My name is Andrew Steven David, and I am a Post Graduate Student, studying a Masters in Real Time Media Communication at the University of Portsmouth. This ‘research blog’ on ‘Film and Real Time Media’ has been created for several reasons which will shortly be discussed.
My interest in film began one afternoon following a discussion with my twin brother, Matthew, who had been studying Media Studies at his college. I then realised what I would like to do, and that was to produce films. So I restarted College the following year, taking up Media Studies, which then went onto a degree in Video Production at the University of Portsmouth. I have since progressed onto the MA course where I now aim to incorporate my film work with real time media technologies, in an age where most business is heading towards the information super highway.
My current Unit entitled ‘Major Project: Definition and Development’ requires that I critically research into an area of interest, analysing, evaluating, reflecting both at the moment and in hindsight, and then relating to and developing my initial idea for my final project, taking into account the debates both theoretical and pragmatic around what I discover. This body of research, which will act as my submission for the ‘Reflective Research Database’, will aid me in preparing and writing my initial proposal or ‘Definition’ for my major project. My research journey will thus begin analysing the history of the moving image on the Internet, and how different variations of it were being found useful. I will then more specifically look at how television and films are utilised on the Internet as well as other ways they influence and are synergistically linked. Debates around audience, participation, production and methodologies will briefly be discussed. I shall then look at a particular case study; that of Chalkhill Lives, which I have myself had experience in producing. This is a very loose guide and no doubt I will discover that my blog will also meander to assist in the production of my resolution to this unit.
All the while I will be evaluating what I find and noting how the information collected either contributes or deciphers (through dead ends and useless information or irrelevant ideas) the primary concept for my major project. I have chosen to use a blog as a method of recoding my findings for the following reasons;
- Most of my research will be done online thus it is useful to publish online. - It can be accessed, commented and contributed to by anyone interested in the field and this I thoroughly encourage.
- I can refer back to and edit any article along my journey as well as systematically file the data that I find.
- As I am publishing I am forced to think about a potential audience that I am writing for as well as my own aims, thus not only being critical about what I find but also about what I write, and to ensure my methodology and development is clear.
- I hope to establish links with other bloggers in similar fields of interest to share information, knowledge and ideas.
- Blogging is like emailing, something which easily becomes habitual and thus my research will have more potential to grow.
- It allows me to build up an audience who can regularly read my latest entries through an RSS feed.
It is essential to note that my approach to this particular blog is different to how most people would blog. As I have yet to build a reputation it is essential that I am sure I am ready to publish my research and my comments. I have therefore methodically logged my research on a word document and at the point of reaching my proposal state have only now uploaded and published my research to date on a WordPress blog. This database, although serving a unique purpose, will continue to grow as my major project develops, and will act as a log for my final resolution. Without any further ado……let the research commence.
