Leo kindly reviewed my project and commented that he found the audio file a bit fast. I already had that concern, myself so Leo's comment has spurred me on to look at this again.
However, I am just getting more and more puzzled as sometimes when I listen to the clip it sounds fine. - full of energy, and clear. At other times it sounds rushed, garbled. What is going on?
Is it the listeners perception and dependent on the mood they are in or does it sound different on different computers?
I had a recollection from a fascinating visit to the production studios of BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight during my first degree that a radio broadcast was generally paced at around 240 words per minute. But I can't find any referenced to substantiate this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Words_per_minute#Speech_and_listening
shows 210 words per minute to be easily comprehensible. My piece is approximately 210 words.
Sunday 11 January 2009
Extract from Rosie the Writer blog on 3rd January
Here we have a stumbling block. I can't draw.
However, as Gizmo started to take shape in my mind I realised that at some stage I would either have to describe him to an illustrator or try to get my ideas onto paper. The main thing is – a picture is a must have for a new media character. So, the drawing isn't great but he will do for now.
I have also extensively researched drawing cats, particularly on youtube and have now come up with a reasonable Yolanda from a mishmash of various tutorial videos and my childhood favourite Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, Hamlyn, 1964.
Bertram is a bit of an old timer, so I think we can allow him to be a little less social media savvy. It will be a while before he is brave enough to start putting photos on his on-line profiles.
However, as Gizmo started to take shape in my mind I realised that at some stage I would either have to describe him to an illustrator or try to get my ideas onto paper. The main thing is – a picture is a must have for a new media character. So, the drawing isn't great but he will do for now.
I have also extensively researched drawing cats, particularly on youtube and have now come up with a reasonable Yolanda from a mishmash of various tutorial videos and my childhood favourite Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, Hamlyn, 1964.
Bertram is a bit of an old timer, so I think we can allow him to be a little less social media savvy. It will be a while before he is brave enough to start putting photos on his on-line profiles.
Saturday 10 January 2009
Leo's Review
Leo emailed me this 'review'
Review for the Environmental Weekly.
"Oxford author, Anna Pitt, has completed an innovative online project called Gizmo the geek. Clearly aimed at children, the project skillfully interweaves fiction with the pressing concern of environmental damage. Drawing upon many new internet fads, such as Bebo and Myspace, the project enables readers to interact with the story on a number of different levels creating a sense of reality and successfully breaching the fourth wall (fact and fiction)."
Leo Thompson
Such is the influence of the Methods Module.
Review for the Environmental Weekly.
"Oxford author, Anna Pitt, has completed an innovative online project called Gizmo the geek. Clearly aimed at children, the project skillfully interweaves fiction with the pressing concern of environmental damage. Drawing upon many new internet fads, such as Bebo and Myspace, the project enables readers to interact with the story on a number of different levels creating a sense of reality and successfully breaching the fourth wall (fact and fiction)."
Leo Thompson
Such is the influence of the Methods Module.
Yolanda needs a surname
In the process of creating Yolanda's online profile I needed to give her a surname. Gizmo had a surname of The Geek, Bertram had a surname of Bear, but I originally had no surname for Yolanda.
So, how did Yolanda become Yolanda Cobweb?
You know the old cliché - someone deep in thought - looks up towards the ceiling, looking for inspiration. Well that's where I found the inspiration.
I'm off to go and find a cobweb brush.
So, how did Yolanda become Yolanda Cobweb?
You know the old cliché - someone deep in thought - looks up towards the ceiling, looking for inspiration. Well that's where I found the inspiration.
I'm off to go and find a cobweb brush.
On Writing Gizmo
Gizmo the Geek and friends were created as a response to the wealth of learning on the Methods Module of the Online MA in Creative Writing and New Media at De Montfort University.
During campus week the subject of blogs came up on many occasions and there was much discussion about the vastness of the Internet and the prolific use of blogging as rant platform. There was also a view that possibly blogging was dead or at least dying. Being new to blogging myself I decided that this was something I was keen to investigate.
I have researched the phenomenon of blogging extensively and searched for quantitative and qualitative research about blogging as a platform and particularly hoped to find some kind of demographic data about blogging in the UK.
As there was very little data to be found I started to look into creating my own data from empirical research.
I set up a blogging survey, which has been distributed to some extent and produced interesting responses, but will be further distributed towards the end of January 2009.
I also conducted an informal interview with a group of 14 to 15 year olds to discover their Internet usage habits. This discussion confirmed my own views (from general observation) that few people of that age group had an interest in blogging. Their Internet usage of preference consisted of MSN, Bebo and YouTube.
In addition to this research into blogging I also looked into social networking, taking particular note of how writers use blogging and social networking currently.
A third feed, came during the discussions about the closure of the CWNM, which appears to be a financial decision in response to the difficult economic climate we are facing globally. Through our course representatives I and others have asked questions about whether other sources of funding have or could be sought, but to date no satisfactory response has been received on this matter. I felt a strong desire to create a project that had the potential of a revenue stream.
Out of all this emerged Gizmo the Geek and friends.
During campus week the subject of blogs came up on many occasions and there was much discussion about the vastness of the Internet and the prolific use of blogging as rant platform. There was also a view that possibly blogging was dead or at least dying. Being new to blogging myself I decided that this was something I was keen to investigate.
I have researched the phenomenon of blogging extensively and searched for quantitative and qualitative research about blogging as a platform and particularly hoped to find some kind of demographic data about blogging in the UK.
As there was very little data to be found I started to look into creating my own data from empirical research.
I set up a blogging survey, which has been distributed to some extent and produced interesting responses, but will be further distributed towards the end of January 2009.
I also conducted an informal interview with a group of 14 to 15 year olds to discover their Internet usage habits. This discussion confirmed my own views (from general observation) that few people of that age group had an interest in blogging. Their Internet usage of preference consisted of MSN, Bebo and YouTube.
In addition to this research into blogging I also looked into social networking, taking particular note of how writers use blogging and social networking currently.
A third feed, came during the discussions about the closure of the CWNM, which appears to be a financial decision in response to the difficult economic climate we are facing globally. Through our course representatives I and others have asked questions about whether other sources of funding have or could be sought, but to date no satisfactory response has been received on this matter. I felt a strong desire to create a project that had the potential of a revenue stream.
Out of all this emerged Gizmo the Geek and friends.
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