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.