Reflection
Throughout this semester-long project I have created a collage, written genre and rhetorical analysis, built a website to hold a digital portfolio, and made an audio essay for this project. I have dissected Unstable Universe to the point most of my friends and acquaintances have heard about this project. I have watched the same video over so many times that I ranked within the top 0.1% of Parrot viewers. I have created pixel art for the favicon of my website, I have created digital art, I have learned to code, and I have edited audio.
One of my projects that demonstrates a critical analysis of digital/multimodal texts and their effects on audiences would be my rhetorical analysis. Within this analysis I discuss the effects of some of the most prevalent themes within Unstable Universe, both in episode five and as a whole, and how these themes translate to the audience. Through the limited perspectives available, Unstable Universe makes its audience sympathize with the point of view they are viewing the story through.
The project that demonstrates digital literacy in multiple multimedia and social media tools would be none other than this website. It not only takes digital literacy, but also technological literacy to code a website, and even while using a template, I had a lot to learn and figure out for myself. While I took a more difficult path, I wanted something that could be as customizable as possible, and I am happy with the results. Within this website are embedded links, images that lead to websites, audio players, and video players.
All of my projects demonstrate my ability to compose multimodally, but I am most proud of my collage. I like mixing bright colors and cute or unsuspecting imagery with elements of horror. I think my collage gets the feeling of Unstable Universe’s episode five across very well, showing the journey and the characters involved, as well as the guiding hand behind the scavenger hunt.
The project that was most difficult and challenging for me was my audio essay. I do not like listening to my own voice, and get nervous behind my microphone. While editing and recording the audio essay was relatively easy, it was still the most mentally draining project. I would rather spend a dozen more sleepless nights working behind the scenes on this website than record another audio essay. To address these challenges, I just tried to make the process as quick as possible, recording and editing within the same night, and doing it all in one sitting.
The project I must say I am most proud of is the website. It is my first time seriously coding a whole website instead of a simple, single page. Before this project, I had only the bare minimum coding knowledge, and none of it was within the realm of html. I like the way my website’s aesthetic matches the general, overarching aesthetic of Unstable Universe, being colorful, yet dark. I just love to look at it!