DTC 355 Multimodal Projects

Multimedia vs Multimodal

            After reading the chapter I didn't see a clear distinction between multimedia and multimodal other than how the terms are used. When I think of multimedia, I think of a bunch of physical or digital objects like television ads, newspapers, posters, etc. Multimodal, however, seems more like a way of doing something, a conscious choice to combine different elements.

            Multimedia is produce by multimodal thinking?

Linguistic Mode

Instead of the message coming only from the White House, they make it very clear that this disaster is of importance to the President. Indicating that not only knows the situation, but also has followed up and stayed current with the response efforts. It is clear that the President and America is paying attention to Japan. I think another choice that was effective is "friends." This keeps the message informal and indicates that we care about Japan. If allies, were used then maybe it would sound as though we were simply protecting assets. In addition, instead of merely giving help, we are 'standing with Japan.' It is clear that this affects us greatly even though we are far away.

Visual Mode

            Glancing at Cheryl's profile on the pdf my first impression was energy. The bright green color makes the pictures stand out. Also, the picture shows her slightly out of the frame like she could pop up at any moment. Very playful. However, clicking the link reveals an updated profile that feels much more professional. The cool background seems formal and the layout seems very efficient. Also, her picture shows her entire face and she is sitting in a normal position.

            Kristen's profile seems gentle, and makes me think Kirsten is shy (contradicting personal experience), but that might just be the panda. The colors are toned down but still bright enough to feel uplifting. Having a panda as a profile picture also makes the page feel more playful, not as serious as Cheryl's new one. This seems

            I just created a twitter so I have one of the default profiles. I plan on changing it to something with a big more color and excitement. Right now the blue/gray color scheme is kinda depressing.

Aural Mode

            The female narrator's voice the video an informal feel. The uplifting music makes you feel like this is something you should be a part of. There is a solid drumbeat to keep you interested and some ambient noises that seem to pair well with the bubble format of the text. It's almost as if they are saying "Come join us." I think that if the narrator was different or even just talked in a different way, the video would have a very different feel. A professional male voice it would feel instructional and a teenage male may again seem friendly. The implied age of the narrator, gleaned solely from the tone of the speaker, is probably the most significant detail in this video.

-Side note, "the sounds we hear when we turn on a computer

that let us know it is starting up" made me instantly think of this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE8pFWP5QDM

Spatial Mode

            The first thing I noticed on the WSU home page was the WSU logo in the upper left. It is set by itself, with its own distinct font and size. From there my eye can go to three different places separately. The biggest links on the page may be the most useful but they are overwhelmed by the three pictures, linking to interesting articles, which switch every few seconds, further stealing attention. Clearly these are what the developers wanted people to focus on. Hoping that we see something interesting before we get to the link we need. If these links were at the top of the page, perhaps people would click them before even getting to the articles. Also, if the size of the links was increased it might have the same effect.

Gestural Mode

            In his Weekly Address: Preserving and Strengthening Medicare he speaks directly to the camera as opposed to a room full of people. His face indicates that he is a little less formal, he isn't trying to command the attention of the room. He is talking to you, not giving a speech. His eyebrows and eyes seem positive, reflecting the positive nature of this discussion. He lists highlights of the new plan and remains calm and almost hopeful. After that, he illustrates the opponents plan and suddenly his arm comes into the picture for the first time. It is clear that he feels strongly opposed to their plan and is sticking up for Americans that he cares about.