Laura Delarato — Media Concepts

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1.What is it that I am trying to investigate in my practice? What am I most passionate about?
-I’ve been thinking about this question a lot lately, and I’ve narrowed down my investigation/passion to providing safety information to women through television. Even though it’s 2010, some women are so unaware of the affect from advertisements and television have on body image. I want to find a way challenge negative body image campaigns in media.

2. What are my strengths and weaknesses?
-I’m pretty good at visually conveying my ideas in a design program, but I think I get intimidated by programs like Final Cut and After Effects. So, instead of working with them, I back away from trying.

3. What are the core elements missing from my practice? How will I obtain them?
-Money for one. I need more editing classes so that I’m comfortable with it. I’m taking summer classes so that I’m a bit ahead in editing for the fall semester.

4. What was my preferred medium before the course? After the course?
-Before The New School, I was going to be a journalist and writer for magazines. Now, after taking the course, I’m more interested in television and design.

5. What is the next topic, theme, or question I would like to investigate in my next project?
- I’ve been thinking about a project with feminism and my family, and trying to figure out why they are so terrified of it. Maybe a quick video of interviews with members of my family.

6. What is something I learned in this class that I can teach someone else?
-I can teach someone how to take a simple photo project and turn it into a 5-10 minute video by thinking of the story, sound, and editing.

7. What is something I will try to do next semester that I have never done before?
-Write more comedy scripts and film them. I’m a comedy writer in general, but I find it difficult to put my jokes in my videos, which is why ‘Barbara’ was so serious. I need to figure out if my jokes work well being said by an actor on film.

8. What is something I will try to do every day or every week that I did not do before this course?
-I definitely have a better idea of how to film a video. I never really, before the class, had an idea of how to set up a shot. It was definitely beneficial.

9. What is a creative project that I would do with a budget of $150 million?
-I would do a huge project about women in New York City. I would create subway advertisements about how men take up more space on the subway than women. I would set up video projection all around the city that slams negative body image campaigns, and reinforce a better idea of what women look like. I would possibly set aside a ‘woman’s week’ in all the boroughs. It would be pretty awesome.

10. How could I do the same project with a budget of $150?
- I wouldn’t be able to do anything with that large of a scale. I would actually create a 5 minute video that visually shows the negative imagery, the harassment, and all the thing women have to deal with just walking down a Manhattan street. Then I would send it to every woman-friendly organization I could

Check out Flavors.me

Here’s mine: flavors.me/lauradelarato

I have all my blogs and work connected on one page.

    I have this idea for a thesis project that takes a look at the way tampon are made. The idea for this project came after hearing a rumor explaining that there is a certain chemical in mainstream tampons that actually makes female-bodied people bleed more. The fact that this is a rumor is unsettling. Even if it isn’t true, women should not have to worry about what products can harm them while they are on their period.
    Only a few Web sites such as About.com has addressed the rumors that have been said about menstruation safety, but they also outline the statements said by the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health that dispute the rumors (Cornforth). There are also outdated Web sites like Snopes.com that compiled an email sent in 1998 by an unnamed women from the University of Colorado claiming that the tampon bleaching process causes cancer and makes the user bleed more. Below the email is a statement from the FDA on July 23, 1999 that states, “FDA has no evidence of asbestos in tampons or any reports regarding increased menstrual bleeding following tampon use. Before any tampon is marketed in the U.S., FDA reviews its design and materials. Asbestos is not an ingredient in any U.S. brand of tampon, nor is it associated with the fibers used in making tampons” (“Asbestos in Tampons”).
    The Web site will have a clean looking design and an extremely organized feature section so that it is easy to navigate. Besides being blocks of text, there will be videos and drawings to help illustrate the points trying to be made.
    The site will be intended for all those who have their period, getting their period, or who want to learn more about it. The intent is to make women aware of the harmful chemicals in tampons, and give them a safer alternative.
    The Web site will carry the message from the documentary to the internet and provide the same information. Also, there will be petition forms dedicated to stopping the creation of unhealthy menstruation products. The Web site will also be in support and sponsor women’s athletic teams across the country to promote health and body consciousness.

     I’m a really big fan of drawings and illustrations as a way to present information to people. It makes for a clear discussion without any muddled information, and allows the presentation to look creative. Also, I really like consistency in a project. It makes it look more professional.
     The Story of Stuff was my favorite Web site from the lecture notes because it’s simple, thoughtful, and well articulated. The purpose of the site is for viewers to have a more conscious understanding about their stuff. They focus on production and consumption and how those elements can impact our environment.

     The current video, The Story of Stuff, is a 20-minute long explanation about our things and how they are produced, used, and what happens to them after we through them away. The video incorporates simple, clean drawing to allow the viewer to understand the message. It almost looks like the video was intended for little kids to watch in class.
     The design plays off the videos aesthetic in that the different icons have black outlined pictures next to them. The content is consistent thought the entire Web site, including all of the font, choices of italics, and size. It makes everything easier to read and less confusing.
     The blog is really intended for everyone. It’s a simple way to find solutions for being more green and less wasteful just by clicking on a video and watching the content.