Interview 

How do you plan on self-promoting yourself?

            The way that I plan on self-promoting is by using the social media avenue. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, are all ways that I can promote myself for free. I make music and I use these sites to advertise my beats to artist. Thanks to YouTube I can now put a face with my product in order to connect my beats back to me.

Name three goals you have between now and graduation?

            Well my first goal is to get a good job in order to build a solid foundation.

Secondly I want to open up my production company 1’s & 2’s Productions. I’m a media production major who loves to make music. So my goal is to connect both passions in order to create a business for myself. Specializing in making music, editing digital video footage, etc. Last but not least I want to maintain my GPA at 3.6

What employment goals do you have after graduation? Name three of them.

·      Connect both of my passions in order to create a business for myself. Specializing in making music, editing digital video footage, etc.

·      Channel 4 news

·      ESPN

 Name three best-case scenario jobs you would like to have and why?

·      Camera operator for ESPN, because I love sports and I don’t want my career to be work, but something that I LOVE TO DO!

·      Video Editor for Channel 4 News, once again because I want to make a living doing the things that I am passionate about!

·      Own my own business, its obvious because there is nothing like working for yourself.

Do you prefer to work professionally with a group or on your own and why?

           

I prefer working in a group more because two heads are always better than one, and more ideas are brought out this way!

 What contributions can you make to a group dynamic? Name three things.

·      Very friendly

·      Easy going

·      Focused Ideas

What contributions can you make working independently? Name three things

·      Meet deadlines on time without worrying about someone slowing you down

·      Try all your ideas

·      Can focus more on your own work

 What are your pet peeves in a work environment?

I absolutely hate when someone is lazy on a job and then you suffer because of his or her lack of care for work. Better yet when a manager knows this is happening and doesnt do anything about it makes me even more upset.

Name three things you feel passionate about professionally – this could be school related, current job related, group or organizations related – and outline why you feel passionate towards them?

·      I like volunteering to help those of us that are less fortunate, because life can sometimes throw us curveballs and we have to roll with the punches.

How do you handle stress and pressure?

            I handle stress and pressure well. When I feel like I am becoming stressed or burned out, I simply forget about the things causing it. Then I will usually make a beat or play my video game to release so of that built up stress. I feel like I work well under pressure. I noticed that sometimes pressure brings the best out of me.

Name the last three jobs you had, and the best success and the worst failure you experienced at each of these jobs.

Durham Staffing Inc.            (Smoking Joe’s) My best success was just doing the job well and learning how to do the job very fast. Worst Failure I would say, calling off more than twice in a three-month period.        

Seneca Niagara Gaming Corp. (Tim Hortons) My best success was once again    doing the job well. Worst failure was allowing others action to influence mines in a negative that lead me to quit the job.    

Walgreens (Photo Specialist) My best success was when I would develop pictures of customers lost family member. The reaction that you get makes you feel good that your work brought joy to another person’s life or day. My worst failure is being scheduled to work one day a week. Mind you that the job paid its employee’s bi-weekly.

How do you handle criticism? Three strengths for School/Workplace.

 I handle criticism well depending on how it is given. I believe if someone can point out a flaw in your work then they also should be able to offer some advice as to how to make it better.

1). I meet deadlines on time! 2). Manage my time well in order to prepare for assignments and exams. 3). Keep an open mind and use critical thinking when making critical decisions.

1). Fast learner and can find work for myself once I learn the job. 2). Follow instructions well. 3).  Get along with my colleagues.

How has creating a Wiki Page strengthened your communication skills? Name and elaborate on three things:

            1). Creating a Wiki Page strengthened my communication when dealing with other people. I learned that sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone in order to communicate with others. 2). I learned that communication is all around us and when dealing with instructional information concise communication is vital in order to understand how to do something. 3). I learned that sometimes the knowledge of particular jargons is necessary to communicate well. Many different professions have a language that could only be understood by those in that profession. In the Wiki Page reference the coding is what represented the jargon used to communicate How To create a Wiki Page. I had to learn their language before I could even being my communication project on How To “Cut a Hip Hop sample and make a beat with it.”

How will Facebook be used to promote yourself? Name and elaborate on three things:

            1). Facebook is a great tool, to communicate you to the world. The way that I will be using it to promote myself is, by staying connected to those who are close to me, while using the social media giant to post links on my wall that will take viewers to my music pages.

            2). Facebook allows its users to join and create groups. This is a very effective way to find the demographic in which you appeal the most to. Once you find your group or create your group you can post links on that groups wall that will take viewers to a more personalized page of yourself.

            3). Facebook also provides a way for bands to promote up coming shows and events. I will use this to keep my followers informed of when and where I will be attending a show. Once that part is taking care of you can start to invite your friends to your shows and get an idea of how many people plan to attend.

How would you promote an organization on Facebook? Name and elaborate on three things:

            1). Making a group page. This will allow me to narrow down, and target those who will specifically be attracted to that organization. This eliminates all the people who could careless about your company.

            2). Create events that the company will be launching or holding. This keeps your followers informed to what it is you are doing.

            3). I would create a blog for the company and its followers to be a part of. This creates a networking community to share ideas with those of a similar interest as your companies. Then I will link the blog community to the Facebook page. This allows you to connect you followers to all the social media avenues you chose to take with one another. This is vital in order to create or find out what market your company will function and thrive in.   

How will Twitter be used to promote yourself? Name and elaborate on three things:

1). I will use twitter to get a more straightforward message across. Since twitter only allow you to make post limited to 140 characters, you have to be very concise with your message.

2). I will follow the people who are closet to my demographic. This will help you market to grow, while staying connected to those who appeal to your company.

3). Then I will use links to connect my follows back to my Facebook, as well as my companies Network blogs.

Graphically what do you want to have on your website. Name and elaborate on three things:

1). The most important graphic to have present on my website, is my companies logo. This is how people will know what your website is all about before looking at it. A logo acts as an introduction to your company. When people see a logo they immediately think about the service they received from those who represent that logo.

2). Secondly I would have a photo of myself, and of everyone who works for my company. This puts a face with the service. People like to know whom it is they are dealing with. A picture of yourself acts as a stamp of approval on your behalf. No one wants to be known for having bad products or services.

3). Last but not least I would like to have a graphic of the services I provide. In other words a photo showing me doing the things my company is known for. In my case this will be a picture of me with an artist making music during a studio session. 

TWITTER

1).            Twitter is another social media giant that will continue to conform and shape the way we communicate with one another on a daily basis. Socialization is how we as people share and gather information from one another. Television has been one of the key ingredients, to help stir up American vast melting pot of culture. Then came the informational super highway. This new technology made it possible to communicate with one another in a broader way than ever before. As the Internet evolved it  continued to transform communication while shrinking the world at the same time.

Twitter and Facebook have played a major if not the most important role in today’s socialization methods. We all can sign up for twitter and begin to follow those in our society who appeal to or share similar interests that we do! However Twitter is being used to go beyond socialization when it comes to marketing and advertising ones company or business. The main objective for any business is to thrive in a very competitive capitalist society. With new technology emerging everyday, being able to adapt to new business approaches becomes a much-needed attribute to survive in today’s markets. Twitter main purpose is to get people to follow you based on similar interest and needs of the individual. Businesses wasted no time in utilizing twitter to advertise their products and services. When it comes to selling products it is essential to know whom it is buying your goods or services.

2).            Twitter can be used in many ways, other than just to follow people who share similar interest as your own. Twitter can also be used to inform society on the decision being made on their behalf. In order for true democracy to be in place, every social class must have an equal chance to voice their opinions, and points of view. In politics in order to get their viewpoints heard and acted upon, people who share the same interest form lobbies. This is almost similar to twitter. We find those who share similar interest as our own and build networks. Lobbying follows the same guidelines as these, find people like you and come together to get something done, of course lobby is much more expensive than getting people to follow you on Twitter. Media is thought to be the watchdog for the public when dealing with our government. Twitter can be used to inform citizens about our government’s actions and procedures. There is strength in numbers and we have all heard the phrase “together we can stand but divided we will fall.”

3).            We all access twitter differently, different strokes for different folks. However we all share the same desire to appeal to others. I tend to follow producers, rap artist, music promoters, etc. I am an up and coming music producer, and it is very important to network with those in your field. We all have heard “its not what you know, but who you know” and this is very true when trying to break into the music industry. Knowing what is going on in your field is the key to staying ahead of the puck. As your own media manager you have to decide what direction to aim you company in order to make it profitable. Following all the wrong people and organizations will be similar to a blind man trying find a light switch in a dark room. Twitter gives users the ability to play the part of the gatekeeper when deciding what information they would like to pop up on their timeline. Following the people most influential to you is how you pick and choose the type of information that will be present on your timeline. This is why it very vital to know your demographic. Knowing who it is you appeal allows you to find organizations that seek out the same products (eyes and ears) as you. This creates a network for you to work and promote in. Hash-tags can play a major part in this process as well. With use of hash-tags, twitter allows its users to connect their tweets with #KEYWORDS. If you want to link your tweet to a trending topic just type a keyword that relates to your tweet and look to see if the keyword is being used a lot in the twitter community. Networking is the made very easy this way. Instead of seeking out individuals one at a time, you can like your tweets to keywords in order to get more eyes and ears on your timeline.

4).            Many people will argue that all of the social media giants are one in the same. However this is not so true. Facebook is used to stay connected to the people closest to us in our everyday life such as, family, friends, colleagues and etc.  Twitter on the other hand is mostly used to get anybody who shares similar interest as your own to follow you. On Facebook we become friends but on Twitter we follow. Blogging is said to be everything wrapped into one. Facebook allows users to like and comment on a friend’s page, Twitter allows users to retweet or favorite a tweet. Blogging takes these features to another level. Blogs allow users to not only comment on a persons blog but it also opens the doors for discussing and arguing different points of view. Many people only think of blogs in the form of writing, but blogs can take on many different forms when distributing information.  Embedded media is a key feature that sets blogs apart from Twitter or Facebook. Blogs are similar to MySpace in that sense of the matter. No longer do you don’t have to post a link that will take users to another website that allows embedded media. Blogs make it possible to create a post, (Twitter) without the limitation of 140 characters, (Facebook) while allowing users to post embedded media. Embedded media makes it a lot easier for those interested in your goods and services to access them at one location. 

YouTube v. Vimeo

After reading the articles dealing with the pros and cons with using YouTube rather than Vimeo, I have a clearer understanding to what exactly are the different features between the two. I learned that when it comes to clarity and building your own brand name, Vimeo takes the cake. However if you are interested in having a broader market to pitch your ideas around in YouTube is for you. YouTube offers free service, as does Vimeo, however with YouTube you get unlimited HD uploading 1GB to be exact. Vimeo only allows 1 HD upload per week with the free account and they charge $59.95 for the upgrade fee. You will have to purchase HD tickets as well once yours run out. With YouTube you will not have to worry about issues such as these. Vimeo has been said to be better at keeping visitors on your page for a longer amount of time when compared to YouTube, and has a more of a clean look to it. As for YouTube, they force you to keep their logo at the bottom of you video. I have yet to upload any content via Vimeo so I can’t say why I believe it to be the best. I know in life you get what you pay for, so being cheap sometimes can harm you in the long run. YouTube offers a wider community to market your ideas to and is the website that I would prefer to market in. Others would argue that quality outweighs quantity in the marketing world. YouTube does in fact have a much larger community to network in than Vimeo; however we will have to sort through all the garbage in order to find the diamond in the ruff.  Web 2.0 allows you to not only view content on a website, it allows you to interact with it as well. Video can play a major part in this process. In today’s world social media has revolutionized the way we interact with one another. Video allows us to see and hear the message that is being presented in front of the viewer. How cool is it that once the viewer watches a video he/she can now comment on the content in it whether they liked it or disliked it. Interaction with the media is now possible. In old days you had to accept what the broadcasters choose to show on television. Now we act as the gatekeepers. We can upload our ideas via YouTube or Vimeo, depending on what it is or whom it is your trying to reach with your message. We also have the luxury of receiving feedback about our work for free. Thanks to Web 2.0 we don’t have the burden of conducting study groups in order to find out whom it is we are appealing to with our message. Once you upload you idea you can begin to market it to your friends via Facebook, twitter, etc. They are all connected in some way shape or form. YouTube even has tabs that will take you directly to your social media accounts, which makes it easier to share your thoughts with you peers.  

Self-Portrait Blog

 

 

Life is what we make it, if we have a dream we got to take it, there aren’t any handouts in this world, so stop sitting around waiting. This protect was a very great experience. It was a great way to get students to open up and share their passions with one another. Teamwork was very important in creating the group video project as well. I must say I enjoyed working with my group and I learned a lot about them as individuals.  The theme that we had to illustrate throughout our videos was abstract, so it didn’t make the experience too hard but not easy either. I shot my piece via my flip video in which captures footage in HD format for the video and mp4 for audio.  The software that we had to use to edit our projects was IMovie, which is far more compatible with my flip video than Final Cut Pro. The flip video allows you to shoot and capture the footage you shot very easily. It is USB compatible so go figure. Once I get all my shots all I have to do is plug my camera in and begin to edit my footage. If you were trying to do this the old way you would have to use other devices to get you footage onto you workstation.   

 

            When it comes to communication, it has been said that over 55% of it is non-verbal. Video offers a huge advantage when you want to communicate a message to others. When we communicate with writing, we lose the ability to read a person’s facial expression or body gestures. Non-verbal communication sometimes can convey a message to a person more effectively than verbal. This is why advertising companies are willing to pay millions of dollars toward advertising each year. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that you can not communicate a message efficiently without using video, however video allows emotion to be seen and that’s a huge advantage. If a picture is worth a thousand words than a video is worth ten thousand. Photographs allow us to capture a moment, freeze it and hang it up on a wall. Video’s are just pictures in motion. With photographs, yes emotion can be displayed, but just one emotion at a time.  Where as in a video, we see whatever emotion the person is showing the viewer at that time in the clip.

 

            I must say, at first I thought this project was going to be a disaster, but it turned out to be a good overall experience. It taught me to open up and just be myself. The self-portrait was very easy for me to complete, looking at the fact that I have a passion for music, made it easy to convey my passions to the class and my group members. I always carry my flip video around with me so capturing footage wasn’t a problem I was faced with. It was deciding what clips would look the most abstract without the use of any transitions or video effects that required the most thought. Our group video turned out great as well. I thought that it would be a little more difficult, to get our single portraits to flow together nicely as one group portrait, however my group members were very open and helpful in this process. My teammates offered great ideas on how to make our individual projects flow together as one.  Kaylee came up with the idea that we each should adopt the others main theme in the self-portrait, in order to come up with an introduction and conclusion segment for our group project. I felt as if our group communicated our ideas to each other very well. We did a good job with the combining of our self-portraits together while maintaining one theme. Life is a journey, life pulls us in many directions, and no matter where you go in life we always end up back home.

 

            Music is another attribute that helps convey messages in video. This will be impossible with writing or photographs. Music help set the mood of a scene in a video, where as when communicating with writing or photographs, music can’t help in that process. Music also helps emotions to be stirred while watching a video or movie of some sort. The music acts as a narrator for the emotions being acted out on screen.

 

 

YouTube v. Vimeo

After reading the articles dealing with the pros and cons with using YouTube rather than Vimeo, I have a clearer understanding to what exactly are the different features between the two. I learned that when it comes to clarity and building your own brand name, Vimeo takes the cake. However if you are interested in having a broader market to pitch your ideas around in YouTube is for you. YouTube offers free service as does Vimeo, however with YouTube you get unlimited HD uploading 1GB to be exact. Vimeo only allows 1 HD upload per week with the free account and they charge $59.95 for the upgrade fee. You will have to purchase HD tickets as well once yours run out. With YouTube you will not have to worry about issues such as these. Vimeo has been said to be better at keeping visitors on your page for a longer amount of time when compared to YouTube, and has a more of a clean look to it. As for YouTube, they force you to keep their logo at the bottom of you video.

 

I have yet to upload any content via Vimeo so I can’t say why I believe it to be the best. I know in life you get what you pay for, so being cheap sometimes can harm you in the long run. YouTube offers a wider community to market your ideas to and is the website that I would prefer to market in. Others would argue that quality outweighs quantity in the marketing world. YouTube does in fact have a much larger community to network in than Vimeo; however we will have to sort through all the garbage in order to find the diamond in the ruff.