Transmedia Module

I plan to create something based on an existing piece of media. It seems like a challenge to work within someone else’s work. There are restrictions to what I can do however there can be a lot of creativity within those limitations. It depends on how strict I want to be with the material I choose.

I want to create a small game environment and focus on the aesthetic. By limiting the size I can focus on the art style rather than worry about making a large amount of assets.

Practical

Initially, I was going to do a interactive presentation in unity about interaction. It would have made use of the game mechanics in unity to illustrate the points.
However, this turned out to be a failure. I didn't have time to implement the features that would made it interesting. it felt like a really slow and dull presentation.
Instead, as a last resort,I have decided to use powerpoint.

Creative Rhetoric

‘Different artists often have quite divergent conceptions of what they are doing’

                Harrison-Barbet, 1990

Renzo Rosso’s Creative Rhetoric

-          Practice-based beginning (school of Fashion)

-          Best idea – always next creativity, art is beyond definition and constantly changing

-          Be Stupid – use your heart not your head, expressionist theory, linked to romanticism idea that creativity  is a knowledge, obtaining activity opposition to rational sciences

-          Work in teams- be collaborative

Mimesis

-          Plato’s problem with creativity

-          Republic – ideal society (critique of democracy)

-          Metaphysics – forms

-          Physical world mimics the real

-          Art imitates an imitation

-          Art mimics the sensory world

-          Creativity merely a technical skill

-          Denied creativity’s knowledge – producing capability

-          Dichotomy physical not mental activity

Academics talk about creativity as

-          Complex and dynamic concept

-          Subjects of history of art and aesthetics

-          Nine rhetorics of creativity – theoretical framework of lecture

Nine rhetorics of creativity

1-      Creative genius

2-      Democratic and political creativity

3-      Ubiquitous creativity

4-      Creativity for social good

5-      Creativity as economic imperative

6-      Play and creativity

7-      Creativity and cognition

8-      The creative affordances of technology

9-      The creative classroom

Romanticism

-          Involves looking at how art and creativity are made

-          Redefined the role of the artist

-          Rejects Platonic theory, suggests art as the most important knowledge- generating discipline

-          Artist as a creator not as an imitator

-          Artists should break rules and define them, in turn expanding the discipline

Cities and Film Writing Task

The aesthetic of the city has been portrayed in a variety of ways in film. The city has developed alongside its portrayal onscreen. Newspapers were the first to depict the city in a manner similar to traditional landscape portraits. These photographs only showed the form of the city, only addressing the size and the architecture rather than life on the streets.

Photographs soon began to depict life in the city. Traditional portraits were only for the wealthy and only depicted one side of society. Photography shows the world what life was really like for the poor and middle class. These photographs were the first realistic depictions. Photography soon became the medium to present nearly every aspect of society for a variety of purposes. The camera would suit the needs of anyone holding it, whether for journalistic, political or artistic purposes.

Soon the city would be portrayed in film. The city is portrayed as a monolith in cinema. The larger-than-life and fantastical nature of the city is conveyed through the dramatic portrayal of film. The city usually presents the dominance of power. In King Kong, the city is cruel to the beast and overwhelms his simple nature. It depicts the lonely and isolated life of the city and its effect. The city in Blade Runner shows the dominance or reliance of technology. The city seems like a presence that can’t be fought and individuals would have to change themselves to be a part of it.

This dystopian view contrasts with the original intentions of the city of building a vast network of people and business. The depiction is almost Marxist, where the objects are the subject rather than the people.

People living in the city are captured in film through the dynamic of city life. Camera shots show the traffic and vast scale of the city. It depicts the glamour, the business and the poor. All aspects of life within the city can be portrayed yet these portrayals are all subject to the dominance of the city and its effect on individuals. The glamorous lives of the characters in Mad Men are all subject to objects offered by the city.

Panopticism Writing Task

The panopticon was initially conceived by Jeremy Bentham for ‘institutions where the control of a large number of people or animals was an important priority’ (Bentham). During Bentham’s age, there were calls for more humane forms of punishment. People began to consider the concept of an ideal society maintained by good, healthy people. A person who follows good principles was thought to have a healthy mind. ‘Criminal behaviour was seen as the physical expression of a sick mind resulting from social circumstances’ (Bentham). Rather than follow the traditional method of moderating a large number of bodies i.e. hide them away from the rest of society, which only focused on the physical removal in order to punish and conform, Bentham reversed the principle and concentrated on punishment that would influence the mind.

The design revolves around a cylindrical building consisting of cells which are arranged around a single tower. A lighting system directs light towards these cells while placing the tower in the dark. Using this system, one can observe all of the cells from the tower without being seen. The Panopticon works as an observational tool. Foucault likens the building to a ‘marvellous machine which, whatever use one may wish to put it to, produces homogenous effects of power’ (Foucault).

The simple act of constant observation slowly instils the concept of a higher, dominant power and slowly, the individual begins to conform according to the power. The effects of the panopticon can’t be denied and although there aren’t buildings that follow Bentham’s designs today, panoptic design is an integral part of modern society. It is an effective way of maintaining productivity in the workplace. Even institutions like schools follow a panoptic design where the teacher is be able to observe and look like the superior figure.

Jeremy Bentham varied the panopticon’s design to suit a variety of buildings however the panopticon doesn’t have to be applied to architecture. The idea behind the panopticon, of an all-seeing power that regulates the behaviour of an individual is present in abstract devices as well. Panopticism is present in things like monotheistic religion, the internet and even parenting. The act of knowing you are not alone, and that you are aware that there is some presence of a governing body, is enough. The child will remember the method of the parent throughout their lives and will embody some memory of them.

Foucault stated that after a while individuals subject to the panopticon will begin to govern themselves. The panopticon no longer needs a concrete presence to maintain watch. Individuals will regulate themselves.

Celebrity Culture

Portrait photography became popular during the late 19^th and 20^th century. During that time, photography would often become a spectacle involving people acting out scenes from mythology or religion. Photography regarding popular people of the time would display their achievements. However this was often reserved for men rather than women. Photographs of popular women often displayed their physical beauty.

Celebrity culture became increasingly popular throughout the Golden age of Hollywood (1927-1960). Since the concept of the modern celebrity had only just started to flourish, popular people would still portray normality that would bring them down to earth. Clark Gable was a hero in real like as well as on the cinema screen. He had joined the US army during WWII. Bette Davis married a man who claimed had never heard of her.

This normality began to change with Marilyn Monroe. Monroe was known for her glamorous roles and her equally glamorous lifestyle. Her sudden quickly cemented her image as an iconic celebrity. The public had no idea of what she was really like under her celebrity status and can only remember her as an icon.

Andy Warhol explored the idea of celebrity through his artwork of famous people like Monroe and Elvis Presley. These works of art state that celebrities are different people underneath their public image. The overlapping images suggest their repeated coverage in the media. The images look like they have degraded overtime also hinting at the degradation of an individual from repeated publicity.

Over time, the concept of the celebrity has become increasingly popular. There has been a rise in the amount of reality shows catering towards the public’s need for attention and their ‘fifteen minutes of fame’, and the media’s constant demand for new celebrities. Our demand for these people has created a huge market generating a lot of profit which offers the question of who is gaining this profit. The general masses of society go through celebrities like they are dispensable, while the paparazzi try to provide as much coverage as they can, ultimately the company’s creating this circle of finding a focal point and reporting on it are generating the income.

The advent of social media sites like twitter has taken the role of celebrity to new heights. People can now type down their thoughts or opinions and make them public. We can now follow people and gain access to their personal lives. This constant coverage also comes with a more productive use. The 2012 Kony movement was an attempt to make the war criminal, Joseph Kony , a celebrity. By gaining widespread attention, people can become more aware of his crimes and try to make him and his actions public.