Midterm Exam

I can't believe spring break is already here. This semester really has flown by, but the halfway point is the perfect time to reflect on what has been done in Doc Chris' multimedia class so far and how much I have learned since the middle of January. I am writing this blog post with the new Lady Antebellum soundtrack as my background music. Here is the best song on it:

 (andersonss20, 2012)

1) In many work environments, knowing how to work in a team is crucial to success. The same is true for this multimedia class, and Team Worldwide has been successful. Before the start of this class, many of us had never used Google+, Twitter, YouTube, Blogger, or Gmail. We all had used Facebook before, but our knowledge of these other pages varied. The members of Team Worldwide proved our awesome teamwork skills right off the bat and provided assistance to those teammates who were less familiar with a certain page than themselves. Sudesna helped me set up my Google+ page, while I assisted her with her Twitter account. We were all very unfamiliar with Google+ hangout sessions, and the four of us all helped one another download the necessary software to our computers and click on the right links to join the session. We learned together, and were sure to capture that triumphant moment of success on camera...

Team Worldwide has been cited by Doc Chris in the past as one of the strongest, if not THE strongest, team in the class. This alone says enough, I think, about our ability to work with one another.

(Team Worldwide, 2012)

Our team, as well as the entire class team, proved invaluable to one another with getting all the necessary footage of the Federal Women's Council press event. The room was very crowded and we were all present at different times, but with the help of the class Facebook page, we were able to access and use one another's footage and photos in our reflection blog posts.


There really is strength in numbers, and due to the speed of the class, as well as the fact that it only meets once per week, the teamwork atmosphere of the class really helps. Doc Chris is only one person and cannot attend to everyone's individual needs while also teaching the class as a whole. There is just too little time. So, instead, we help one another, and use it as a way to build collaboration skills. The class works as a whole during our weekly sessions to post important information on the class Facebook page, whether about homework or upcoming assignments and field trips, to award points to students, or to share our reflections and homework assignments with one another. When we are outside the classroom, questions and concerns can be posted here for all to see, relevant news articles can be posted, and Doc Chris can post about cancelled class, late class, and even midterms right on the wall!

2) I really have learned so many valuable things since Doc Chris' first multimedia class, but there are three that I have found most valuable. First, it is amazing to me how all my Google accounts can be connected and accessed through one sign-in. One portal, many accounts. There are so many accounts to keep up with and post blog assignments to, but this makes it much easier to post things for followers of each site and ensure that no site has been overlooked.

As someone who has spent the past three years working as a tape runner and production assistant on Hollywood film junket sets, I have always been amazed by the proficiency of the set designers and lighting operators. Their jargon and the way the slight angling of one light can make such a difference in their minds has always amazed me. In the video below, actor Jim Sturgess is being interviewed about his performance in August 2011's "One Day." I am actually timing the interview and sitting just to his right out of the camera shot! You even hear my voice in the first split second of the video and see him look to the side at me a few seconds in!

 

(ArtisanNewsService, 2011)

Now, after watching the three-point lighting video on YouTube and having Doc Chris explain this concept to us on a live set, I have a better appreciation for it. I was able to bring my knowledge from the video to a smaller scale press set at the Federal Women's Council event, and now I can bring it to a larger interview set at future film junkets.

Most importantly, though, I have learned that in the public relations and production worlds, I have to be able to cope with unexpected circumstances while still remaining calm, cool, and collected. The Federal Women's Council event proved to be the perfect instance for me to practice this. Prior to the event, we were given very little information about the day or even about the Federal Women's Council itself. Basically, we had the traveling directions to get there and brought our cameras to capture whatever we encountered at the Stay Bridge Suites in Columbia, Maryland upon our arrival. I have learned that having a team behind you is critical to coping and being successful in such instances. Doc Chris just wants us to get outside the classroom and experience things in the real world first hand. Here is a video of three members of Team Worldwide, Sudesna, Lauren, and myself on our way back from the event reflecting on all that we encountered...

Doc Chris did not fail to follow up on the importance of learning in this way and praising us for our hard work in helping to make the event a success:

3) Everything in Doc Chris' multimedia class is a learning experience. From the very first moments of our very first class, we dove into our usage of social media, taking pictures and videos in class, and responding to them in our reflection blogs. We had trials, spoke of future field trips, and applying concepts learned in the classroom to real-live events. These edutainment and convergence tools have proven to me that social media really is so extremely powerful, especially for public relations necessities. Our class was at the Federal Women's Council event and we were almost immediately able to share our photos and videos on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. In this 24 hour news cycle, social media is the ultimate tool, and Doc Chris is giving us experience with that. The edutainment tools wouldn't really hold so much weight if we weren't able to capture these in photos and on video and share them with our classmates and the world. Especially with little known, but important and influential organizations like the Federal Women's Council, these tools are invaluable in getting the word out and publicizing events.

(Liberty Mobiles)

Things in my everyday life that I would not normally pay much attention to I have now become much more aware of. I take pictures of many more things, try to post more about my experiences to Facebook and Twitter, and just try to analyze things more critically in general. What is a better place to start to learn about how to use social media and the influence it can have than my own life? Things I post are meaningful to me as an individual, but if I am going to post them on social media sites, they also have to have some sort of meaning for others. By documenting things in class like Judge Dr. Chris trials and pieces of lectures he gives, I am forced to find the meaning and the hook that is present for those who are not a member of this class. That is a necessary skill to have in PR and production -- making something attractive to those who are on the outside and might not be enthusiastic about it otherwise: selling an idea, creation, or thought to people. We are learning to do that in the most professional way possible, but that doesn't mean it has to be any harder to document something than pulling out our smartphones and hitting play!

4) The world of public relations, and communication in general, would be nothing without evaluation. The fact that it is called the field of COMMUNICATION says it all. Practitioners strive to give society what they want and need in the most professional way possible. In this case, we as students strive to give Doc. Chris everything he is looking for and show him, through our blogs and class participation, that we are growing and learning as he intended us to. By having trials, both good and bad, Doc. Chris is able to point out to the entire class what he expects. Judge Dr. Chris trials are meant as a learning and improvement tool for everyone present, even the superstars of the class. It is an evaluation tool to make sure everyone is on track and completing assignments and utilizing our edutainment and convergence tools properly. Depending on the circumstances, some classes are more trial-heavy than others, but I've noticed that in recent weeks, we have had more good trials than bad trials, and this definitely speaks to our success as individuals, teams, and a class. The video below is a perfect illustration of the dynamics of the class and how trials are used as a learning tool and to discuss important matters that might otherwise be overlooked...

5) I have really enjoyed a lot of things I have done in Doc Chris' class so far this semester, but I really enjoyed watching the Grammy Awards with a critical eye, not just for pure entertainment, and then posting my footage and opinions in a blog for everyone to read. Usually, we watch these awards shows just to see if our favorite band wins best artist, but this was a whole new experience. While watching, I had to be extremely alert and look for things that were worthy to tweet about, worthy to take a picture or video of, and worthy to post on my blog about, while still be able to provide a fresh point of view. I think I was successful, and I think Doc Chris' "NTWITA" echoed that notion. Here is a picture of the most bizarre moment of the night: a performance by Nicki Minaj of her song "Roman Holiday."

(Brilliant Brands, 2010)

6) Before taking this class, I had only ever used Gmail, Twitter, and Facebook. I had never used Google+ or Blogger, and wasn't even entirely sure of what they were, and though I had used YouTube, I never had a personal account where I could upload and "like" videos on a channel. Therefore, I learned on the first day how to establish my presence on these sites and connect with my classmates and Doc Chris on them. I was also unaware that all the Google sites are connected and are located on one portal. That is amazing and makes navigation and posting super easy! Since then, I have learned how to not only establish my presence no these sites, but also how to do so in a professional way. I have learned how to upload my own material, share it with others, and use my classmates' material that is posted on these sites in my blog. This class has forced me to branch out in how I use these sites; I'm not only posting about menial happenings at school or home, with friends or with family, but am using them to post about monumental events with influential people. In turn, though, this has had a positive effect on my personal life too because, especially as I begin my job search, I now have posts that cite accomplishments I can talk about in an interview and be proud of. There is evidence on the internet to back up my resume and my stories. If that doesn't make taking this class a good choice, I don't know what does!

Considering I was very uncertain on the first day of class, and even a bit nervous, I think I have come a long way in my knowledge of these social media tools. Though none of my other classes are utilizing them at the moment, prior classes here at Loyola have, but none have taught me how to actually navigate the sites and build a personal image on the pages like this class has.

7) Doc Chris has definitely been an unconventional Loyola professor, but that is what has made him so great. His use of real-world events as learning tools and fearlessness to dive right into projects and media make the class fast-paced and efficient, much like the world of media. I feel that this is one of the few classes I have taken at Loyola that has provided me with skills that can actually be utilized in my career. Doc Chris provides both positive and negative feedback on a regular basis, which is crucial to any student's success. The class Facebook page has been a timely tool to help him do so. He is always just a click away and is eager to respond with any advice about homework, jobs, or the world of media in general. This class has greatly exceeded my expectations in terms of getting real-world experience and helping me create materials to add to my professional portfolio. You have to be a self-starter and motivator in this course and that is important in any career path. The field trips and other edutainment tools provide the means to exercise and improve this skill. Though we have only met six times, each class has been unpredictable and pushed me out of my comfort zone to try something new. That's what college is all about, so, Doc. Chris, you have succeeded in being an accomplished college professor! This uncertainty is by far my favorite part of the course because it keeps me on my toes and eager to know what learning method I will employ next.

Doc Chris' iPad desktop screen - What a funny guy!

My video response: