Meeting with Client 29th March

Meeting with Client 29/03/12

After my client’s cancellation on the 24^th, we arranged to meet today to finish filming the sections for the video. We visited some locations to gain footage of outdoor training, weights training, and discussed possible closing shots for his video. We went back to his home after we had finished filming and looked over the website, of which the content still needs to be completed. I discussed this with him, and the importance of filling in the information, as soon as he gets a chance to, as this will be the main bulk of his website. I would also like to ensure that the video fits the style of the website, and get the photographs uploaded to the website once he has finished uploading writing content.

We looked at his Twitter account today too, and discussed some of the contact’s I had found him, of which he was pleased with. After knowing my client for 20 years, it has been difficult to separate the friendship and professionalism of client – designer, on his part I believe. This is due to the lack of motivation to do requested tasks and to schedule meetings regularly. We do however have contact every day, and also, we do see each other every day, so I try to drop the project into conversation to entice him to discuss it.

We have scheduled to meet again over Easter and storyboard the website, and put some of the video together. We will discuss what tools to use and software, and how he would like the video to flow and the selection of the footage and photographs we have.

Today was a success as it has delivered three of the final parts of what I wanted to have done by my April schedule below. This now confirms that I am on course to be at my intended target thus far.

Confirmation of my attendance to Matt Dean

Replay from Matt Dean with date and time

Progress Report 21/03/12

I created this as a progress chart to keep on top of my work, and organize my priorities for the remainder of the year. This charts all of the major tasks I will have to do, and the activities and smaller tasks that need to be completed in order to fulfill them.

Frost on Interviews Review

300 word review for a Broadsheet Newspaper

Frost on Interviews explores fundamental aspects of the modern interview, and how this has transformed over the last six decades.

Since it was first established as an emerging form of journalism in the nineteen fifties, the interview has become one of the most popular practices of gathering information in the public eye, and has since adapted into a form of providing entertainment to the public. Frost encounters many of his interview counterparts and colleagues, to form a programme that follows through the very transformations that the interview as a concept, has undertaken to be known as what it is today.

Appearances are made from the former politician Tony Benn, fellow interviewers Michael Parkinson and Melvin Bragg, and Tony Blair’s former spin doctor, Alistair Campbell. The programme follows a structure of interviews with these figures amongst others, based upon their own experiences, and what they justify good interview techniques, as well as commenting on how the interview has changed and adapted over the years.

Short snippets of interviews are shown frequently, to emphasise the changes in how in particular, politicians became savvy to the interview, and therefore adapted their attitude, and behaviour as a result. A particular instance with Margaret Thatcher, saw her undermine and verbally retaliate to an interviewer, of which has since latterly become common place in the modern day. What the documentary does however produce, is an insight into the former ways in which interviews where broadcast. Frost expresses how interviews in the early days, where a form of political broadcasting, rather than an inquisitive conversation.

What was also acknowledged is the transformation and transferring of interviews into the entertainment business. This type of interview is now more commonly known, through people such as Graham Norton, Jonathan Ross, and as shown in the programme, Clive Anderson.

The historical context of the interview is encapsulated in how Frost, along with fellow television practitioners, discuss and recite the modern practises in which we have become accustomed to as an audience today. The former days of interviewing where not partaken in such a way that entertains or informs as its primary objective; but instead, they were a form of promoting for politicians, and exploiting the truth for journalists.

The programme was aired on the BBC in March 2012.

Moodboard for Website

This is the Moodboard I have done for my clients website.
It focuses on the main areas that will be encapsulated in the promotional video.

Reply to Matt with Dates

Reply from Matt Dean

Reviews on Set Texts

Cyberculture

The Cyberculture: Technology, Nature and Culture paper was a complex and thorough read. It has terms and meanings involved in the paper that I have not heard of, nor used before in any of my own writing.

The paper is introduced by insinuating how new media is a thing that shapes and forms a part of Cyberculture, and the importance of this link between the two. It investigates the way science and culture and media practices and theories are linked, and how they provide key biological advancements in technology and critical thinking in practise; such as in intelligent prosthetics. It compares the genetic links and advancements that create and shape change in the way technology creates impulsive abilities through explorations of new advancements, and the creation of unique theories that indicate how humans have the physical and psychological genetics that imply the mass presentation of calculation and reckoning, referred to as ubiquity of computation. The paper continues to form the links between the scientific realm of imagination, and the realism that influxes into the modern society and real world through interaction of media technologies.

It also explores cybernetics, and compares this to Cyberculture. The use of making these comparisons draws upon how cybernetics is now a part of nature, and has grown into the everyday consumptions that we use, such as food. The term cybernetics is used and described as one that is a combination of interests, technologies, and biology in physical and living things.

This report overall, explores and identifies how technology has changed and adapted into our cultural, realistic, and everyday experiences, to create and define new meanings and explorations of how technology has advanced, and thus impacted and merged into our lives.

Rankin: The Story of Life Magazine

The Life Magazine documentary introduced the viewers to the story of this magazine, and its iconic history. I have never read, or seen footage from the magazines before, so this documentary was a first exploration in Life Magazine for me. It starts by introducing Life’s main purpose, of being a photojournalism magazine, and how it documented Americas growing influence on the world through the 40’s 50’s and 60’s. The narrator and photographer, Rankin, explores some of the photographers that worked for Life through these decades, and how they have influenced the world of photography.

Through watching this documentary, I learned how this magazine captured and captivated the events that it covered through dynamic and innovative photography, and exploring the new world of freedom found within it. The imagination of the photographers that where interviewed and included in the documentary, such as Alfred Eisenstaedt, captured the very essence of what Life Magazine was all about; spontaneity, inspiration, and innovation of creating a story in pictures.

Throughout the programme, this exploration of the many different photojournalists that worked for life, gives a piece of insight and imagination into the world of what it was like to be a photographer for Life. Often, it was said that to work for Life Magazine was more respected that being the reporter, captured in the fact that the reversal of a reporter having a photographer, was turned into the photographer having a reporter, or scout to work with them.   

The captivation of the transformation Life had gone through from post-war through to the sixties, showed the growth and love that the public and other journalism professionals had for the magazine.

Rankin discuses throughout, how Life Magazine gave shape and identity to events such as the end of the war, the assassination of JFK, and the civil rights movement.

Life Magazine was an outlet for journalism in that time like no other. Starting in 1936, the photographers that had worked for life changed the image of the events in the world and how they were viewed. Rankin explores this through the documentary, and encapsulates the story of Life Magazine through his interviews, and reinvention of some works.

The documentary showed me thoroughly what Life Magazine did throughout its history, and in my research for the essay I am conducting, I will use some examples of Life’s work, as examples of true, and authentic journalism.

Meeting with Client 15.03.12

Today I met my client to discuss the website and how it would be best to use the information I had researched in the past week. We looked at the results from the questionnaire, combined with the personas, and the site map I had created.

My client liked the idea if the things I had said to include on the site map, and the merging of some of the existing pages. We will now work on the content for each of these, including pictures and any other media.

The podcast will be placed under a media section in the website, of which the promotional video will also be placed under.

Whilst discussing the website, and looking at some research, we also had more ideas, such as an articles page on the website, where my client would place sections of articles that he likes and that he thinks would be useful, and provide useful information for his sites visitors.

We have scheduled to keep updated with content and he will notify me through email or text once he has updated any of the sections. I will them oversee this, and use my journalism skills to tighten up the writing, and make the content more contextual or practical.

This is now a screenshot of what the website looks like.

Mood-board Ideas

Ideas for Moodboard

-Treadmill, machine exercises (Bikes, rowers etc.)

- Light, small based weights, pictures of dumbbells, kettlebells, and medicine balls

- Smiles, helping hand, comfort

- Fulfillment of completion – feel good factor

- Bright and happy

- Motivational – words, phrases, pictures

- Client laughing and smiling, enjoyment

- Something that says what Alex does, I am a Personal Trainer – identification

- Group feel – involvement – social aspect

Sketches and site map

Personas

Based on a recent survey about the proposed website, I have designed three types of personas that would be the likely users of a website such as my clients.

1.       Young Male (16 -21)

A typically young working male, who has a nine – five job. He would like to gain lean muscle, and lose excess body fat. He would like to learn how to incorporate training and diet around a his everyday lifestyle, and how to eat the foods that would help him to reach his goals, even in a busy day at work.

2.       Middle aged woman (35-45)

A full time working Mum, who would like to lose weight and body fat. She is interested in her diet first and foremost, and wants to learn more about what foods do what to her body. She has regular social events through work, and doesn’t have much time to think about food whilst at work and looking after children. She would like to be able to enjoy going out when she does and eat healthier at home around her busy schedule. 

       3.       Old aged man (55+)

He would like to keep fit as he has recently stopped working/working as much. He has stopped smoking after finishing work, and would like to learn more about how to train, and new diets that may improve his health and general well-being.

Interview questions for potential users of website

I asked 20 people a range of questions to find out the potential reasons for using a fitness website, and what they would expect to gain from visiting one. These people ranged from aged 16 to 60.

1.       From the following, what would be your main purpose for visiting a fitness website?

Categories                                          Number of people answered

- Weight issues                                  4

- Muscle building                              5

- How to lose body fat                     7             

- Just to keep fit                                4

2.       Answering yes, or no, would you expect to see diet related information on a training website?

Yes – 16                No – 4

3.       From the following, how interested would you be in learning about alternative ways to train and keep fit, and about different exercises you could do for different purposes?

Categories                                          Number of people answered    

Very interested                                 6

Quite interested                               4

Wouldn’t mind                                  3

Not too bothered                             4

Not interested                                  2

4.       How likely would you be to contact someone based on their website?

Categories                                          Number of people answered

Very likely                                           4

Likely                                                   7

Maybe                                                 4

Unlikely                                               3

Very unlikely                                      2

5.       Would you be more inclined to use/not use a personal trainer if you had seen their website beforehand?

Yes – 9                  No – 7                   It wouldn’t matter – 4

               

Editing of website

After meeting my client over the past few days, we have begun work on the website. My client has written some content for the website of which I will oversee, and re-write if needed. The layout and look of the site is also something we looked at. I will do a site map, to ensure that the function and navigation of the site is accessible, and also provide some client based information with persona testing.

We have edited the websites look, to see if my client liked these shades. This will continually be edited through the making of the website to ensure it is as he would like.

Storyville documentary: NY Times -Deadline (Final)

American newspaper organisations have sustained infrastructural changes in a media world that is evolving past old forms of journalism. The death of daily newspapers, and the decline into administration of newspapers such as Rocky Mountain News, Philadelphia News, and The New York times have drawn attention to these changes.

The Storyville documentary, New York Times – Deadline, uncovers these changes, and discusses the impacts and influences that have participated in diminishing commonplace newspapers.

2008 signalled troubling times for the New York Times. The influence of new media prompted the creation of a ‘new’ New York Times. In the time of this change, there was a 30 per cent drop in advertising, a collapse that no one anticipated.

The documentary highlights the immense impact that the decline in advertising revenue has on newspaper organisations. Jeff Jarvis commented in the documentary, “the old newspaper format is dying.”

The dominance of one newspaper can be compressed and damaged due to advertising collapses. Storyville discusses if this level of advertising would ever be recovered in modern new media formats.

Brian Stelter, a new media journalist, is referred to as “the kid who went from blogging to the New York Times.” He comments on the influence of Twitter, and says “people in the newsroom are talking at lunchtime about a story that I knew about at midnight. Twitter gives people a sense of today’s news and how people are reacting to it. Twitter is the wider collective voice.”

The wider collective voice was echoed in the documentary through the exploration of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. In 2010, Wikileaks released secret documents, and the documentary explored what affects this would have on journalists. Assange denied that his whistleblowing website would have an affect on the war, and commented “journalism is just a tool to get to the goal.”

The documentary explores the overhauls, changes and the dramatic impact that instantaneous and new forms of information being released has on journalists’ roles. The interviewing techniques and constant referral to problems that have been overcome, and how the NYT keeps moving forward, gives a deep insight into the world of reporting for the NYT, and the evolving changes that the newspaper has gone through.

New York Times – Deadline was screened on BBC2 in February 2012.

Storyville documentary: NY Times -Deadline (draft 2)

American newspaper organisations have sustained infrastructural changes in a media world that is evolving past old forms of journalism. The death of daily newspapers, and the decline into administration of newspapers such as Rocky Mountain News, Philadelphia News, and The New York times have drawn attention to these changes. The Storyville documentary, New York Times – Deadline, uncovers these changes, and discusses the impacts and influences that have participated in diminishing commonplace newspapers.

In 2008, the New York Times created a media desk, after the newspaper came into trouble. The influence of new media has formed a design to create a new New York Times. In the time of this change, the drop in advertising was at 30%, a collapse that no one anticipated. The documentary highlights the massive impact that the declines in advertising revenue has on newspaper organisations. Jeff Jarvis commented in the documentary, “the old newspaper format is dying.”

The dominance of one newspaper can be compressed and damaged due to advertising collapses. Storyville discusses if this level of advertising would ever be recovered in the modern new media formats.

Brian Stelter, a new media journalist, is referred to as ‘the kid who went from blogging to the New York Times.’ He comments on the influence of Twitter, and says “people in the newsroom are talking at lunchtime about a story that I knew about at midnight the night before. Twitter gives people a sense of today’s news and how people are reacting to it. Twitter is the wider collective voice.”

The wider collective voice was echoed in the documentary through the exploration of Wiki -leaks founder Julian Assange. In 2010, Wiki-leaks released secret documents, and the documentary explored what affects this would have on journalists. Assange denied that his whistle blowing website would have an affect on the war, and commented “journalism is just a tool to get to the goal.”

The documentary explores the overhauls the changes and the dramatic impact that new realises and forms of information being released has on journalist’s roles. The interviewing techniques and constant referral to problems that have been overcome, and how the NYT keeps moving forward, gives a deep insight into the world of reporting for the NYT, and the evolving changes that the newspaper has gone through.

Storyville documentary: NY Times -Deadline (draft 1)

American newspaper organisations have sustained infrastructural changes in a media world that is evolving past old forms of journalism. The death of daily newspapers, and the decline into administration of newspapers such as Rocky Mountain News, Philadelphia News, and The New York times have drawn attention to these changes. The Storyville documentary, New York Times – Deadline, uncovers these changes, and discusses the impacts and influences that have participated in making them happen.

In 2008, the New York Times created a media desk, after the newspaper came into trouble. The influence of new media has formed a design to create a new New York Times. In the time of this change, the drop in advertising was at 30%, a collapse that no one anticipated. The documentary highlights the massive impact that the declines in advertising revenue has on newspaper organisations. The dominance of one newspaper can be compressed and damaged due to advertising collapses. Storyville discusses if this level of advertising would ever be recovered in the modern new media formats.

Brian Stelter, a new media journalist, is referred to as ‘the kid who went from blogging to the New York Times in the documentary. He comments on the influence of Twitter, and says ‘people in the newsroom are talking at lunchtime about a story that I knew about at midnight the night before.’ Twitter gives people a sense of today’s news and how people are reacting to it. Twitter is the wider collective voice.

Essay structure and ideas

Reporting on war ideas for essay, structure and viewpoint

·         What Laws dictate journalist’s roles in war?

How are journalists roles impacted on by current laws and legislation governing what they can/cannot do?

·         A journalists need to report on war, how, and why? And what if any, patterns do they follow. (catalyst)

·         How are messages within war interpreted, and negotiated to the viewer by the journalist? Do any laws affect this?

·         When does imagery become distasteful, or undignified, and at what point are pictures that are released, used to influence thinking. (Propaganda)

·         Do journalists have reasons to report war? How strong is the public interest?

Do ‘we’ want to know about the wars, or are we required to know about, and be told about them? Why?

·         Do journalists ever use war to exploit, or reason the actions of government, laws, and legislations being carried out?

 Concluding point

·         The act of reporting war, transfers messages of the unknown to the public. How authentic can this reporting be, in consideration to the laws dictating reporting on war?

Message to BBC

I sent this Email to the BBC in February to aid my Self-Initiated Project, I got an out of office reply, and will contact them again in the neer future.

Design ideas for webiste

Colour schemes and website ideas

For the website colours, my client would like warm colours, but deep shades to compliment his current work place, which uses purple, reds and blacks. The website would try to resemble this, but also have a slight difference to also distinguish that my client’s website is his own and not one of the company he works for.

This colour wheel represents some of the colours that we are considering.

                                              

These colours would be selected when the content is ready for publishing and finalised. I have sketched some possible outcomes including colours, and basic layouts for the website.

Website decision

Decision on website provider

After meeting with my client, we have discussed the different uses of his website and the different types of website providers in more detail. After some deliberation, we decided on using Wordpress, as from registering and looking at some examples, he liked how they were presented and the professionalism of their appearance.

We set up the website, so that I could show the initial process of how this is done to my client, and help him become familiar with the site. This was also however, my first use of Wordpress too.

First use of Wordpress

My first uses of Wordpress have been to set up an account for my client. In doing this, I discovered that it is a more complex set up than my current blog/website that I use, which is Blogger. The initial set up was easy, but to customise the look, it seemed more complex, but also more flexible. We set up the website using the .com version instead of the .org. This is because my client decided that he would like to use it as simply and easily as possible, as he is not new media savvy.

Some of the uses of the customisation tools were confusing at first, and although the website has been initially set up, I will have to become more familiar with the interface and the design tools of the website in order to achieve something resembling what my client would desire. I am going to work on some designing in sketches and colour schemes using a colour wheel; to try and gain a clearer view of what the finished website may look like when completed.