October 21, 2014

Today

1) Cindy Selfe and some Semiotics2) Audio Assignment3) Some NPR– what is it that they do that makes it so

great? 4) Time permitting: reverse engineered storyboard

The Original Selfie

Selfe tells us…

…lots of things.

Before I take you into a specific aspect of the reading, are there any particular questions about the piece or comments on things you found interesting/important?

Semiotics

One of the things that Selfe stresses in this piece that is important for our considerations here is semiotics/semiotic channels.

So what does she mean by “Semiotic?”

Let’s talk that out.

Semiotics

Traditional Semiotics emerge from the works of Ferdinand de Sassure, a mindbending Swiss linguist.

Semiotics, per Sassure, basically state that we understand not through literal expression but through a system of signs and symbols.

But, but… sound?

So there are these things that Selfe refers to as semiotic “channels.” The underpining here is that “Semiotics” is about expression of symbols and signs, but how many symbols and signs are literally alphabetic text?

LISTEN

Semiotic Channels

You can imagine semiotic channels as the delivery system for symbols and signs. They are primarily: 1)Aural (sound)2)Visual (static images are one channel, video is another)3) Alphabetic (letters and words)4)Tactile (think of a video game controller that shakes)

To this point…

… smell is the least rhetorically used potential semiotic channel, though people make choices about fragrances every day.

Imagine trying to make an argument only with smell.

We move to audio…

Your next major assignment is an audio piece. More specifically, we’re going to be making 3-6 minute NPR style reports about something related to our focal topics.

Let’s alt-tab and look at the actual assignment.

Pro Tips:

When creating with audio, background noise and distractions are like poor penmanship: you want to record with a good microphone (at the very least get a headset with a mic– don’t tape into a laptop’s built-in speaker because we’ll hear your computer fan)

Pro Tips:

“Ums” and coughing/clearing your throat is pretty much unacceptable in a polished audio project. You should expect to spend time shaping and editing your audio. Don’t expect to record your project in one take.

Pro Tips:

One thing that we don’t always notice about ourselves is when we breathe as we talk/how we sound as we run out of air. Learn from Tay Zonday– don’t breathe in right in front of the microphone. Likewise, if you’re starting to lose speaking volume, look away and breathe.

Let’s listen…

…to a little of that NPR.

Alt-tab time.

Let’s listen…

Go to the website at NPR.com. Look around for a feature piece, plug in your headphones, and give it a listen. As you do, try to figure out, comparing it to the piece we all listened to, what sorts of tropes and tricks you hear in the NPR productions? What makes them compelling?

With the remaining time…

… we will brainstorm for your project. Pull up your research blog. We might need it. Then open a blank Word document.

Free writing

I’m going to give you a prompt. I want you to keep writing about it, even if you’re writing things like “I can’t think of anything” until I tell you to stop, at which point, of course, you will stop.

Prompt 1

Look over your blog, and think about your focal topic. What are issues or concepts related to the topic that you feel you could cover in roughly 5 minutes?

Prompt 2

Look at that list. Pick 2 or 3 things from it you find most interesting. Recopy them, then start writing about ways you think you could elaborate on each.

Prompt 3

Think about anecdotes. Are there good, contained stories you could share about any of the things on your list? If there are, start sketching that out.

Prompt 4

Pick the topic you find most compelling. Start writing out how you’d begin the piece.

Prompt 5

Pick a topic you like from what is left, and spend a few minutes thinking about what you’d use other than the primary vocal to texture the sound experience.

For Thursday

We’re going to spend some time in Photoshop. I’m going to take you through opening, setting up a file, and what each of the buttons on the toolbar do. I’ll then take requests/model ways to improve on your typography projects.