Reader Response #1

This is a little late in the making but I'm finally posting a reader response.

The article I read, "Shooting Web video: How to put your readers at the scene", (concerning engaging your video audience) provided me with some great insight that applies to my project, new media and the internet in general.

Video-making should be something that captures the attention of the people watching it. You want to play on their emotions, their interests, their likes/dislikes. This article outlined ways you could achieve this goal and believe you me, I payed close attention.

I think we tend to look past the amount of time and effort that are put into videos we see on the internet. This is something the article touched on and author Regina McCombs argues this fact very well.

"A common storytelling exercise is to state your story in one sentence, using an active verb," Regina advises. Sound advice if I do say so myself. I tried this with the project Christina and I are currently working on.

Many sentences ran through my head, I wanted to use McCombs' advice to make my sentence enticing, to ensure that I can capture the attention of my audience before the film even starts.

I have to say that I would probably watch a video with this tagline: Suicide and depression issues at OSU are commonly overlooked by students and staff.

Overall, a very useful and engaging article that I hope will reflect in the work I present later on.

Documentary---Student Mental Health

Christina Holler and I have settled on a project for my New Media Communications class, a project that I'm very excited to be a part of.
We are choosing to do a documentary outlining the student mental health situation on campus. This is in response to an email Larry Roper sent out to the teachers of OSU.
We plan to look at all aspects of the project, whether it be depression due to stress, financial situations, domestic violence, sexual assualt, and any other situation that would make a student consider suicide as an option.
We've already contacted a great number of people (something Christina sat down and did today in the library) and are waiting for emails to set up interview times.
I have a great feeling about this and hope to do something great with it!

"A Piece of Peace"

The artists and talent of Corvallis unite! Yesterday in MU 213 I was able to experience a collaboration of voices singing, reading, and fighting for one common cause--peace. Right away I was hit with the emotion and powerful potency of each performance. The people in that room became a community and we were all touched by the passion and emotion each piece of peace evoked.
Especially memorable for me was Pamela Cytrynbaum's reading of her brother Joe's poem. One line in particular has stuck with me, even now. It repeats and repeats and I think is a sad but true statement of our youth today. "Tattoo tears you won't cry..." It was very emotional.
The whole night was emotional. I'll admit that tears kept creeping behind my eyelids waiting for their chance to cascade down my cheeks. I was holding them in.
The River Rocks performances also were very touching. Laurie Childers sang with such gusto, passion, and enthusiasm that her energy was vibrant throughout the room.
"I tend to be criticial," Childers told me, " If I didn't provide the song what it deserved then I feel I didn't do it justice."
I think Laurie Childers has nothing to worry about honestly, she more than did her songs justice.

Mandy--short story

Mandy

Another second ticks by; my hands continue their beat on the tops of the wooden desk.  Some goodie-two-shoes glances over at me, an eyebrow raised. I shrug at her and she turns away, her hair falling perfectly into place over her shoulder. I narrow my eyes at her and run my hands through my own hair, my fingers get caught. Lucky bitch.

Read more »

The Daily Barometer

I did a good half year's worth of work at the Barometer in 2009. I'm happy to say that I've started working for them again this term and soon will have more articles to add to my arsenal.


They can all be found at the Daily Barometer website under my name or at this link here: Caitlin's Articles

Short Short

 Loneliness and Twitter

She was in love but she didn’t talk to the coffee boy, instead she typed.

 She had hundreds of friends she’d never met, countless lovers she’d never touched.  She had too many pets and not enough guests. She still didn’t know how to cook and her sight was going bad.

 She often got migraines and would spend her days in a dark room with one hand clamped to her forehead. Her car had low mileage on it and she spent little on gas but it was filthy inside and littered with commercialism and brown napkins.

She changed her passwords once a month, her avatars twice a month and her sheets never. She cried almost every night and convinced herself that the next day was different.

 She spent too much on her internet bill