Crowdsourcing

   Before this class I had never really heard the term crowdsourcing. However, after learning a little about it, I think it is a very intriguing idea. In the article "What Is Crowdsourcing", it is described as getting work done or creating something using a crowd of people. So, rather than using only the ideas or interpretations of one person to complete a project, crowdsourcing allows for many different ideas and concepts from multiple people. Thus, allowing a more insightful and better quality final product.
 

   In "The Cloudfilmmaking Manifesto", Tiffany Shlain talks about how this concept of crowdsourcing was used to get large numbers of people involved in the making of a single film. Through this, it is possible to see how crowdsourcing can be used for many different tasks, including the creation of art and the development of an interdependent global society. I think the ideas presented in Shlain's manifesto are very interesting and innovative. I like the concept of having people from all over the world offer their opinion and creative interpretation on different ideas and issues in order to create a single art piece. It seems very progressive in that it could potentially help individuals overcome their differences and learn to embrace other cultures and societies through art projects.

Synesthesia and Cymatics

   The designs created through cymatics are very unique and interesting. I especially liked the designs created when vibrating sand on a sheet of metal and how they continue to change with each note. Seeing the pattern created by different notes and pitches makes music appear more complicated than it did before. Visualizing sounds through the patterns they create seems to draw me into the music even more.

   I found synesthesia to be even more interesting than cymatics. It find it very interesting that some individuals see certain letters and numbers as being associated with a certain color. I really like the idea of chromesthesia, or sounds triggering colors. The article described the sensation as colored fireworks that appear at certain sounds. The idea that an individual would see such images while listening to a symphony is fascinating. I can see why artists would be interested in capturing such a sensation. I would love to explore the creation of images and colors through sounds on film.

72 Hour Media Fast!

I completed the 72 hour media from 12pm Thursday afternoon to 12pm on Sunday. Participating in this fast was definitely a challenge. I certainly knew that technology and social media were ingrained into my life, but I never paid attention to how much I require it to stay occupied at all times. I managed to go without media for all (most) of the 72 hours. Some of the more difficult moments were those in which I would normally play a game on my phone while waiting for someone or check Facebook before a class started. However, the most difficult part was the silence while driving in the car. It has become instinct for me to plug in my phone as soon as I get in the car that I had to stop myself half way through the process. And, because of the absence of music, I spent most of the car ride singing to myself to fill the silence. In this way, I realized how much I rely on media to keep me constantly occupied. So, due to the fast, I had to find other ways to occupy myself during these three days. During a time when I would normally watch Netflix, I took apart my roommates alarm clock (to her dismay) to see how it worked. I also took apart her camera in order to fix a part of it that I broke last year. At other moments of boredom I spent my time reading or trying to go places around Wilmington. After having completed this fast, I am not sure if I should be glad media is always there to distract me or worried about how much of a necessity it has become.