chapter 6
Multimedia
WHAT CHANNELS OF INFORMATION
PERCEPTION AND MEDIA ARE
USUALLY AVAILABLE WHEN
WORKING WITH PROJECTS?
PERCEPTION AND MEDIA ARE
USUALLY AVAILABLE WHEN
WORKING WITH PROJECTS?
1
Visual:
- Text.
- Static images (photography, illustration, navigation elements, and interfaces).
- Dynamic images (animation, video).
2
Auditory
- Audio tracks with speech, music, soundscapes, and sound navigation.
3
Tactile
- Interactions with user interfaces, tangible installations, Braille alphabet.
As you can see, multimedia offers an extensive space for creative solutions; however, the type of media itself does not determine the richness of the narrative. Merely deciding to make a video clip, interactive documentary film, essay, or media installation does not influence the expressive potential of the product. Thus, it becomes necessary to answer two other questions in our communication model — what and how?
- WHAT?
We find the answer during research and concept development—defining the meanings of the message, the system of images, and the storyline. - HOW?
The answer is revealed in the principles of working with content—these are the tools we use to communicate the main meanings of the project as expressively and effectively as possible.
It can be said that types of media are like different artistic tools on the artist’s table. It’s easier to imagine that before taking a particular tool, the author first creates an idea and gains an understanding of what exactly they want to convey to the world. The selection of tools and their combinations is subordinate to the concept, not the other way around.
Indeed, there are cases when the discussion of a project begins with choosing a form, and from its essence, the concept and content are derived: “We are going to make a documentary film, an interactive quest, or an immersive exhibition.” However, such scenarios are rare, partly because inventing a unique type of product in the modern market is almost an unsolvable task, whereas creating unique content is achievable because, first of all, the author’s approach, vision, and concept make it unique.
Let’s look at the concept of multimedia from a different perspective — from the viewer’s side. The entry points for the viewer are those channels through which a person can perceive information. As we know, we have five senses. However, let’s not forget that we are trying to influence a person’s experience and feelings, which means that all the nuances of their perception are important to us — how and what influences how a person hears, sees, and feels. Almost everything affects perception.
Imagine that the viewer is sitting at home watching your project on their phone but is feeling intense hunger. Then the viewer is called for dinner. What will happen? Most likely, the viewing of the project will be paused. Designing multimedia projects requires remembering that our viewer is a living person with all their individual experiences, features, and circumstances.
Thus, multimedia is the synthesis of all possible channels of perception available to a person and all their potential combinations.
Indeed, there are cases when the discussion of a project begins with choosing a form, and from its essence, the concept and content are derived: “We are going to make a documentary film, an interactive quest, or an immersive exhibition.” However, such scenarios are rare, partly because inventing a unique type of product in the modern market is almost an unsolvable task, whereas creating unique content is achievable because, first of all, the author’s approach, vision, and concept make it unique.
Let’s look at the concept of multimedia from a different perspective — from the viewer’s side. The entry points for the viewer are those channels through which a person can perceive information. As we know, we have five senses. However, let’s not forget that we are trying to influence a person’s experience and feelings, which means that all the nuances of their perception are important to us — how and what influences how a person hears, sees, and feels. Almost everything affects perception.
Imagine that the viewer is sitting at home watching your project on their phone but is feeling intense hunger. Then the viewer is called for dinner. What will happen? Most likely, the viewing of the project will be paused. Designing multimedia projects requires remembering that our viewer is a living person with all their individual experiences, features, and circumstances.
Thus, multimedia is the synthesis of all possible channels of perception available to a person and all their potential combinations.
The choice of media and their combinations is entirely subordinated to the goals and concept of the project.
The choice of media and their combinations is entirely subordinated to the goals and concept of the project.
One of the key mistakes in project developing is the attempt to illustrate one material with another: text with pictures, video with infographics. No type of media in multimedia projects is a priority or the main unit.
There is a persistent habit of building a narrative around the text, where a large author's note is broken down into paragraphs, quotes, and subheadings, then illustrated with photographs. However, in the context of multimedia project design, this approach can be considered an error.
When creating a multimedia project, it is important to build a unified, cohesive mosaic of different visual, audio, and textual fragments, combining and selecting types of content based on scenography, logic, emotional mapping, and rhythm.
It is worth mentioning a complex and simultaneously exciting reality: in multimedia, there are no rules. By creating each new multimedia project, you are essentially creating a new type of language, an absolutely new narrative style.
There is a persistent habit of building a narrative around the text, where a large author's note is broken down into paragraphs, quotes, and subheadings, then illustrated with photographs. However, in the context of multimedia project design, this approach can be considered an error.
When creating a multimedia project, it is important to build a unified, cohesive mosaic of different visual, audio, and textual fragments, combining and selecting types of content based on scenography, logic, emotional mapping, and rhythm.
It is worth mentioning a complex and simultaneously exciting reality: in multimedia, there are no rules. By creating each new multimedia project, you are essentially creating a new type of language, an absolutely new narrative style.
Chapter 5
STORYTELLING
Chapter 7
PROJECT STAGES