Interactive Media and Change Agent

In this blog I'm going to discuss an article about Interactive Media and Change Agent written by Elaine England and Andy Finney of ATSF in January 2002. I found the article particularly interesting being written in an 8 year old perspective. In the article they mention how terms such as multimedia, new media and interactive media came into existence and transformed with the wed, a web that utilized phone lines and a new technology of the time, DSL. In additional they define change agents, basically being everyone, but more specifically as "people with the vision and skills to implement a change in organizational culture or business practice". Many of these change agents coming about through business and educational needs as the technology has improved.

In the following paragraphs I look at the difference between digital media and interactive multimedia, my role as a change agent and the impact of future technologies on my career.

Difference between Digital Media and Interactive Multimedia

The difference between digital media and interactive multimedia is interactive media is exactly what its name implies, integration of media that requires interaction from the user. Digital media is the form that media takes such as electronic text, graphics, video and audio (i.e. your mp3's, .mov's, pdf's and many more formats that digital media take).

My role as a change agent, if any

What my role as a change agent, change agent being someone that thinks out of the box and figures out how to use technology to either improve or innovate, I'm not really sure. I hope to use what I learn in school and apply to come up with something fresh to add the mix, meaning my work/creations in the trade.

When I started school I was on a quest to find my next career (first being the Navy, now retired) that was more of a passion than a job. I was thinking photography but presently I'm leaning more towards videography. I like how technology in regards to video particularly, combined with the web is enabling people with no connections to Hollywood, to make very professional, entertaining videos, features, stories whatever they may be called. Ten years ago I would have never imagined a web site such "You Tube" would exist, much less be as successful as it is.

I see more and more people in the future turning away from Hollywood's fantasy world in favor for more real world entertainment/story lines from smaller companies all over the world.

Future technologies impact on career

Anticipating my success in the videography field, I going to say that technology (cameras, computers, software) will only improve (i.e. lighter, faster, stronger, cheaper) and enable the smaller videographers, such as myself, with the limited budgets to make Hollywood grade productions.

This being said, I know it takes more than equipment and software to make good videos but I hope with a combination of my deep desire to do whatever it takes to be good at this craft and the cost of very capable equipment coming down, I hope to make my mark as a videographer.