Un Idioma Visual

Storyboard

Project 3 Proposal

My literacy narrative will be about the time I was told, "someone like you will never get anywhere in life," because I was an immigrant with a heavy accent in a predominately White institution. As a result, I resorted to writing and jewelry making as a way to tell my story. I first started out with small poems, and basic rubber band bracelets. But as my poems matured, so did my jewelry, and I began to pair up poems with different types of jewelry pieces. Now, I have noticed the stages of my life through my writing and my jewelry.

Sequence I wish to use:
1. What my teacher told me
2. Dealing with it by writing
3. Making Jewelry to fight off my anger
4. Developing more mature poems
5. Jewelry getting more complex
6. Performing Spoken word
7. Matching my jewelry pieces with the themes in my poetry
8. Shaping my identity as an artist

Draft of Project 2

Upon getting my comments back from my web text analysis, I realized that I need to organize the visuals in a way that proportions are consistent. Because I kept the original format of my website, I am struggling with setting the limitations/border height/width. I think that because not everything is the same size, I might add the posters to the powerpoint, and see if that works best. Also, since the powerpoint might not play my videos, I can rearrange it for the videos to be next to the powerpoint. Since the videos are on youtube, I am going to have to make sure that the powerpoint and the video are the same size. This is definitely going to be a challenge, especially since I will be using both videos and posters.

My Sources

A Multimodal Annotated Source List, Part I

Official Coca-Cola “Big Game” Commercial 2014
This source is a short-clip from a commercial that aired during the 2014 Superbowl. Right after it aired, it raised a lot of controversy, as people spoke in different languages, and comments regarding living in “America” and speaking English began to spark. This is an important source because it highlights all types of migrants, as opposed to focusing on one group. Because it was aired in a popular and national sporting event, the commercial received immense amount of views, so it will help me understand what popular perception is.

Server—Commercial from fwd.comThis source was produced by the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, which places it at a unique position in social media, as the producer owns one of the biggest social media outlets. This commercial is good at highlighting the experience of one immigrant, but may be weak at portraying other migrants, especially on the basis of age, gender, and migratory status.

Family Guy
Instead of taking an entire episode of Family Guy,  my analysis will focus on an 18 second clip that addresses “border-crossing”. The clip will be helpful because it is an animated perspective of migrants. I can talk about the migrant experience in a humorous perspective because Family Guy opens that space, but I am unsure if it may weaken the argument. However, it can also strengthen it. Because this commercial is about creative expression, it will be drastically analyzed compared to the past 2.

Fairimmigrationreform.org PosterThis source portrays two different family images, which are great assets to concentrate on. The idea of family unity is obvious at the top with the two mothers and their daughter being held in their arms. This is an asset because it triggers emotion. I could take part of the poster and analyze it, and then compare it to the other poster.

BrokenCountry.com MemeThis meme also invokes humor based on the format. The asset would be the quotation, as it is strictly making a comment on “immigration reform”, and the text is all capitals, and huge, clearly calling for attention. The image will be good to contrast the image before.

Part 2: Because the videos are taken from YouTube, they have become immediately accessible to the audience. According to the literature in the Ethics of Collecting Sources and Assets chapter of Writer/Designer, I believe that I can use these sources for educational purposes. In addition, these are sources taken from mainstream media, and most were also produced by mainstream media for the purpose of mass sharing.

Webtext Organizing

Analyzing Marcus’s Web Text portal, I enjoyed seeing the black background and the solid white text. The most effective part of his outlet is that the text is at a great size that doesn’t stress me out when I see it. I also like that he includes a box with an image in every section, and is consistent. I would have probably liked to see more visuals, because I think that I understand things better when I see photos and motions. The alignment and arrangement were cohesive, and the use of the same tab bar in every page looks very professional.

Looking at Shannon’s webpage, I like her coding, and when I click on the Webtext Analysis tab, it directs me to an entirely new page. While the page has a similar feel to that of Marcus’s, I feel that the colors he sticked to and the font style and size are more effective. I like that Shannon had all of her webtexts on the same page, as it makes it easier to compare and contrast one another. In looking at the placement of objects, I am not sure about the color she used for her “Project 2: Multimodal Analyses of Webtext” title.  I would have liked to see her webtext analysis stay in the same format as her website, as it was very original and stylistic.

Ali’s analysis and set up is by far my favorite. I think that the use of color and text adds to the emphasis of recycling. When I click on the tabs, there is a sense of cohesion because each element is highlighted through the arrows, and explained. For example, the summary at the top of each page sets the precedence for what the rest of the project will look like.

For my project, I hope to maintain the layout on my website, but try to use the space as Ali did to explain the visuals. The reason why I want to maintain my website is because it has the dark background, like that of Marcus’s, and I see it as very effective. Something else to think about is if I want to take some screenshots of different parts of the videos I am analyzing, or just have the video up for people to watch, and hope that they can remember what scenes I talk about when. 

Visibility of Immigrants in the US

Let's take a look at how immigrants are represented in videos and posters. 

For this project, I will be analyzing the representation of migrants in the United States. The first two videos were produced by international corporations, each with a different style in mind-- one focusing on the immigrant community as a whole, and the other focusing on one story. I will then look at popular television, Family Guy, and analyze the impact it has on people's politics as well as humor. The two last posters focus on local art/memes to analyze modern culture and expression. 

Coca-Cola Commercial:

taken from youtube 

FWD Commercial- Produced by Mark Zuckerberg:

taken from youtube

Family Guy talks Immigration:

taken from youtube

Immigration Poster 1: 

taken from fairimmigration.org, Fair Immigration Reform Movement, a national coalition of grassroots organizations fighting for immigrant rights at the local, state and federal level.

Immigration Poster 2: 

taken from BrokenCountry.com, a perspective on news, politics, and current events from the right side of the left coast

Emphasis-Contrast-Organization-Alignment-Proximity

 

 

1.      My attention is automatically given to the notepad in the video. Although there are a significant amount of potential distractions in the video, the strategies that the author uses to emphasize the notepad are effective (i.e.: nothing else is moving but the pen, there is enough allotted time to read what each illustration is stating/ portraying, etc.).

2.      The moment when the woman disappears can be classified as emphasis because it stresses the idea that the “process” of the illustrations are over, and now the audience must read them to fully understand what is going on. The two different pages—“Digital Rights Management/ Digital Robbing Maniacs” and “Criminal”— are also the only images with writing, which is a mode of communication that needs to be read, so the stillness and the disappearance of the woman is an effective strategy

3.      The sound on the video goes well with the visuals because it has a mysterious/adventurous feel. For example, the music goes the best with the second illustration, which reads “Criminal”, as the music is something that would be expected to come out of an action film. By appealing to the senses, the composition and emotional emphasis are effective throughout the clip.

 

1.      The text and the background do contrast, as the text is easy to read (very dark background against complementing, light font). Although the man is walking in the background, the use of color saturation was good so that it was not a distraction.

a.       The big square shows the audience that attention should be only on what is in the square

b.      The moving letters force the audience to read the description, because if the audience does not, then they will miss the purpose— to give information and encourage undergraduate students to apply to "The Jump".

2.      Now that the solid background is back, it allows those that are interested in applying to “The Jump” to place all of their energy on the instructions. If the background motions were still included, there would be a greater chance that instructions would not be followed and/or appear confusing. By fully emphasizing the text, the filmmakers are trying to send out clear and direct instructions in a small amount of time.

3.      For a flyer, I would probably do something in the first 20-30 seconds: have a background with a type writer/ journal and maybe Dan. However, that would just be the background and there would be a solid block to contrast it and place all eyes on the block. Inside the block, there would be la description (as short of one as I can) about what the purpose is, instructions and who to speak in person with. if there are social media links, I would provide those as well.

 

 The following photographs have a story, can you tell what it is?

1. At a young age, if we are privileged enough to be part of the education system, we are taught to count, and the power in numbers. At first is just 1+1 = 2

2. As we grow older, we begin to read the meter, and time becomes a priority, we need to know how to count it, and use it well

3. When we enter the workforce, we are introduced to the idea of “modernity”, where we begin to use quantitative and qualitative modes of imperialism, globalization and industrialization

4. We can get so carried away that we ourselves are priced and become capitalist statistics

5. Is this the American way?

 

 

1.      The Alignment of the letters intrigues me to wonder what other scenes will be like in the sequence. Because the letters are dwindling down a dark page, the alignment has a mysterious appeal. In addition, because the words are timed, the reader is forced to read them fast.

2.      The "Earth" scene is consistent in aligning each word and placing them in the same spot. This is a good visual effect as it does not have the audience skim all over the page to see where the next word will be coming from. Some of the elements that I focus on the most are the letters that are in yellow, because I feel that it's odd and there's probably a deeper reason to why some letters are highlighted. The background noise helps pair up visuals with sounds to create a more holistic scene. The upside down mood and color scheme is elements that seem purposefully there. As a result, if those elements were changed, then the alignment of the words would not have the same effect.

3.      Since the lines in the poem are aligned to the left, they give the reader something to follow visually. The importance of this is that the scene opens up with the geese flying atop, but then the words dropping down take ownership of the piece to highlight the poet. Unfortunately, the system is not allowing me to hear the background noise in this scene, so I cannot answer the questions about the audio track.

4.      The curvature of the words make the tears literally drip out of the eye-- the words are the tears. Because the words are coming from the bags of the eyes, it creates a cool visual that also aligns to waves. Again, I cannot hear what the man in the audio track is saying, but the effect that the words make at the end when it turns into the moon make the entire visual. If the words did not fall into the moon, then the reader would question the creative design based on cohesion and logic of how things fit in together.

5.      Because the three scenes are not aligned, the text does not highlight one over the other, nor does it specify in what order to watch the scenes. This alignment puts the audience in power by giving them the option of what they wish to see and when. This may be more appealing because the audience is part of the visual and not just the observer.

 

 

 

 

 

For the book cover to the left, I decided to group like-minded elements typographically, by placing them close together. For example, the title, The Seagull, is in big letters at the top, followed by a subheading, explaining what the text will be about. Directly underneath, there is an actual photograph of a seagull, which just adds to aesthetics. Completely separate, the author’s name is displayed on the center bottom, which creates the distinction between elements. A potential limitation in this cover is the use of space, and the fact that everything is centered. I wonder if further experimentation, where the different corners are used, would create a more effective and pleasing cover.

 

 **all of the section headings were taken from Google Images

 



College Websites: Oh boy!

I do not own the rights to this: found on google.com

So, when I go to look at my school's website, I have to navigate through multiple circles, speed bumps and that sudden "Stop" sign that's been covered by a tree branch. However, this is probably a typical view on university websites. When I was transferring from Lasell College, I was visiting websites in search of downloadable applications, since I prefer paper applications over generic on-line ones, and I found myself having to "Yield" and check the MPH I was skimming the websites. I would actually agree-- with figure 2.2 provided by Chapter 2: "Analyzing Multimodal Projects"-- that university websites are at times, weak at providing students and prospective students the direct services needed. For example, surfing through the Fairfield University website, I cannot easily access a list of majors and the classes needed for that academic concentration. Instead, I will find news about Fairfield successes, which are definitely relevant to me, as they give the institution rigor, but the reality is that I have a need as a student that's being hindered by the image that the web-host provider is "selling" to parents, sponsors, and the alumni that fund the institution. With this said, I believe that the university has tactfully designed their website for a specific audience, which happen to be the ones that can provide the financial stability to effectively run a private institution. This is not bad, it maintains the institution funded, and provides a place for students to express themselves, at the cost of a navigational "hide-and-seek" game. 

taken from http://www.berkeley.edu

What's the front page like? 

Screenshot from http://www.berkeley.edu

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According to figure 2.2, the University of California at Berkeley has: 

• Full name of school
• Alumni in the news
• Promotion for campus events
• Press releases (in the form of a blog) 
• Statement of School Philosophy (on the right hand side photo and a deeper understanding on the tab to the left)

but it does not have: 

• Campus photo slideshow
• Letter from the president 
• and a visual tour

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Although the UC Berkeley website does not include all the "generics" from figure 2.2, it does include these outstanding perks: 

• One main image that does not constantly change 
• A bold statement that exhibits a sense of rigor and academic pride
• A diverse amount of information 
• Tabs that are easy to navigate 
• A direct link to the "directory" 
• Strong use of color that will translate well to an iPad, cellphone, kindle, etc. 
• and all these fabulous social media tools: 

             

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So what's the purpose?

The answer is simple, this website is a direct outlet for prospective students and the current students. It's so brief that one will not waste time looking around. The use of color, visuals, texts, links and tabs is user friendly, preventing a significant technological divide. 

Chapter 1: What are Multimodal Projects

Hmmm... 

There is a definite difference in the word "multimodal" and "multimedia". For example, when a piece is "multimodal", it means that there were more than one effects (of communication) playing: a photograph (visual) with moving words (text). To distribute this piece, one could use multimedia by creating a video that goes well with the photo and words. The multimedia is more dependent on the person creating the piece, rather than the multimodal piece which is more dependent of the appearance and what it invokes on the given audience. However, this does not mean that "multimodal" and "multimedia" cannot exist together. They are, in fact, independent and interdependent of each other.

Linguistic Mode: 

The word choice in the statement released by the White House is very particular, as the release uses the phrase, "people of Japan", as opposed to, "Japanese". This word choice is due to the organization of the statement. To avoid repetition, the statement precedes by using the phrase, "Japanese friends". This pairing of word choice and organization equate to a coherent message from the White House, where the U.S. reads as genuinely concerned with the events occurring in Japan. Another instance where the statement demonstrates intentional language is through the organization of events: briefing the President on developments and responses, which is directly followed by the President taking action that stands in solidarity with those in Japan. 

Visual Mode:

Analyzing Cheryl E. Ball and Kristin Arola’s twitter, I am drawn to Ball’s more than Arola’s because the colors in Ball’s have a very nice contrast. In addition to this, Arola’s twitter colors are very light and playful, but she has no photo, instead, it is an icon of a panda. In my perspective, Ball’s twitter allows me to automatically connect because I see a face picture. Another important visual is that the dark background allows me to better focus on the tweets and retweets of Ball’s page, but the lighter background in Arola’s does not allow such an easy navigation of the content. I think that a twitter page can give perspective into the personalities of the person behind the screen, especially with the types of pictures tweeted. For example, I would assume that Ball is a serious academic, as the pictures to the left appear to be of conferences/academic spaces. I Arola’s twitter, however, the pictures appear to be comical, hinting a more nonchalant personality. 

Aural Mode: 

The music used in this piece is in the least of words, creative. The use of color allows the eye to follow the story of the green circle and the different things that it can become. As a result, elements on the page are highlighted in relation to others (i.e.: the green circle and the teacher/artist. The tone of the voice is soft without too much silence. I think that the volume of the song may be a bit too high, but it is effective. If the song were changed to a different genre like country music, then the piece would change, as it would most likely be highlighting country music more than open creativity. 

Spatial Mode: 

The Fairfield University webpage uses a well thought out arrangement. For example, the rotating slideshow represents a good use of the space, but there are only 3 photographs being rotated, which may not necessarily take full advantage of the space. However, the person who designed the page was very strategic in sticking to a strict color scheme, whiz is representative of the university, showing consistency and a level of professionalism. The tabs above appear easy to navigate and aesthetically appealing. The two boxes to the right of the webpage highlight important information to two different audiences: prospective students (i.e.: Come for a Campus Visit), and enrolled students (i.e.: my.fairfield mobile box). Below is the "University News" and "Events" list which is smaller, but still important, as they link to other institutional portals. 

Gestural Mode: 

As I was watching, "The President and Vice President Speak on Preventing Sexual Assault" video, I noticed that the VP used his right hand for hand gestures. However, the President continually used both hands. Both hand gestures were effective. I did notice that the President used the "ball" trick, which is a public speaking gem where one pretends to be holding a ball in the hand (i.e.: yoga ball, pebble, basketball). Because the video is televised, it only shows from the head to the chest, but the facial expressions seem serious and professional, which should be expected from the President.