Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Project Report, Week Five

I have mainly been working with the City Farm group. Although, I do have a part in the St. Joseph's graphic standards manual. I have not received any information about that portion of the project as of yet. Hopefully, after the team irons out the logo and color concept, the graphics manual will begin to take shape.

With regards to the City Farm group, at first I was concerned about the lack of direction the clients provided us, but I then realized this lack of direction could give our group the opportunity to be more creative with the project. Because the clients are not so committed to giving us specific assignments, we have been able to maneuver the jobs we want to work on.

I was quite disappointed last week when we learned that the client was not interested in the video component of our project, so I was very happy to learn that Andy had developed a new video concept idea. I think it's a great idea for us to create a training video for new volunteers. This will give Andy a resource to easily inform new volunteers and it gives us the chance to create a professional video project that we can showcase in our personal portfolios.

My only worry with the project is the need for more information from the client. I would really like to begin to work on a script/ storyboard for the video, but I don't think we have enough information to put something together yet. Hopefully tonight’s class meeting will illuminate these questions so we can begin to create the videos and other components.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Reading Response to Gunther Kress Multimodality A social semiotic approach to contemporary communication

Kress’ book details the theory of multimodality as it relates to twenty-first century communication. He begins by discussing multimodality as the use of several semiotic modes to create a semiotic product. Modes are the result of culturally and socially created resources that are used to represent and communicate. They can be visual, aural, and/or verbal communications.

Kress continues explaining multimodality by defining and illustrating metaphors, which are words or phrases that generally assign one thing to designate another, which then creates an implied comparison. He illustrates the metaphor of multimedia. Multimedia signifies present day communication. The name encompasses a variety of modes such as print, sound, photography, graphics, etc., but he claims the term multimedia is confusing. It merges radio, newspaper, and television with writing, speech and image, which he believes only confuses old practices with new and it hampers a clear understandable analysis of the term.

Further into the reading, Kress provides a useful example of multimodality by illustrating and describing a simple example which shows how one item can be signified in many different ways. An image of four different packets of salt and pepper are presented in the book. Kress describes these differences as signs that represent what the sign-maker is interested in. In the first example color is used to distinguish the condiments. In the second example the visual on the packets represent salt and pepper shakers. The third example brands the packets with the airline’s logo. The final example includes the word “spicy” at the bottom of the packet. Although each of these sachets of salt and pepper contain the same items, the sign-maker of each packet defines their interests by presenting a variety of different meanings. One highlights health, while another focuses on culinary traditions, another points out social practices, and finally another emphasizes lifestyle and pleasures. The signs define their own social meaning through the process of communication.

After reading this I thought about how multimodality relates to text and image. From what I have gathered from the reading, text and image are the core component to understanding multimodality. Text, image, sound, etc. can work together to define a sign or they can work separately to create a different sign. The example of how a child explains his visit to a museum through text is totally different from his explanation through image. The child’s written description of the visit is explained chronologically while his drawing highlights his favorite parts of his visit to the museum.

As Kress highlights, it is interesting to think about how one simple word, phrase, symbol or image can completely redefine a sign. This book provides useful insights and details helpful analysis of how multimodality relates to modern day communication. The book provides a suitable foundation for understanding multimodality. A better understanding of multimodality will help new media academics and professionals better communicate their ideas, products, work, etc.