Computing and Media Technologies begin as two separate entities
converging together overtime through, film, photography and binary
information. These technologies are developing through experimentation
and the format in which the cultural collective forms for the needs
of mass.
New media can be broken down into two distinct layers, Cultural
Layer and Computer layer. The understanding of the cultural layer is to be known
as the input information (user generated), whereas the computer
layer is generated from the input information through automation and
variations of the same. This transition from the user generated information to
the media form and the transcoding for computer or digital
information.
During the text of 'Language of New Media' as Manovich speaks of
transcoding he states that "computerization turns media into
computer data" (Manovich, 2002, p.63). The computer storing and re distributing the media that it has been given. "In new media lingo,
to “transcode” something is to translate it into another form."
(Manovich, 2002 p.64)
Transcoding doesn't happen without another 4 principles of new
media such as numerical representation, modulation, automation,
variability. Each of which cross one path or another. Computerization
requires numerical or coded information, binary or otherwise,
Modulation through mixed mediums being digitized, automation, the
process of creating the binary and coding into a visual or piece of
spectral information. Variability the changing of the medium e.g.
photograph into a video format. Although suggesting that all within
the cultural layer has to be of human origin Manovich states a
database "originally a computer technology to organize and
access data, is becoming a new cultural form of its own"
(Manovich, 2002 p.64), can be consequence of the principle
transcoding.
Manovich suggests that the "computer layer and media/culture
layer influence each other" (Manovich, 2002 p.64) rather than
have computer layer overpowering the cultural layer, they converge to
develop each other further. With the development of computer and
digital technology, new media continues to grow along side rather
than being the technology. Is it suggestible that transcoding is
changing the development of software and the skills required?
Bibliography
Manovich, L., The Language of New Media (Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 2001)
Wednesday 16 October 2013
I Am Transcoding
Is New media really as new as we know it is, or does transcoding
change the definition? Manovich identifies the commercial effect on
New media stating that "since on one level New media is an Old
media which has been digitized" (Manovich, 2002, p65). We can
see throughout Manovich's train of thought that digitization controls
"mass media and data processing [through] the complimentary
technologies of a modern mass society" (Manovich, 2002, p46). We
are transcoding and we don't want it to be hidden inside mass data
programming, as it helps us work with convergence to create one media
object from several formats.
As a new form of digital community, we become the transcoders. In doing so we identify with the convergence of New media data and its advantage over Old media data. "While from one point of view computerized media still displays structural organization which makes sense to its human user" (Manovich, 2002, p63). At this moment we can characterize the human user within the "cultural layer" (ibid) found in the recuse of the users mind. Cultural layers fall inside the mental identity of Old media such as photography and radio, through their use of storytelling in a physical format. At this stage we begin to see a character transformation from the users mental state (the cultural layer) to the "computer layer" (ibid) which performs the mass data programming and processing found in the basics of transcoding.
Transcoding isn't about separation, but about a collective nature in which both states of mind; be that human or computer, they can come together to form and intelligence of New media. Both these layers combine the Old media such as photography with the New media. In doing so we store and relive that side media. With a culture nature and a computer intellect, the digitization of media is created to the format of how we become the the converged Old media.
Bibliography:
Manovich, L (2002) What is New Media and Principles of New Media from the Language of New Media (Cambridge, Mass :London MIT Press)
As a new form of digital community, we become the transcoders. In doing so we identify with the convergence of New media data and its advantage over Old media data. "While from one point of view computerized media still displays structural organization which makes sense to its human user" (Manovich, 2002, p63). At this moment we can characterize the human user within the "cultural layer" (ibid) found in the recuse of the users mind. Cultural layers fall inside the mental identity of Old media such as photography and radio, through their use of storytelling in a physical format. At this stage we begin to see a character transformation from the users mental state (the cultural layer) to the "computer layer" (ibid) which performs the mass data programming and processing found in the basics of transcoding.
Transcoding isn't about separation, but about a collective nature in which both states of mind; be that human or computer, they can come together to form and intelligence of New media. Both these layers combine the Old media such as photography with the New media. In doing so we store and relive that side media. With a culture nature and a computer intellect, the digitization of media is created to the format of how we become the the converged Old media.
Bibliography:
Manovich, L (2002) What is New Media and Principles of New Media from the Language of New Media (Cambridge, Mass :London MIT Press)
New Media Variability
Manovich states that new media has five different forms, numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability and transcoding. As each of these form play a developing role of new media has a vast variety of new content, which can be accessed almost anywhere by consumers, this content can be altered accurately more that several times.
"A new media object is not something fixed once and for all but can exist in different, potentially infinite, versions."(Manovich, 2002, p56).
With the impact of new media focusing on variability, this gives rise to individuals to create their own versions of media objects. However this is often created by using a computer format, whereas old media involved a "human creator" from industries that could make copies of the original, although it would be an exact duplicate, whereas different consumers would have their own versions.
"Numerous copies could be run off from the master"(Manovich, 2002, p56).
Modularity can be linked with variability without this process, consumers wouldn't be able to store any media text. This is done by the breaking down of pixels that are then recalled when an image comes onto the screen.
"Variability would also will not be possible without modularity"(Manovich, 2002, p56).
As consumers connect onto the internet there are often various items that will appear that will appeal that will appeal to their interests, as they browse through the platform the computer takes note of where they are throughout the search online. As the computer can then start to identify the content that is appropriate for the individual, where everyone's online media experience is different.
"The information about the user can be used by a computer program to automatically customize the media composition"(Manovich, 2002, p57).
This can also be seen as software updates are generated automated, by checking the internet for updates to software that maybe located on their computer. These can be all done without the user having to give too much input, an example would be editing software Photoshop, as the late program or feature update are improved.
Bibliography
Manovich, Lev, 2002, The Language of New Media,(Cambridge, Mass, :London MIT Press)
"A new media object is not something fixed once and for all but can exist in different, potentially infinite, versions."(Manovich, 2002, p56).
With the impact of new media focusing on variability, this gives rise to individuals to create their own versions of media objects. However this is often created by using a computer format, whereas old media involved a "human creator" from industries that could make copies of the original, although it would be an exact duplicate, whereas different consumers would have their own versions.
"Numerous copies could be run off from the master"(Manovich, 2002, p56).
Modularity can be linked with variability without this process, consumers wouldn't be able to store any media text. This is done by the breaking down of pixels that are then recalled when an image comes onto the screen.
"Variability would also will not be possible without modularity"(Manovich, 2002, p56).
As consumers connect onto the internet there are often various items that will appear that will appeal that will appeal to their interests, as they browse through the platform the computer takes note of where they are throughout the search online. As the computer can then start to identify the content that is appropriate for the individual, where everyone's online media experience is different.
"The information about the user can be used by a computer program to automatically customize the media composition"(Manovich, 2002, p57).
This can also be seen as software updates are generated automated, by checking the internet for updates to software that maybe located on their computer. These can be all done without the user having to give too much input, an example would be editing software Photoshop, as the late program or feature update are improved.
Bibliography
Manovich, Lev, 2002, The Language of New Media,(Cambridge, Mass, :London MIT Press)
New Media and the Computerization of Culture
In his book 'The Language of New Media', Lev Manovich (2001, p.43) states that:“(…) today we are in the middle of a new media revolution—the shift of all of our culture to computer-mediated forms of production, distribution and communication.”. This new media revolution can be seen as the junction of the history of computing and the history of media technologies. According to Manovich, five main principles can be identified in order to distinguish New Media from old media: numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability and transcoding.
Although Manovich acknowledges that the principles of automation, variability and transcoding are predominantly dependent on the basic principles of numerical representation and modularity, he also acknowledges that transcoding is “(…) the most substantial consequence of media’s computerization.” (Manovich, 2001, p.63). In technological terms, transcoding can be defined as the transformation from one format to another. However, when we define transcoding in more general terms, it can be understood as the computerization of culture.
In this respect, we have to think about New Media as comprising two layers. On the one hand, there is the cultural layer which reflects the perspective of the human mind. On the other hand, there is the computer layer which represents digital data or numeric codes. Given that computers are used to create and distribute New Media, it is anticipated that the computer layer will influence the cultural layer. In this way, the representation of culture by the computer affects culture itself. An example of this would be the evolution from old web communities to social networks, which have a significant social impact on our daily lives. Moreover, this influence can be seen in both directions, resulting in the merger of computer and culture. It is a merger of how human beings see the world and how the computer represents it. Nevertheless, the question remains to what extent this effect is substantially different from the impact of more traditional media.
Bibliography
Manovich, L. (2001). The Language of New Media. Cambridge, Mass., London: MIT Press.
Although Manovich acknowledges that the principles of automation, variability and transcoding are predominantly dependent on the basic principles of numerical representation and modularity, he also acknowledges that transcoding is “(…) the most substantial consequence of media’s computerization.” (Manovich, 2001, p.63). In technological terms, transcoding can be defined as the transformation from one format to another. However, when we define transcoding in more general terms, it can be understood as the computerization of culture.
In this respect, we have to think about New Media as comprising two layers. On the one hand, there is the cultural layer which reflects the perspective of the human mind. On the other hand, there is the computer layer which represents digital data or numeric codes. Given that computers are used to create and distribute New Media, it is anticipated that the computer layer will influence the cultural layer. In this way, the representation of culture by the computer affects culture itself. An example of this would be the evolution from old web communities to social networks, which have a significant social impact on our daily lives. Moreover, this influence can be seen in both directions, resulting in the merger of computer and culture. It is a merger of how human beings see the world and how the computer represents it. Nevertheless, the question remains to what extent this effect is substantially different from the impact of more traditional media.
Bibliography
Manovich, L. (2001). The Language of New Media. Cambridge, Mass., London: MIT Press.
New Media
Media and technology have been growing and ever changing along side one another for many, many decades. They have also influenced how one and another has been developed and precised over these many, many years. Whenever technology is enhanced it can help lead to new and varied ways that we can produce and also consume media in our lives. Then in turn as we produce and consume more and more media we then try to invent new technologies to help us do so in easier, better ways and also even new ways. So this back and forth between media and technology has helped they both grow over the year.
Furthermore due to this continuous back and forth between technology and media that causes them to enhance the other further they help to then create new media. This also helps to create new ways in which we enjoy and consume our media. Also as it has helped to create new media much easier and effects that we add to various media texts. On such computer programmes as Photoshop makes it as simple as clicking a single button to create the desired effect who wish to add to your media text. So it then removes much of the involvement we human put into our media texts. "Thus human intentionally can be removed from the creative process, at least in part." (Manovich, p.53). Technology and media have developed so far together that they now come in hand in hand with one another.
Moreover new media, thanks to the interweaving of technology and media over the decades, has lead to use to use our technology to consume our media texts. We can use our technology to develop a device that we can use to ingest several forms of media at once. This is down to media and technology becoming one and the same over their long history together.
Bibliography:
Manovich, L (2002) What is New Media and Principles of New Media From The Language of New Media
Furthermore due to this continuous back and forth between technology and media that causes them to enhance the other further they help to then create new media. This also helps to create new ways in which we enjoy and consume our media. Also as it has helped to create new media much easier and effects that we add to various media texts. On such computer programmes as Photoshop makes it as simple as clicking a single button to create the desired effect who wish to add to your media text. So it then removes much of the involvement we human put into our media texts. "Thus human intentionally can be removed from the creative process, at least in part." (Manovich, p.53). Technology and media have developed so far together that they now come in hand in hand with one another.
Moreover new media, thanks to the interweaving of technology and media over the decades, has lead to use to use our technology to consume our media texts. We can use our technology to develop a device that we can use to ingest several forms of media at once. This is down to media and technology becoming one and the same over their long history together.
Bibliography:
Manovich, L (2002) What is New Media and Principles of New Media From The Language of New Media
Critical response to Manovich’s principles of New Media ‘Numerical Representation’ and ‘Modularity'
Worth noticing in Manovich’s chapter on principles of New media are the sections
‘Numerical Representation’ and ‘Modularity’. This principles are correctly
stated as being important elements of New Media. In the first section, the
author states that the process of digitization involves making real life data,
which is continuous, into discrete data. These discrete units, however, are not
the units of meaning. The case is rather that they first have to form a
interpretable concept as a whole by relying on each other and therefore, they
do not affect the viewer separately (Manovich, 2002, pp. 49-50). With this
comes the principle of modularity, where the author explains that all these
separate elements, together combined into the large-scale object, have their
own identity and are independent of one another (Manovich, 2002, pp. 51-52).
This might inhere some sort of contradiction. Although all of these units might seem independent, it could be more useful to say that they are related to each other to create a meaningful superstructure. Taking out one of the items would break the logical whole, and the meaning would change. As a consequence, this means that deleting ‘atoms’ of the new media object would interrupt the cultural and the overall meaning of the message provided by this specific new media, which then too has a significant consequence on the way the message would have influenced the society in which it is created. The influence of the medium happens in the extension of a specific meaning, which is created by the specific parts all working together to be meaningful in some sort of specific way. Take for example a photograph, consisting of pixels as being the units. With just a few pixels, taking out one of the ‘atoms’ or manipulating them in some sort of way does change the way people will interpret the photograph. One may be able to separate or interchange the units, but it will impact the meaning of the message.
Bibliography
Manovich, L. (2002). The language of New Media. MIT Press.
This might inhere some sort of contradiction. Although all of these units might seem independent, it could be more useful to say that they are related to each other to create a meaningful superstructure. Taking out one of the items would break the logical whole, and the meaning would change. As a consequence, this means that deleting ‘atoms’ of the new media object would interrupt the cultural and the overall meaning of the message provided by this specific new media, which then too has a significant consequence on the way the message would have influenced the society in which it is created. The influence of the medium happens in the extension of a specific meaning, which is created by the specific parts all working together to be meaningful in some sort of specific way. Take for example a photograph, consisting of pixels as being the units. With just a few pixels, taking out one of the ‘atoms’ or manipulating them in some sort of way does change the way people will interpret the photograph. One may be able to separate or interchange the units, but it will impact the meaning of the message.
Bibliography
Manovich, L. (2002). The language of New Media. MIT Press.
What Makes New Media Different
"A new media object is not something fixed once and for all but can exist in different, potentially infinite, versions" (Manovich, 2002, pg.56)
When copies are made of old media, they are all identical, however this is not the case with new media where many different versions of a piece of media can exist.
As Manovich states (Manovich, 2002, pg.56), variability can't exist without modularity, allowing each element of new media to exist independently. This allows the various individual parts to be compiled in multiple ways to create new things each time with each new media each time with each new combination, each combination can be considered new variations of the same pieces of media.
Variations of media can include several edits of one video or photo. These variations are all from the same source file that has been edited, making them essentially the same despite their minor differences.
As New Media exists as data, it can be transferred and viewed from almost any electronic device and the media we see can be customised for things like browser compatibility or the location found in the users IP address can be used to provide location specific information.
When media made the transition from analogue to digital, the possibility for variability increased. It can be argued that analogue media isn't dead, not yet anyway, ie. groups of camera enthusiasts still use old cameras and develop their photographs in a dark room using the chemicals that digital cameras left behind. It's increasingly uncommon to find analogue media today as digital is more convenient.
Variations can also be created automatically by computers, ie. an image can be matched to the scale of the viewing platform being used by the viewer. This links the idea of automation, where computers can create media with very little human interaction, to that of variation.
All of the aspects mentioned here are important in determining what New Media is, rather than just one of them.
Bibliography
Manovich, L (2002) What is New Media and Principles of New Media from the Language of New Media (Cambridge, Mass :London MIT Press)
When copies are made of old media, they are all identical, however this is not the case with new media where many different versions of a piece of media can exist.
As Manovich states (Manovich, 2002, pg.56), variability can't exist without modularity, allowing each element of new media to exist independently. This allows the various individual parts to be compiled in multiple ways to create new things each time with each new media each time with each new combination, each combination can be considered new variations of the same pieces of media.
Variations of media can include several edits of one video or photo. These variations are all from the same source file that has been edited, making them essentially the same despite their minor differences.
As New Media exists as data, it can be transferred and viewed from almost any electronic device and the media we see can be customised for things like browser compatibility or the location found in the users IP address can be used to provide location specific information.
When media made the transition from analogue to digital, the possibility for variability increased. It can be argued that analogue media isn't dead, not yet anyway, ie. groups of camera enthusiasts still use old cameras and develop their photographs in a dark room using the chemicals that digital cameras left behind. It's increasingly uncommon to find analogue media today as digital is more convenient.
Variations can also be created automatically by computers, ie. an image can be matched to the scale of the viewing platform being used by the viewer. This links the idea of automation, where computers can create media with very little human interaction, to that of variation.
All of the aspects mentioned here are important in determining what New Media is, rather than just one of them.
Bibliography
Manovich, L (2002) What is New Media and Principles of New Media from the Language of New Media (Cambridge, Mass :London MIT Press)
Automated media, rise of the machines?
Lev Manovich has identified how factors, such as computerisation, have changed medias function and social significance while new media takes its place as the staple of the digital age. Manovich "reduces all principles of new media to five: numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability and cultural transcoding", identifying the key factors which differentiate old and new media (Manovich, 2002, pg.44). All new media is now made up of "digital code" and so "becomes programmable", allowing computers to store, produce and distribute our media (Manovich, 2002, pg.49). Before technology was just a tool for media, just a calculator which aided us but with technological advancements it now shares in the creative production process.
Manovich notes how "human intentionally can be removed from the creative process, at least in part", software such as Photoshop, creates, edits and filters our content for us at the click of a button, taking most human interaction out of new media (Manovich, 2002, pg.53). Are we being limited by computers? By relying on automated technology, we take a back seat in creating media compared to the manual processes of old media. We live in a society "now concerned as much with accessing and re-using existing media as with creating new one" (Manovich, 2002, pg.55). If everyone is re-using existing media, this may stunt the creative possibility's of new media, leaving us with ideas that will never be imagined.
Artificial intelligence becomes ever more real, as computerised controls such as "software agents" filters our media for what it deems relevant, using our information and profiles to adapt new media around us (Manovich, 2002, pg.55). Creating a Big Brother mentality, as we are being monitored, controlled and restricted by computer technology. Although as seen in video games, this control is merely an illusion by "AI engines" which "use a variety of approaches to simulate human intelligence", restricting our own choices to fit within the rules of its own digital world (Manovich, 2002, pg.54). Though digitization has also given the user more control over time and media, such as through "random access"(Manovich, 2002, pg.67). By rejecting the "human-centered" order of old media such as the fixed order of videotapes, it allows time to be "managed, analysed and manipulated more easily"(Manovich, 2002, pg.67).
Bibliography
Manovich, L. (2002) The Language Of New Media, (Cambridge, Mass, :London MIT Press)
Manovich notes how "human intentionally can be removed from the creative process, at least in part", software such as Photoshop, creates, edits and filters our content for us at the click of a button, taking most human interaction out of new media (Manovich, 2002, pg.53). Are we being limited by computers? By relying on automated technology, we take a back seat in creating media compared to the manual processes of old media. We live in a society "now concerned as much with accessing and re-using existing media as with creating new one" (Manovich, 2002, pg.55). If everyone is re-using existing media, this may stunt the creative possibility's of new media, leaving us with ideas that will never be imagined.
Artificial intelligence becomes ever more real, as computerised controls such as "software agents" filters our media for what it deems relevant, using our information and profiles to adapt new media around us (Manovich, 2002, pg.55). Creating a Big Brother mentality, as we are being monitored, controlled and restricted by computer technology. Although as seen in video games, this control is merely an illusion by "AI engines" which "use a variety of approaches to simulate human intelligence", restricting our own choices to fit within the rules of its own digital world (Manovich, 2002, pg.54). Though digitization has also given the user more control over time and media, such as through "random access"(Manovich, 2002, pg.67). By rejecting the "human-centered" order of old media such as the fixed order of videotapes, it allows time to be "managed, analysed and manipulated more easily"(Manovich, 2002, pg.67).
Bibliography
Manovich, L. (2002) The Language Of New Media, (Cambridge, Mass, :London MIT Press)
Going Down The River in a Cardboard Box
"In contrast to analog media where each successive copy loses quality, digitally encoded media can be copied endlessly without degradation" (Manovich, 2001, 69)
Manovich begins by looking at William J. Mitchell's 'The Reconfigured Eye' (1982), In which Mitchell talks about how analog media "cannot be transmitted or copied without degradation" (Mitchell, 1982: 6) At the time of writing, Mitchell was living in a world where digital media was a break through in technology and it was looking like it was about to completely revolutionise the way media artefacts where accessed, developed and broadcast. It looked like nothing could destroy digital media and that anything which was digitally accessed was safe from complete destruction.
Mitchell goes on to refer to his view of digital media and how he believes it is completely lossless, "a digital image that is a thousand generations away from the original is indistinguishable in quality from any one of its progenitors".
He believes that digital media is invincible through generations of being passed down. For example. An old photograph will stain of the years with age and use, but if a digital image is stored on a hard drive for the same amount of time, it will be in the same condition and quality as when it was taken.
However, Manovich, speaking nearly twenty years after Mitchell, and being in the middle of the digital revolution, knows how digital media can be just as short-termed as analog media. "A single digital image consists of millions of pixels. All this data requires considerable storage" (Manovich, 2001: 70)
Even another decade later and we still cannot say that we have confidence in how computers store our media files. With technologies like DropBox, GoogleDrive and SkyDrive, surely we are just bypassing the problem instead of eliminating the problem which we built.
Bibliography
Mitchell, W.J., The Reconfigured Eye (Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 1982)
Manovich, L., The Language of New Media (Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 2001)
Manovich begins by looking at William J. Mitchell's 'The Reconfigured Eye' (1982), In which Mitchell talks about how analog media "cannot be transmitted or copied without degradation" (Mitchell, 1982: 6) At the time of writing, Mitchell was living in a world where digital media was a break through in technology and it was looking like it was about to completely revolutionise the way media artefacts where accessed, developed and broadcast. It looked like nothing could destroy digital media and that anything which was digitally accessed was safe from complete destruction.
Mitchell goes on to refer to his view of digital media and how he believes it is completely lossless, "a digital image that is a thousand generations away from the original is indistinguishable in quality from any one of its progenitors".
He believes that digital media is invincible through generations of being passed down. For example. An old photograph will stain of the years with age and use, but if a digital image is stored on a hard drive for the same amount of time, it will be in the same condition and quality as when it was taken.
However, Manovich, speaking nearly twenty years after Mitchell, and being in the middle of the digital revolution, knows how digital media can be just as short-termed as analog media. "A single digital image consists of millions of pixels. All this data requires considerable storage" (Manovich, 2001: 70)
Even another decade later and we still cannot say that we have confidence in how computers store our media files. With technologies like DropBox, GoogleDrive and SkyDrive, surely we are just bypassing the problem instead of eliminating the problem which we built.
Bibliography
Mitchell, W.J., The Reconfigured Eye (Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 1982)
Manovich, L., The Language of New Media (Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press, 2001)
Automated Media
Lev Manovich has shown us how media function has changed through the years and how media actually first begun. From the daguerreotype to computerisation, media has come a long way in this time. Manovich "reduces all principles of new media to five: numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability and cultural transcoding" (Manovich, 2002, p.44). Computers were invented at first to be used as a calculators and store date but now they are used to store, make, view and distribute media and data etc. Media back then when computers where just calculators hadn't crossed paths with computers until they met when "The tape Zuse used was actually discarded 35mm movie film" (Manovich, 2002, p47) This was kind of the beginning f the "new media revolution" (Manovich, 2002, p.43).
Humans are no longer needed to actually make media forms as we have been replaced as the 'new media revolution' takes over and we are being surrounded by programs that used to do what we do and at the click of the button we can edit any photo in anyway or we make a film without really doing much due to templates and other sorts of editing.
Automated media has come to be the most revolutionary part of media development as we are seeing a computer communicate with us in real life and it can also "guess user's emotional state and to adjust the style of interaction accordingly." (Manovich, 2002, pg54) this means that people are now able to game and communicate in many different ways now as they can play against 'someone' without their actually being anyone with you or playing online you can now play against the computer as it is called "AL (Artificial life) software" (Manovich, 2002, pg53).
Without Media access we would basically be lost because think about the amount of times you have needed a picture for a picture and you have just simply gone to 'google images'. We all have the most remarkable ability to just pull a picture off the internet without having to contribute to it in anyway financially or creatively. This is what Is the automated revolution contributing to the new media revolution.
Humans are no longer needed to actually make media forms as we have been replaced as the 'new media revolution' takes over and we are being surrounded by programs that used to do what we do and at the click of the button we can edit any photo in anyway or we make a film without really doing much due to templates and other sorts of editing.
Automated media has come to be the most revolutionary part of media development as we are seeing a computer communicate with us in real life and it can also "guess user's emotional state and to adjust the style of interaction accordingly." (Manovich, 2002, pg54) this means that people are now able to game and communicate in many different ways now as they can play against 'someone' without their actually being anyone with you or playing online you can now play against the computer as it is called "AL (Artificial life) software" (Manovich, 2002, pg53).
Without Media access we would basically be lost because think about the amount of times you have needed a picture for a picture and you have just simply gone to 'google images'. We all have the most remarkable ability to just pull a picture off the internet without having to contribute to it in anyway financially or creatively. This is what Is the automated revolution contributing to the new media revolution.
New Media - Modularity & Variability
For many people, the term "New Media" is used as an umbrella term to denote the technological progress which has occurred in society over the last few decades. For media theorist Lev Manovich, however, this popular consensus is "too limiting" (2001, pp. 19), so he decided to outline what exactly is meant by new media by determining five main principles to serve as a kind of check-list to which all new media forms should conform. These characteristics include "numerical representation, modularity, automation, variability and transcoding" (2001, pp. 27-48), and for me two of these characteristics, modularity and variability, seem to be more closely linked than the others, and it is the relationship between these two that I will now try to explain.
As Manovich writes, modularity is the term used to describe the "fractal structure of new media" (2001, pp. 30). What he means by this is that a new media object consists of separate, independent elements, which are in turn made up of even smaller, independent elements and so on, right down to the smallest "atoms", for example the World Wide Web. As Manovich goes on to describe, it "consists of numerous Web pages, each in turn consisting of separate media elements (which can be) accessed on their own" (2001, pp. 31). We can therefore safely say that, because of the example given and the fact it coheres to the principle of modularity, the World Wide Web can be described as a new media object.
Bearing this in mind, we can understand what is meant when we are introduced to the term variability. As described by Manovich "a new media object is not something fixed, but something that can exist in potentially infinite versions" (2001, pp. 38). This potential for multiple different versions of a media object existing is down to the fact that, because media elements are independent and therefore maintain their own identities, they can be assembled into numerous sequences, allowing for such variability in multiplicity to occur.
Manovich, L. (2001) The Language of New Media (Cambridge, Mass. : London MIT Press)
Variability in New Media
Lev Manovich (2002, p. 44) presents five principles that describe New Media. As with all descriptions of abstract concepts, this is just one way of looking at it. This presentation can definitely help people understand what New Media means, but so could a different description with for instance more or less categories. However, the five principles of Manovich give a clear description of the whole complexity of New Media.
His first three principles: numerical representation, modularity and automation are without doubt important requisites. However they might cover more than New Media alone and are therefore not its most important characteristics. cultural transcoding is definitely a key concept without which there would be no such thing as New Media, but it could be classified as a consequence of it. Therefore, it could be argued that the aspect that is really responsible for New Media is variability.
Variability means that media are not the same for everyone but change according to the user, making the usage of the 'same' media a different experience to everybody (Manovich, 2002, p.56). The reason variability could be viewed as the main aspect of New Media is that it does not just focus on how the content is made, but on how the user interacts with it. This interaction is what makes New Media new. A key feature in this is that variability enables to view media on a continuum of how New it is. An e-book is on a low level. You can change type size and fonts, but it remains similar to the traditional book. Further on the scale there might be DVDs. Their menu uses branching and they have extras, but it still is not as New as for instance Facebook, were you can personalize your profile and use it for many different purposes, enabling a much wider range of gratifications for its users.
Bibliography
Manovich, L. (2002). The Language of New Media. MIT Press.
Bibliography
Manovich, L. (2002). The Language of New Media. MIT Press.
Digital Flaws
Analog has tested the effects of time over a vast number of years
and is responsible for our consumption of various media, but in the process has
paved the way to an all-digital culture that is quickly becoming a one-way
trip. Analog
has been shunned aside to make
way for the ‘better’ and cheaper distribution of digital media as we now fully
commit ourselves to digitization. The
primary issue with this, is a distinct loss in quality.
Manovich argues Mitchells point that, “in reality, there is actually much more degradation and loss of information
between digital images than between…traditional photographs.” (Manovich
2002: 70) A photo typically contains
millions of pixels but is susceptible even in the digital world to an
indefinite loss of quality. This
situation escalates quicker with the compression of different media files be it
movies, games, or photographs to be stored on our personal computers for our
own convenience. In a digital decade
where we as a society have grown to appreciate and maintain a constant need for
media content, we can receive a copy of almost anything we want through the
Internet. A particular emphasis is on
the word ‘copy’ as what we receive can be regarded as a downgrade dependent, “…on the level of compression, from barely
noticeable to quite pronounced.” (Manovich 2002: 70)
Studios have expressed their distaste in continuing movie
production on 35mm and many have ceased to use them as they switch to
digital. Unfortunately this switch will
be on a rapid incline as many see the benefits to be gained, mostly involving
cost effectiveness. The situation has
become so problematic that one of Hollywoods finest Directors Christopher Nolan
organized a short pre-screening of his latest film ‘Dark Knight Rises’ filmed
entirely on celluloid, and invited other well-respected Directors such as Duncan
Jones and Michael Bay. His invitation
involved an ulterior motive that was to make a plea for 35mm film and warnings
that it, “…will be stamped out by the
studios unless people – people like them – insist otherwise.” (Gendy
Alimurung)
It is important that we proceed with digital as it has great
benefits but the key should be to grow and develop with new and existing technologies, not cast one
aside to make room for another. Digital
is not flawless and in many respects can be easily corrupted or lost. This is especially true for Pixar’s ‘Toy
Story 2’ which was almost erased by someone who hit the delete key sequence on
a Linux machine and the only reason it was saved was because the Visual Arts
Director had the only copy to work on at home.
While Digital presents us with new benefits it also brings flaws and we
should not be so quick to scrap old technology to bridge the digital divide.
Bibliography
Manovich, Lev (2002) The Language of New Media
Alimurung, Gendy ‘The Death of Film: Movie Studios are
Forcing Hollywood to Abandon 35mm film’, Laweekly, 2012.
Filmography
‘Batman The Dark Knight Rises, USA, 2012, Christopher Nolan.
‘Toy Story 2’, USA, 1999, John Lasseter.
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