Reflections on ALES204

I really did not know what to expect from ALES204. I knew it was about communication, but I had no idea that it would encompass so many resources for such a variety of media types. From sound files being shared with AudioBoo to uploading images with Flickr, I realized that there are so many opportunities to interact with people all over the world personally and professionally.

Source: http://slrhs.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/mid-year-exams-graduation-2012-and-communication/

Before the class, my social media exploration was limited to Facebook. I really like using it because it gives me the opportunity to get in touch with friends from other cities in Canada and around the world; to easily plan and coordinate events; and to let my friends know what was going on in my life while keeping up with them. I was skeptical at first when I started using Twitter for ALES204. I did not really understand the point of 'following' strangers and allowing them to 'follow' me. But as I used it more often, I began to value how easy it was to learn about what was going on in the world and how quickly information became accessible. With Twitter trends, I became aware of how one topic could have so many perspectives, whether it was concerning a relatively superficial topic such as Justin Bieber's hair or more politically and socially controversial movements like the Kony 2012 campaign by Invisible children. I also learned about events and exhibits going on around the world concerning my areas of interest.

While I appreciated learning about different outlets of communication and connectivity on the internet, I was also concerned about putting my information out there, where anyone could see it. I understand that pretty much all website offer privacy settings, but it still made me uncomfortable to sign up for so many different websites that asked for my personal information. I think it is strange that someone could google my name and find out information about me without my knowledge. With identity theft being a big issue, I tried to be careful about how much information I displayed. For example, I used a fake name and invented information for my Facebook page rather than posting my actual contact information.

I did not know that this course would also teach me about topics such as professionalism. I valued lessons about this the most because I felt that I could apply skills such as writing a well-planned CV and presenting a   PowerPoint that wasn't dull to the audience the most in my future. The lectures concerning Pecha Kucha presentations were very beneficial because they opened my eyes to a new method of introducing information in a way that kept viewers attentive and interested. The lectures that focused on how to read efficiently and how to write scientific articles were very useful because they were things that I struggled with. Equipped with tips on how to better handle these topics, I feel more confident in handling my future years in university.

Brittany Stewart has another perspective on the ALES204 class which you can check out here.

My blog comments can be found in the links below:
Shannon Fox
Brittany Stewart
Marisa Salon
Rima Tabet
Becky Shapka

Thank you to Dr. Jessica Laccetti and Bibaswan Ghoshal for a very informative semester.

Costumes

Over the past two years of university, I have learned a lot both in and out of the classroom. Over the past two years, I have also watched a lot of movies, videos, and television shows. I have noticed that while watching movies, I spend more time analyzing what the actors or characters are wearing, rather than what they are saying or doing. Through the years, my perceptions of what the characters are wearing has changed. At first, it was a secondary aspect to the person's personality and role in the story plot. As time passed, I started relating what I was learning to the media I was exposed to. Classes such as Material Culture (HECOL 201) and Historic Costume (HECOL 268) gave me a more well-rounded perspective to the motives behind why certain characters were portrayed in certain ways. I began to realize that costumes were, at times, more important than what the character did. Costumes have silent roles that give the viewers insight into who the person is before anything is said.

 I love that costumes can be used as icons. For example, think of the Disney princess Snow White. You are probably picturing her in the dress below. Or how about Judy Garland's gingham dress in the Wizard of Oz? Perhaps you always picture Sheldon Cooper in a particular graphic tee or Howard Wolowitz in colourful skinny jeans. Costumes make a character memorable in the viewers' minds. The association becomes inseparable. 

Rabu. Snow White Costume Dress. 2011. Graphic. Blogger .
 Retrieved  April 13, 2012.
http://snow-white-costume-cheap.blogspot.ca/2011/11/snow-white-costume-dress_02.html   

The course about Material Culture showed me new ways to consider how the garments and accessories the person was wearing related to their context. It showed me how effect costumes can be beyond simply the stereotypical black representing evil and white representing purity. For example, certain details such as jewelry help the viewer identify status, age, and gender in a single glance. Historic Costume was another influential course in my movie-watching. In time-travelling movies such as Back to the Future, I found myself looking at how costume designers chose to portray certain decades and how they gave cues to what the time period was without it being explicitly stated. It also gave me a more informed perspective on historical accuracy and how the costume designers could have manipulated the costumes to make them appear more aesthetically pleasing for the viewers in modern times. To use one story as an example, the costumes in the movie A Room With a View were interpreted in very different ways when comparing the 1985 film with its 2006 counterpart. While both movies portray Edwardian fashion, the 1985 film used silhouettes that included strong shoulders, similar to power suits worn at the time that included shoulder pads, whereas the 2006 film decided to forego the shoulder pads, in keeping with the modern aesthetic.

I also began to apply the idea of costume to everyday life. People use their apparel to portray themselves in a certain way. Costumes are also ideal as disguises. As with films, people use their garments to camouflage themselves within society. Because my degree in university is centered around clothing and textiles, I find this exploration between character and costume very interesting. If you would like to learn more about costume design for films, a very important person to learn about would be Edith Head. You can learn more about her here. A classmate of mine is also interested in historic costume and I read a great article about a garment called the 'justacorps' that she wrote. You can check her blog out here to find out more.