Rubber (2010) directed by Quentin Dupieux

I knew this film would be exactly my type of film the moment I saw a well-dressed man hand a group of people a pair of binoculars each, in the middle of the desert, as they observe the birth of Robert, a tyre. 

It seemed so beautifully absurd, and, as established early on in the film in an address by a police officer, things are often the way they are for "no reason" at all. Does anything in a film have any real 'meaning'? This is what makes it so reflective of real life. Real life can be seen as meaningless and absurd, and this film deconstructs the idea of narrative conventions that help create meaning for viewers. 

The first act of Rubber breaks narrative convention in several ways; it is established that the film will not be entirely 'human-centred', largely because a tyre is presented to the audience as the protagonist. The 'who' indeed is established very early on in the film, hence adhering to the typical screenplay structure, but we are not yet entirely sure of its motivation and traits. It is a caricature of the narrative convention of a 'desire-fuelled human', as it progresses through the world, seemingly developing and discovering itself as it goes along.

The first plot point takes place when the tyre realises its telepathic, or "psychokinetic" powers, and proceeds to blow up a rabbit and crow, before blowing the head off of the driver of a ute. This marks a significant hook in the plot; it has committed an act of murder, and we are made curious as to what the implications will be of such an action.

Simply put, Rubber ingeniously utilises screenplay conventions but also challenges these in an absurd, somewhat comic manner.

Week 4- Post 2

SCAVENGER HUNT

I. The world's first University was established in 700 B.C. according to http://incredblindia.blogspot.com/2009/02/takshila-worlds-first-university.html. It was in Takshila, which is now in Pakistan. Accessed 25 Aug 2011

II. Stephen Stockwell plays keyboard in the Black Assassins, an 80's punk band. Songs of their include 'Death Comes To Townsville' and 'Multinational Corporate Lifestyle'.
http://www.blackassassins.net/index.html accessed 25 Aug 2011

III. The world's biggest machine is commonly understood to be the Bagger 288, weighing in at 13,000 tons. It costed $100 million to design and build.
http://www.neatorama.com/2010/01/26/bagger-288-the-worlds-biggest-machine/
http://www.bukisa.com/articles/40463_worlds-largest-machines-ever-built
http://www.michaelgriswold.com/Pictures/ALL/bagger/bagger.html
accessed 25 Aug 2011

IV. Justin Bieber does not have a personal lawyer as such, however his manager, Scooter Braun, laises with the approriate people in dealing with crises and issues. In order to contact Braun, one can email him at info@scooterbraun.com or can reach the team via the contact form at http://scooterbraun.com/homepage/contact/ accessed 25 Aug 2011

V. The cheapest form of travel from Gold Coast to Melbourne is by plane, which can be as cheap as $89 via Student Flights. http://www.airfaresflights.com.au/flights/Gold%20Coast/Melbourne-MEL/ accessed 25 Aug 2011

VI. Hatsune Miku is a virtual pop idol created by Crypton Future Media, and her birthday is 31 August.
http://www.afa09.com/i_love_miku.html
http://vocaloid.wikia.com/wiki/Miku_Hatsune
accessed 25th Aug 2011

VII. A live webcam of Minsk in Belarus can be found at http://minsk.gov.by/en/webcam/
accessed 25th Aug 2011
Accommodation can be acquired at the Davis research station in Antarctica, managed by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), there are food and toiletries available, as well as several facilities for outdoor activities.
http://www.antarctica.gov.au/living-and-working/stations/davis/davis-living-there

VIII. The song that was at the top of the Australian pop charts this week in 1991 was '(Everything I Do) I Do It For You' by Bryan Adams. http://www.worldcharts.co.uk/archives/australia/aus90.htm accessed 25th Aug 2011

IX. A Volkswagen is used to make 'Google Street View' http://www.autoblog.com/2007/06/01/take-a-look-at-the-vehicle-thats-taking-a-look-at-you/ accessed Aug 25th 2011

X. Translations found using SpanishDict- Spanish Translation
http://www.spanishdict.com/translation

Where was the first university established and in what year? 
Is what is called a band of Stephen Stockwell and what he play? Can you name a couple of hissongs? 
What is the weight of the world's largest machine? What does it cost to build? 
Who is Justin Bieber's attorney, and what is the best way (faster, more reliable) to contact thelawyer? 
What is the cheapest way to travel from the Gold Coast to Melbourne? 
Who is Hatsune Miku? What company she belongs to? What is your birthday? 
Find a live webcam in Belarus. Find a place to stay in Antarctica. 
What song was top of the Australian pop charts this week in 1991? 
What kind of car is used to 'Google Street View'? 
Translate these questions in Spanish and then translated into English

The Bagger 288. This thing is a monster!!

Bebo's Terms of Use

Before Facebook strolled on into my life, Bebo was the main social media I interacted with. The Terms of Service are intriguing, and I made some observations regarding content, ownership, and privacy.

Bebo affirms that they allow any content that is not inappropriate, defamatory, unlawful, misleading in terms of identity, under copyright laws, or content that violates the rights of others. Additionally, obscene and indecent content (such as controversial photographs or video) are not permitted. 

Ownership of material is a very interesting point when it comes to Bebo. The Terms of Service clearly states that it "does not claim any ownership rights in any materials that you submit, post, or display on or through the Bebo Service." The Terms of Service, however does state that it can modify, reproduce, and publicly display and perform the material, though this is within what I consider reasonable grounds. For example, modifying might entail merely compressing or changing formats of pictures.

Bebo states that it "take[s] your privacy very seriously..." and the privacy policy emphasises the idea of 'choice'; that members can choose what information they do and don't want disclosed among fellow members. It states that it "uses a variety of safeguards to help protect your personal information...", however, the privacy statement adds that we consider the impossibility "for Bebo to guarantee that impenetrable security measures are in place." This feels somewhat disconcerting. 

On the whole, the Terms of Use are clear and to the point, though it is unclear as to whether or not it would be legal for Bebo to make a witty quotes book based on text material that has been submitted onto the site.

Bebo's Terms of Service: http://www.bebo.com/TermsOfUse2.jsp

Bebo's Privacy Policy: http://www.bebo.com/Privacy2.jsp

Week 4 - Post 1

The disturbing levels of chaos and violence in the London Riots have been widely attributed to social networking in the media. Namely, BlackBerry Messaging (BBM) has been seen as one of the major causes of the display of violence throughout London and greater England last week, as users organised specific times and places for criminal activity, encouraging a great disruption in communities.

That BlackBerry Messaging is encrypted, and information being transferred via this social medium is not as accessible to authorities, has been a key cause for the use of BBM in inciting violence in the riots. 2 men were sentenced to 4 years in jail for organising riots and civil unrest which led to the London 2011 riots.

Critics have argued that this is an unfair sentence, however authorities are saying that they are merely "sending a warning to the masses in the aftermath of unrelated riots in which technology played a role." (LA Times 2011) The influence of social media on masses in organising criminal activity is not a matter that will be taken lightly, it has been learned since the breaking out of the riots.

References:
The LA Times 2011, '2 British Men sentenced for encouraging rioting on Facebook', August 17
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/08/2-men-in-uk-get-4-years-in-jail-for-setting-up-facebook-groups-to-start-riots.html

Prodhan, G & Sharp, A 2011, 'London riots: MP calls for BlackBerry Messenger block', Sydney Morning Herald, 10 August

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/london-riots-mp-calls-for-blackberry-messenger-block-20110810-1ilha.html

 

Hilliday, J 2011, London riots: How BlackBerry played a key role', The Guardian, 8 August

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/aug/08/london-riots-facebook-twitter-blackberry

The WELL - Week 3, Task 2

The WELL - A pioneering form of virtual communication

The WELL is a virtual community where members interact in conversations on a large range of topics. It is "a cherished destination for conversation and discussion," and has been widely regarded as the origin of the concept of an online community. (The Well: Learn About, para. 1) It was conceived in 1985, a time when internet had not yet reached its widespread popularity, though individuals were seeking a new, innovative way of interacting with like-minded individuals.

A prominent member of the WELL, Howard Rheingold wrote a book, 'Virtual Community' (1993) that addressed the appeal that such a medium would have, in that it has brought those who are isolated in this technological age into a community where they collectively thrive. This issue is at the heart of our modern age: "the relationship between individuality, self-expression and communitarianism..." (Matei 2005)

Individualism has an emphasis amongst the WELL; members could participate in conversation that ranged from the very trivial to more weighty topics of discourse. Its peak saw thousands of users regularly using the medium, and also became a very early use of online communication for journalists.

Its influence on the ways in which we communicate and interact through technology is highly significant. It was an early example of how inventors of communication mediums tapped into the collective desire to express one's self and interact with others who possess similar interests, rendering a sense of community in individuals.

Many of Facebook's functions are not dissimilar to those of the WELL; groups and pages on Facebook allow members to discuss topics of interest and engage in conversation that ranges from the academic to the trivial.

Bibliography:


The WELL- Learn About The WELL, viewed 14 August 2011,
<http://www.well.com/aboutwell.html>


Matei, S.A. 2005, 'From counterculture to cyberculture: Virtual community discourse and the dilemma of modernity', Journal of computer-mediated communication, Vol. 10, Issue 3, viewed 14 August 2011 via WILEY Online Library 

Week 3- Task 1

• By using Griffith University Library database, I found that Stephen Stockwell's first article in an academic journal was Stockwell, S 1981, 'Kuranda police shooting', Legal service bulletin, vol. 6, Feb 1981 issue, pp. 48-9, viewed 11 August 2011 via HeinOnline Law Journal Library. 

• Governor Slugwell appeared in the Flaming Carrot comic series, and I used the 'Underground and Independent Comics' database, under the trial databases list in the Griffith University library page. The citation for the first issue of the Flaming Carrot in which Governor Slugwell appears is Burden, B 1985, Flaming Carrot Comics, no. 7,  viewed 11 August 2011 via Underground and Independent Comics library.

• Today Tonight, on 21st June, 2011, presents a group of brain tumour suvivors who warn against excessive use of mobile phones. There is seen to be a strong connection between these people's extensive use of mobile phones and the unfortunate diagnosis of brian tumour. The narrator describes that the link between cancers and mobile phone use is becoming increasingly understood. One brian tumour survivor advises that mobile phone users should closely monitor how much time their spend on their mobile phones daily, and believes mobile phone companies should be held accountable.  Mobile phones cause cancer: Brain Tumour survivors are speaking out about the dangers of mobile phone use [online]. Today Tonight (SEVEN NETWORK); Time: 18:40; Broadcast Date: Tuesday, 21st June 2011; Duration: 5 min., 10 sec

• Leon, who is a replicant, seems suspicious of the fact that he is being tested whether or not is really a human, and when Holden asks about Leon about his mother, he pulls out his laser and shoots Holden. Scott, R 1982, Blade Runner, film, Warner Bros. Pictures, Burbank, California

• Paul Soukup says that Walter Ong (p.224) saw the main paradox in 20th Century communication is "that a society given so much to the use of diagrams and to the maneuvering of objects in space...should at the same time develop means of communication which specialize not in sight but in sound." That is, the paradox is that humans are so used to visual forms of communication, such as images and diagrams, that we have seemed to dismiss the importance of sound, a form of communication that is highly integral to human interaction and existence. Soukup (p.14) says "though printed texts will not disappear, the more human dimension of sound cannot be suppressed."  Soukup, P.A. 2004, 'Walter S. Ong, S.J. : A Retrospective', Communication Research Trends, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 1-44

ce n'est pas la communication (this is communication)

"Mopping the floor over all over is imperative, yet all that was needed was a quick sweep.."

I made a film last year based on a surrealist poem I wrote, and the photo above is a scene from the film; the anonymous, faceless figure nurses a technological device, which is tied to their feet. Their free will is restricted in this new progressive age, and when placed in this barren, alienating setting, they are ultimately nameless, and faceless- individuality is diminished.

At least, those were my views last year. I found a paradox in that this progressive age has infact reversed the evolutionary process, where computers run our lives and technology determines our life's path.

Since then, however, I have developed an appreciation for this technological age, where people can communicate and express themselves through new, exciting and intuitive forms of media. Indeed, I would not have been able to express these ideas through the wonderful communication technology of digital video.

Therefore, I now understand that while I once thought that new communication technologies are squashing our free will, at the same time they are providing us with new ways of interacting, living, and experiencing. My views on this subject are likely to develop within the next few weeks of this course, and I look forward to coming to a more informed, well-rounded view in the future.

NCT's as a channel of ideas and expression

I have been communicating ideas through social media for many years, however up until now I have never actually used a blogging site, and I am finding the experience a very interesting and expressive one. I've video blogged before; that's a lot of fun. What follows is a video I made, which incorporates elements of the vlog and the how-to instructional video.

Privacy is a very moot issue in terms of Facebook and Google..for me Facebook seems to be the most concerning aspect to the invasion of privacy. That companies are tapping into our displayed interests, and advertising things to us that often sound appealing, feels very exploitative to me. I am, however, accepting of this, as the site is free to use and I guess their exploitation of our interests is the cost.

There are many people I know over the internet yet have never met in person, or initially did not know in person. I find it to be a very distanced relationship. Personally, I felt as though we couldn't reach a deep enough level of friendships through merely talking via the internet. In this sense, knowing people through the internet is much different from knowing people in person. I hope the rise of the technological age is not detrimental to the interpersonal skills in our population.

On the whole, I am glad that I have interacted with social media. It has helped me express myself and communicate ideas and interests to others.

The Value of Boredom

Technological devices as a protection of boredom 

Genevieve Bell is a social scientist who, in this speech, draws on Martin Heidegger's idea that 'being bored is a fundamental state of being human.' Boredom, as a state of disengagement, can have positive implications from both a psychological and physical perspective; it is a state in which, Bell describes, "your brain...and consciousness gets to reset itself." 

Bell argues that today, 80 years since the conception of Heidegger's theory, it has become less likely that one might experience boredom. The introduction of many stimulating, exciting devices has prevented us from ever being bored, and these devices succeed in "warding off boredom."

It is a moot point as to whether boredom is good or bad, and whether new media and technological devices do modern individuals a service in preventing boredom. What is, however, interesting is Genevieve Bell's point that we should make 'spaces to be bored.'

I find this idea interesting, and believe that we should have a conscious balance between being connected, communicative individuals, and being disconnected, inward humans. I believe that both sides are important, however it is important that both sides do not overlap and conflict. It would be interesting to allocate physical spaces for being 'bored', in which we wholly disconnect from the constant demand of technology, and conversely allocate other spaces for being engaged with new social media and communication technologies.