Kassie Brown,“Fiction” Excerpt from Half-real: Video Games Between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds, 11/27/23

Reading Summary In Chapter 4 of the book, Jesper Juul explores the intricate relationship between time, narrative, and fiction within the context of video games. The analysis begins by examining the disconnection between levels in classic arcade games and the role of cut-scenes in bridging these gaps. The discussion then extends to deviations from the…

Kassie Brown, “Ideology” in Understanding Movies: Eleventh Edition, 11/6/23

Reading Summary  In Louis Giannetti’s “Understanding Movies” (Eleventh Edition, 2008), the chapter on “Ideology” explores the concept of ideology within the realm of cinema. Giannetti delves into how movies often reflect and convey the prevailing ideologies and cultural norms of the society in which they are produced. He discusses the ways in which film can…

Kassie Brown, “The Trauma Floor”, 10/30/23

Reading Summary  The article delves into the challenging experiences of Facebook content moderators, primarily those at the Cognizant facility in Phoenix. These moderators grapple with traumatic and graphic content, under pressure to maintain high accuracy, often facing the spread of conspiracy theories among colleagues, which can hinder their effectiveness. Many suffer from secondary traumatic stress,…

Kassie Brown, Part One of “Film, space and image”, 10/23/23

Reading Summary   In Part One of “Anatomy of Film” by Bernard Dick, titled “Film, Space, and Image,” the author explores the fundamental concepts of cinematic space and image composition. He discusses the role of mise-en-scène and the arrangement of visual elements within the frame, emphasizing how filmmakers use space, camera angles, and image composition to…

Kassie Brown, “On Repeat” Segment of Radiolab, 10/18/23

Reading Summary: In this episode of Radiolab, Jad and Robert explore the fascinating concept of loops that pervade our lives, alternating between moments of pain, healing, laughter, and perpetual intrigue. They embark on a quest to elucidate a baffling comedy act, delve into the eerie experience of a dying auditory loop, and uncover a mathematical…

Kassie Brown, Beasely Danesi (2002) Persuasive Signs, 10/02/23

Reading Summary: According to Beasley and Danesi (2002), advertising is a form of discourse that uses both verbal and nonverbal techniques to make its messages as persuasive as possible. The authors analyze the signifying processes that underlie advertising messages in print, electronic, and digital form. The technique “cognitive chaining” and “textuality” is highlighted by using…

Kassie Brown, “Debbie does salad. The Food Network at the frontiers of pornography”, 9/25/2023

Reading Summary   “Debbie Does Salad” is an essay by Frederick Kaufman that explores the intersection of food culture and pornography, drawing parallels between the sensationalized and fetishized aspects of both realms. Kaufman delves into how the Food Network, with its focus on extreme culinary experiences and hyper-stylized food presentation, can be seen as pushing the…

Kassie Brown, Messages, signs, and meaning: A basic textbook in Semiotics and Communication, 9/18/2023

Reading Summary  In semiotics, Ferdinand de Saussure proposed the study of signs within society, which he called semiology. Semiology aims to understand what signs are and the laws governing them. Semiotics encompasses three types of signs: iconic signs, which resemble their referents (e.g., a photograph); indexical signs, which point to or relate to referents (e.g.,…

Kassie Brown, Athletes and/or Activists: LeBron James and Black Lives Matter, Monday

Reading Summary  The article investigates the media’s framing of LeBron James as a prominent athlete-activist in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement and the Tamir Rice case. Four key frames are identified: “Brand LeBron,” highlighting his meticulously crafted image as a successful athlete and entrepreneur; “Established Voice, Higher Expectations,” emphasizing his role as…

Kassie Brown, Scientific Methods in Media Effects Research, Wednesday

Reading summary The passage explains the use of content analysis in media research, using the example of analyzing song lyrics for references to substance use. It outlines the steps involved in content analysis, such as selecting a sample, determining what to analyze, creating categories, ensuring coding agreement, conducting statistical analysis, and interpreting findings. It also…