On Our Radar: Kickstarter Media Projects
There's some awesome Kickstarter media and arts projects on our radar that focus on everything ranging from body politics, gender stereotypes, urban communities to transracial identity. Check 'em out below and support if you can.
Girl Model (Ashely Sabin and David Redmon)
Project Type: Film
Funding Goal: $12,000
Funds Raised So Far: $3,956 (as of Saturday, July 21st)
Why we think this project is awesome: We love it when creative folks begin their journeys with questions, and the filmmakers of Girl Model do just that by asking, why are young girls drawn into the unregulated modeling industry, and what happens to these young girls and "deeply ambivalent" model scouts who search for them? The film's trailer provides a glimpse into a world where young girls in Siberia and Tokyo are prepped and picked over with the hopes of establishing successful modeling careers. Body image and politics are indeed addressed throughout the film. But perhaps most unique about the film is the artistic and "lyrical" approach the filmmakers take in examining the lives of young models. Though one might squirm at scenes depicting scouts telling young models that their hips are too wide or that in Japan "they love skinny girls", one thing seems evident, Girl Model is a necessary look into an unregulated, and often brutally bias industry of modeling.
Tropes vs. Women in Video Games (Anita Sarkeesian)
Project Type: Video Webseries
Funding Goal: $6,000
Funds Raised So Far: $158,922
Why we think this project is awesome: We know, we know. This project is already well-funded, and met it's initial funding goal in less than 24 hours. But still, this project is so cool and unique that we had to give it an extra hat tip. Sarkeesian wants to expand her already popular webseries and blog Feminist Frequency to "produce a 5-video series (now expanded to 12 videos) entitled Tropes vs Women in Video Games [that will] explor[e] female character stereotypes throughout the history of the gaming industry." Awesome.
Focus: HOPE - A Detroit Photo Retrospective on Diversity (Focus: HOPE)
Project Type: Photography
Funding Goal: $8,300
Funds Raised So Far: $4,338 (as of Saturday, July 21st)
Why we think this project is awesome: Detroit is definitely in the building. HOPE, a civil and human rights organization is bringing together teens from southeast Michigan using photography to creatively express and produce a retrospective of their urban environments. In efforts to "break down racial and economic barriers" with 120 still photos, teens capture the spirit and life of their inspiring, yet often misunderstood, communities. We don't need to tell how much MMC admires youth projects with a purpose, and certainly this projects deserves shine. There's only 13 days left to donate to this project. Go support.
Honorable Mention
Though this project isn't necessarily in the same media and tech veins as the above projects, it's still pretty darn cool. UNGRATEFUL DAUGHTERS is a one-woman show about Lisa Marie, who was adopted by white parents (who are not famous white people, by the way) in the early 1970's. It's a funny, yet honest story about transracial and multiracial family politics. It's unique and inspiring, and the project is less than halfway to it's goal with 10 days left! Check out Lisa's project below . . . oh, and go donate!
MMC's Got a Wordle!
Ever wonder what "stuff" you discuss or search the most? We did. So we decided to put together a Wordle of Media Speaks! content. Media Make Change has been up and running for two years now so we thought it would be cool to get a bird's eye view of the content we've been producing recently. Take a look at how MMC's most talked about topics stack up!
Below is the linked image from Wordle's website. Wordle allows you to copy/paste the code you generate from content. Note, however, the image is incredibly small. We recommend you click on the thumbnail image of your Wordle to a larger image and then screen grab it (Apple + Shift + 4). Save your larger image as a .jped or .png file.
Wordle is also a great tool for educators and researchers who are interested in seeing how topics of interest compare. We recommend Wordle for students who are thinking about their next research project, but can't seem to narrow down a topic. Hint: Perhaps a good place to start is with the big words!
To create your own Wordle, simply go to www.wordle.net/ and start wordling!
An Educator's Guide to Pinterest [Media Literacy]
The National Association of Media Literacy Education defines media literacy as "a series of communication competencies, including the ability to access, analyze, and communicate information in a variety of forms, including print and non-print messages."
More specifically, NAMLE breaks down media literacy into several definitions:
- Media refers to all electronic or digital means and print or artistic visuals used to transmit messages.
- Literacy is the ability to encode and decode symbols and to synthesize and analyze messages.
- Media literacy is the ability to encode and decode the symbols transmitted via media and the ability to synthesize, analyze and produce mediated messages.
- Media education is the study of media, including ‘hands on’ experiences and media production.
- Media literacy education is the educational field dedicated to teaching the skills associated with media literacy.
Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the newest darling of social networks, Pinterest, is valued at over $1 billion. As the online pinboard platform grows in influence, media literacy educators may want to consider ways in which the platform can be used to incite conversations about representation on the web.
Below are some ideas for using Pinterest in various formal and informal learning settings. These general activities are grouped according to some of the main components of media literacy education outlined by NAMLE above, including; Decoding, Encoding, and Communicating Messages, and Media Production. Please feel free to share and expand on these ideas in the comment section below.
Decoding, Encoding, and Communicating Messages
Questions: Who/what is source of the message? How is the media message conveyed through Pinterest? By whom is the message received? How might the source information and platform itself impact how the message is received?
- Students can begin by creating pinboards that represent social, community, and political issues they care about most. Make use of the search function within Pinterest (not only the categories section) to explore topics of interest.
- Students can create 'counter pinboards' in response to controversial posters as a way to incite discussions within the platform and extend conversations offline.
- Debate! Use comment sections to debate content on Pinterest (see Kate Moss 'Skinny' poster).
- Cross curate with other social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, & alternative SMS and personal blogs). Post, tweet, embed images and videos from Pinterest to incite further discussions about how media messages are represented on the web.
- Organize "Media Lit Pint-Ups" or Pinterest meet ups, to showcase, discuss, and debate content popularized by way of Pinterest.
- Organize Pinterest scavenger hunts with media literacy education principals in mind. For instance, incorporate Google Maps to also explore how (and in what ways) users curate using geographical spaces. See Google Maps images on Pinterest.
- 'Fundraise for a cause' using Pinterest. Create original pinboard content having to do with an issue for which you wish to raise money. Include donation information in the caption section of the images.
Media Production
Questions: What can I create to make Pinterest better? What can I produce beyond the confines of Pinterest's platform ? What tools can I use to produce media influenced by content found on Pinterest and/or influenced by the platform itself? How might the design of my media influence the message I am trying to convey?
- Design a 'copy cat' Pinterest platform with a specific aim to interrogate/investigate media representations in online spaces.
- Storytelling with images: Create boards that tell alternative stories. Involve commenters to help create narratives.
- Produce, publish, and compose other types of online media (digital video, wikis, blogs) inspired by content found on Pinterest
- Create and curate "Media Lit" content in the DIY and Education categories on Pinterest. Create "Media Lit" pinboards as resource pages.
See also: