‘Connection Lost’

Original Media:

Edited Media:

The Editing Process:

I used the online editing and search engine ‘Giphy’ as my editing tool, which allowed me to cut the original media, arrange the images in a short, soundless looping video and include motion edits and text.

I firstly separated each hand gesture from the original media, uploaded the images separately into the websites ‘Gif Maker’, and used their editing bar to add text and apply a ‘wavey’ filter. I applied a one second time laps to the first three images and a three second laps to the last two, in an attempt to draw the audiences attention to my theme of connection and disconnection.

Reflection:

By creating a short lopping video using ‘Giphy’, I intended to form an overriding theme of connection and disconnection, with a focus on the concept of, ‘digital natives’ and how people are now living their day to day lives immersed in digital technologies (Ng, 2010), rather than being present in the moment. The profound importance technology plays in peoples lives today and its affect on forming a new culture of connectivity and communication is undeniable. Therefore, I attempted to show this change through the simple use of hand gestures, which have now been replaced by mobile phones and cameras. I applied a one second time laps to the pictures to saturate the viewers with constant flashing media in order to highlight the multitasking nature of digital natives and their ability to rapidly process information and media. However, I specifically reduced the speed on the last image of the figures holding technology to symbolise the power it has to disconnect individuals rather then connect. The gif also focuses on affect which, reminds us to consider how we feel when we consume/engage with media and how we experience and embody it into our lives.

References:

‘Giphy’, 2013, viewed 9 August 2019, < https://giphy.com>.

Ng, W. 2012, ‘Can we teach digital natives digital literacy?’, computers and education, pp. 1065-10678.

‘Remember when people held up lighters, instead of cell phones at concerts?’, Facebook, 2010, viewed 9 August 2019, <https://www.facebook.com/334128223292/photos/rpp.334128223292/334133023292/?type=3&theater>.

In the late 1990s the term ‘Digital literacy’ emerged and was first promoted by author Paul Gilster in his 1997 book Digital Literacy (McArthur et al. 2018). Since then, the digital landscape has rapidly developed with digital literacy becoming an essential skill for effective participation in many aspects of life such as employment and education (Deakin University, 2018). Gilster explains the term as simply literacy for a digital age (Ng, 2012), and emphasises how the growing culture of connectivity, online creating and sharing  (Ng, 2012) has amplified the need for individuals to be able to find, understand and disseminate information in a digital world. I understand digital literacy as the ability to use and understand digital technology, such as editing software and knowing how and when to appropriately use it.  As a student it is essential I understand how to engage with digital technology and how to operate and evaluate data to construct my own meaning (Rubble, 2007). For example, I need to develop my understanding of WordPress and its features in order for me to create and develop areas of my blog.

Deakin University, Digital Literacy, viewed 11 July 2019, <https://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/1237742/digital-literacy.pdf>.

McArthur, T., Lam-McArthur, J., Fontaine, L. 2018, The Oxford companion to the English language, Vol. 2.

Rubble, M. and Bailey, G. 2007, Digital Citizenship in Schools.