Virtual influencers are computer generated characters or avatars that are produced to interact online as any other physical human being influencer. There are virtual artists, vloggers, models, brand ambassadors, and so on. They are fascinating for blurring the lines between the physical and the virtual, but some people are just really creeped out by them. So how do we process this phenomenon? How might we approach these virtual beings?
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holy selfie: thoughts on selfie culture
The selfie marks a democratized evolution in the long relationship between human existence and presentation; it is the modern and more accessible form of self-portraiture. A visual site where communication and performance collapse to embalm time, feelings, and history. But how did we get here? What really is a selfie and why do we take so many? And what does it say about us or contemporary digital culture overall?
Read Morethis is the digital - multimedia ep
This is The Digital is a multimedia project aiming to bridge academic and commercial entertainment practices to introduce key concepts of digital studies. Bringing together theory, music, videos, photography and gifs, the website is organized similarly to an art exhibition. A multimedia gallery, but online. Everything is structured around four original songs that lead to ideas, articles and other media to engage in a discussion about the digital space and virtual human existence.
Read Morealexa talks pop - a.i. / interactive media project
Interactive media project exploring A.I. and altering Amazon Echo’s interaction with popular culture. Alexa is always hearing what we have to say, but what about her? What does she think?! This is Alexa as an internet girl with lots to say. Is she woke or shady? Or… Both? See it for yourself. Get Alexa’s take on recent pop culture topics.
Read Moreyoutube's vlog authenticity in the performance of femininity
A multimedia research paper analyzing the authenticity factor of YouTube vlogs related to the beauty videos and how this authenticity is affecting the performance of gender and femininity for today’s youth.
Read Morethe evolution of the disney channel games star machine
The Disney Channel Games was sort of Disney Channel’s Met Gala, a platform to showcase and establish their A-list stars. So what happened to the show? This research paper presents a formal analysis of both versions of the Games along with an account for the drama and scandals surrounding their top teenage stars at the time to understand Disney’s strategy with their annual star-establishing summer competition. Also, check out the “trailer” I made for the paper here! It's fun, I promise.
Read Moretheorizing the construction of pleasure
Film Theory video project analyzing the construction of a visual pleasure related to touch and temporality: the memory-pleasure.
Read More(self) surveilled (digital) body
Engaging with themes of surveillance and self-surveillance, this video shows a day in the life of a college student through the perspective of his phone. Thinking of smartphones as extensions of our bodies and important players in our daily routines, are smartphones benign and helpful or harmful and disadvantageous? Do they free or restrict us?
Read Morethe relatable lorde of glamour
A multimedia essay on Lorde's celebrity persona and how it exposes a cultural contradiction of rejecting and accepting popular culture.
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