Class Project I: Revised Project Proposal

Revised Proposal for Project 1

Reflection: After proposing an initial idea to create a documentary to explore the infrastructure of the broadcast media system, I immediately realized that this idea had to be changed into something more manageable for the time period allowed. To accomplish a piece that would fit the original vision will require different circumstances and resources. Instead of scaling the project back, I have decided to shift my focus onto something more manageable within the context of the due date for Project 1. I will instead propose a piece that allows me to do most of the work from the computer and in the studio, rather than heading out into the field on video shoots, and give myself a contained and immediate time period in which to focus my efforts.

Title: News Media Ecosystem Check-Up

Abstract:

An observational documentary-style moving image work that seeks to keep an eye on the news media headlines, and how various outlets frame top news stories over the next three weeks.

Proposal:

News headlines are currently happening at a dizzying pace. Not only is it a challenge to keep up with all of the current events, each of the large media outlets are emphasizing different things. This project will explore what stories are given importance and what language is being used in the headlines over the next few weeks. Additionally, I will explore what stories are happening that are not being displayed at the top of the headlines. What can the accumulation of these news stories over time reveal that can’t be made sense of in the typical news-cycle? What new perceptions can be born?

Background: how does this project relate to your ongoing work?

This project is an extension of my previous interests and studies in media, current affairs, as well my practice in shooting video, and editing together a personal/political story with the news media as material.

Work plan: how do you propose to do this?

I will document the web sites of certain news outlets through screen shots, photographs, and video, keep a written log of events and language of headlines from a number of different outlets daily over the course of three weeks. I will organize this footage on a timeline and include text slides, finding connections and unexpected revelations through playing with linearity and montage. The final piece will feature a video to be projected in a black box theatre of approx. 5 minutes in length.

Timeline: Sept. 25-Oct. 15: gather materials. Take daily screenshots from websites. Keep text document of news headlines. Shoot video of news coverage on television at various times. Save key soundbites.

Oct. 2-Oct. 18: Start putting collected media onto timeline of Adobe Premier, make connections between various elements, experiment with text and other media.

Oct. 15: Rough Cut finished

Oct. 18: Final Cut finished

Significance of your project; what do you want to accomplish?

I hope to gather material, and find interesting ways of putting it together to reveal something not previously seen or understood by the inherent form of the news cycle.

Research:

James Carey, Communication as Culture: https://books.google.com/books/about/Communication_as_Culture.html?id=AcSufbsE7TwC

Example: On Tuesday, Sept. 26, four Daily News Websites each feature different top stories to their respective audiences.