Sticking out in my mind when analyzing topics and discussing within DH-6005 The History and Theory of Digital Arts is a statement made in one of the very first classes.
“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” Is everyone an Artist? Is everything Art if we or any individual perceives it to be?
I approached this assignment with this in mind and the idea of collaboration. We as a class collaborating together to form ideas and concepts, each adding our own beliefs, strengths and experiences to create something we all deem ‘beautiful’ .This pieces embodies that as a collaboration of smaller pieces blending together to create one ‘beautiful’ piece.
I’ve dug deeper into this piece and created layers. I’ve used 10+ pictures in multiple ways to create one main image, each of these 10+ images together portrays 10 concepts that I have taken from this module (multiple images portraying different aspects of the same concept). Each image has been either collected, modified or created with a specific quote or topic in mind. I kept these individual image basic to emphasis the ‘If a tree fall in a forest’ concept. I personally deem all these images to be art as I have a story or concept behind them but will everybody else?
Finally my main image created is a replica of a photograph I took surrounding Baudrillards Theory of Hyper-reality. The picture shows me in real-time through an Iphone camera and photographed through a Macbook.
“Hyperreality is seen as a condition in which what is real and what is fiction are seamlessly blended together so that there is no clear distinction between where one ends and the other begins.”
Is clear representation of me through the IPhone? Is this just representing real? Blurred lines between what is reality and fiction.
I created this piece in Photoshop, resizing and adjusting each pictures hue, colour and saturation to match the colouring of the original image.
Over 3 years ago I stumbled across this world by pure procrastination. I spent hours watching videos, finding new people, commenting on their videos, checking out their channels instead of doing all the work I had scheduled to do. One particular night I found myself awake at 7:30am glued to YouTube videos. This is where it all began.
YouTube currently boasts statistics such as:
More than 1 billion visitors each month
Over 6 million hours of video watched each month- that’s almost an hour of video for every person on Earth.
100 hours of video uploaded every minute.
And that’s only the beginning.
“People who think the Internet is a joke a bunch of cat videos and people getting punched in the balls…but there is so much more to it” – (11.24.13 – Day 1669).
Thousands of ‘YouTubers’ upload and create regular content tying to a range of genres from reviews, how to’s, DIY, comedians, make-up gurus, cooking & health, fitness and music to name a few.
If a YouTube channel grows to become a YouTube partner channel, Google AdSense then pays the creator to display advertisements on their channel and pre rolls to their videos. The more popular the YouTube channel the more AdSense will pay to advertise. Today some of the top YouTubers are making up to 6 figures from creating content on these channels. This content can be as little as a prank video, a “How to” video to a Short Film.
In this paper I’d like to delve into the concept of Vlog videos, video logs or video blogs, a concept that has evolved from these YouTube videos and has successfully created a genre of its own.
The Term Vlogging
To define the term Vlogging, I would simply say it is the digitalization of Blogs.
People all over the world are Vlogging ‘video blogging’ their daily lives, views, opinions or anything on their mind and uploading it to YouTube for the entire world to see.
These people can be sitting in their bedroom, walking down the street or shopping at Tesco’s and they take us with them as if we were there in person.
The Concept of Vlogging:
“Vloggers speak their spoken thoughts on camera and share those thoughts with the world” (Vlogumentary Official Trailer (2013) [HD])
Vlogging is an expression of one self; it is making a virtual expression and sharing it with the world.
“Vlogging is straight up me talking to you…It comes from a place that is honest and real” (Vlogumentary Official Trailer (2013) [HD])
The concepts of these Vlogs are hugely successful due to its simplicity; people can relate to these videos. Vlogs are real people with real opinions and real lives. It is a stable notion of ‘real’ wrapped up in this digital world. With the introduction of Web 2.0 our lives have increasing expanded to occupy virtual spaces. Web 2.0 has seen the introduction of Facebook, Twitter, Second Life and even games such as Farmville and Candy Crush, have us glued to the digital screen for hours on end. Everyone knows at least one friend who has set their alarm for 3:00am to save her virtual crops from dying or has spent ‘real money’ for extra lives on Candy Crush. Web 2.0 has blurred the lines between the virtual and the reality. We’ve immersed ourselves so far into these virtual worlds we find it extremely difficult to break away and position ourselves in the ‘real’. Vlogs emerge these two worlds together bringing the reality of daily lives into the Web 2.0 world.
From an Anthropology perspective the ‘reality TV’ debate is one that is over exposed. Why do we watch reality TV? What are we addicted to the virtual world? Why do we sit and watch as these people partake in the day-to-day tasks of daily life? Whether it is a person struggling to loose weight, a teen raising a baby or a trucker driving across the country, or someone going to the shop to buy milk they have our attention.
“We find ways to empathize with the struggles of these seeming everyday people. We believe that they’re just like us and use them as a measure for how we might behave or how others might judge us if we were similarly situated.” (“How Our Love Affair With Reality Television Created Megalodon | Anthropology in Practice, Scientific American Blog Network”)
The reality TV phenomenon began with the global success that was Big Brother back in the early 2000s and has grown completely out of control since then. Its grown into its own genre as 90% of these shows are not reality. Reality does not come with a team of writers, editors and make-up artists depicting your every move.
Vlogs have introduced themselves as the stripped down version of these shows but still embodies the same concept of allowing the viewers “to empathize with the struggles of these seeming everyday people.”(“How Our Love Affair With Reality Television Created Megalodon | Anthropology in Practice, Scientific American Blog Network”)
Much more than that:
YouTube allows the ability to leave comments and video responses on their videos. The ability to do this brings the concept to a whole new level. Not only can we relate to these people by watching their videos, we have the chance to discuss and interact with them on what is described as todays ‘personal level’.
“Online video is social. People are drawn to online video and web series because they can interact with the channel in ways that they can’t with television. The ability for creators to interact with their viewers is key to the medium.”(“Build Your Community – YouTube”)
These comments are creating strong communities and passionate followers to specific YouTube channels, so much show some have created names for their communities, CFTXC Army, Swamp Family, Sprinklerinos, Friendlist Friends and Tards to name a few. PieDiePew a Swedish Vlogger and Gamer currently has a community of nearly 17 Million Subscribers that watch his videos on a daily basis within that his videos have been viewed close to 3 Billion times.
“Behind every prominent YouTuber is a small army of supporters and detractors”(“How Our Love Affair With Reality Television Created Megalodon | Anthropology in Practice, Scientific American Blog Network”)
Not only are people creating bonds and interactions with the YouTuber they are creating forums for people to express themselves with other users. Building even smaller and stronger communities within these communities, some YouTubers even so as far as saying their communities reflect a family.
“We had a responsibility to these people that had become our family”(Vlogumentary Official Trailer (2013) [HD])
Through these forms people are reaching out to others, making friends and talking through life struggles. Troye Sivan a 17 boy residing in Australia posted his “Coming Out” video (Coming Out) on 7th August this year, 2013 and it already has over 2 million views. Throughout the comments people or not just supporting Troy but supporting each other, replying and commenting to each other and other people that are in a similar position as Troy. Recently Tom Daley, a British Olympian posted his “Coming Out” Video (Tom Daley) a mere 4 days ago and it has reached over 9 Million views. During his video Tom explained he didn’t want do a magazine cover, interview or release a statement because he didn’t want his words to get twisted, he just wanted to tell the public. YouTube gives him that opportunity to reach thousand or even millions of people with his true words and not with the possibility of being mis-quoted by the media. This spirit does not just lie within the LGBT community on YouTube; YouTubers are posting videos about their struggles with anxiety, depression, eating disorders and bullying to name a few areas and relating to thousands of other viewers all reaching out in the YouTube comments.
“You get to watch people go through their own struggles and know your not alone”(Vlogumentary Official Trailer (2013) [HD])
Ephemeral now & Digital Footprints
This ability to comment and interact with videos took a massive turn in the last month when YouTube changed its property to only allow Google+ account holders to comment on YouTube videos. This instantly abolished the ability to anonymously comment on videos and has infuriated a lot of the YouTube community. They feel it is damaging the spirit of the YouTube community as a lot of people reaching out and expressing themselves in this community is done anonymously. The community thinks this forced integration is taking away some people expression, taking away their voice as they will not post unless under the title of anonymous. It also concretes the fact that what once was “Ephemeral behavior becomes a permanent record.”(JenniferCobb)
Our digital footprint is becoming more and more important in the last few years with the rising numbers of employers routinely checking potential employees digital footprint within the job application process.
Shane Dawson was fired from his job at Jenny Craig (an American weight loss company) because of a Vlog he made during his shift. (YOUTUBE GOT ME FIRED!) Not only did Jenny Craig management fire Shane, they also fired his mom, his brother and everyone involved in the video that was an employee of Jenny Craig.
Shane went on to secure his stop as one of YouTubes top YouTubers with his 2 channels having more than 7 Million subscribers. Shane won a Fox networks Teen Choice Award for Choice Web Star and just recently sold his comedy show to NBC. Jenny Craigs official YouTube channel has currently 723 subscribers and not in the YouTube partnership program.
Your digital footprint tracks your interactions within the world wide web, whether it be Facebook pages, forum registrations, pictures, videos or comments. This trains us to think before we act comment or say anything in these virtual worlds, as it will live permanently on our digital record.
Will this take away the essence of the YouTube community? People tend to share and interact more when it is done anonymously and taking this away from them with the introduction of Google+, we might see a fall in active community numbers. Only time will tell.
Vloggers on the other hand place themselves in direct opposition of this. They want to build their online presence and be proud of their digital footprint. They see it as documenting their lives so it purposely becomes a permanent digital record.
SHAYCARL & THE SHAYTARDS
Shay Butler a father of 5; Gavin/SonTard 10, Avia/Princesstard 8, Emmi/Babytard 5, Broc/RockTard 3 and Daxon/BroTard 1month. Shay is originally from Idaho has been daily Vlogging with his wife for the last 5 years. He began daily Vlogging to document his last year of his 20s but has continued to Vlog for the past 5 years. Over these past 5 years he has documented every day of his families lives for the whole world to see. He has captured the actually birth of 2 of his sons, ‘RockTard’ (Broc) & most recently ‘BroTard’ (Daxon), moving from Idaho to Los Angeles and his struggle to lose 8 stone, to name a few staple events. His kids have grown up on the Internet; the whole word has watched them grow up. Before RockTard and BroTard even had the chance to use their own fingerprints they’ve had a healthy digital footprint. Some criticize his choice to video his children’s lives everyday and in turn giving them a digital presence at such a young age, others say he is a pioneer in the future of the digital age?
Where does privacy and open access come into in all of this? Filming his daily life leaves little room for privacy as a family. Publishing his Vlogs on YouTube gives anyone the easy access to use any of his videos, videos of his kids. Shay is aware of this but strongly believes in the YouTube platform to share each other’s lives, create good content and learn from others.
Shaycarl a founding member of the YouTube network Maker Studios “the #1 producer and distributor of online video to this diverse, tech-savvy group attracting 4.5 billion+ monthly views and 340 million+ subscribers.” along with fellow youtubers LisaNova, Kassem G & HiImRawn recently sold Maker Studios to Disney for a whopping $500 Million which has opportunities to rise to $950 Million if Maker hits certain performance milestones. Disney has seen the potential YouTube has in the Entertainment industry and has poached Maker for the intention of growing their online content.
CTFXC – Internet Killed The Television
Charles and Ali Trippy are the current Guinness world record holders for the most consecutive number of personal video blogs (Vlogs) uploaded to YouTube. They have not missed a single day in their close to 6 years daily Vlogging. During these 6 years the couple captured their engagement, their wedding day, a world tour with Charles band “We are the Kings” and most recently documented Charles as he was diagnosed with a Brain Tumor. (MAN FILMS OWN BRAIN SURGERY (9.17.13 – Day 1601))
Charles began having seizures in March 2012, which he under went a surgery for that same month but since then Charles has relapsed. On the 18th of September this year Charles took Vlogging to the next level and Vlogged his own Brain Surgery…awake! He wanted to share all of his life experiences with the world and reach out to people going to the same thing.
Since then Charles has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and is currently under going chemotherapy in which he still documents every day in their daily Vlogs and continues to build the CFTXC community.
Charles and Ali bring Vlogging to the next level they have set a bar and its only going to get better.
Vlogumentary & Vidcon
‘Vlogumentary’ is a 90-minute feature length documentary featuring the most popular YouTube Vloggers and personalities.
“This documentary will delve into what Vlogging is, the rise of YouTube creators, and how Vlogging has forever changed the lives of the Vloggers, the viewers, and the industry itself. We want to tell the story of how being a “YouTuber” has changed the lives of thousands through the eyes of one family that has realized a
dream come true of a dream they never knew they even had.” (“Vlogumentary (2013) – Plot Summary – IMDb”)
The trailer of the documentary was debuted at Vidcon, the annual videoconference held in the Anaheim Convention Center, California and received amazing reactions from the 4,000+ attendees from all over the world. The YouTube sensation the Vlog Brothers, Hank and John Green created Vidcon for people who love online video. Vidcon features talks, meet ups and workshops with all the top Vloggers and YouTube celebrities. Not only is Vidcon a conference for viewers, industry days are held over the conference days for YouTubers to make contacts and collaboration videos with other YouTubers to help them grow their channel and community. It is already rumored Vidcon 2014 is expected to attract more than 10,000 attendees.
The community is rapidly getting larger and stronger. People are more aware of these people creating content on YouTube and are slowly steering away from watching “cat videos and people getting punched in the balls”. Thousand are slowly falling in love with this form of “TV” everyday. In 2014 I plan on experimenting, creating and analyzing a series of my own personal Vlogs to create an online community/family that will coincide with this individual project.
“Its not just the future of entertainment…it’s the present of entertainment…. You can’t understand it from the outside, you can to get an account, you have to be part of it”(Vlogumentary Official Trailer (2013) [HD])
“How Our Love Affair With Reality Television Created Megalodon | Anthropology in Practice, Scientific American Blog Network.” N. p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2013.
JenniferCobb. “What Was Ephemeral Is Now Permanent: Our Lives in Digital.” Spruce Advisers. N. p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2013.
On this learning path to the world of Digital Humanities I’ve come to collect, relate, zone in and focus on certain Buzz words surrounding the area of DH. These words are displayed in the word cloud below. A word cloud is a visual representation for text data, typically used to depict keywords or metadata tags on websites, or to visualize free form text. Tags are usually single words, and the importance of each tag is shown with font size or color.
Col·lab·o·rate – To work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort.
Tool – Computer Science An application program, often one that creates, manipulates, modifies, or analyzes other programs.
In·ter·dis·ci·pli·nar·y – Of, relating to, or involving two or more academic disciplines that are usually considered distinct.
Dig·i·tize
dig·i·tized, dig·i·tiz·ing, dig·i·tiz·e – To put (data, for example) into digital form.
I intend to add to this word cloud at different stages of my DH journey and hopefully ultimately create a good representation of my interpretation of the DH world.
Anna O Donoghue 