With New Technology, What Is Acting?

The following is a MediaNote Classic. It was originally presented to MC101 students in April 2016.

We're used to digital retouching of still photos, but what about movies? Apparently, the technology now exists to give an actor more (or fewer) wrinkles, greater facial expression and a lot of other things the actor might not be able to do on the set. NPR reports.

Questions...

•Is this the end of acting? Why or why not?

•Is this an example of disintermediation? Who is being disintermediated?

•When does live action end and animation begin?

•What jobs will be created by this technology?

•Will audiences care if actors don't look in real life the way they look in the movies?

Transfer Center Presentation and Workshop

Transfer Center Director Kevin Meza is coming to Mass Comm 101 on Thursday, Jan. 25 at the beginning of class. Learn how to get to the university of your choice from GCC.

In addition, if you are intending to apply to USC, you may be interested in attending the following workshops:

Tuesday, January 23
5:30-7pm LB 225
Thursday, January 25
9-10:30am CR 230

These workshops are designed to answer your questions about the USC application process.

Forget Big Brother, What About Alexa?

Smart deices are nice to have. You ask Siri or Alexa or Echo something and you get a quick and usually helpful voice response. But can your smart devices keep a secret? Or do they blab out your most personal details to marketers and others? NPR reports.

Questions...

•Do you ever worry that your smart device is listening? Is there anything that you would not say in front of your smart device?

•Has your smart device ever acted in an unexpected way? Tell me your stories.

•Is it OK with you if your queries are turned into data for marketers? Ot should that be regulated?

•Is it OK if your queries are turned over to police so they can deploy their forces more efficiently? (A neighborhood where a lot more people are talking about walking, for example, could be used as evidence for more traffic cops)

Free Money

Your Humble Blogger received the following email regarding scholarships...

Dear Faculties and Staff,

We need your help. We are offering $300,000 worth of scholarships for the upcoming Spring semester. Please encourage your students to apply!

Student can apply here: https://www.glendale.edu/scholarship

I am available to present our scholarship opportunities to your students. Please let me know a date and time that is convenient for you.

Thank you for your support.

Thanks,
Aida Avanousian

Interested in UCLA?

Your Humble Blogger received the following message as a followup to our recent UCLA campus tour:

Thank you for visiting UCLA! We hope your group enjoyed their time on campus.

Please encourage students interested in UCLA to complete this form so we can keep in touch about events we'll be hosting in their area and on campus.

Campus Tour Program
UCLA Undergraduate Admission
www.admission.ucla.edu

I Can Stop Any Time I Want

Addiction is a nasty word. It suggests a loss of control, and an inevitable downward spiral into helplessness, or worse. Some large shareholders of Apple, including the California State Teachers Retirement System, think smartphones are addictive, especially to children. They want Apple to invent ways for parents to monitor and limit their children's smartphone use. NPR reports.

•In what ways are smartphones addictive? In what ways are they not?

•What tools should parents have to prevent problematic smartphone use?

•At what age should a parent give a child a smartphone? What could go wrong if a child is given a smartphone?

Office Hours

As mentioned yesterday, Your Humble Blogger has made a slight change to his Winter 2018 office hours. It is as follows:
Dr. Mike Eberts
professor of mass communications
Schedule for Winter 2018

January 8-February 8

Mass Comm 101
MTuWTh 10:40-1:05
Classroom: SF119

Office Hours
9:30-10:30 MW
1:30-2:30 TTh
(except selected field trip days)
Phone: 818/240-1000 x5352
E-mail: meberts@glendale.edu