Multimedia Arts Introduction PDF

AS2401 INTRODUCING MULTIMEDIA ARTS At the heart of most media content creators, one always wants to voice their opinions, ideas, emotions, and feelings. Therefore, multimedia as a creative form of expression comprises (5) elements: Text, Graphics, Audio, Video, and Ani...

AS2401 INTRODUCING MULTIMEDIA ARTS At the heart of most media content creators, one always wants to voice their opinions, ideas, emotions, and feelings. Therefore, multimedia as a creative form of expression comprises (5) elements: Text, Graphics, Audio, Video, and Animation. With the integration of these five elements, communicative content will be produced and transferred from one place or person to another. Defining the Foundations of Multimedia (Costello, 2023) The term "media" encompasses various technologies utilized for storing and transmitting information to others. A medium serves as the conduit through which ideas, information, and opinions flow from one source of individual to another. Each medium possesses its own distinctiveness, characterized by a unique form and structure for conveying content. Moreover, multimedia is regarded as an intricate medium, incorporating various elements. It is commonly understood to comprise five crucial components: Text, Graphics, Audio, Video, and Animation. Multimedia can integrate previously separate and incompatible forms of human communication by functioning as a convergent channel of expression and delivery. Multimedia’s rapid evolution reshapes how we engage with content, impacting activities such as reading, watching, and playing. It goes beyond the linear presentation of text found in traditional books, offering words a new dimension. Conveying meanings is not merely about adding more text; it involves infusing words with sound, pictures, music, and video to stimulate readers and encourage a deeper understanding of the subject matter. In the next section, we will discuss the five elements of multimedia. Texts One of the most powerful visual elements, text plays a crucial role in conveying the precise message or perception intended by multimedia practitioners. Serving as the primary component of multimedia, text comprises graphical depictions of letters, numbers, and symbols, aiming to communicate ideas and information within the context of human language. These visual elements are predominantly present in the design of various multimedia layouts. 1. Text Provides Instructions and Directions - The utilization of text is versatile, serving various purposes in conveying ideas and information. Whether offering guidance, expressing visual dynamism, or conveying emotion in multimedia design, text proves to be a multifaceted tool for communication. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 1 of 8  AS2401 2. Text Provides a Written Narrative – Text’s primary purpose is to convey messages and facilitate conversations. It serves various functions, including providing information, persuading, and entertaining, ultimately serving as a means to express individual perspectives and opinions about the people and the world. In today's digital age, creators, businesses, and entities leverage multimedia platforms to boost the presence of their brands, products, or services. Meanwhile, consumers have multiple channels on digital platforms to contribute user-generated content, such as product feedback, reviews, social media posts, blogs, and more. 3. Texts Enable Hierarchy – Information should be presented clearly and organized. Consider it similar to academic papers, where the title is presented first, followed by the thesis members' list, chapters, and paragraphs. This hierarchical organization facilitates comprehension for the audience, enabling them to easily grasp and follow the main idea or theme. The structured arrangement of text aids the brain in efficiently processing the necessary information. 4. Text is Discoverable – Text plays a crucial role in structuring digital information, making it easier for others to find and access. A common approach to organizing content involves tagging, where concise, descriptive keywords or terms are assigned to written posts or uploaded files. Whether entered directly on a webpage or added as metadata through a text-based editor, text enables identification and location through digital searches. While users may not always see tags, search engines are capable of discovering them. In the realm of webpages, tags are frequently visible to users, but they are also specifically acknowledged by the underlying code, such as HTML head tags or page titles. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 2 of 8  AS2401 Graphics In the realm of text-based content, there is a potential for it to seem visually uninteresting or devoid of dimension. Consequently, the significance of graphics becomes pivotal in elevating the visual allure and overall effectiveness of multimedia encounters, introducing elements of thrill and admiration. The term "graphics" encompasses a wide array of elements, including digital photographs, illustrations, clipart, and any stationary images visible on a digital screen or computer monitor. Within multimedia presentations, graphics serve as dynamic visual aids, effectively illustrating concepts, conveying ideas, and injecting vitality, emotion, and style into visual designs. Audio It can be presented independently, like in a radio podcast or commercial, or enhance a film, video, or animated story through features such as voiceover, dialogue, sound bites, music, natural sound, and sound effects. Often, videos integrate both visual and auditory elements in a synchronized clip. However, video and audio can also be separate elements in a multimedia experience or application. As a potent time-based media component, sound can evoke memories and emotions or, at the very least, intensify them. Video It serves as one of the three time-related elements in multimedia. While text and graphics naturally include stationary visual aspects, video depicts a moving visual image. The terms "video" and "film" are often used interchangeably, especially in the realm of television and movies. However, when viewed as a distinct medium, a television program or film does not fully fulfill the comprehensive criteria for multimedia. The addition of subtitles introduces an extra-textual component to a video presentation. Animation It involves instilling motion and lifelike qualities into entities and objects generated by computers over a period of time. Animation plays a crucial role in the design of multimedia games and serves as a foundational element in various film, video, website, and interface design projects. The animation process generates temporal motion by quickly displaying a sequence of hand-drawn or computer-generated images. The term "animation" covers a wide range, referring to a specific type of storytelling or filmmaking, as exemplified by Disney's Toy Story (1995), the first feature-length film created entirely through computer animation. Furthermore, animation can be incorporated with live action or utilized in producing brief works like TV shows, commercials, cartoons, and animated shorts. The term "motion graphics" specifically describes the animation of stationary images and graphics, such as company logos or text. Animation is applied in various contexts, including websites, user interfaces, standalone gaming products, and diverse applications. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 3 of 8  AS2401 Old Media or Legacy Media Old media or legacy media encompass the analog methods that stem from seven key industries in mass communication and content creation: books, newspapers, magazines, film, sound recordings, radio, and television. Additionally, legacy media can denote the specific technologies, tools, practices, and workflows traditionally employed by communication experts to create and disseminate messages and narratives. In the 1950s, sociologist Charles Wright examined the mass media and found they share three defining characteristics: 1. Mass media are the product of large organizations that operate at great expense. 2. The mass media are directed toward a relatively large, heterogeneous, and anonymous audience. 3. The mass media are publicly transmitted and timed to reach the most audience members simultaneously. The Characteristics of Old Media Large Organization It emerges from expansive enterprises that function with substantial costs. The consolidation of media ownership has grown considerably over time, resulting in a diminishing number of corporations possessing an increasingly larger share of global mass media platforms. In 2022, Comcast Corporation topped Forbes' list as the largest media entity worldwide, boasting net sales amounting to $116 billion. The remaining four in the top five included the Walt Disney Company, Charter Communications, Netflix, and Paramount. Large Audience These platforms are designed to connect with a broad, unidentified, and diverse viewership. This designates the recipient of a message from mass media as a sizable collective known as the audience or mass audience. Media enterprises generate revenue indirectly by selling commercial advertisements. The financial success of these endeavors relies on maintaining a substantial return on investment (ROI), which is ensured by reaching a "mass" audience. The fate of television programs hinges on their capacity to sustain a large viewership. If audience numbers fall below a predetermined threshold or fail to cover costs, a program may be discontinued to minimize losses. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 4 of 8  AS2401 Companies offering subscription-based content, such as online access to newspapers, magazines, and streaming videos, accumulate exclusive data about users, encompassing viewing habits and preferences. This data is frequently utilized to tailor the user experience and inform marketing and promotional strategies. Simultaneous Delivery Old media is broadcasted openly and coordinated to reach a widespread audience simultaneously. For instance, the release of new films is usually planned for the same day in theaters throughout the United States; the Wall Street Journal is dispatched to subscribers' mailboxes on its daily publication date, irrespective of the reader's location in Atlanta or Milwaukee; and television networks adhere to a schedule for airing fresh episodes on a consistent day and time every week. In contrast, contemporary media streaming platforms such as Netflix and Hulu offer content that can be watched at any chosen time by the viewer. New Media or Emerging Media The shift to new or emerging media commenced in the early 1980s with the widespread adoption of personal computers. Called the digital evolution, this transformation fundamentally altered various aspects of work, production, and interpersonal interactions. It also introduced numerous innovative approaches to creating and disseminating media content. Negroponte coined the phrase "from atoms to bits" to illustrate the revolutionary change in the production of intellectual content, moving from a tangible form composed of atoms (such as film, printed materials like books, magazines, and newspapers, as well as phonograph records and cassette tapes) to an electronic format comprised of bits (the unseen numeric output of computers and digital devices). This transition involved moving from a physical book to an eBook viewed on a screen-based reading application. In the era of new media, the computer takes on a central role as the universal tool for inspiration, creation, distribution, and consumption. This radically transforms traditional methods and workflows that have shaped media production and cultural transmission for centuries. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 5 of 8  AS2401 Five Principles of New Media Manovich identified five principles of new media that he said reflected the “general tendencies of a culture undergoing computerization.” He named these principles: 1. Numerical Presentation – states that new media objects can be defined numerically as a formal equation or mathematical function. The computer reduces every act of human communication to a binary expression made up of zeros and ones (bits). 2. Structural Modularity – a digital object retains its individuality when combined with other objects. This is possible because the computer sees each structural element in a design as a distinct mathematical object or expression. 3. Automation – digitization and structural modularity are the antecedents upon which the third principle of new media, automation, is predicated. With automation, the computer can be programmed to serve as an agent of content production. Low-level creative tasks can be carried out through scripted processes and preprogrammed sequences. This feature can save time and often requires little expertise on the part of the user. 4. Variability – it states that new media objects are not bound to a single fixed form but can exist, and often do, in a “potentially infinite” number of versions. New documents and projects are typically saved first in the native file format of the application that created them, then exported in a suitable format for others. 5. Cultural Transcoding – it is the bidirectional influence of computers and human culture acting reciprocally upon one another. With old media, the production and distribution methods were based solely on organic processes that conformed to the natural properties of a specific medium or method of reproduction. Visual Communication Studying the transmission of ideas and information through visual symbols comprises a field of inquiry. At a more profound level, this field delves into the cognitive and emotional processes influencing our perception of visual stimuli. Distinguishing between seeing and perceiving is crucial. The former relates to the objective aspects of sight, while the latter involves subjective cognitive processes tied to human learning and memory. Perceptions of aesthetic value and beauty vary individually, even if some preferences align while others diverge. What one person appreciates, another may dislike. The processing of visual stimuli is unique to each individual. It is influenced by cognitive and psychological factors such as personal experiences, knowledge of art or art history, aesthetic sensitivity, perspective, and mood. These elements shape individual judgments regarding the message or inherent qualities of a painting. In essence, one person may find merit in what they see, while another may not share the same appreciation. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 6 of 8  AS2401 Content and Form Visual communication involves the interplay between content and form. Content represents the tangible core of a piece, encompassing the narratives, concepts, and information shared with others, while form encompasses the structured arrangement of content as presented to an audience. Content and form function as interdependent elements within visual design, each essential for achieving success. Even the most skillfully crafted designs and visual presentations will lack impact without compelling content. The colloquial term "eye candy" is often used to describe visually appealing but superficial creations. In multimedia, various tools are employed to establish a visually striking initial impression, often referred to as the "WOW" factor. However, no substitute exists for a strong message; in the absence of a captivating narrative or idea, aesthetically pleasing designs merely serve as superficial embellishments. Alternatively, one can analogize content to a person's body, with form representing the makeup, clothing, jewelry, and accessories used to personalize and enhance physical appearance. Content addresses what we wish to convey, while form dictates how we choose to express it. Tailoring the presentation style to the audience is crucial, as evident in the example of a history teacher adapting their explanation of World War II based on the audience's age, skill level, and maturity. While the factual substance remains constant, adjustments are made to suit the audience's characteristics. A well- crafted visual design is indispensable, ensuring that even the most compelling messages do not go unnoticed. The marriage of good form and content heightens the pleasure of consuming information, with a well- designed presentation minimizing eyestrain and guiding the audience through information efficiently. Form should never serve as a distraction; rather, it should complement the message, optimizing communication effectiveness with individuals or groups. Google Doodles serve as a notable illustration of both content and form. Introduced in 1998, doodles present a creative variation of the company's logo and trademark. The six letters constituting the Google brand embody its content. Doodles, as logo derivatives, offer virtually limitless possibilities in terms of form. They are employed to commemorate holidays, pivotal historical occasions, events, individuals, and more, featuring elements such as interactivity, animation, video, and sound. Image retrieved from https://doodles.google/doodle/teachers- day-2023-oct-15/ 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 7 of 8  AS2401 Aesthetics It is a branch of visual communication theory concerned with exploring the concepts of beauty and how humans perceive visual form and presentation. Aesthetic theories and principles, with a history spanning centuries, serve as the basis for a wide range of industry-specific norms, best practices, and rules. Content creators employ these guidelines in diverse media fields such as advertising, cinematography, game design, graphic design, photography, television production, web design, augmented reality, and virtual reality. While each discipline imparts its unique perspective and terminology on what defines good aesthetics and design, the fundamental elements and principles covered in this chapter and the next are largely applicable across the board. Aesthetic sensibilities can vary widely due to factors like context and location. A comprehensive understanding of aesthetics enables professionals to assess what is considered good, bad objectively, or anything in between. It anchors thinking in a way that minimizes reliance on subjective feelings, biases, and opinions, encouraging a shift toward reasoned and informed observations when critiquing one's work and that of others. Essentially, the study of aesthetics equips individuals with the tools and vocabulary necessary for effectively critiquing and forming judgments that can be substantiated through logical reasoning and evidence. Given that a designer's work is frequently subject to the aesthetic judgments of others, feedback can range from overwhelmingly positive to harshly critical, prompting revisions and reconsideration. More commonly, critiques fall somewhere in between, encouraging designers to reevaluate certain aspects and make adjustments before resubmitting their work. To achieve this goal, regularly share your creative concepts and strategies with individuals who possess diverse perspectives or belong to audience segments you may not have considered during the design phase. Given the wide range of aesthetic preferences and interactions with media content, seeking input from others is crucial to overcoming personal biases and uncovering blind spots, particularly those you may not be aware of consciously. It's important to note that critique should be distinguished from criticism. The intention behind critique is not to criticize the messenger (or designer) but to contribute to enhancing the design and optimizing its effectiveness. References Christian, S. E. (2024). Media Literacy: An Analog Guide for Your Digital Life. New York and London: Routledge. Costello, V. (2023). Multimedia Foundations: Core Concepts for Digital Design. Routledge. 01 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 8 of 8