Monday, May 17, 2010

Mobile Media Report

Objective and subjective opinions are forms of perception. Media perception is a source not to be forgotten, it is the main frame of being able to reach out to the public and scream out a media message imaginatively. So having the opportunity to view media both objectively and subjectively is a privilege and highly respected, this is the chance that 8 student from LIU (Lebanese International University) and 8 students from Webster University – Holland, had the chance to do.
Around a month ago 8 students from Webster University studying a course called mobile media visited Lebanon, and attended a few courses that were being taught in LIU. This visit was to allow a wider range of knowledge in media through a different culture. Teaching not only the students from Webster University, but the students from LIU. LIU students had the chance to meet new people in the same position they are and be able to see the differences as well as the familiarities. Both groups of students were asked to team up in pairs and make 2 short movies. One was to be about a mapping of Beirut and the second was to be their own choice.
The start of this visit LIU students began to show Webster students around showing them different areas and cultures as well as the way of life that is lived in Lebanon, allowing both groups to get new fresh outlooks. Webster undergraduates got the chance to learn and see more about a culture that varies from their own, and for LIU students walking around the streets of Beirut as guides, finding themselves talking and explaining aspects of their surroundings and shockingly seeing things in a new light.
As days went by, and ideas were jotted down for the first short film, both groups began to bond, their differences being their bonding connection… as the films began developing and editing was in motion, the large variation in perception of Lebanon was noticed, but was not ignored. We used this as an attractive curve in our short films…
When the first short film was completed and viewed by the rest of the students, the difference in perception was visible but was also a form of attracting the audience’s attention, which was an accomplishment, as this allowed us to realize that source of variety isn’t an aspect of confusion but rather a form of power to gain the attention of the public, if used and fused correctly.
Leading up to the development of the groups second short film, we also realized that with our different cultures, many ideas where brought up, but because of what we had learnt during the making of our first film, we realized that choosing just one plain idea, wasn’t the way to go, but rather gathering the multiple thoughts, and making one interesting, captivating film.
Once the Webster students went back to Holland, we had the chance to reflect back on the 2 weeks that had past, jotting down and accumulating thoughts and views on what we had learnt simply through the visit of students like ourselves from a completely different background, but what hopes to be a similar future.
Once it came to the LIU students getting ready to visit Holland, it was an exciting thrilling feeling because this was a chance to allow us to have the opportunity to feel what the Webster students felt when they had visited Lebanon. Giving us the chance to have an objective view of a country, whereas before we were the view of subjection.
Our first couple of days there, we began to investigate Leiden to be able to decided and think about our short film of mapping. The only difference was that the 2 short movies that we were required to make were to be done alone rather than in pairs.
The first 5 days we were there while we were investigating and learning about Leiden, we began to see how the other side of the world lived and lives, giving us the exhilarating feeling of a whole new perception and creation of movie , realizing there’s always more to see and more to learn, meaning that there’s always more to show.
As we began to work on our own projects, we realized that with the visit of the Webster students to Lebanon allowed us to learn how to communicate and work together as one even with the variations of difference, we were also while in Holland being given the chance to learn how to work alone in a completely new and strange environment, and allowing the differences of work to be viewed separately.
Once our first short film was done, only the LIU were asked to make a second short movie, which was to be called ‘I Think That…’ we were require to make it about what we thought of the course mobile media, 2 mins long, once each of us had done that, it was decided to add all the 8 short films together and make it into a short documentary, it allowed us (8 LIU students) to put our knowledge together and work as a harmonious team, and glad to say it was an accomplishment. As from start to finish getting the 8 short films and choosing clips from each one and editing them all together it took us 3 hours.
As the end of our visit came along, without noticing be began to realize that what we are learning and achieving is an aspect that we will carry with as along our professional growth. Making our way back to our homeland we began to see what a privilege it is to be a student in LIU not only because it gave its student the opportunity that not many can have, but also because it is open enough to give its student the freedom and trust to grow alone, with a helping hand along the way.

Thursday, May 13, 2010




The Fake Reality

The Fake Reality is about the city"Leiden". The city was very peaceful and beautiful. It was drowned by water in 1953, when the north sea flood made a huge natural disaster. The city was completely restored after that to be the (FAKE) Leiden which we know today. The geographical division now a days is very similar to the old one before the sea flood. So, we can call it: The Fake Leiden.

Monday, April 5, 2010