Summary of my 3d Artifact Research

            The potential of implementing three-dimensional technology in various aspects of the daily mass media world is vast and has the ability to positively affect society if used correctly and in moderation. However, the potential for harm may be just as strong since scientists, researchers, and scholars can only speculate the repercussions of the relatively new three-dimensional technological implementation within society’s daily lives. Marshall McLuhan has been theorizing for decades about these types of effects on our society. One method to theorize these potential effects is to place the three dimensional genre under the microscope of Marshall McLuhan's tetrad. Using this tool a realization can be made that three-dimensional technology has the potential to enhance military training, help educate students within the classroom, and provide better visualizing for scientists and doctors in order to achieve better research. The reverse of this assumption could lead to unforeseen dangers, such as the harm that would potentially be done to our society’s visual and mental stimuli. This is supported by virtual reality pioneer Marc Pesce who warns that watching three dimensional movies causes damage within our brains ability to decipher depth cues. Taking these finding into account, if three dimensional technologies continues to be used in society at the rate that it has been within the past several years, the consequences may be overwhelming to a less then knowledgeable public. On the other hand if society choices to educate itself on the potential for both the negative and positive aspects of three dimensional technology in our daily lives then this technology can be fully utilized to improve various aspects of society and how we see the world as a whole.     

            The true test of whether three dimensional technology will contribute to society in a positive or negative way will only be answered within the coming years. Predictive measures such as Marshall McLuhan's tetrad can help theorize and plan the potential for misuse and the pitfalls of implementing three dimensional technology within daily use. The question is will society continue to use three dimensional technology for the visual advancement of video games, movies, cell phones, toys and public advertisements to enhance the sear entertainment value of everyday life. Or will society utilize three dimensional technology to enhance military training, help educate students within the classroom, provide better visualizing for scientific and medical research while taking precautions to educate itself of the dangers that three-dimensional technology potentially has on and individuals visual and mental stimuli such as the side effect Binocular Dysphoria.

The Empathic Civilisation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7AWnfFRc7g

The Empathic Civilisation is a TED video that comments on the way in which we look at the evolution of human beings and proposed motivating factor that was behind it. Do you agree that we are inately impathetic?

The Future Senior

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1kjkUAA9VM&feature=player_embedded#<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1kjkUAA9VM&feature=player_embedded

This video really made me laugh and question what an elderly person will act like 50 years from now. The  social media culture in which an individual grows up in today is much less conservative then ever before. If you had to guess what the future senior would look like and act like, what would you say?

Is 4 a.m. the new midnight?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORYKKNoRcDc

This video is a satirical look at the way we find connections between events. I especially liked the mention of the Divinchi Code because this video actually made me think differently about the book.

Look Alike

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGq0kwZtwYI&feature=related

I thought this video brought up very interesting points on how we see race, gender, and celebrity. Does this video represent the ways in which you classify people?

Universal Pain

We recently discussed in class the stereotypes created by society when dealing with cultures outside of their own. I created this image entitled Universal Pain to show the duality of the issue.

Baby Signing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gSZfW4gVhI

When I saw baby signing in film Meet the Fockers I thought it was a fictitious idea created for the movie to add tension among the characters. Recently though I ran across this video which shows exactly how young humans are about to communicate. So interesting!

Everythings Amazing & Nobodys Happy

One of my favorite comedians within the mainstream is Louis C.K. In this interview Louie shares his frustration of the changing world with Conan O Brien
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk.

Do you think what Louie talks about in this video is an exaggerated message or is it valid in thought?

Why?

An interesting series of thought provoking questions that I found and wanted to share

 

Why do people commit suicide?


Why do people cut themselves?


Why do girls become anerexic and belimec?


Why do kids bring guns to school?


Why do kids get depressed...so they start using meds, and abusing them?


Why do girls feel the need to act like sluts to impress guys?


Why cant people show their sexuality freely, without worrying about being judged?


"Gangstas"
"Preps"
"Nerds"
"Goths"
"Emos"
"Scene//Hardcore kids"
"Punks"

^^^AND THATS NOT EVEN HALF OF THEM!

Society in general

We live in a world where if your not skinny, not beautiful, not sexy, not straight...you're tortured, abused, and humiliated. We say that we are all equal but, there is still racism, sexism, bigotry and people judging others based on their religion, color, size, heritage, ect.
IS THIS WHAT BEING AN AMERICAN IS?



IS THIS THE NATION WE LIVE IN AND FIGHT WARS TO SUPPORT?


I AM SICK OF IT!
Stereotypes, and everything else.
I want to live in a good place, without suicide, rape, murder, and JUDGEMENT!

Ghost in the Shell Critique

Ghost in the Shell: A Critical View

            "Ghost in the Shell" encompasses some of the critical thoughts and worries that are innate to the human condition, especially in the modern technological world. The film explorers a vast number of ideas such as why we are here, what makes us unique, and what distinguishes our natural reality from a manufactured one.

            The story alludes to modern societies obsession with personal. The idea of losing control of one's own mind, body or soul is horrifying to the average person and creates a particular kind of drama within Ghost in the Shell. Ironically, it seems that what is considered "beautiful" in the modern world is very much manufactured. How far is today's society really from creating their own false reality in which they are not truly themselves? Tummy tucks, Lasik eye surgery, skin tanning, Botox, veneers, and future prospects of technologies such as human genetic engineering, which will turn natural selection into artificial selection, are all realities of a modern society  which searches for continuous self enhancement no matter real or artificial. These human altering practices ring true within the "Ghost in the Shell" quote, "If man realizes technology is in reach he achieves it, like it's damn near instinctive." With this modern science comes changes in self consciousness. Identity becomes blurred as sexual identity is merely and literally skin deep. These new sexual roles are explored through the use of a variety of fetishes within the film. As with other popular films within the genre of Anime, the use of robotics, voyeurism, and role play are prevalent and consistent elements in "Ghost in the Shell."

Fairy tale

I recently auditioned for several lead character for the show Fairy Tale Anime at Funimation. For anyone that is curious the process to audition as an actor that dubs characters in English for Japanese Anime the process works as follows... I was provided an audition slot, when I came in I was given a binder which consists of the characters that are in need of casting. The binder gave character descriptions, example of dialogue, and instructed me to chose 2 or 3 characters for which I am interested in auditioning.  I was called into a soundproof room which was separated into 2 areas. One area contained the producer and technician and the other the actual sound booth where I would be recorded. I walking into a sound booth which contained 2 monitors, a microphone with condenser., headphones and a stool. One monitor showed the dialogue and the other showed the original version of the Anime to be dubbed over. After watching this original version I was shown the same scene with no audio. The 3rd time around I had to watch the original video and say the line as closely as I could to fit the mouth flaps of whatever character I was auditioning for. After vocal notes on the character and several repetitions the process is repeated for the next character.
I'll keep you updated about casting, it takes up to a month to find out.

Stereo-Couple Gallery

http://meyman.smugmug.com/Other/Ind/
password is media blog

Refer to previous post for full story of project.
This images are all taken on self timer by my girlfriend and I

The Stereo-Couple

Stereo-Couple

            Stereo-Couple is a set of images that explore the notion that any person is capable of anything. The series appropriates the genre of the self portrait as explored by such artists as Cindy Sherman while heightening this concept by placing each character within the confines of a romantic relationship. This addition of a second individual raises the stakes for potential conflict and drama while intensifying the dynamic of each character within their particular environment.

            With the growth of social media such as Myspace, Facebook and Twitter there is also an increased pressure to create an idyllic representation of self, friends, and loved ones.

Stereo-Couple tells the story of eleven different couples including the titles, "I Fancy You," "Bland Date," "Head Over Heels," "Head In The Clouds," "Picture Perfect," "Role Play," "Storybook Romance," "Tough Love," "It Pays To Love You," "I Reckon I Love You," and "Triple Date." These titles of each couple in their respective environment increases the satirical tone of the work while unifying the Stereo-Couple as a series with a specific pattern. The visual technique of diptych is used within the set to aid in more stimulating visual and story elements within each individual couple. The image set entitled "Triple Date" is particularly strong because of its complexity of visual elements. Like the other images within the Stereo-Couple series "Triple Date" is split into two frames providing two seemingly different actions. The connection between man and woman is unknown. The image on top shows two individuals with a five foot distance between them observing two different gallery pieces on the wall which depicts two additional couples. The image in the bottom frame closes the gap between the characters and creates a conversation between the two dealing with the subject manner that they are viewing or quite possibly about more trivial things such as the gallery wall color or even the weather. Various meanings can be derived from "Triple Date" depending on the manner in which the project is presented and the implementation of the viewers own past experiences. But when one looks at the photograph in terms of  the Stereo-couple series as a whole a serialization of images begins to form. This picture within a picture creates the realization that the people within the photograph are in fact looking at themselves as various couples which forces them to step out of their own bodies to look at a physical representation of their own relationship. This voyeuristic set is the most compelling of the other ten depictions of couples because it is in fact the photographer looking at a representation of his own relationship through the characters in the gallery, which are looking at two more representations of his own relationship within the photographs in that same gallery, but no one depiction is his actual relationship. The conceptual framework of the Stereo-Couple series shares a definite correspondence to photographer Cindy Sherman. Sherman steps into her own photographs portraying various characters using the self portrait technique to tell her story. Sherman's characters are exaggerated with a cinematic quality which seems to place the viewer in the middle of a story. Her characters show the female struggle to break free from stereotypes. While Stereo-Couple shares some of the same concepts it goes beyond showing the different roles that women play in society and tells the side of the man in society while interweaving their paths within the stereotype, bringing particular attention to the inner workings of a modern relationship of self identification .

            Since the photographer and the characters in the Stereo-Couple series are one in the same then can any of the characters within the series really be a true representation of the photographer. This staged representation of self aims to devalue the use of stereotype and its use as an identification tool. These characters exemplify the stereotype in an effort to look at the simplified method in which we label not only ourselves but also others.  The subject matter of Stereo-Couple is important not only because it comments on the nature of stereotypes but because it also satires the concept of creating a perfected representation of who we are as individuals popularized through the genre of the social media outlet.  Since this issue hasn't been addressed in this particular way before it has value in the context of the contemporary art world. 

My poster symbolizing my view of masculinity

Poem I've written entitled New Perspectives

I have no time for 7 years of bad luck,
because my broken mirrors create new perspectives.

I have no time to knock on wood,
because I have too many doors to knock down full of stereotypes and supersition

I have no time to figure out what color cat crossed the road,
life is more then just black and white to me

I have no time to count which Friday lands on the 13th day
I'm too busy planning my saturday

so go ahead wish me good luck

give me a stage to say Macbeth on

spill the salt because it not good to keep things bottled up

I sleep on all sides of the bed and my dreams are unlimited

Closed Minded Reading

I was just flipping through the channels and landed on a channel called Daystar, they were promoting a book called 7 absolutes you can still believe in by "Dr" Jefferies. They stated that this is a "marvelous book which teaches why all other religions besides Christianity are wrong, that homosexuality is a perversion, evolution is a myth, God is ultimately responsible for suffering in the world, husbands are to lead their families, and America is a Christian nation." and yes those are quotes.... Your Thoughts?

All the Single Babies

If anyone doubts pop cultures effect on youth look no further then this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikTxfIDYx6Q&feature=related

The video, which contains over 16.5 million views not only shows the power of the music video but also the power of mass media.

Do you believe this baby is have harmful sensory stimulation for it's age or is this completly healthy?

Graphic Labels

This article talks about the federal proposal for graphic cigarette warning labels. The labels will show the affects of smoking on the human body.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2010/nov/10/feds-propose-graphic-cigarette-warning-labels/?comments_id=878855

This in your face attempt from the federal goverment seems to come out of desperation for the public to quit smoking. Below I show an image that I digitally created to symbolize what this tactic of looking at addiction differently would look like when dealing with fast food.

Our Time Is Up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vso9iPIpeu8

Our time is up symbolizes a short story that shows a therapist's struggle with his own problems as he finds out that he has six weeks to live. His new found non conventional methods create an interesting satirical dynamic between patient and doctor. I really enjoyed how the comedy within this video comes from a real place of fear. What do you think about this type of honest within therapy?

This is not a drug conceptual story(photography and story done by yours truly)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs602.ash2/155435_575158996547_194602458_32832530_564328_n.jpg

"This is not a drug" is a set of images that plays with the concepts of time, repetition, story, appropriation, identity, and reality. The concept appropriates the painting entitled "this is not a pipe" by René François Ghislain Magritte which sets up a conversation about what defines reality. These photographs tell a story of a man being consumed by his own habit. The cigarette or drug that the first photograph depicts is not real because the viewer is merely looking at a photograph of a cigarette not an actual cigarette. In the second and third images the man inhales the drug that the first photograph states not to be real. The fact that the flame touches the edge of the photograph foreshadows the event to come. In the fourth image the man literally begins to inhale himself depicted by his own photograph being set on fire by his own habit. Since the man and the photographer are one in the same does the man's self destruction also create the destruction of his art?

3d Evangelized

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUqp1pAFlJ0

Just found this and amazed how close it comes to giving some reality to my culture jam assignment. This is a tool that uses 3d in the effort to evangelize for the church. Do you think this is sach religious?

3D: The Modern Spectacle

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1211.snc4/156347_577543842297_194602458_32880999_7890953_n.jpg

            With 3D technology being a headliner of western culture's mass media entertainment market it seemed only fitting that it is a perfect candidate for satire. Being a photographer I decided to use my eye for imagery and knowledge of design to create a satirical visual. This visual that I have created for my artifact symbolizes how modern society has religiously adapted to the 3D genre by trivializing the very content it represents.

The poster, designed to mimic a flyer for a Christian service, starts out at the top with iconic Christian symbolism complete with crucifix, clouds and stained glass through which the rays of the sun penetrate through, illuminating a larger than life depiction of 3D characters at the forefront of the image. The irony of this symbolism is that the stained glass which was originally created as a representation of visual beauty that can be naturally created using light is now in the background of the superficial beauty created by 3D technology.  The audience members witnessing this “miracle” are numerous. They are all dressed in white and stand at attention as if hypnotized in the midst of what is happening in front of them. The satirical image below presents an individual wearing 3D glass staring in awe of the book that he is holding, the cover of which reads "Holy!!! Bible."  A quote reading “I was once blind, but now I see 3D” runs across the top of the flyer and continues on the bottom. This quote takes a popular American religious song and bastardizes it with the addition of the 3D aspect, much in the same way that 3D attempts to pander to the audience by dumbing down what the human imagination can naturally create. To

complete the flyer, the bottom of the poster reads "Join us for heaven viewing this Sunday at 8:00 p.m.” I created this correlation not as a satire of faith, but in order to create a parallel between 3D and evangelism. Both of these entities seem to use spectacle to persuade, sell, or spoon-feed their ideals while the respective foundations that they stem from should not need any such influence.

            To implement my visual, I decided that the most fitting thing to do would be to place it in front of various churches and see the active response that I could get from people. I tried to come up with various scenarios or hypotheses in my mind as to what the reaction would be. Would the signs get instantly taken down? Would nobody notice? Would people laugh? Would people get angry? I placed the visual in front of a nearby churched and observed the reactions. I interpreted one group of men’s high-fives upon viewing as understanding of the concept. Other reactions were varied, as several people passed the sign without notice, several smiled and laughed, and two individuals took out their phones, perhaps to message their friends about the ridiculous nature of the sign or maybe even to record the date so they don't forget to show up. I decided to take some time to think about a more daring approach to my testing. One week after this occasion I drove to another anonymous church and performed the experiment once again, placing the visual right on the door of the entrance. Within five or ten minutes a church member came out and took down the sign. My conclusion from these experiments remains true to my hypotheses. Reactions were as mixed as I expected.

            Many people have grown disenchanted with 3D, feeling it is taking over modern filmmaking. However, it is those same people who contribute to the funding of such movies by continuing to view them and thus provide monetary contribution. It seems that even though society as a whole is more critical of what information or entertainment they view, it does not change the fact that they themselves continue to support these mediums. With this in mind how far are we really from that endless, mindless mass of observers that my visual alluded to? I believe that anything in moderation can be implemented positively in our lives. In terms of 3D there are perhaps a handful of movies where this idea rings true. One such example is "Up" which was positively affected by the 3d genre the imaginative storyline of an old man putting his whole house in flight with the use of helium balloons idea was only heightened with the use of 3d. These types of stories and experiences should be savored and not exploded as they have been currently in the film industry. Technological advancements need time to breath, but society’s desire for instant gratification has made constant access to new technology imperative to keep the masses happy. Through this pattern new technological advancement is filed down to nothing more than a gimmick.

            My concern with modern society is that technology will not facilitate the growth of art, talent or creativity but instead hinder its ability to exist. What used to drive a story, elements such as cinematography, writing, acting, and directing, is now only secondary to the spectacle created by 3D.  Having said that, I do remain optimistic only to the idea that 3d is a necessary obstacle in the realization, value, and return to the classic formula of filmmaking which originally made humanity fall in love with cinema in the first place.