Objects Overview (draft)
As the years went by, and I made myself into an architect and urbanist, I began to understand that objects, narratives, memories, and space are woven into a complex expanding web—each fragment of which gives meaning to all the others.
–J.T. Mitchell
black and white • photo 5 #digs16
A photo posted by Danielle D’Achille (@danidachdigital) on
#2: Post-Christmas Blur |Lesson #16: use focus to abstract| #digs16
A photo posted by Nicole Ro Digital media (@nikkirooo_digs) on
Assignment Specifics
This assignment is more nuanced than it seems, so please take great care when conceiving and including photos and captions:
- create a slideshow of 8 – 10 photographs of evocative objects that are related to your investigation
- the photographs should be informed by David DuChemin’s lessons (one lesson can result in up to three photos)
- the photographs can be made using any camera you’d like, though I encourage you to use one of the DSLRs that you can rent in the basement of Merion
- each photograph should be accompanied by a 100-word caption that illuminates why/how it is evocative in relation to your investigation and which lesson informed it
- embed the slideshow in your transmedia story using one of WordPress’s many responsive sliders (such as the Camera slider, which I have used, though there are many to choose from)
- the slideshow must extend your transmedia story in interesting ways
The most important thing when approaching this assignment is to create your own definition of “evocative object.” The readings hint at a definition, and your definition should be informed by the readings.
Objects Draft Specifics
Rough Draft
If you are using the suggested Himilayas theme (which I suggest), I suggest you use the HUGE-IT slider. It is very easy to use and you can install it anywhere you want on your page. You can make it as large as you’d like and text will wrap around it if necessary.
However, there are of course many WordPress sliders to choose from, each with their own options and abilities. You may wish to experiment with other sliders, which is more than welcome. (I am not familiar with Wix or Squarespace, so I don’t feel comfortable making recommendations.) You may also have a slider as part of your chosen theme, but wary of these because they often do not have great flexibility.
For your slider rough draft, create a new post in your course blog. Then create a slideshow of 4 – 5 images including captions (or descriptions) that discusses how each object is evocative for your project.
Assignment Due Dates
The due dates are:
- 4/14: Photo slideshow draft draft 1 due online
- 4/21: Photo slideshow rough draft 2 due as part of completed transmediated story draft
To Go Significantly Beyond the Required Coursework
As part of the Grading Criteria, to obtain an A in the course, you must “demonstrate activity that goes significantly beyond the required course work in one or more course objectives.”
Here are a few ways you might be able to demonstrate going beyond the required coursework through the use of video work in addition to the main video assignment:
- create a slideshow of 20 photographs instead of 10
- create audio captions instead of written captions (as in Foot Soldiers)
- something else you come up with :-)