Author Archives: Andrea Bazan

Reading Summary This reading discussed how simulations are not an imitation, duplication nor a parody rather they are hyperreal. According to the reading, the hyperreal is he process of removing the real process by using its operational double. The operational double is the descriptive simulation which provides all the signs of the real. The readingContinue reading “Simulations: Wednesday”

Reading Summary This chapter discusses how video games project a fictional world where the player can use their own imagination to control characters and other aspects of the games. Yet, the author mentions that in order to have a fictional world in a video game there must be rules. These rules are essential in notContinue reading ““Fiction” Chapter 4 (Wednesday)”

Reading Summary The article discusses ideology as a body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual group, class, or culture. The term is generally associated with politics and party platforms, but it can also mean a given set of values that are implicit just like in filmmaking. Virtually, every movie presentsContinue reading “Ideology”

Reading Summary This reading discusses how several films attempt to illustrate the theme of reality. The author uses the movie, “Vanilla Sky” as an example of how viewers usually judge modern films based on other factors like the actors instead of the actual theme of reality. The reading adds reviews of the film from otherContinue reading “The Awe-Inspiring Beauty of Tom Cruise’s Shattered, Troll-Like Face”

Summary This chapter focuses on the human desire to have consistency within the media. As consumers of different types of media, we create our own pattern of likes and dislikes to make future decisions. In the chapter the author uses the example of a person enjoying romantic comedies to rely on the same genre toContinue reading “What media classes really want to discuss”

Audio Summary In the podcast, “View from the Other Half” by Griffin Hansbury, the speaker describes his and his friends’ experiences as transgender individuals. He explains that they were born and raised as females but grew up to identify as males. Their transition was not easy. In order to feel a sense of belonging inContinue reading “View From The Other Half”

Reading Summary The article emphasizes on how companies have and still use sex and gender as a marketing strategy. The article uses several examples such as a simple perfume to illustrate the dissatisfaction felt by men and women as they realize that the quality of their products are extremely stereotypical of their sex. However, theContinue reading “The Built-In Sexual Overtone”

Reading Summary The article describes how, in the 1990s, the Subaru car company recovered itself from an almost terrible downfall by beginning to target to lesbians. The idea of making ads targeted to lesbians was progressive but still very risky because the LGBT community was not culturally accepted yet. The company decided to go withContinue reading “How Subarus Car Came to Be Seen as Cars for Lesbians”

Reading Summary Chapter 6 focuses on the concept of a grid for graphic design. The reading emphasizes the importance of a grid as an organizational tool. To define it, “a grid is a series of horizontal and vertical lines charting out an area” (pg 58). The first and most useful step of grids comes whenContinue reading ““White Space is Not Your Enemy” Chapters 6-8”

Reading Summary Content analysis, surveys and experiments are three methods to discover the effects of media content. The reading describes content analysis and surveys as being the most effective. According to the reading, content analysis is the basis of any attempt to decipher the effect of media content. Why? They argue that through content analysis,Continue reading “Content Analysis”