The Finale

MCOM 355 has exposed me to a new realm of media. This exposure has inspired me not to only work in media but become a trendsetter for those to follow. 355 was not an easy class by far. I had my ups and downs within the class where I felt like I wasn't catching on, but after purchasing the media software and fiddling with the designs, I became quite well at it. The struggling with the media helped me learn more aspects of the software. This exposure transscended my thoughts as a media worker. I no longer want to work for media, but own the media. I am starting my own magazine called Laiden County. I had the idea prior to the class, but the class inspired me to be hands on with the total experience. It gave me ideas to make my magazine and website stand out. I will include a podcast that will accompany each issue along with a video that will broadcast the shows I cover. I'll have outside interviews that will be featured. It will hav forums for people to communicate their opinions and debate. As a user, I now know the intricate details placed within the media and what it takes to produce it. I'm no longer looking at things blindly but wide eyed focusing on the detail. I am wanting to know exactly what was done to achieve the certain look or capability. I understand and now know media as a result of 355.

Laiden County's Video

So I am excited on my magazine. I will admit it is very hard in attempting to produce the final product. My writers are weighed down with other activities within their lives and my problems I am facing are affecting my productiveness. I wanted to do a video on just the day to day struggles of putting the magazine together with the graphics for my concept website and actual website. I wanted to include frames of my publicist and I working to secure the interviews and schedule them. I wanted the other frames to be of makeup shots and me doing various tasks. The video will just show the tedious nature of what being and editor and creative director is.

A Podcast So Worthy: Acid Attacks

I think the current. tv's podcast on acid attacks is not only a great podcast, but it is one of emotion and relevance. In 2008 , we think that we have progressed as a society and world, but the truth is we may have not. The barbaric acts of pouring lye or acid in women's face as an act of disfigurement shows just how insensitive and cruel the criminals are. The angles are great and the pictures are cruel, but it demonstrates just how horrific these acts are. The voice reporting is clear and the person's diction is great. Although this is a sensitive issue, the podcast is effective in exhibiting the urgent necessity in preventing this from ever happening again.



Click here for the link.

Laiden County's Podcast

I chose to develop a blog that envisioned the direction that my magazine is going. It is a digital press release accompanied with samples of what to expect with the premiere issue and every issue that follows. I chose to use the Roots: Rising Up and Ced B's you played me as the back ground music. The picture is very simple too. It is a gray back ground fading to a steel gray with Laiden County in black Papyrus lettering. I also used a brush of tall grass that is stamped through out. My magazine is simplistic as grass, yet it is essential just as grass is. I believe in simplicity and cleaness. Keeping in accordance to those will keep longevity .The podcasts is about five minutes long. I plan to continue the podcasts each time the magazine releases an issue. As it grows so will my podcasts and the designs for it.

The New Technology

Technology has progressed from abnormally huge word processors weighings tons to small envelope thin notebooks. We no longer have to wait on the mail man to deliver us a letter, we can send it in a matter of seconds via e-mail or text. Technology has changed how we view the world and the media in which we see it through. We can log on to the news website to see daily podcasts and stream videos, or read blogs. We can even debate online. A lot of people feel that the computer has made this progress, but it is really the individual human who programs the computer to do so that has made the progress. In the future, I am looking to see the media in a different way. Maybe I could see the news appear before my eyes on the lens of my eye wear or something crazy like that. It would be cooler if I could log onto my iMac and describe what I want my website to look like or say and without personally adding each component, the website will appear. It'll be in a matter of minutes. It would be so awesome if they developed a way we could read a book in a matter of seconds and gain the total comprehension. As of now, we can skim through it via the web. Maybe in the future we could have the exact points appear on one of our tv channels. It would be awesome to have a channel on television dedicated to book synopsis.I think the future holds the key to us being able to key in requests and getting a product delivered in a matter of seconds. I am not referring to the purchasing power, but to the production power. The power to tap the keys f l a s h : and say I want my name to appear dropping form the sky , and it does. Thats what the future holds for me!

Anderson Cooper : Beer Meld

I love Anderson Cooper's 360 Daily Podcasts. They are awesome. They are well-recorded, eloquent, and very articulate. I think it's his passion conveyed under his smooth tone. Maybe it is how poised he is. At any rate the real -time videos are such great quality. I guess that's a perk when you are one of CNN's best journalists. I am very much into detail. I think his detail that makes me like him. The podcasts aren't pixels or blurred, nor is there any reverberations on the voice. Its just a great, well recorded and captured podcast.

So...Anderson Cooper is pretty corporate and somehow I didn't get the  note my podcast wasn't suppose to be a corporate or mainstream one. How did I neglect to comprehend that? UM...I have a feasible explanation : "I was trying to stay abreast of all my reporting assignments !" That is a good reason right? Well this is a pretty simple mistake to correct. Being to see that I am a podcast guru and my home iTune's library is fully of these things, I selected Beer Meld. I do not know what these guys smoke, but it sure isn't the nicotine in a good old fashion cancer stick! I love this podcast because it is sooooo ridiculously funny! Who are these douche bags?! My fave thing to do after a great day of learning and studying followed by a vigorous work out and good meal is to grab a scoop of marble slab's amaretto/cheese cake ice cream. ( My secret recipe, I buy it by the quart and sprinkle a little pecans on it) After a hot bath, I get comfy in my bed and watch this podcast on my iMac as I pack on 3 additional pounds for the few hundred calories I just burned. These people do not have any earthly sense and that's why I love them. Most people would look at me and say that I am way too prescribed to enjoy such randomness, let alone randomness that elicits a foul mouth. Come on... PEOPLE...I curse too...only when I'm furious though. Thats the beauty of the podcast; the curse words don't rally have a place in the structure of the conversations, but the randomness and word choice is hilarious! Who says Father of the F word or Mary of Hell F yeah? No one ! I know, Nik you're a goof ball! Yea yea yea...whatever.

Click Here For Anderson Cooper.

Click Here For Beer Meld

It's Just Too Much

I do not like the American Press website. It has no depth, no look, and way too much advertisement. When I look at a website, I look for clarity and images. This website lacks creativity. It is pretty cut and dry. It is pretty boring! I want more than a link, I want a new world! If I had a choice, I would definitely redo the graphic design. I'll add some worthwhile flash concepts and definitely eye catching color. Your website is suppose to be a representation of you and your company. It should be easy to navigate by the common person and refreshing. As a reader, I shouldn't feel that viewing paint dry may be a better sight opposed to viewing a website....UH! How would you expect me to purchase your publication if I am not being captured by your website? How am I to know that your actual writings won't be a drag? I don't. I only know what you show me. When they say images speak 1000 words, they do! American Press website has spoke its 1000 and it says "Improvement drastically needed"!



Click here to witness the visual torture of the American Press Website