Abstract = A Brief Summary Of Context
At the start of the seminar James Dyer asked one simple question, what do we think of the word 'Abstract'. I personally like to think of abstract as an unusual concept designed to make an audience perceive an idea which is out of there common perspective of the individual. However for the purpose of a writing standpoint, it would allow for myself to abstract key important data and relay it to an audience. I do think that extract is a more fitting description for this process, as the process requires you 'Extract' and emphasises on specific pieces of information. Once the basic overview of the presentation had been explained, I then took part in a group activity where we was separated into six different groups. The purpose of this task was to be able to quickly write down a sentence describing what happened in a particular section of the video. The video was a clip from a film called Withnail And I, and involved each group focusing on twenty seconds of the video each to create one sentence, which would be combined with one sentence from every other group. This would then be included to produce a single paragraph, producing a abstract concept.
Here is my sentence I produced in the last twenty seconds of the clip;
"Overall this is quite the melodramatic performance of the two actors, which i found comical, mainly due to the fact of the use of pink gloves and how erratic they were when responding to each other."
Clip Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6R9fY8lfGo
Example Of A Abstract Paragraph From The Presentation
"Two scruffy looking men argue over the
content of a bowl, one seems agitated and the other nervous. In retaliation,
the more confident of the two threatens to do the washing, it sounds disastrous
in the kitchen. They fear there may be a rat amongst the growing mould and
decay which clogs the sink—a cleaning task not to be taken lightly. After the
more proactive of the two burns his hand on the kettle, the dazed men seem both
hesitant and determined to investigate their littered kitchen. For the sake of
their civility gloves are donned, and pliers are wielded for protection against
rodents. Their energy subsides as they find an innocuous lump of “matter” in
the sink, prompting a tired and withered looking man to declare: “I feel
unusual, I think we should go outside”."
We then began looking at a more formal writing process known as Clipped Writing, here are a few requirements;
- Pace
- Content
- No Pith
- Words Have Purpose
Clipped Does NOT Mean Inconsiquential
Once I had an understanding of what clipped writing involved, we then evaluated a number of clips from movies on what was successfully/unsuccessfully relayed information in a subtle manner to an audience. Unlike the previous task, we were told to focus purely on the script of the video and none of the visual content provided. This was done so that I could successfully identify information within a script, understanding how they portrayed the information and how it was contextual relevant to the scene and characters. One of my favourite clips was the Casablanca secret sentimentalist clip which we was shown.
Casablanca (1942)
I found that the Casablanca script provided quite a broad range of information for the viewers, this was then discussed to share out findings with the group. It provided information on;
- The Backstory Of Characters
- The Characters History
- Distinctive Character Traits
- The Characters Purpose
- Story Plot
With this information I discovered that the main protagonist had a cynical attitude, a shady history and who's main purpose at that point in time to free a friend who was in trouble. I found this really enlightening as I did truly underestimate how powerful and engaging writing can be, if the audiences questions are answered effectively, and provides a motive to progress further into a context.
Video Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBJGHvt7I3c
Abstract Essay Task
This abstract 250 - 500 word essay is a developed version of my second proposal idea.
The WE ARE HUDDERSFIELD Campaign
Identity... Identity is core fundamental aspect which everything needs in order to have a place in the constantly growing informational age. Talent and culture are in abundance and what is truly considered to be a significant feat in the modern world is to be unique. But how does Huddersfield become a unique distinctive landmark? Through change. The true nature of humanity is to evolve so that we can become better at our weaknesses and to better suit our environment. This is why I want to produce this campaign, not only to make huddersfield a more student friendly place, but to have others sharing in the prosperity of which a multicultural society brings. I want to produce an improved identity for huddersfield, developing on the current representation of what Huddersfield is and emphasising on elements of graphic design
