iGeneration: October 2005

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Simpsons: The iGeneration Podcast

by Liz and Hilary :D

EPISODE: One – Cape Feare and Participatory culture

SHOWNOTES

-Time Scale

[X] (0-1.17) Introduction to the iGen
[X] (1.20-1.40) How to set up your Video with our Audio
[X] (1.40- 24.15) Part 1: The Alternative Commentary
[X] (24.16-27.51) Intermission Podsafe: Cruisebox – Tell the FCC to Stick It (Squeaky Clean Remix)
[X] (27.51-53.28) Part 2: Discussion

-Links

[X] Part 1:

- The Simpsons Official Website [Link]

[X] Intermission:

- Podesafe [Link]
- Cruisebox- Tell the FCC to Stick It (Squeaky Clean Remix) [Link]

[X] Part 2:

- Wired News: TV Tries Shaky Hand at Podcasting [Link]
- Listology: Best Fan Commentary Tracks [Link]
- Wizard People, Dear Reader by Brad Neely (NOT Harry Potter) [Link]
- Toner Mishap: The Simpsons – with “Audio Description” [Link]
- SCIFI.COM/ Battlestar Gallactica [Link]
- Fox Podcasts accessed through iTunes Podcasts, iTunes website link [Link]
- iGeneration Honours Seminar Unit References [Link]
- The Signal Podcast [Link]
- Star Wars Fan Film Awards—Only on AtomFilms [Link]
- Wired News: Blogging + Video = Vlogging [Link]
-Audacity: Free Audio Editor and Recorder [Link]

[X] Exegesis:

- In an attempt to be innovative and participatory our Exegesis was written with the help of Writeboard by 37 Signals [Link]

- Our Exegesis Writeboard [Link] which needs our password to access please email request at fluffylittlebunny@gmail.com (NB: If we allow access through use of our password we do not wish our last version to be edited without our permission– if you edit it prepare to face certain angry consequences)

EXEGESIS

(NB: Our Exegesis was also covered in the discussion [Part 2] of our podcast, but for the sake of completeness we have also written this as well.)

Our Simpsons Podcast consists of two parts. The first part is a alternative audio commentary of the season five episode Cape Feare, while the second part consists of a wider discussion relating to the use of podcasts for purposes such as commentaries, and a consideration of participatory culture and The Simpsons.

Our alternative commentary aims to make the viewer aware of the underlying themes of The Simspons and how it is constructed in a context of other cultural media products. When creating our audio commentary we attempted to maintain a relaxed tone normally associated with this form, yet also incorporate educational comments associated with our topic. We situate The Simpsons in a time when the audience is becoming more aware of mediums and the effects this awareness has on the mediums productions. This is because with the invention and availability of new technologies, individuals have made the transition from mass consumers of media, to producers. Consequently as producers, we have become more active in every interaction with media. Hence, The Simpsons acts out audience expectations of the television medium and others, and creates a reflexive and self-referential product to be interpreted.

Our discussion explores the effects and potentials of participatory culture further in how it is related to our Simpsons podcast. We note that The Simpsons can be seen as a step in the gradual move to more ‘participatory’ cultural products. We consider Star Wars to be the least participatory, followed by the emergence of The Simpsons which moved towards a move openly culturally reflexive form and finally Battlestar Gallactica (BSG) being our example of embracing participatory culture. BSG does so by its acknowledgement of participatory culture’s emergence in the form of Podcasts and fan interaction.

Our podcast can be situated amongst the other fan produced audio commentaries, and also with the podcast phenomenon by amateurs seen through iTunes. Fox Broadcasts official Simpsons’s podcast failed due to a poor use of audio, and here we see once again that the fans are the most successful innovators in the era of participatory culture and the potentials for audio offered by Podcasts.

In conclusion, our Podcast is participatory both in the fact that it is a participatory cultural product (being a fan produced podcast) and also due to its reflection on participatory issues within The Simpsons as a medium. Our discussion highlights the position of Podcasts and their role in the further development and possibilities related to audio and participatory culture.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alberti, John, Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture, Detroit, MI: Wayne State UP, 2004. xxxii, 344 pp. Contemporary Approaches Film and Television Series

Groening, Matt, Vitti, John and Moore, Rich, “Cape Feare” on The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season DVD Collector’s Edition, 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment 2005

Jenkins, Henry, “Interactive Audience?” in The New Media Book, Dan Harris (ed), London: BFI Publishing, 2002, pp. 157-170

Other Info:

“Cape Feare” original airdate information on Fox Network (US): 9F22 October 7, 1993. Written by John Vitti. Directed by Rich Moore

We also wish to point out that our podcast tone and informal yet educational atmosphere was influenced by the ‘Podfather’ himself, namely Adam Curry. We attempted to follow his lead in successfully creating a podcast that was clearly understandable and interesting, yet did not sound too rehearsed or scripted. To hear his famous Daily Source Code follow the [Link]

DISCLAIMER

This podcast has made all attempts to acknowledge copyright licences and works/audio cited. It was produced by students for assessment and not for any financial gain, and should be interpreted as homage to The Simpsons. Any infringement on copyright or other authors’ rights is unintentional and will be resolved upon notification.

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Rich and the Rural Podcast

RICH AND THE RURAL:

A PODPLAY

SHOWNOTES

THE PLAYERS;

VOICE-OVER: TAMA
SINDI: GWYNETH
CARLOS: LEWIS
BRAD: MICHAEL
JACKSON: GWYNETH AGAIN
STEFAN: MARK
SINDI'S MOTHER: GLENDA
BETHANY: ALLISON
GIRL IN THE
HOSPITAL: EMMA
RESCUE DOG: HERSELF*
GAGGLE OF DUCKS: THEMSELVES*

* Please note: No animals were harmed during the production of this material... seriously.

Many thanks to
THE ORCHESTRA;

Rich and the Rural Theme; 'Passion fruit (Go Bananas!)' by Brain Buckit
Brad's Bad Boy theme; 'Rumble Groove' by George Fletcher – Bourbon Renewal
Sindi's Love theme; 'Around the Bend' by Adrina Thorpe
Behind the Times TV theme; 'Keep the Home Fires Burning' by Madly Jadly
Bad Driving theme; 'Mannequin' by Cats and Jammers
Intermission theme; 'Tedeebedibbedib' by Fluox Speelt Fluox

All of whom reside at http://music.podshow.com/index.php

ALSO, thanks to
the SOUND EFFECTS crew;
http://www.freeaudioclips.com/
http://www.soundamerica.com/

RICH AND THE RURAL
time line:

00:00:37 - Rich and the Rural Theme; Passion fruit (Go Bananas!) by Brain Bucket
00:01:45 - Episode One: The Phantom Hair
00:02:35 – Bad Boy Brad Returns: Rumble Groove by George Fletcher – Bourbon Renewal
00:04:00 – In which Carlos is interrupted in the spa
00:05:33 - In which Sindi Stalks about in her backless gown
00:06:50 - Sindi's Love theme; Around the Bend by Adrina Thorpe
00:09:00 - Behind the Times TV theme; Keep the Home Fires Burning by Madly Jadly
00:10:43 - Bad Driving theme; Mannequin by Cats and Jammers
00:12:20 – Intermission Theme; Tedeebedibbedib by Floux Speelt Floux
00:12:36 – In which the creator (of the podcast, not the world) gives a short, but impassioned intermission speech encouraging a radio play comeback
00:14:14 – Intermission end
00:15:40 – In which the rescue dog makes a tragic sacrifice
00:17:34 – In which a gaggle of ducks come to an untimely end
00:18:00 – In which the final non-fatal road accident of the episode takes place
00:18:17 - Rich and the Rural Theme; Passion fruit (Go Bananas!) by Brain Bucket

Exegesis:

PODPLAY: MAKING THE OLD
NEW AGAIN

"When we discover in this world no earth or rock to stand or walk upon but only
shifting sea and sky and wind, the mature response is not to lament the loss of fixity
but to learn to sail."

James Boyd White(7)

The development of new technologies offers individuals an unparalleled opportunity to take creative production into their own hands. The internet enables writers and musicians to achieve public exposure independent of whether their work is deemed acceptable by mainstream mediating forces, such as publishers or record label executives (6). That these materials now flow more freely about the globe via websites and peer-to-peer networks raises new challenges for individual artists, and creates perhaps an even more complex environment in which to locate and foster relationships with like minded creators (2). That being said, it also creates opportunities for cooperation between individuals who may never otherwise have had access to each other.

A radio play comeback which utilizes podcast technology could provide the mechanism to bring both creators and fans together in new ways. Musicians, writers, actors and technophiles would have the opportunity to participate in something which combines their talents, rather than each occupying a separate sphere in cyberspace. There are already music podcasts and writers forums, encouraging creative people to bring their talents together could diversify existing online networks and also pool their audiences, thus increasing public exposure for all. Sometimes, in order to find something new and unique you need to glance back at what was once lost, find it again, and look at it with new eyes.

Early radio drama began with the dramatization of classic novels and plays, pioneered by the BBC in 1923 (3), before expanding into scripts written specifically for the medium (4). The start was slow, as audiences had to come to appreciate the radio play as a unique genre, rather than a poor copy of the stage play or film serial (Giddings, p.9). The process for the radio play podcast, or podplay, would probably be similar, except this time it would have to prove itself against television and commercial radio, the very technologies which flagged its demise in the first place.

The competition between visual and the strictly auditory media has previously gone in television's favour, however the success of podcasting signals a new era in which a desire for mobility and flexibility of experience gives the radio play a new lease on life (1). There is already a flourishing new audience for the intimacy of the voice (5), the amateurish rustling of paper, the occasional glitches or mistakes, this is what podcasting audiences have already learned to love (6).

The serialized nature of podcasting mirrors the radio play narrative, the episodic "come back next week" which keeps the audience returning for more. Rich and the Rural is one form, and admittedly something of a parody of itself, but sometimes broaching something new is best done through humour. My hope is that this podplay will get someone's attention, who will then sit down and make their own, which is listened to by someone else who does the same, and so on. It is material which is free to produce, it's fun, and it will expand interpersonal networks across the internet. Best of all, if someone does not like it, they cannot pull you off the air. Now that is participatory culture.

SOURCES*:

Beck, A. Point-of-Listening in Radio Plays. Sound Journal, 1998.
<http://www.kent.ac.uk/sdfva/sound-journal/beck981.html>
(Accessed 24/10/05)
Bugeja, M. Inter-Personal Divide: The Search for Community in a Technological Age.
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.
Giddings, R. and Keith Selby. The Classic Serial on Television and Radio.
New York: Palgrave, 2001.
Hagedorn, R. "Doubtless to be Continued: A Brief History of Serial Narrative" in To Be Continued: Soap Operas Around the World. [ed.] Robert C. Allen. London: Routledge, 1995.
Larriaga, J. A Listening Audience for Radio Theatre? Entr'Actes, 2005.
<http://entractes.sacd.fr/en/listening_audience.php>
(Accessed 24/10/2005)
Newitz, A. Adam Curry Wants to Make You an iPod Radio Star. Wired Magazine, 2005.
<http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.03/
curry.html?pg=2&topic=curry&topic_set=>
(Accessed 24/10/05)
Reinhardt, M. The Art of Being Free: Taking Liberties with Tocqueville, Marx, and Arendt. London: Cornell University Press, 1997.

* Appologies for slightly clunky footnotes, my computer refuses to play nicely with others...

THE END...
for now

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Good Lecture

I recently caught John Doyle giving the Andrew Ollie Media Lecture on ABC TV, and it was great. Ostensibly about his experience of the media, Doyle manages to cover everything from Big Brother to the future of the media with insight and humour. Highly recomend a listen for anyone needing a break from study which doesn't involve mind numbing reality television! (not that there is anything wrong with that) Don't bother with the transcript, go audio.

Available at: http://abc.net.au/sydney/stories/s1476723.htm

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Week 12: Participatory Culture Then, Now and Tomorrow

Welcome to your final seminar for iGeneration! This week we've got two large case studies and three short(ish) articles to look at. The first case study focuses on the citizen media responses to Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath mainly from US commentators and mainly from a left-wing perspective. There are lots of links in the five-part Aftermath post, but have a look at as many as you can. The second case study is (shock, horror) looking at the way the film Serenity was marketed and promoted both from the production side and by fans. Read "That Serenity Post..." first, and then take a look at the other media listed (one produced by fans, one by Universal). Finally, you've got three readings which will help us sum up the course (a few questions about these are below).

Case Study I: Citizen Media Responses to Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath
[X] Katrina: The Aftermath, The Politics & Citizen Media [Part I] [Part II] [Part III] [Part IV] [Part V]
[X] Kayne West Political Mashup: "George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People" by The Legendary K.O.
[X] George Bush Don't Like Black People: The Music Video

Case Study II: Citizen Media/Fandom & Finding Serenity
[X] That Serenity Post...
[X] The Signal Podcast (listen to any episode, or part of one at least)
[X] Fifth & Final Serenity/Firefly Viral Movie Clip: Session 416, First Excerpt (watch at least one of the clips)

The Final Readings
[X] Sonja Haller, "iPod era of personal media choices may be turning us into an iSolation nation", The Arizona Republic, Sept. 12, 2005.
[X] Danah Boyd, "remix is active consumption not production", apophenia, October 08, 2005.
[X] Chris Anderson, "The Long Tail", Wired, 12.10, October 2004.

Some Questions to Think About for the Seminar:
[1] Is participatory culture, mashing up and citizen journalism really all that new? What does Danah Boyd think?
[2] Does participatory culture online offer a wider world of individual choice and expression or is it being subsumed as a marketing model? What does the selling of Serenity tell us? How different is the producer-released material (or "guerilla marketing" stuff) versus fan-created cultural items (the "grassroots media)? Should we fear "astro-turfing" (the attempts by big media to manufacture a fan 'buzz' where one does not already exist)?
[3] Does the Long Tail reflect a more dynamic system of media, consumption and production or it is just capitalism finally figuring out the internet?
[4] Finally, how large a role do you think citizen journalism and citizen media will play in the next ten years? (Why?)

Final Blog Post:
When you make your final reflective post this week, can you please also comment on the course as a whole: did it work as a coherent unit for you? What worked best? What didn't work? Any suggestions about things that should be changed?

Monday, October 03, 2005

Major Podcast Assignment

Construct an innovative digital audio programme of up to 45 minutes length which explores the medium of podcasting and critically engages with the idea of participatory culture in either the podcast itself or its exegesis. The programme can be of any genre or type, but must comply with copyright restrictions as the file will be made available publicly online.

[X] TIME LIMIT: 45 minutes (unless a longer limit is negotiated with Tama before submission).
[X] VALUE: 50% of your overall mark for the course.
[X] DUE ON CD: Before 5pm, Thursday 27th October, to be submitted with printed ShowNotes (and printed Exegesis if one is created), Release Forms, and with a cover sheet to the English, Communication & Cultural Studies Office
[X] DUE ONLINE: Before 9am, Friday 28th October, you must post your detailed ShowNotes (and Exegesis if written) to the course blog (your podcast will be manually added to your ShowNotes once processed by the iLecture system).

(NB: You must submit in both formats for your Audio Programme to be marked).

You MUST submit:
[1] A copy of your FULL audio programme on Compast Disc. The show MUST be submitted in AIFF (Apple/SGI 16bit PCM) format. [To produce this file, once your audio programme is completed select EXPORT as AIFF from the FILE menu; to ensure you can the correct AIFF setting, select File > Preferences > File Formats > Uncompressed File Format > AIFF (Apple/SGI 16bit PCM).]
[2] Your ShowNotes, which should contain all cited references, a breakdown by time-code of your show (by chapter, scene, interview or whatever other marker is appropriate). ShowNotes should be submitted in print with your CD and should also be posted to the course blog.
[3]An Exegesis – If your audio programme allows you to sufficiently reflect on ideas of participatory culture, your exegesis (an explantation of how your programme engages with and explores participatory culture) may be part of your audio programme, but MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED AS SUCH. Otherwise, an exegesis of no more than 500 words should be included at the end of your ShowNotes in both printed and blogged format.
[4] All the appropriate Presenter Release Forms for yourself and any interviewees, voice talent, or anyone else appearing in your audio programme.

A Few Hints’n’Tips:
[X] Continually SAVE during audio production!
[X] Test your EXPORTED file thoroughly prior to submission. If it has any bits of your audio missing, you will NOT be given the opportunity to resubmit. (It’s your responsibility to get your exported file into the correct format!).
[X] Normal citation and plagiarism rules apply. You must cite all sources clearly, not just give URLs. (If citing blogs, be sure to use the specific links to each blog post; the overall link to the blog is not sufficient.) If you are in any way unclear about citation or plagiarism, please see Tama before you submit your assignment!
[X] Remember, this is a scholarly production at Honours Level. Secondary material is preferable whever possible (even if only cited in your Exegesis).
[X] When posting your ShowNotes (and Exegesis) to the course blog, please convert footnotes and URLs to live hyperlinks (eg don’t just have the text i-generation.blogspot.com, but rather use the link tool in Blogger to make sure it’s a clickable link such as http://i-generation.blogspot.com).

IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT THIS ASSIGNMENT

1. Your written work should be submitted to the ECCS Office with a cover-sheet attached. Please do NOT submit written work directly to your tutor. (If you do, there may be no official record that the work was ever submitted.)

2. In order to satisfy course requirements, students must submit work by the due date. Unless an extension of the due date has been granted, late assignments will incur a penalty of 2 marks per working day. (Extension requests should be made in writing to your tutor, and will normally require a medical certificate.) A grade of 'NM' will be recorded if no assignment is submitted. No work will be accepted after the end of the examination period (without a formal deferral from the Academic Student Advisor).

3. It is essential to KEEP A COPY of your work. In the case of loss of an assignment, notes or an earlier draft cannot be accepted as substitutes.

4. Please do NOT write on both sides of the paper.

5. Whether your work is typed or hand-written, it should be DOUBLE-SPACED. (For handwritten work, this means that you write on every second line.)

6. Please leave a WIDE MARGIN in case the marker needs to offer comments and annotations.

7. PLAGIARISM Please be aware that the work you submit must be your own work with no unacknowledged debt to some other writer or source. To pass off written work as your own, whether you have copied it from someone else or from somewhere else (be it a published writer, another person, a TV program, a library anthology, or whatever) is to deprive yourself of the real benefits of this course and to be guilty of plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offence! University policy is that plagiarism, the unacknowledged quotation of material from other people's work, is a ground for failure. Any work that contains ideas or phrases taken from other works without acknowledgement - PLAGIARISM - will be failed, given the grade of 0 and your name placed on the Faculty's Plagiarism Register. This includes direct quotations, when a section of one text is transposed into another without any changes, and indirect paraphrasing, when the main ideas and arguments of someone else’s work are used. If you take notes from other sources (critical articles, background works, etc) you must quote carefully and accurately, and acknowledge the quotation. Even if you paraphrase, you must still acknowledge that you are paraphrasing. This is very important!