Final Reflections from DMA

Reflecting on the overall DMA Course-
                     
                     When I first started this term, I had no knowledge or idea of the work that I would be getting myself into.I had no idea of Digital Media, nor any information on New Media. I did not know how to make a video composition, a sound composition- although I dabbled pretty hard but never got anywhere. But I do now. I have learned about Digital media, and what my knowledge in this can do for me. My eyes have been opened to the power of New Media, and how an artist can bring  something new and creative in many different forms to the world to bring enrichment. The biggest thing for me, is knowing that Art, can come in many different forms, shapes, and sizes and its cause can be for many different things and its affect can be greatly influenced because of all of this stuff. I would like to focus more on sound composition and music recording in the future. I think that this is a great medium for me, and I have a lot of ideas in this field. I just need time to be able to bring them to fruition. I think this goes hand and hand with my life as an artist, and as a student. I must stay on top of secular issues, and approach things in a passionate but emphatic human manner. I wish to continue learning, and growing in my new media studies.

Reflecting on a Selection of Spring Semester Courses-
                         
                           Reflecting on DMA and Composition 2 along with Stage Combat and Acting 1B. I am shocked that so many of my classes do in fact overlap. I never really took the time sit and reflect on how much impact each class on the other class until now. My acting class of course connects with my stage combat class. They both build on my actor training, starting at the basics of craft, build towards technique, staying in the moment, and focusing on my partner. Those are the things they have in common, and they tie over into my Comp 2 and DMA classes. My comp 2 class this semester focused on topics such as Fairy tales over into Pan's Labyrinth. My DMA class this semester taught me alot about new media. In both these classes they share, Research and self education, Personal interest in the subject matter,and New Media topics. In all of these classes they overall prepare my actor Training, focus on Craft and technique, and New Media. I am very grateful for this.

Final Project/ Research Question

Introduction- With this project I wanted to focus on actors- more importantly young actors and the affects of gender advertising. Being an actor myself, I know first hand of the dangers that lie in feeling inadequate,not beautiful or handsome, and not feeling like I will make it. I have felt at times, that I will never be successful in this profession- which I now don't even care about, because I just want to act Period. Or that I don't even want to be in this profession anymore. So I based my research question of of something that I felt close with and something that I felt has importance. My research question- Does Gender Advertising Negatively affect young actors...? My flow/Concept Map Image- Work Cited- http://www.genderads.com/ This is a website database that has a lot of information of gender advertising. It has every single image out there, grouped into specific catagories... It's pretty great. http://www.listal.com/list/actors-of-our-future I thought this would be useful to get an idea of who are specific young actors and actresses that may be affected by gender advertising. http://www.mediaed.org/assets/products/238/transcript_238.pdf This pdf document has a list of popular shows and movies that have specific gander effecting things. Everything from the film, ''Boys Don't Cry.'' to ''The L Word''. http://www.startips.com/ This is basically, a how to, on starting a child acting career. Video Exercises The Literacy rational,which is defined as the ability to read/interpret and write and compose in video format. This was a new and unique challenge for me to grasp, because video- is not a field that I am used to working in. But, basically, having an idea and following through with it, is something that I learned from this. In this week's study, I searched and gathered information from the Archive, a huge online database/ library and took two separate videos,and a sound bite to create something like a new media composition. Also working with a new program like Camtasia, taught me a lot. The assignment was to create a video double exposure and a parallel video. The process for me, as I stated before was pretty challenging because I have never edited, yet along filmed a video before. So I had to figure it out as I went along, added to my educational adventure. But my original ideas was to use something Parkour related, as it is a big passion of mine. So I searched up this, along with FreeRunning on the Archive database and surprisingly a lot came up. So with the two videos that I found, one was an older one. One from the days when I first got interested, and the other video was one from this past year. So I decided to use those two, to sort of show the evolution that the art form has made.Showing what it was, to what it now is/ has become. The double exposure was exciting, and so was the Parallel. The only thing that I wish I could have done better, is that one of my video files, sort of got messed up during uploading. But I am enthusiastic about my finished product. Research Oriented Video Composition- I think I would love to explore something of inspiring, and informative research composition in the near future. Project Video Composition- For this project, I focuses on my research topic-child actors and Advertising.I wanted the piece to be inspiring and I wanted something that would have a message. Luckily the pieces that I found online in the Archive, were both interesting. One piece was a video slideshow of famous child actors, and the other was a talk on Talent. I put them both together, showing mainly the images of the child actors and actresses, but I wanted to focus the sound on the talk on talent. I blended both of the audio tracks together, but set it so that more of the talk on talent could be heard, so I had to go in and set and tweak the volume in different sections. I am happy with the turn out, and I think that it is a cute and informative video for people to watch.

End of Unit Blog Reflection

Initially, the 3D definition of Professionalism is something that makes sense. Professionalism is one thing that I recognize as the foundation for an Artist's career. The sort of first dimension being training, always approaching yourself and work to better and have a professional attitude. The second dimension, pushing beyond the training. Being creative, and always working at something, which works into the third one. I think this is a great way to complete the whole thing.

I learned some pretty interesting stuff in this unit. For one thing, Audacity. Audacity has always been something I was interested in because I love to write and sing music. But I never really learned how to use it. I find it funny, how I actually ended up learning how to use it because of school. Which is something that I USED to never see myself doing. But I really had to crack down on it in this unit.

I decided to work with a creative track. Because I feel research is something that I will always be doing. But the creating gets me going. So I got a theme of Friendship. Which is something that I think is really important, especially in life. Relationships, Careers, and happiness... are things that I think are due in part from friendships.
I got an idea to record a song. Or at least attempt it. I thought about what I could work with. I wrote some lyrics about a crush, or a girl that I would have a crush on. Sort of embodying it all. Then I thought about working with my friends. So I recorded the piece in the open, with my friends, so that I could get them talking about work and I could get the natural sound of a busy place. It really added a different dimension. Sometimes the take/ recording would be bad, because the sounds that I wanted, weren't really what I was looking for. But I just started over. The overall thing came together completely.

Overall, I feel the piece and my work is good. I am happy with it. I enjoy that I had an idea and followed through with it. I didn't change it, because it wasn't working out. I followed through with it. I really learned  more about what it takes to make a real project. It takes patience, and time. I think I was working on it for hours... but that is just what I takes I guess. That is the beauty of it. Of course if I were to make this a reall song of mine to show to people... I would put more touches on it, and make it longer and go back and write more lyrics. It still needs more work, and I plan to finish it and show later...  But I am happy with it.   Thanks.

DMA Sound Compositions

Working with new media audio composing really taught me a lot about the power sounds have. It has taught me that what we hear, and what we think we hear are two totally different things. The meaning, subject, and also... the way it sounds changes dramatically with the smallest change. During this process of creating, I really had to think about my daily life, and what that would sound like, as well as my artistic life. I thought about running, and then Shaskespeare. Two of my favorite things. While constructing my pieces I even learned something about the recording program Audacity. Things are looking up.
 Links to audio compositions- https://soundcloud.com/user966462/dma-sound-parallel-final
https://soundcloud.com/user966462/dma-double-exposure

For my professional artistic future, I think a more creatively oriented audio project would have a lot of gumption. It would challenge me, and only allow me to get better...

Fundamental Foundations of DMA

1.Actively Recall 
    Content Summary-
Up until this point, I have worked with two major units.The first two units of study consist of- Working Online and Basic of new-media composing. For me, DMA has taught me to explore new things as an artist. DMA has giving me a better knowledge and understanding of new technology and learning to work online.
     Four Exemplars- 
Sacrificial Poets, JR, Katerina Cizek, and Aaron Koblin were four examples that were used to give me a specific example of artist's that use new media and other examples of digital media with their work. They are taking a typical application of something, such as the internet or website, or platform and turning it into something bigger and better. They see an opportunity and are taking advantage of it. Koblin is taking a platform and giving people the opportunity to create something new from it. I believe this says a lot about new media in itself.
     My image Compositions-
One thing that I got from working online and with new media/ digital media is that images say a lot. Especially when images have words. Images and digital media has become an essential part of an artist's and our worldly culture. The first assignment was to create images about my daily forms of composing. I found a lot of composing whenever I would run, or workout or do  Parkour Training, I would be composing- as well as artistically. The first images, side-by-side were images of me composing called a Diptych, after that was the transparent image, and later a new image of my composed transparent image with writing. This eventually led up to a final image of my choosing about a special topic.I learned a lot about new media composing from this, and the worth that images have. While learning about Pixlr, an image editor.  My images are posted below....


       Website and blog
 I created a website to serve as an online portfolio, showing work that I have done, and that I will do and created a blog to serve as a place to be a breeding ground for the work that I am doing in my DMA class. This showed me a lot about web-presence and how I/ and others perceive my online reputation. I learned that I control my web-presence.
      Facebook Contributions-
Facebook has shown me a lot of great things. I have had a lot of opportunities to post my ideas and responses about the main two focuses-working online and new media composing. It has allowed me to put my own thoughts as well as collaborating with my peers. The whole process has strengthened my web presence in a great way.
 It has also allowed me to see the work that my peers are doing, such as their new media compositions. The Facebook posts that I think that I learned the most from were the ones that were about new media composing. 
2. Briefly Summarize-
With exploring the two main units of focus, I have learned a lot about Working online- Exploring data, Gathering data, and Learning and Using the data, as well as New media composing- which was exploring new media artists as well as composing my own personal images. Learning about special topics and how artists can be creative and be proactive with their work .
3. Topics that have jumped out-
My favorite work thus far has been creating my own image compositions. But I really enjoyed the work of Aaron Kovlin. I found that he was creative and really important. Specifically, when he talked about the music video for Arcade Fire, where each person watching could create their own experience. It keeps generating and composing itself. It is a huge collaborative experience. 
4.Make Connections-
 One connection that makes sense to me is that with Kovlin's ideas, it makes a connection with my art and craft. Acting is all about touching people. Along with collaborating and connecting with people. I realize the importance of this in my life. 
5.Asses-
  I feel my overall work is heading in the right direction. My compositions have really showed me a lot that I can do, and need to do. I try to put my best foot forward and do the work that I know that I can achieve. One thing that sticks out to me, is that it takes me learning it completely, ingraining it into my mind. 
6.Identify-
 I need to get more creative. My image compositions are fun, but I feel I can go deeper. Also I feel I can collaborate more. In my work, and also on posts. 

Project Write Up

  Project Write Up

 This is my Project write up for working online and creating a blog and an online portfolio. First things first I posted on the DMA Group on Facebook and talked about my ideas on intentional and unintentional web-presence. Where I took a look at my life and reputation online whether intentional stuff or unintentional stuff that I have in the vast electrical world. Looking at this as well as some insight to my peers has shone we that web presence no matter intentional or unintentional is basically your reputation and how you are seen online. So my web-presence has became a personal responsibility.
One of the second things that I had to do was create a website on Google sites. This website is to serve as my online portfolio.When I had the site created a personal introduction and uploaded a photo. Then Next I had to create a blog on the blogger platform to serve as a place where I gather project write-ups and media artifacts for my DMA class. 
Here are links to my blog and online portfolio.
http://quintariusjacksondma.blogspot.com/
quintariusjacksoncom
1.Reflection-
 When talking about my ideas on intentional and unintentional web- presence I realized especially for myself, that my web-presence no matter intentional or unintentional is how I am viewed on the internet. It is my reputation and only I can be responsible for that. One specific example of my web presence is my Facebook profile. I noticed how I let anyone post pictures of me on there, while I never really post pictures of myself. But I must be aware of my power to delete or un-tag things the I feel damage my presence online.
When creating my online portfolio on Google sites I was overwhelmed at first. But with the help of the tutorial videos I got through it. Then with creating my blog, I was very confused. Because at first I didn't understand how to add and create things so that I could personalize it. Also I did not really know that there was the main blog page and then a main personal/ main editing page. 
2. Value to my education-
I feel that for my over all education as an artist and as a person this project was useful. I feel that exploring how I work online has left me with better understanding and an ability to do work in the future greater and faster. I understand that my online portfolio can be a great tool and resource; I like the simple fact that I can have all of the work that I have and will create in one place. From papers to big projects and things of that sort. Also professionally it can be a great home base for me. Contacts and experiences to resume stuff and much more. As for my blog, I think it will be a great tool for me to stay organized and keep my stuff and ideas together. Also I'll be able to look back and see how I am progressing.
3. Application and use
One thing that comes to mind, regarding online portfolios and blogs, is how I could use an online blog for a play or show I am doing. The blog could be open to the entire cast and crew and they could post notes and ideas after or before rehearsals.It can show the notes from the past, and allow a universal clear view of how to progress forward. It would an interesting way to stay organized and keep every person involved with the show on top of their game. Because with  more enlightened view that I have of the internet, I know that everyone would  use it all the time. It could be like a ''Facebook group'' for important things.
4. Patterns and Problems-
The main thing concerning me and the problems and solutions I ran into was that I had to realize that I was working online. I am so used to going somewhere, like rehearsal place for instance, and being in that space helped me to focus. But this was different and it I was very easily distracted from time to time. But I just had to build up a sense of focus.
5. Self assessment-
I feel that with this project I did really good. I really focused on the overall goals and even tried to pay attention to the smaller ones. If I were to rate myself  on a scale of 1 to 10, one being terribly bad and two being great I would rate myself at an 9. Only because I got the work done, and on time. But I feel like I did not personalize blog enough even though I did. Also I feel like I could have procrastinated less.
6. Improvement-
One of the first things that I want to do is improve the overall look of my blog and personalize it more. Also add more work that I have already done to my online portfolio. But the biggest thing for me, in regards of improvement is that I would not wait so late to do my work. I would procrastinate less. Even though my schedule is extremely busy, I would rather do a little bit each day rather that on one night.
Overall, I am pleased with the work that I have done with this project. I think that it has taught me a lot about the internet, but most importantly how to work online and how to work within time limits and planning. The career of acting as I am learning, is just as much about planning as it is acting. So this was great. I love where I am with my blog, and the work that I added to my portfolio, and I can't wait to see where my future works lead me. Thanks.p

Hello,

  This is the first post to my blog. I plan to post more interesting stuff soon.