Studio Prototype Project

  • Posted on: April 14, 2018
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Topic: YouTube and how its users have affected it.

Thesis statementUsing snapshots taken using the Wayback Machine, this research will explore how YouTube’s promotional algorithm and public user opinion influenced the types of videos and creators that became promoted and/or popular. I argue that user opinion is particularly strong influence in determining what is popular based on incidents involving Logan Paul, Google+, and Pewdiepie.

Research: I was looking through some of the videos on YouTube and was wondering how I could encapsulate the chaos and drama of YouTube into a thing, and then thought of the Classical and Baroque sculptures and paintings, which have large scenes with a lot going on and a lot of dramatism. My project could either be of a painting, a poster or a sculpture.

Creative brief: In thinking about this project, I wanted to address the multi-faceted face of YouTube and how currently, it is this perpetual struggle to make it to the top. I also wanted to address how some users will literally do “anything for views” and the like. Also, I was thinking about how creators get treated by their unofficial employer, which isn’t a singular entity compared to other jobs in the entertainment industry. I’d like to do it by hand, but maybe in keeping with the spirit of YouTube, I can record my work and post the footage to YouTube.

Paper prototype: A sketch of the poster I will make.

April 16th, Monday: In class we had a peer discussion about each of our prototypes. The feedback I received was helpful and interesting to think about. Some suggestions were to use references of classical paintings, to make it half hand drawn and half digital, to use projections or overlays, to use colors in places of faces associated with certain channels, to somehow make it more interactive, or to make it into an electronic poster meant for screens.

In thinking of how I can further expand this project, I began researching into how one can bring physical posters and ads into the digital realm. There are QR codes, NFC readers, and Snaptags, but each has their own setbacks and issues. QR Codes are easy to create, but impractical, not pretty, and not always safe. NFC readers require chips, and Snaptags are aesthetically pleasing, but impractical to generate.

April 30th, Monday: After receiving the professor’s feedback, I changed my project to a poster campaign to bring awareness about certain users to people who don’t necessarily use YouTube. The users I chose are Logan Paul and DaddyOFive, who both received site-wide backlash, yet still remain popular on the site. I researched how YouTube advertised their popular creators, and I found it usually stays the same with few c

The feedback I received was positive, but cosmetic changes were suggested. Also, it was suggested to make a few iterations of the posters to put around everywhere. Another suggestion was to make a few more posters on other users who have done similar acts.

LOGAN PAUL POSTErggR2-175c4pn DO5 FAMILY POSTER-q5t5z2

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