to study in my first assignment, a lot more time was spent on making sure i grasped the concept of Globalization and what different authors/writers had to say about the issue.
Unfortunately it wasn't until the day of submission until i had got majority of the synopsis complete, therefore i would say that it was quite rushed and wasn't as clear as it could have been with more time spent on writing the report itself, rather than just reading.
Hopefully my mark for this assignment won't be affected too badly by the poor conclusion that was left till last minute and i scrape a 2:1! Wish me luck!

Transmedia Project

Last week we were set the brief for our first assignment of the Convergence Media Teamwork module. As we have been learning about the ins and outs of transmedia activism, narrative structures and storytelling, the brief has been split into two parts of which we can choose to complete one task.
The brief me and my team-mate have decided to go with is the Transmedia Activism one, which asks us to negotiate a theme/issue/cause in which we must explore alongside planning and creating a set of media assets and a structure of threads that allow users to participate in (collective action rather than passive consumption). My reasons for deciding to go with this task is because i believe i am more creative in terms of coming up with different ideas and 'assets' to pitch in a presentation rather than creating a story itself.

As the issue of drugs, whether that be smoking or alcohol, is one that is constantly in the news and media, my group member and i have decided to use this topic as the basis for our transmedia campaign. We have already started to mind-map and create vague ideas of what our campaign will involve which will include issues of pregnancy, binge drinking, age, gender and behaviour which i'm sure will grab the attention of anyone who sees our finished presentation/piece.

Globalization and Transmedia

The second and final assignment for Digital Media Cultures has been set and involves the task of working in a group of 4 to complete a 2000 word report. The report entails two parts; a dissertation synopsis and a literature review which will both be completed in pairs. As me and my group member Mollie have chosen to do the dissertation synopsis, it is required that we read 5 journal articles that relate to our chosen topic of Globalization, tied in with Transmedia.
The initial thought of having to write a dissertation synopsis overwhelmed me a little as i realised how quick time is passing by before I actually have to start preparing myself for what my dissertation question is going to be based upon. However, on the positive side i'm glad i have this task at hand as it puts me at an advantage as i will have a vague idea of what to expect when writing up my dissertation and what research i will have to endure. Readings such as Globalization, Development and The Mass Media and Here There and Everywhere have assisted me in making notes and gaining knowledge for the synopsis me and my partner will soon have to write up. I will keep you posted on how i get along!