THE ONTECA CHALLENGE - PART II

Researching Freemium and Premium business models and considering cultural probes for participatory research

This is just a very quick blog of some pointers I'm using to base my research on for the AMR group module.

I intend to share this with the rest of the research team and I am looking to design and print a number of A5 sized notebooks similar to that of an iPad 2 GUI, or iPhone depending on the preferred device of the target demographic.  The results of this will be incorporated into a prezi -style presentation towards the end of the module.

At the moment, this blog entry exists as a Q and A list for the team's reference:

Designing a cultural probe

Q How many users will be included in the cultural probe research excercise?  10

Q What are we trying to find out?  App usage habits and how people respond to Freemium games and apps

Q How long will the study last? We will expect users to participate for 7-10 days for the cultural probe research element

Q Do they think they are value for money?  If not, how much is it worth.

If it is free, is this considered value for money?

Q Do the adverts and prompts to in-app purchase stuff affect gameplay? Does this alter whether they think ‘free’ is actually value for money.

Q Would they rather pay for a premium app which unlocks everything?

Q What attracted them to the app in the first place?

Q What apps have they downloaded for free?

Q How will they record the information?  Notebook printed to look like an iPad

Q How long did they keep the app for?

Q How much was the app used?

Q Was the app deleted again after download if they became dis-satisfied?

Q If they became dis-satisfied, was it due to Boredom?  Difficulty? Poor Gameplay?  Poor graphics?  Sound?

Q When they chose to download the item, what attracted them to it? Was it the app badge icon? Was it the price?

Q What type of apps are downloaded? Games, utilities, fun stuff?

Q How often are they used?

Q Where are they used? On the train, At home, Whilst out socializing, visiting friends and family?

Q How did they find out about the app?

Q Are they more likely to download if it is recommended by their friends?

Q Within a social context, if others in the group already have the app (eg mates in a pub) Are they more inclined to pay to download, compared to if they are using the app on their own?

to be continued...

TV STUDIO 3

The Dark side of the Noon

Interview and demo shooting

Title Screen and Cue Card Graphic

 

Presenters Josie and Michael interviewing our guest psychic reader - Note the inclusion of purple lighting tones and set design for aesthetic purposes to match the font and general dark side feel to the show.

Shot from my perspective as the production team's TV studio floor manager and camera operator (CAM 2)

On set with Camera Operator Emma and presenter Josie

 

BRITAIN IN AN OPEN DAY

Britain In An Open Day

 

As a thank you for my involvement with the BBC's Britain In A Day project, I was invited to attend an open day comprising of workshops and seminars relating to both the project and working for the BBC.

Keen readers of this blog will hopefully have read my other blog entries relating to this project which date back to November 2011.  Feel free to use the search engine on the right for more info... 

BBC Quay House, Media City, Salford, Manchester...my future employer!

Historical day for more than one reason.  My visit co-incided with the initial aftermath of the George Entwistle resignation coverage.  Their own headline on News 24 shown on this monitor reads: BBC IN CRISIS

This was a most amazing experience and I am looking forward to returning here again in the near Future (Future Media and Digital...fingers crossed) Watch this space (whether that be in your living room, on your wall, on your notebook, your netbook, your tablet or your smartphone!)

DARK SIDE TITLE COMPOSITION ELEMENTS

Dark Side Photoshop elements

This piece utilised some further examples of my own photography.  The Liver building image was reproduced, cropped and masked to help create a looming atmospheric foreground element.  I wanted the title screen to express an iconic Liverpool landmark which would be immediately identifiable to the audience (read more)  

I felt it was appropriate to use the Liver building depicting an appropriate time on the clock's face (around noon).  If you look closely, the time is about 13:18.

The lunar eclipse was and idea I had in mind from the beginning.  I wanted to show this as a visual represntation of the dark side of the noon.  What I imagined a true alternative liverpool lunchtime may look like.

The purple tone of the font would be incorporated into the material used in our set design. (read more)

THE ONTECA CHALLENGE

The Onteca Challenge (not to be confused with Mosteca Corral)

So, after much deliberation I decided to move away from concentrating initially on the Digital Fiction Factory question as it was proving to be the most popular of the three and I decided to choose question two as my preference for the researching and presentation assignment for the Applied Media Research module.

When Onteca provided their powerpoint presentation, I felt I could relate to everything straight away and I really felt engaged.  It all made complete sense and I found it very interesting.  Being born in the late 1970s, I myself have visited many an arcade, owned many a computer, played many a console and like most other people nowadays, have naturally progressed onto many a mobile device.

Fittingly, my iphone cover, (which at the time of the Onteca visit was laid out on the desk in front of me) is in the style of an 80's NES gamepad. 

 

I felt my age again because I think I was the only person in the room conscious of it and perhaps much of the room had no experience of the original 'NES'.

Onteca compared the relatively new concept of app-purchasing/digital downloading (call it what you want) to 1970s arcades or coin-ops.  An odd comparison, you may ask? Well not really.  

The two are comparatively similar in so far as the user pays a small amount of money for a limited amount of gameplay, but there is an addictive element which just keeps bringing you back for more.  I understood this straight away.  The penny had dropped...(insert 10p to continue)

So, due to advances in technology and cultural trends, it seems we are in the midst of a massive digital revolution.  We knew this anyway, right?  P2P filesharing damaged the music industry, e-books are damaging the publishing industry and what next?  Free apps are destroying the gaming industry?  Maybe.

However, it is evident that although the way people are consuming media (small value purchases but on a mass scale) has changed dramatically since the mass production and distribution of 'physical' consumerism, people still want stuff.  This time around, they don't want to pay for it.  Or at least they don't want to feel as though they are paying for it.  I think this is an important factor to consider when analysing the future of app monetization.  How do you provide value for money when your product costs 59p?

So, lots of money is being generated by people downloading free apps and games onto their mobile devices.  But how?  Look at the freemium business model.  And look at it I have.

I am including within this blog entry, a list of links to sites, blogs, articles and even consumers' (in some cases) trolling comments which provide the pros and cons, or the utopian and dystopian arguments surrounding using the freemium business model as a successful means of monetization.

I am compiling this list for a few reasons. (i) for the benefit of anyone reading my blog, some of whom may be interested in further reading, but also (ii) for my own reference.  This way I can keep all my research in one place.  I will be adding to and editing this list over the following few months and no doubt be filling lots of blog space with other ways in which I intend to further research, analyse and present my findings.

 But for now, this should keep us all going...

http://www.ibtimes.com/something-nothing-how-videogame-industry-adapting-freemium-world-789466

http://www.appannie.com/users/

http://www.appannie.com/blog/freemium-apps-ios-google-play-japan-china-leaders/

http://www.appannie.com/blog/commercial-opportunities-on-apples-newsstand/

http://www.digitaltrends.com/features/how-the-freemium-app-model-will-pave-the-way-to-profits/

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Revenue-from-freemium-apps-shoots-up-paid-ones-stagnate-on-both-Android-and-iOS_id35982

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443713704577603782317318996.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/bii-report-how-in-app-commerce-drives-app-store-success-2012-8

http://www.placeplay.com/making-money-freemium-apps/

http://www.iosdeveloperguide.com/freemium-apps-can-independent-developers-survive/

http://www.techinasia.com/freemium-revenues-app-annie/

http://iphone.appstorm.net/general/opinion-general/in-app-purchases-and-the-freemium-business-model/

http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashplayer/articles/right-business-model.html#articlecontentAdobe_numberedheader_1

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cb8eca12-ef55-11e1-9580-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2BZlKG0bc

 

BRAND NEW LUNCHTIME PILOT FOR CHANNEL 4

Do not underestimate the power of the Dark Side

I thought it was high time I added some more of my own original content to my blog.

I created the image below using Adobe CS5.  It's a title screen/logo graphic for a pilot TV show I am involved in producing - which is to be pitched to Channel 4 in the new year.

Working as part of a very small production team, with an even smaller budget, I was provided with a brief set by commissioning editor Ed Pugh.  The task was to create a quirky new lunchtime magazine show to fill a slot for Channel 4, in order to compete with rival shows similar to the likes of Loose Women on ITV.

So, after not very long at all, I created an idea for a show...The Dark Side of The Noon.

The show is recorded live in a Liverpool studio, so to me it was important to use a bold, iconic image of Liverpool in the opening title sequence and title screen.  Think Richard and Judy and Albert Dock?  Well, now think Mike and Josie and Brownlow Hill.

I used my own original photography for the foreground image (it can be found on A Raring Move's facebook page), which I shot in 2011 and I also drew upon inspiration from the old 'Thames' television logo, which incidentally holds fond memories of me watching Rainbow as a kid after walking home from playschool with my mum.

I think there is an important lesson to be learned somewhere here from the power of broadcast media and just how much of this stuff (especially childhood memories) impacts on the choices you make throughout your life.

Pink Hippopotami aside, I have been a mass media consumer for most of my life.  But I suppose most of my generation have.

 

Well London, anything you can do, we can do better.  I (re)present...(Drum roll please)...The Dark Side of the Noon.

 

VIDEO THAT MAKES ME SMILE THIS WEEK

Disney's Wreck-it Ralph

WORDPRESS SITE BLOG SEARCH ENGINE

I'm continuing with my transition from Blogger to Wordpress,and I'm keen to point out to everyone reading this, that you can now search for specific words and subjects on the right.

I will let everyone know when I decide to retire my Peter Ponders blogspot completely and concentrate solely on a raring move media production's wordpress, but for anyone already there, Why not try typing Django in the box on the right?

Or how about storytelling in the future?  Quantative Research maybe?

Go for it. ;)

RESEARCH QUESTION 1 - DFF

Research Question 1

Set by Ian Wareing of Digital Fiction Factory:

The Internet, social media and other open systems have allowed for user generated content (UGC), crowd-sourcing and other forms of audience participation to prevail in digital media. But how do we translate these features into storytelling experiences, without treading on the toes of the author?



I have started to give this question some consideration as I feel it relates to some of my other blog posts about audience participation and digital media technologies.  I have covered this area to some extent in lectures attended in both the Applied Media Research module and also Digital Media Cultures. 

In order to research this question thoroughly I would aim to approach it initially by looking at some of the following methods:

The researching of participatory habits - Identifying audience engagement with multi-layered storytelling experiences.  How do people engage with this stuff.  Is there sufficient evidence to suggest that people will actually watch, say Eastenders and then engage in a non-linear digital spin-off?




As part of this research, I can record and analyse my own media usage before targeting questions towards and eventually observing a specific user group.

It may also be useful to further research the area by contacting an organisation such as Digital Fiction Factory in order to obtain case study information from their experiences with authors and writers.

I am also giving some thought to exploring the impact of copyright laws and contractual obligations relating to existing and historical examples of multi-layered storytelling and the idea of the contemporary 'spin-offs' and 'fan fiction' which now forms a major part of the wider 'story world'.

I'm thinking about stuff like Lucasfilm's reaction to the extended fan created starwars universe and readers' engagement with J K Rowling's Harry Potter world.

TV STUDIO 2

A TV studio production team was established which included myself and five other students.

Our brief:  

To film a live studio recording of a children's TV slot, demonstrating how to make a paper aeroplane - aimed at an audience of 7-10 year olds.

Production team roles were discussed within our group and we met on several occasions to brainstorm and create an agenda.

We each decided and agreed upon multiple roles.  I became researcher and floor manager.  

The team agreed to create a facebook group, to help establish a communication link and to act as a forum to share ideas.

As it was improtant not to have any silence during the demonstation, and for the content to not appear too scripted, I suggested to adopt a theme for the show, the idea behind this being it would hopefully assist with any ad-libbing requirements during the recording.  If your mind goes blank - talk about halloween!

I pitched a halloween theme to the rest of the group, all of whom liked the idea.  This was evident from the volume of 'likes' the facebook thread received. ;)

Between us we decided to source some decorative items in order to dress the set and make it look as professional as possible, whilst working to a tight deadline.

I obtained several sheets of halloween printed fabrics which were used to dress the flats along with coloured card and stickers to decorate the paper planes.  Other team members supplied haloween decorations. Spider webs, tablecloths and a pumpkin lantern to use as props and add aesthetic elements to the production.

8 OUT OF 10 UNDER GRADS PREFER QUANTATIVE RESEARCH?

20th Sept 2012

Today's lecture introduced me to the world of quantative research methods.

So, What is quantative research, then?

It's the gathering of quantifyable information.  Statistics, percentages, age, gender, demographics etc   

Why use quantative research?

Information obtained in this way can be used to base further investigative research on.  For example in relation to my assignment, if one can understand the demographics, this information can be reproduced in tables, charts, graphs and or animations, adding an illustrative but also informative element to the final presentation.

How do we apply quantative research?:

Some methods of conducting quantative research are:

QUESTIONAIRRES,
ONLINE SURVEYS,
VOTING POLLS,

In teams we took part in a workshop excercise to try out some quantative research.  The task was to try to establish the best way to market a degree course to future potential students.

Here are some of the questions I produced, which our group decided to include in our questionairre:


Which of the following social networking sites do you visit the most?

(choices provided from facebook, twitter, bebo, myspace)


How important is location (ie specific town or city) when choosing a degree course:


(choices provided from: Unimportant,quite important, essential)


I found that this method of research was useful when gathering quite simple, general information, but is perhaps less personal or engaging than some other methods might prove to be.

Depending on the question (search my blog for posts relating to research questions 1, 2 and 3) my group are tasked with researching, I think I will choose to use a quantative method in order to establish a target demographic.

If we are looking to research the future involvement of the writer in multi-layered, multi-platform storytelling, it might be useful to find out how many individuals surveyed have had experiences of audience participation?

We shall see... 

DIGITAL FICTION FACTORY

DIGITAL FICTION FACTORY

I attended the first of three presentations from a media industry spokesperson, who gave an informative overview of a creative organisation, the Digital Fiction Factory.

As part of the Applied Media Research module, Producer Digital, Ian Wareing provided the group with the following question, which will form part of my own group presentation to be submitted as an assignment at the end of the module.

The next two questions will be set over the next few weeks by representatives of Onteca and 9 lives media.  Stay tuned for posts relating to these.

So, What is Digital Fiction Factory?

DFF is a creative partnership between the BBC, Channel Four, Creative England and Conker Media (Lime Pictures).

The process with DFF always begins with the writer.  It is important that there is engagement across all available platforms in order to promote a deeper experience of the character and story - this includes TV, online, mobile and social media.

Some examples of this multi-platform storytelling is evident in the following:

TV, RADIO and FILM

BBCs Britain in a day (I talk more about this here and here)

This was a joint venture between Scott Free (brothers Ridley and the late Tony Scott) and the BBC.  It used crowd-sourced material to help paint a picture of life in Great Britain on 12th November 2011, and was inspired by the film Life in a day, (R. Scott 2010).

Participants in the project recorded and submitted their own unedited video content and uploaded this online for selection and perusal..  Although I personally missed out on submitting some of my own content, by the strange hand of fate I ended up being responsible for assisting with the selection and editing process for the BBC, along with a panel of student volunteers.  So I did manage to get involved after all :)

MILLION POUND DROP

This has been widely recognised as a groundbreaking use of social media integration with live mainstream TV.  The programme offers the capability to engage with the live TV game show and to also play along simultaneously with a mobile app, bringing a unique interactive element to the audience/user/player* (*delete as app.)

BEAR 71

Is an interactive, multiple award winning film showcased by the National Film Board of Canada.  This 20 minute film offers a unique non-linear online experience which runs behind a 'conventional' film (shot and edited using linear narrative methods).  There are sequences included in the film which are set to 'play' at measured intervals during the users interactive experience.  

The beginning and end of this documentary both appear to remain the same regardless of the choices the user makes but the intention is such that each individual user will have a bespoke viewing experience depending on the choices and clicks they make throughout the film.  OK, I've tried my best to explain it, but in order to do it justice, have a go yourself... 

THE EXECUTION FACTOR

"I'd buy that for a dollar"

Long, long before the creation of 'reality' TV shows, Stephen King's novella became a hollywood blockbuster for Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Running Man.

A television gameshow where convicts are given the opportunity to try to 'win' their way out of a televised public execution.

So, transport yourself to a world in the future where the viewing audience, by way of their own participation - help control the outcome of the lives of people on TV, creating a new form of 'celebrity' status otherwise unheard of.

Just imagine that... 

THE FUTURE OF STORYTELLING

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE?

The idea of interacting and engaging with the 'story world' has been around for some time.
However, over recent years, there seems to have been a shift from old skool books like the ones above into the realm of new media and digital media technologies.

Why is this happening?

Well, unfortunately you won't find a definitive answer to that question within this blog post.  But perhaps its something that I can chew over between now and dissertation time.

Take the 'choose your own adventure' storybooks as an example. See above link (you know you want to). 

These books have been around for years and I remember reading some as a kid.  The idea was that instead of just reading a story, you could alter the outcome to a certain degree by making choices as you read.

At the end of a short chapter, the reader would be offered options similar to the following...

If you decide to taste the potion, turn to page 21
If you offer the witch a packet of spangles, go to page 34
If you take the path to the forest of doom, turn to page 11

This added an element of 'play' and interactivity to the story.  

The thing is, people bought these.  They were popular. Then technology arrived.

Readers became viewers, viewers became audiences and audiences became users.  It can be argued that users are now becoming 'produsers', or professional users and to some extent producers of their own media.

So, just like the 'choose your own adventure' series of books, media audiences are now becoming more and more interactive in their choices and viewing habits.  We are no longer in a culture of a 2.4 children family, settling down on the sofa on a saturday evening to watch, er 2.4 children together. Nor are we a society bound by TV schedules.

Instead, habits are changing with technology.  Just as families function differently, their interaction with media does so too.

Anyway, this is all for another time, and for another post before I start delving too deeply into the subject.

So, I'm showing my age again now by referencing a kids TV program which ran from 1987 - 1994 called 'Knightmare'.  This ITV programme had a similar theme, based inside a fantasy world and was a very early example of 'virtual reality' with what were at the time cutting-edge computer graphics.

So where is all this going I hear you ask?

Well, in a nutshell that's why I'm studying this degree.  To research, find out and hopefully predict the future of storytelling in new and future media technologies.
 
Some industry speakers are watching trends in media consumerism and are predicting rapid changes.  With questions hanging over how we will receive public 'broadcasting' services such as the BBC in the future, the world of media is evolving at a rate of knots.

Multi-layered storytelling is something which we are beginning to see on our screens.  This is where a viewing audience of, for example a scripted original TV Drama, may very well download the accompanying app, or indeed tweet responses to a dedicated forum, which could influence the outcome and the ending.

Watch this space...

and then the one on your wall, and the one in your pocket ;)

BEYOND THE CAMERA - MAGIC AND ILLUSION EXERCISE

I do a bit of hill walking (you may know this already if you've taken time to browse through my stills gallery)  If you haven't, you really should be ashamed of yourself.

Anyway, I happened to go walking with a friend around the time I was handed a brief to create a photo composition using adobe creative suite 5 in order to layer, mask and filter multiple images together.

I had no idea what the weather conditions would be like for lighting (I was going to be armed only with my iPhone camera) but by some stroke of luck, god was smiling that day and the weather was beautiful.

I took quite a few shots on the way up and was taken aback by the alien looking landscapes on offer during my scramble to the top of TRYFAN in North wales.

Whilst driving through surrounding villages en route to our starting point, my mate and I happened to notice that many of these small places were becoming deserted.  Loads of old dwellings were boarded up, pubs were closed and the places looked like ghost towns.  Was this due to it being 6:30 am, or due to social change?  Hard to tell.

What we did notice however, was that in one of the otherwise seemingly deserted villages, was a brand spanking new Tesco Express (TM).  No evidence of human life, but a brand spanking new Tesco Express (TM).  These places seem to be cropping up everywhere at the moment.  If theres a spare bit of land available, build a Tesco Express (TM).

We didn't stop for supplies.

After ascending to 3,010 feet above sea level and taking some shots of this martian looking mountainscape, we discussed how convenient it may have been if someone had decided to build a Tesco Express on Tryfan's summit.

My idea for the Magic and Illusion excercise assignment was born:

Before:

After:

TV STUDIO 1

I've been spending quite a bit of time in the all new TV studio in the Redmonds building.

So far I've taken part in a series of workshops getting to grips with some new equipment, completed a live TV studio recording excercise and I am currently working on a pilot lunchtime show to be pitched to Channel 4 as part of my course.

I am told that the new TV studio is the best in the country and from what I've learned so far, utilising this space is proving to be quite an exciting experience.

Although quite daunting at first, I am getting my head around all of the new equipment.  I have had my first experience of vision mixing up in the gallery and I am becoming more and more familiar with crabbing, craning, panning and zooming. 

I am finding the new challenge of Studio recording to be quite a different experience to that of field camera work and on location shooting and I am comfortable working within both the live studio environment and outside recording.

I've completed another lighting workshop as part of the BEYOND THE CAMERA module, which concentrated on green screen technology and chroma keying using adobe creative suite 5.

I'm looking forward to continuing to build upon these skills with more practical work and hope to use After Effects again soon, in order to bring some of my still compositions to life.

DJANGO UNCHAINED

Only another three months to wait now until Tarrantino's latest gets it's UK release :)






More info here:

DJANGO UNCHAINED OFFICIAL SITE

VIDEO THAT MAKES ME SMILE THIS WEEK

Check out the new link on the right. (on wordpress only at the moment).  

When I say new link, I mean the link function.  This week's URL is actually for a tutor recommended video that's been present on Youtube for some time, but today (15th Oct) was the first time I'd seen it, so the content itself isn't new.

Blogger visitors click here:

Video that makes me smile this week

I think its an ace parody of one of my all time favourite films and perhaps (at least in my opinion) the best horror/psychological thriller of all time.

A shining example of what can be achieved with the art of the audio edit.

This will be updated on a weekly basis.  Don't worry if you miss out on one of the links, they will be archived on the right.

just type weekly vid in the search engine (again wordpress visitors only)

I will endeavour to provide high quality stuff, relevant to the course and to this blog site and will do my best to avoid trashy viral nonsense...scout's honour.

SOME MATERIAL FROM LAST YEAR'S MODULES

I wanted to use this as an opportunity to add links to some of my completed work from last year.

I blogged quite a bit about several of last year's module exercises but after re-reading the posts and because much of it was still being produced when I wrote the originals, the final pieces, compositions, artifacts, call them what you will - were omitted.

For my photoshop compositions, stills photography and digital art, check out the photobucket gallery link to the right: (in time this will be replaced by A Raring Move's flikr).

I'm adding to this all the time, trying to obtain a comprehensive portfolio.  I'm keen to do more animations so am looking forward to working with After Effects properly.

All of the photography and digital artistry is my own and was created by me. (one exception, the image of the Tesco building on 'Every little helps' was sourced from the Internet but layered and masked onto my own background). 

Also, on my to do list is to revisit A Raring Move's site and add more stuff/change the stills home page.  I feel this is outdated now but is something I can't do remotely with it being hosted on the JMU server.  I'll shove an update on here when it's done.

For examples of some very early online presentations, see below:

CRASH n BURN MUSEUM OF LIVERPOOL INSTALLATION 

MIKE WALSH'S FUTURETAINMENT

ALL ABOUT REFLECTION

I am growing ever more critical of the stuff I created last year.  I am obviously learning many new skills and I feel my work is improving over time, which can't be a bad thing.

Perhaps I am becoming consciously competent?

BEYOND THE CAMERA - FOLEY ART

Monday 15th October 2012

I've been having a bit of fun with one of these...

Today was an introduction to Digital Audio Design so I wasted no time and booked myself out one of these little buggers.  I'd intended to use a Z1 mic with a dead cat on my own Sony Handycam and transfer the audio from tape to digital, but then I was introduced to my little friend above which will do the donkey work for me.

After playing around with the input levels, I've managed to get some impressive results in the form of original mp3 recordings for use in our groups latest project.

Bring on the creaking doors, floorboards, footsteps and did someone leave the bath taps running?

I feel like I can do a lot with this latest project and am genuinely excited about it.  Note to self - source as much own material as possible.  Avoid stereotypes such as the opening bars from Jaws, or Rocky themes to depict overcoming adversity.  Be original and create your own identity/theme.

Updates to follow soon

New Mantra

I missed Prometheus at the cinema, but luckily for me it's just been released on DVD and BluRay.

With this in mind, I re-watched all of the Alien 'quadrilogy' and created a little excercise for myself.  It had been a while since I'd watched them all and also a while since I'd dabbled with Photoshop.

I returned to a Photo I took in Liverpool city centre around 2009-2010.  An old deteriorating building had been lit with neon signage, for no apparent reason.  I didn't know why at the time, but this image stood out to me and I snapped a shot of it with my phone.  I liked the way it looked and the image remained with me.

It wasn't until 2011, when I started my degree, that I began to learn about Mike Walsh and the whole futurist imagery and futuretainment ideology.  How odd it seemed, so I stored my little photo away for a rainy day.

Before starting year two and in anticipation of eventually finding the time to sit and watch Prometheus , I revisited photoshop and revisited the image.

I messed around with the colour curves and hue values, added a layer mask, gaussian blur and noise in order to bring a film grain effect to the image whilst leaving the FUTURIST and THINK ABOUT YOUR FUTURE messages in 'focus'.

Finally, I added a filmic widescreen letterbox effect.  It reminds me of BLADERUNNER.  See Before and after below.   I'm starting to get used to this now :)

That's what I'm talking about :)

REBRANDING PETER PONDERS

 Peter Ponders makes A Raring Move towards Media Production

I've launched my own website.  A very early 'work in progress' website, but a website nonetheless.  

 http://www.student.ljmu.ac.uk/LSSPEDWA/index.html

I did this using Adobe Dreamweaver as part of the DIGITAL MEDIA TOOLS module. (Year One, Semester Two).

Before starting my degree I was aware of web-designing software - but only to the extent that I knew this stuff exisited.  I never would have imagined being able to create my own site from start to finish in less than one academic year, not to mention having some early content to put on it :)

I have found that designing a site is very much trial and error and the site needs to be updated regularly.  I will be looking to add my CV and loads more digital porfolio stuff.  All things which will help to promote myself and boost my online presence.  I've been doing this quite a bit recently, which is one of the reasons it's taken me so long to update this blog. Apologies.

So, these days I'm 'marketing' myself as A RARING MOVE MEDIA PRODUCTION.  I've created a new website, new blog (wordpress), photostream, facebook page, deviantart presence, 99designs, youtube channel, (to name but a few and I'm hard at work linking all this stuff together as much as I can) with an aim to adding more and more digital content.  

"This is ground control to Year One, you've really made the Grade"

Time for some new modules methinks...

NASA's LEM (Lunar Excursion Module) 20/7/69

Ok, so I want to touchdown by reflecting on a letter that arrived from JMU at the start of the summer.  It was my confirmation of the work I'd put in over the previous academic year and my ticket to year two.  Yay! - I'm not embarrassed to say that I felt happy, proud and excited knowing that I'd successfully completed the first year of my degree :)

For the record, and for those of you who are interested here is a complete list of the modules which are now officially in the bag:

DIGITAL MEDIA TOOLS

CONTEMPORARY MEDIA ISSUES

FILM LANGUAGE

CREATIVITY AND CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

PRODUCTION PRACTICE

So where will this voyage of academic discovery take me to next?

 

NASA's Mars Curiosity Landing Module 5/8/2012

- SITE CURRENTLY UNDERGOING MAINTENANCE -

October 13th 2012

Ok, so lately I seem to have abandoned my blog somewhat - well at least since the end of Yr1, Sem2.  Naughty.

However, do not be alarmed as this doesn't mean Pete has had little to blog about.  Indeed quite the opposite.  I have just been rather busy to say the least.  There is loads of content to add and - as I am a man of my word I will do as promised and update EIGHT MONTHS worth of activity onto here (coming very soon starting tonight).

Here is a little insight into what's coming up...

Photos; blogs; vids; digital artistry; recommends; gigs, festivals and events I've enjoyed; films and docus I've seen; music I've heard; likes and dislikes; my very own website; books I've read; places I've visited; experiences I've shared...all this and perhaps most importantly, everything I have learned/am continuing to learn at degree level relating to the world of Media Professional Studies.

Actually, now that I've returned here, the format seems a little outdated (is this because I now have a more critical eye due to up-skilling and course progression?) so I am seriously contemplating a transition to either Tumblr or Wordpress in the very, very near future. Things seems to look better over there.

Anyway, I will continue to add to this current (my original) blogger blog until the new one is up and running (as well as posting the same content on the new one, the name of which TBC) for ease of continuity and also because I find it to be more universally browser friendly than some of the others (I can blog from my phone on here)...



 

Raider of the lost archive

**Omitted posts**

After having had some time to reflect during reading week,  I've discovered that I need to add some more blog posts for session modules and general stuff that's happened throughout January and February.

I will attempt to add these as chronologically as possible starting from, er...now. :/ 

The 1 Minute Presentation

Creativity and Concept Development 

The subject of my presentation was the story of the BFG, which should have gone a little something like this...

Sophie, an orphan has trouble sleeping and notices shadows outside the orphanage dormitory.

The window opens and she is kidnapped by a thin giant with massive ears.

She feels safe tucked into the giant's pocket as they seemingly fly over oceans to an unfamiliar country.

Sophie finds herself in a cave surrounded by shelves full of jars containing multi-coloured lights.

The jars contain dreams, the giant explains - He sends good dreams to good children and bad dreams are stored on the shelves out of harm's way.

The Big Friendly Giant is bullied by nasty, ugly giants who EAT children.

Scared Sophie tells him to give bad dreams to the bad giants and teach them a lesson.

Then, they both visit the Queen of England and have breakfast at the palace.

The sleeping giants, distracted by nightmares, are captured by the British Army.

They are confined to a pit and suffer putrid vegetables as punishment.

The End

(Due to an old car and bad weather, I didn't get chance to present this)

This is one of the first books I remember as a child - and as my daughter and I have very recently read this book together it now has even more of a special significance :)

It's Liverpool

GOOGLE STREETVIEW ANIMATION

I've added some audio to the stop frame animation created during Digital Media Tools.  Still needs polishing a bit because the folding paper aeroplane keyframes have yet to be added.

Tuesday 10th Jan 2012

ABBEE on the ROAD

Today, small production teams of 3 were established in order to begin a new assignment for the Creativity and Concept module.

Firstly, we were asked to identify what we as individuals consider to be skills which make a stong and successful team, similar to the Lego Serious Play exercise in semester I

I completed a short personal profile based questionairre about team-working skills, which I was directed to by my tutor.  The link for this, should you wish to complete it yourself, is:


http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/teamwork.htm


Upon receiving the results, I found that I had scored highly as an ENCOURAGER and COMPROMISER (the following definitions are supplied by the University of Kent)

ENCOURAGER

Energises groups when motivation is low through humour or being enthusiastic. They are positive individuals who support and praise other group members. Don't like sitting around. They like to move things along by suggesting ideas, clarifying the ideas of others and confronting problems. They may use humour to break tensions in the group.

COMPROMISER

Tries to maintain harmony among the team members. They are sociable, interested in others and will introducing people, draw them out and make them feel comfortable. They may be willing to change their own views to get a group decision. They works well with different people and can be depended on to promote a positive atmosphere, helping the team to gel. They pull people and tasks together developing rapport. They are tolerant individuals and good listeners who will listen carefully to the views of other group members. They are good judges of people, diplomatic and sensitive to the feelings of others and not seen as a threat. Able to recognise and resolve differences of opinion and the the development of conflict, they enable "difficult" team-members to contribute positively.

Before conducting our first production meeting, we chose a team name which we decided would be an acronym for AWESOME, the three members' surnames initials (BBE) and EXHIBITIONS. 

ABBEE was born...


Our latest assignment is to design an exhibition for the new MUSEUM OF LIVERPOOL  We will have one specific user group which will be the target audience for the exhibition and it is our task to conceptualise and present this idea for 15 minutes to a panel.  We had shortlisted 15 user groups for a pre-determined list.  Teams were randomly selected and were given priority choice in number order (numbers drawn from a hat).  Our team chose the user group A BAND.  WOO-HOO!  I think I'm gonna have some fun with this one :)


After a brief production meeting, we have discussed some roles and a few very early ideas.  I have also suggested that we should (either individually or as a group) visit the museum over the next week.  I asked for everyone's mobile number so we could keep in touch and we all agreed to email each other with any ideas so we could brainstorm during the next session.