It's an image age.

Task 1d

Posting my photo's on Flikr brought back some wonderful memories but also a pang of jealousy and remorse that I will no longer have new performance photo's to look back on. However my 15 years in the 'business' has brought me plenty of image recordings that I have on proud display at home and many more tucked away in desks and photo albums.

Due to the ease of picture taking nowadays it's popularity has soared over the last decade. The introduction of camera phones created an instant transformation. Only occasionally would someone carry their phone out and about but today it's at hand for an almost instantaneous picture opportunity. Videos and images are taken of friends, colleagues and randoms on an everyday basis. Whether it be crime prevention or to just thoroughly embarrass an individual we've all seen them. Probably taken a few yourself too!! We as the human race can basically record and file our lives to the utmost detail if that's what we wished. Different people have different levels. Personally I'm unable to see the point of posting your dinner on Twitter or FB. Are we crying out for acknowledgement that much? Has the desperate need for attention got so great we need to share every aspect of our lives with whoever is willing to be a cyber friend?

We are all aware of the negative impact images and AV can have if the ethical boundaries are breached. Responsibility seems to be a common factor when discussing social media. Where though can the use of images and AV in the social media actually do some good?

Here's my link...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/105752695@N06/

A part of everyday life.

Task 1b


How hooked is society on social media technologies? Ask yourself how many times you checked your Twitter or Facebook accounts today?...Whether it be on your phone, laptop or PC...I'll bet it's more than once! Of course it is. People are obsessed with it. I listen to the radio quite a bit throughout the day and am still amazed that there are sections of high profile radio shows that say what's currently trending on Twitter or which certain celebrity has just posted a picture of their lunch. Most adverts on TV end with the Facebook or Twitter logos in a corner. In other words saying 'come and follow or like us'. It's all around us and seems to suck people in. When did following someone-elses life become so important? I fully understand it's not just that aspect. There's the business side to it. No longer is advertising restricted to the TV, sides of buses and billboards. We don't have to buy advertising space. Any one company or person whether they be high profile or not can advertise themselves on FB and Twitter. Just look at what posting a video on You-tube can do for you. If you go viral you're as good as made. Self-promotion is everything in today's world.

Web 2.0 is everywhere. A site exists for anything you want seen or heard. Probably two sites. It's an interactive media sharing entity. A tool which enables any one person to converse on a global scale. However, it comes with it's warnings. Your words will be in the public limelight, so tread carefully because as we all know and have witnessed the consequences of not respecting the power it holds can be catastrophic.

On the professional front web 2.0 has helped me more than once. If I needed to perfect a certain accent or revise particular songs or characters You-tube and other such sites were inundated with a variety of options from which to choose. Everyday I encounter tweets or statuses requesting help for audition song suggestions or monologues. Replies with various options fly in from around the country and sometimes across the pond with people all willing to help. I've also recently noticed many dance casting agents using the social media communication tools to good effect. Sending a group tweet to clients offering information on upcoming castings must save them time and money. A little impersonal if you ask me but understandable considering the client base some of these agents have. They are moving with the times and so must we all.

My particular usage of 2.0 has been limited to the main two social media sites but due to the tasks ahead will expand over the next few weeks and months. I've seen 2.0 bring people together but I've also seen it rip people apart. Control and respect for oneself and others are needed to make this ingenious piece of technology a complete success.   

Late to the party!

And here I am...my first ever blog at the tender age of 30 something! I'm lucky it wasn't 40 something considering the colossal amount of time it took me to navigate myself around the cyber-world creating a new blog and what have you. I come from the pen and paper age, when blackboards were actually black and calculators were the latest piece of hardware. However, I have to get my information technology groove on if I'm to succeed and commence a new chapter in my life. So blogging and many other social media thingymebobs will become integral to my life over the next year having signed up for the BAPP Arts programme. I'm disappointed in missing the induction day as from what I've read it appeared useful beyond measure but It's a comfort to know that having read the handbooks I wasn't the only one who broke out in cold sweats and started to panic dramatically! The great thing about thins course is that we can all help each other so here's to embracing cyber-space and sharing my views, knowledge and experiences with you.