Final Proposal: The YouTube Experience

In all my research, I could not find many articles that could truly help grasp what is YouTube, and it’s function and I think that speaks volumes. Although, I will be utilizing articles and journals that attempt to explain the Phenomenon of this platform, none of it truly accomplishes what I wish to understand and what I aim to do, but the one community is which I feel encompasses the ideology of YouTube is the beauty volggers.      

What I wish to learn and expose about the YouTube platform is what makes it so powerful and allows it to have such an influence. Though many people aim to mock beauty volggers and what they do, it is no secret that they are one the most popular group of individuals on YouTube. Why is that? “Beauty volggers reveal intimate things about themselves and actively engage in the practice of self-representation while filming. “[1] They don’t aim to hide who they are, in almost all beauty related videos the subject is bare face no make no nothing and then as the video progress they have embarked on a journey that transforms who they are physically, and to some that stands as a representation of how they wish to perceived that day.

My goals and my aims are not to become a beauty volgger with this project but rather to imitate the transformative journey in a more internal way. To embark on a journey with and audience to be my true self and how relatable that can be for some. “YouTube is a tool with which, and a space in which, people can transform themselves, and in doing so create communities which can work together to publicly challenge social norms.” [2] I wish to break the social norm of Hijabi women being oppressed and submissive. I wish to break the social norm that we aren’t independent strong and ambitious individuals. In away, I wish to continue what I began with my documentary “Hijabi World” I want to spread a message that doesn’t stop after six minutes and twenty -seven seconds. I want full creative control over the content being produced.

With this project I am going to attempt to do just that; alongside with seeing how the content I produce serves a community, and what possible influence it may have. Through my research I have come to realize one thing though, YouTube has two forms in which content is ejected to audiences, in either in an episodic or formative way  “The episodic video goes viral immediately, there is a viral “storm” that takes place as it quickly spreads from viewer to viewer, website to website, drowning out the daily viral chatter as it gets its “fifteen minutes of fame” (or whatever is the viral equivalent). The formative video goes viral slowly, much like a cloud gathering steam on a hot summer day, it’s impact takes shape over months until it is a thundercloud, towering over other videos that pop up and then die down.”[3] So in other terms I can either gain a community and following overnight or over a period of time.

For me this will be interesting because, I am already out there. To see how that would transform over onto a new platform is also something I would also like to explore. How does one go from a semi-viral video on Facebook to a content creator on YouTube. That I also anther realm I wish to understand and explore. Going back to the beauty volggers, their audience demographic ranges from you girls and boys to some in their 40s. Not to leave out that although majority of the volggers themselves are in their 20s, some are as young as 13 while others are mothers who may be in their late 30s early 40s. So what I am aiming to get at, that there is really no set demographic, though they’re maybe a certain community that dominates, YouTube caters to all and has no set demographic. Although, popular culture make be the mainstream it is certainly not the only stream. “Their performance on YouTube not only communicates a desired identity, but through their performance they realize their identity. The process of filming and the visual process of constructing or transforming their self on camera through makeup brings the subject into being.”[4] The reason why I keep referencing to the beauty volggers is because the represent a specific community and so do I.

My project encompasses catering to a community and to analyze what being myself has as an impact on a community. How does relating to people on a virtual platform transform into their daily lives, and how that can summarize the power of YouTube as a platform.

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[1] Kennedy, Ümit. "Exploring Youtube As A Transformative Tool In The "The Power Of MAKEUP!" Movement." M/C Journal 19.4 (2016): 1. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.

[2] Kennedy, Ümit. "Exploring Youtube As A Transformative Tool In The "The Power Of MAKEUP!" Movement." M/C Journal 19.4 (2016): 1. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.

[3] Kavoori, Anandam. "Making Sense Of Youtube." Global Media Journal: American Edition 13.24 (2015): 4.Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 25 Oct. 2016

[4] Kennedy, Ümit. "Exploring Youtube As A Transformative Tool In The "The Power Of MAKEUP!" Movement." M/C Journal 19.4 (2016): 1. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 25 Oct. 2016.

Final Project Proposal: Studying Political Speech

Hillary Clinton, left, and Donald Trump (NY Times, Associated Press)

Our current presidential campaign cycle has exhausted and grated the nerves of many Americans, with coverage of major party candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton occupying talking heads on television and radio in a 24-hour news cycle. Repetition of those sound bites made me consider not only the speeches and speaking styles of the two candidates, but political speech in general in the digital age. The essay I will submit for my final will be researched and exploratory, and is intended to start a conversation rather than come to any hard and fast conclusions about the state of political speech today or its media coverage and reception by the public. Criticizing linguistically and in the contexts of history, political climate, party, and more, I will call out the tropes and tactics of political rhetoric today and the fact that little has changed since the 20th century.

Photo: NPR

-Media literacy and politics: information push vs. information pull

-Ambient news: Several studies have found that Americans come across news while they are online doing other things, rather than seeking it out

“Online debates become personal, emotional, and irresolvable almost as soon as they begin.” -Andrew Sullivan

Cartoon by Joe Heller

From Politics and the English Language, George Orwell (1946):

"Now, it is clear that the decline of a language must ultimately have political and economic causes: it is not due simply to the bad influence of this or that individual writer. But an effect can become a cause, reinforcing the original cause and producing the same effect in an intensified form, and so on indefinitely. A man may take to drink because he feels himself to be a failure, and then fail all the more completely because he drinks. It is rather the same thing that is happening to the English language. It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts. The point is that the process is reversible. Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble. If one gets rid of these habits one can think more clearly, and to think clearly is a necessary first step toward political regeneration: so that the fight against bad English is not frivolous and is not the exclusive concern of professional writers."

Final Project Proposal

                              The Underrepresented:  Latinos in Films

                                                               Tony the Greaser

It's not a secret that Latinos are scarce in relevant American films. When represented in  films, Latinos, most of the times,  are depicted in negative ways.  Drug dealers,  maids,  prostitute are often some  the roles Latino actors play. There two problems in the film industry that directly affect Latinos. One, when Latinos are given a role they are the anti heros which according to the Merriam- Webster dictionary means, “a main character in a book, play, movie, etc., who does not have the usual good qualities that are expected in a hero.” In addition to this issue, when there is a Latin character in a film, this character is always present in a way that’s denigrating to the whole community. Being that the Latinos are the biggest minority group, yet they are not being represented accordingly. Besides from the negative stereotype of Latino, there is objectification of Latinos in films, “Apart from the lack of Hispanic actors, the study found Latino actors we're the group most likely to be partially or fully naked on screen - 37.5 percent of Latinas compared to 23.5 percent of Black, 31.9 percent of White and 18.2 percent of Asian actresses. Latino actors were more likely "to be shown in tight, alluring, or revealing clothing," according to the report” says an online article in NBC new.” Also,  a study found that 25 percent of the ticket bought in the movies come from Latinos consumers. The growth of the Latinos community in the United States has been imminent, yet,  the film industry does not represents the community accordingly. This project tries to understand why are Latino depicted they way they are, “Americans, commentators have observed, do not especially feel affected by the fact that Latinos consist of a younger population that is already substantially shaping American fertility, mortality, and immigration rates. But preparing for the future requires everyone to develop a different perspective and to change their attitudes,”  says Marcos Portales.

In this project I would like to explore why are Latinos not giving the opportunity to play bigger role in movies ? Also why when there is a Hero Latino?  Also, why is it that the Latino Identity always want to be oppressed? There no way for Latinos film industry consumers to feel identify in the big screen. In the article, HOW HOLLYWOOD HAS PORTRAYED HISPANICS  in the New York Times,  “Hispanics maintain that Hollywood films have always portrayed them as either vicious bandits, lazy peasants, or humorous buffoons. While emphasizing these stereotypes, Hollywood motion pictures have ignored the positive contributions of Hispanic-Americans to life and culture in the United States. While blacks and native Americans have found their screen images improving in recent years, Hispanics argue that Hollywood still utilizes caricatures that flourished at the turn of the century.” writes Allen Woll. None of the important film show the important contributions of Latinos in the United States. 

To bring alive this idea I want to make a short film that shows in a chronological order in how have the Film industry portrayed Latino over the years. From silent films until now exploring what have been the stereotypes, seeing if anything has changed. This project idea came to me after seeing West Side Story, I would like to interview professor Cortes from the Spanish Department to give me his thoughts on  the topics. Also I found a professor from Rutgers- Camden who wrote “The Latin Image in American Film.”  would be a great idea to talk to him. Another idea is interviewing Latino students to give see their opinion about their identity and if they feel they are being included in this major films

Midterm Proposal: Intercultural Marriage

This project will be posted on my website at franksamuel.com. It willl have a focus on sharing the stories of my subjects as I plan to do so for other future projects on the blog section of my site.

Growing up in Jersey City, and being a student at Rutgers Newark, I’ve pretty much grown up in diversity. I was able to make friends of many cultures, taste different cuisines, and see the different areas of the town and city with different demographics.


For my semester project, I want to do a photo series on intercultural couples. Through this project, I want to share the beauty of intercultural relationships, as it used to be taboo, and in some cases still frowned upon. What I intend to do is to photograph couples from my networks, and showcase love through diversity and culture.

This project was inspired by another photo series done by Qozop. Artist Qozop photographs Asian youths with their elders swapping clothes to contrast the difference in generations. I wanted to turn this project and make it my own by making it culturally themed, and contrasting the difference in cultures coming together as one.





I also want to shed light that things like this still bother people today. For example, one case of intercultural marriage or dating that was highly criticized was Tamera Mowry who married Fox News correspondent, Adam Housely. In an interview on Oprah: Where Are They Now, Tamera reveals the hate that she has been receiving for being in this relationship.

Additionally, I would to get into some study on the uprising of intercultural marriages. “Intercultural marriages in the United States have been steadily increasing over the past three decades (Frame, 2004; Ibrahim and Shroeder, 1990; Kalmijn, 1993; Molina, Estrada, and Burnett, 2004; Negy and Snyder, 2000; Qian and Lichter, 2007; Waldman and Rubalcava, 2005). In 2000, for example, 7.4% of all married-couple households and 15% of all opposite-sex unmarried-couple households involved partners of different races or origins “ (857).

Lastly, aside from outside my photos, I will interview the subjects in the photographs about their own experiences. Such as learning about each other’s cultures, gettings used to each others views, and etc. It will also be a platform in which the couple can show who they are, and what they personally find beautiful about their intercultural relationship.

My overall message is that love is what bridges two different different people together. The two may be different in contrast, but one thing is common, and that’s love.

_______________________________________________________________


Mercer, Amirah. "Apparently Society Still Can't Handle Interracial Marriage."Mic. N.p., 26 Oct. 2015. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.


Silva, Lucian C., Kelly Campbell, and David W. Wright. "Intercultural Relationships: Entry, Adjustment, and Cultural Negotiations." Journal of Comparative Family Studies. N.p.: Dept. of Sociology, U of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, 1974. 857-70. Print.


Qozop. Spring-Autumn Series. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. <https://www.facebook.com/qozophoto/photos/?tab=album&album_id=296003670524853>.

Midterm Proposal: The YouTube Experience

Before I divulge into what I am doing for my midterm let me explain a little bit of what lead me to choose my topic. Ever since I can remember I have been quite fascinated by the phenomenon of YouTube and the power it has to influence people or bring a community together. For me this project has really become an opportunity for me to explore the influence and power that YouTube has and is consistently gaining. As one of it’s consumers I would like to branch out to the other side a be the creator of the products. How do these seemingly average consumers go from being a consumer to a brand being consumed, and a perfect example YouTuber who is such is Lily Singh, also know as IISuperWomanII. 

The way in which I will go about this is quite simple, I will become a YouTuber, at least attempt to become one. For me it’s a step out of my comfort zone to put myself really out their, and with a family that really doesn’t support the idea of doing such is an added pressure.  I am already out there more or less with a published documentary with 1.7 million views and counting on Facebok. I want to take it another step further where I am in full control of what is being done, with that freedom it will truly allow for me to explore the experience that a well-known YouTuber may possibly experience.

The question of, what does it mean to be a YouTuber? How does it work? And can anyone do it? Is what wish tor truly explore and answer and the only way in which I see this being answered is by putting myself in that position and immerse myself into becoming a part of this platform. The way I will be keeping up with the progress is by creating content, such videos and vlogs as much as possible, and then by analyzing this process on a blog. My project will try and attempt to understand how this following comes about and people and how they know become a brand. 

Midterm Summary: Sneaker Project

I've decided to do my project on the influence of media and the internet upon sneaker culture. Where sneaker culture was, currently is, and will be. With the time that I have and available research collected, I have decided to create a write-up/blog post on my own personal photo/blog website, jeddkristjan.com. I unfortunately don't use my website as much as I should, but I'm looking forward to making this semester project a part of it.

So far, I've watched a few documentary films and videos upon the subject as well as looked at a few articles regarding the topic. By the end of the semester, my project will consist of writeups, photos, (maybe) videos and interviews all compiled into a single web page.

The main components of the project will likely be:

1. small historical background 
2. examples of growth and influence
3. the role of the spectacle
4. resale market 
5.  "then and now" (value, hype, quality) 
6. might touch up on the violence that has come along with exclusive sneaker releases, but may be too broad

I hope to explain it the best way I can, in a way that everyone can understand, even people who have no interest in sneakers.

Proposal Presentation

     

     My final project will focus on music streaming services and its effect on listeners, artists and the music industry. Advances in technology have made music and other forms of entertainment media easily accessible. A majority of music streaming services have become more popular than ever due to its appeal toward the younger generation. Studies show that over 72% of Spotify listeners are millennials. This number is expected to increase, pushing streaming services toward the top of several music businesses.

     One important factor from streaming is the outcome it brings to popular musicians and upcoming artists. For example, streaming may help a new singer get recognition and exposure for their music, but can leave them with little to no money as a result. It can also affect established artists in the industry due to lower single and album sales, leaving them in trouble with their record label. I will research this topic in particular for more related instances and special stories on the matter.

     Another aspect involves the study of people from previous generations and their views on streaming, including how much it differs from the music industry back in their day. It’s also beneficial to discuss the younger audience and discuss their views on the future of streaming, music and its accessibility. This topic can relate to music lovers of all ages and also reveals society’s reliability for converging music with technology. I plan to organize my research and interviews into the form of an article and publish it on a music/entertainment-related media outlet or website.

Two Roads Diverged, So I Paved My Own.

     

      I always felt like I didn't belong in my science classes because I was the outcast. I am a journalism major. I am not "one of them."

This is where things get really complicated. 

       I often felt like I did not belong to sit between the other journalism students because med school was my ultimate goal. 

I was stuck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSJxUwQD5rg

...Or so I thought I was until I became familiar with Doctors Without Borders (among other things), a non-profit organization dedicated to giving medical aid to people in war-torn and developing countries regardless of their age, gender, race, and religious beliefs. The organization was started by doctors and journalists. Seeing those two words in the same sentence, not juxtaposed, separated by ideals or something as little as a semi colon or a period, made me really happy. I finally found a place where I belonged. Journalists paved the way for the doctors, and the doctors go into the countries and save as many people as they can.

       By the time my final project presentation approaches I want to have a blog set up and fully running. I am not vocal about my passions and even frustrations about the mental pain I've been put through by people who can't see the bigger picture. I want to raise my voice, so other people can do the same. We can be "different." My target audience is mainly students (male and female) who want to take an unconventional rout to their chosen career paths.

       I am also going to bring my faith into my blog. I will not avoid the fact that I am a Muslim woman, and a hijabi at that. That alone will increase my audience scope. I am also an Arab American, a group of people that I think don't have as many support groups in this country as they should. I can appeal to many people, but ultimately, I want to encourage anyone to do whatever they want.

       Two roads diverged. I could not choose. I spent years trying to choose which one to take, until I finally realized that I can pave my own. It is going to take a lot of time, and mental and physical labor, but it will be worth it because that road will not only take me to my destination, but more importantly, it will also be there for those like me who may have not found the strength to do the same, or or do not know it to be remotely possible.

       I want to create a video that will be my presentation, which will also be my first entry post to my blog. The hardest part may be coming up with a name for myself, but once again, I just want to create a safe space where people can talk about their "actual dreams."

Proposal Presentation - Safe Spaces

For my semester project, I am focusing my topic on safe spaces and how social media looks at them. This summer, the President of the University of Chicago agreed to get rid of safe spaces on campus as he felt that college is the place for young adults to experience opposing or challenging ideas. He also outlined his worry that by students refusing to listen to ideas outside of their own, it sets them up to being a "coddled youth".

My project, which will be in the form of an article, will explore both sides of the argument. Critics of safe spaces believe that its existence goes against freedom of speech. However, the opposing side argues that by having safe spaces or trigger warnings, it allows students to have a place to deal with any discomfort or at least have a heads-up before dealing with heavy subjects.

I chose this subject in light of the University of Chicago's decision over the summer, and also because I feel that because we're students on a college campus, it should be an interesting discussion to hear what the rest of the class thinks about safe spaces and trigger warnings, as well as this idea that this generation is a "coddled" one.

Race in the Media

My final project will focus on the portrayal of race in the media. Many races such as Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, Arabs etc have faced either negative portrayals or have little to no representation of themselves in the media. Nowadays media is now a part of our daily lives since we consume media from the moment we wake up to the moment we go to sleep. And through this media we see how the world views certain races and this in turn can shape our views on those races. As such people could become narrow minded and only these races in a certain light. Therefore, my final project will be a short film. This film will be a skit about how media often misrepresents, or stereotypes people through their race. Through this I hope to open people's eyes about learning to accept a person as a person and not through their race.

Advertising through Social Media

My project will talk about the way that advertisers are using social media. If you scroll through your feed on Instagram, it is almost impossible to not come across a post that has some sort of advertising objective to it. Bloggers and Internet celebrities of all kinds are being asked by advertisers to post a picture, make a video, or write a post with their product. I would like to find out how the advertising companies determine who advertises what and if the opinions of the ones who are posting about the products are genuine or not. Also, the amount of money that the posts cost depend on the amount of followers that the Internet celebrity has, but I want to know if there is an exact rate that determines the price of the post. In addition to research, I am going to try to get in contact with a blogger or Insta-celebrity to see how the sponsored posts work and if there are any other factors that go into this type of advertising.

The Benefits Social Media has given Sports Teams

For my semester project I am focusing on two of my passions put together. Sports and Social Media. Social Media is changing the way fans are engaging with their favorite sports team or athlete. In the world of social media sports teams are doing to best to provide the best content to their audience. Whether it is highlights of a game, interviews with athletes, or a thank you to the fans. With this project I want to show my reader how convenient it is to be on social media while also being a die hard fan. Sure one wishes to attend every single game or at least home game of their favorite team but with skyrocketing ticketing prices it is almost impossible unless you have a season pass. What about NFL Sunday Ticket or MLB Pass or any other TV/cable access to the game. Well? That too is also expensive to afford and at least I, who am a sports geek don't want to pay the price to have channels I might not be able to watch because I am at work or at school. What about ESPN mobile app or other sports news app in the market? They too are good but the point i'm getting to is that you have to have some sort of subscription to enjoy this content. Now we are getting somewhere with social media taking the lead and providing us ways to not only watch but also engage in the content they provide us with.

I will try to make this project in a form of a blog, as formal as an article, but entertaining as a movie with visuals and examples to support my points. Facts will come from scholarly reviewed articles which I will cite in my work. Points I will focus on answering are:

• Social media engagement by fans from 5 big sports in America (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Soccer)
• How social media has allowed sports teams in America capitalize on the social trends created out of nowhere but with huge popularity.

Proposal

Frank Ocean has a line in one of his songs that goes, "Too many bottles of this wine we can't pronounce." Wine is intimidating from the outside, but actually is a very simple concept. Grapes are grown, picked, fermented and bottle. That's it.

I chose to do my project on why younger adults, aged 21-25 don't seem to drink wine as much as liquor/beer. Also, I will explore is that truly a difference between a $10 and $100 bottle of juice. My theory is that younger adults don't drink wine, because it looks pretentious and it's too fancy for them.

I also want to explore men and wine. Men avoid wine, because it doesn't perceive them as manly. Most times, younger men buy wine either because they are going on a date or want to impress the girl. My plan is to do a VLOG consisting of 1 female and hopefully 2 males. They will taste 4 different wines. 2 cheap, 2 expensive. I like to see what one they choose as the "better." Also will hope to ask why females are sometimes perceived to like wine more and why males use it as a dating tactic.

My goal is to really to remove all barriers in wine. By doing this project, my plan is to show people that you should drink whatever wine (if you chose to) you like regardless of price. I also want to see how people feel about gender roles with wine.

Proposal presentation

For my semester project, I will be writing about professional athletes and violence, and how sports fans, as well as the leagues these athletes play for, respond. More often than not, athletes who commit acts of domestic violence or sexual assault are not punished as fairly as compared to an average joe who doesn't have the fame or the money and commits the same crime. Professional athletes have the money to hire skilled and cunning lawyers to get around being charged like finding a way to get the victim/accuser to settle. And after, these athletes rarely get punished by their team or league.

But not only are the leagues and teams responsible for handing out punishments athletes deserve, it also falls on the fans of the sport as well as the culture surrounding masculinity and its resulting in victim-blaming, which is also a big problem in regards to domestic violence and sexual assault.

One big case I will be talking about in my project is the case of Kobe Bryant in 2003, where he was accused of rape. It was a high-profile case where essentially there was good evidence against but the charges were dropped. Bryant went on to continue his illustrious career. I will be referring to the book Kobe Bryant: The Game of His Life where it has the details surrounding the case at the time.

I will also be referring to research articles in journals by Harvard Law School to talk about other cases that aren't as high-profile as Bryant. Bethany P. Withers has two research articles about league treatment of athletes who have been accused of domestic violence and sexual assault.

In regards to the problem of victim-blaming and how a lot of focus is shifted to the accuser, I will looking to the work of Jackson Katz. Katz is a major figure in working on the issues of gender and violence. He has many publications but I will mainly be looking into his Tough Guise documentaries and his book The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women And How Men Can Help. 

The reason why I am doing this project is because I'm a sports fan and I can't imagine cheering for a team where a woman beater or rapist is playing. I feel that if I do that, I am condoning these kind of crimes. So I think that league and team policies should improve as to where people who commit such acts should receive a just punishment, whether it be serving time in jail or being suspended from play for more than just a year. And obviously, the culture surrounding masculinity and sports plays a part in how people see these athletes and how they see the victims. Once the culture changes, maybe we'll stop focusing so much on the victim and more on why the athlete acts in such ways and make the institutional changes necessary to prevent such acts from happening again.

Also, we the fans play a huge part. We're the base of how these athletes, teams, and leagues make money. We're a big reason why these famous athletes aren't punished as fairly. Leagues and teams are going to try to keep the athletes who help teams win games and sell tickets on the field. And I feel that once the fans are more informed about how often these acts of domestic violence and sexual assault occur and have gone unfairly unpunished, they will be more inclined to take a stance and force the leagues' hands in enforcing a stricter policy. And the fans need to also become more aware of the culture of masculinity and victim-blaming so that it doesn't cloud the kind of judgement an athlete defendant receives.

My project will take the form of an article that I will publish on the website Medium, where I have just created an account. This is free and open to anyone so hopefully this project will get me going in publishing more content and creating a portfolio. And I can further share my content through forms of social media like Twitter and Facebook.