Poli-Apathy! HELP!!!! (WEEK 10 - COM 125)

This post is an opinionated entry largely based on my experience and from what I’ve seen around me. In general, I agree that youths are apathetic towards politics and I dare claim that very few youths and young adults, me included, will not be able to………………

(1) Name most of our cabinet ministers
(2) Discuss the current government policies
(3) Carry out an intellectual discussion on world affairs.



Additionally, a large number of youths do not……………

(1) Watch news programs
(2) Read the Straits Times
(3) Contemplate and debate about current affairs among one another

This may be due to……

Suspect No. 1: Wrong usage of Technology

I believe that technology is a HUGE distraction. Society is so caught up with the latest phones, gadgets and applications.

Question is, how and what are they using these for? I hardly see youths read an online report from Channel News Asia or CNN on their IPhone. What I do see is people on Cube, Rhinoball and Touch Hockey.



We have the means to access political campaigns and latest discussions among the government. However, the problem seems to be our misused of such advanced technologies. Instead of bette educating ourselves, we distant ourselves further from our surrounding and current affairs.


Suspect no. 2: Pop Culture

No prizes for guessing why this is probably another contributor to poli-apathy. Think about this, will youths enjoy watching a senate meeting or American Idol on TV more? Will more youths listen to a political campaign or a go to a Lady Gaga or Muse concert?



What I’m trying to say is that politics is not like pop culture; it consists of heavy subject matter and may be boring. We would have heard many of our fellow colleagues of friends engrossed in soccer or the latest trends in the market, but never interested in discussing politics.

Possibly, the only reason is because politics is a dry and boring. Additionally, most of us tend to seek entertainment after a hard day’s work.

Even he yarns, what more us?



Suspect no. 3: Framing education

Another issue I like to highlight is the way in which education is thought. Students, especially in Singapore are thought to focus on academic results and exams are based solely on endless arrays of notes and textbooks.

I do note that most textbooks to relate to political issues such as the latest developments and current affairs. However, we are not thought to relate to this and elaborate on such material. More importantly, we are not encouraged to find the reasons behind such issues.



We are tasks to REMEMBER (which I think is a BAD BAD way of learning) and RECALL (in the exams). Is this a good way of learning and understanding such issues in a deeper way; for example, its impact on other societies? Absolutely not. The education system is flawed.


Suspect no. 4: Modern day affluence

Many of us these days are reasonably well-off. This has disparaged youths from politics and made then materialistic. Girls are too distracted with what to wear. Boys seem to only be interested in their motorbikes and flashy cars.



We are ignorant to the more important issues that surround us. People do not seek knowledge; instead, they are too preoccupied with instant gratification based on material goods. In other words, we are distracted by our own wealth.

I have stated the several factors that may contribute to poli-apathy. However, these are very subjective accounts and I believe that there are many out there that may beg to differ.

However, I’ll end with a short clip explaining the likely cause/causes of poli-apathy in youths in contemporary society.

Enjoy!

The Multimedia in Movie Making (WEEK 9 - COM 125)

This post is going to get a wee bit personal simply because I am a movie buff. Special effects in movies create deep engagement within the audience. Additionally, as we learnt in class, it spurs knowledge connections.



Here, I would like to focus on movies in which the connection between the multimedia effects and the plot are evident. More clearly, I believe that the usage of multimedia should not only be used to offer a better 3D experience or simply just to make the image clearer.

Examples:
 Avatar
 King Kong
 Chronicles of Narnia

I call this”pure multimedia” with little substance.

AVATAR

KONG

However, What I do truly appreciate are directors who have the ability to mash these effects with the underlying meaning of the plot. I like to call this ‘intellectual multimedia’ and such forms of special effects allows movie critics to analyze a movie from the production’s point of view and understand the subtle messages of the director.

I’ll start with the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hichcock…..
• Hitchcock – movie (VERTIGO)

The infamous scene that illustrates the theme of the film

Arguably the finest of Hitch’s thrillers, the movie revolves around a retired detective suffering from acrophobia (fear of heights).

He is called upon by an old friend to investigate the strange and mysterious behavior of his wife. Throughout the movie, audience witness the detective’s condition affects his quest to unravel the mystery behind the woman’s behavior.

The scene below shows the protagonist John Ferguson played by Jimmy stewart chasing Madeleine Elster played by Hollywood beauty, Kim Novak.



Hitch used a dolly zoom technique for this shot to give the nauseating effect of acrophobia. This is accomplished by “zooming” the lens in and tracking the camera back simultaneously or vice versa to create the destabilizing effect. This is the camera technique that has been associated and credited as Hitchcock’s own and signature special effect.

This may not be a multimedia effect per se because it isn’t a computer-based interactive communication; however, it has stark similarities to using a video camera and engaging the audience. In other words, it provides meaning and structural solidarity to the film.

• Fincher – movie (FIGHT CLUB)

one of the greatest films of all time and director David Fincher’s cult classic has become a staple for all movie buffs and rebels worldwide. Needless to say, this film combines aesthetic flair with a plot twist that is unimaginably mind-boggling and second to none.

Edward Norton in Fight Club

However, what really caught my attention was the “dissolve” kinetics typography technique used in the title sequence that is not only pleasing to the eye but can also be related to the ending of the movie where audiences witness buildings collapsing due to explosives. Here, the words seem “explode” and vanish much like the bombings of the skyscrapers at the end. Please take a look at the video below.


Typography Kinesics





The typographic dissolving is also associated with the sudden disappearance of Tyler Durden (Brad pitt). Audiences later learn that Tyler Durden is a fiction of the narrator’s imagination (Edward Norton). Hence, the dissolving effect used on the introduction typography can be seen as a subtle message relating to the crux of the film.

Multimedia should be used with the purpose to enhance the movie in connection with the plot. It is a supplementary tool and should not be the tool that your movie revolves around.

Questions we should ask is “why and how is this multimedia effect going to help the audience understanding the movie better” and not “can I throw it a few effects just to make the image come alive”. Then you leave yourself exposed to the question “How is this related to the movie?”

These are simply my two cents worth…………….