Critiquing multimedia websites and stories

This week our assignment was to critique two different websites and post the critiques on our blogs. We also had to choose a story and defend why it is a good use of multimedia on the web. For my critiques I did the Halifax Explosion website and the Churchill Speech Interactive website. Below are my critiques of these websites.

The Halifax Explosion

There are many different types of graphics used in this website. The photographs help demonstrate what the website it all about and it gives visual aids to go along with the text. They help the viewer see things about the story that just mere words cannot convey. It uses a chart, which is an information graphic, to show the recipe for a giant bomb. It also uses a timeline chart to show the events leading up to the explosion and the explosion itself. I think the slideshow the website is also a great use of graphics and really helps to keep the viewer interested and it also helps them understand the material the website presents. This site also uses a produced graphic, which is the map that shows where the city of Halifax is located. I think this is a great thing to have; it helps the viewers get a better idea and place the location in their minds. The site also has good use of audio. It has an audio clip of an interview between Mackey and CBC radio, and also one with Creighton and CBC radio. I think audio always helps to give people a better understanding of what is going on. This website also uses some video, such as the quick time videos over the Mont Blanc, Imo, and the silent aftermath film. I think the site does a good job convey their message effectively with the graphics and slideshows that they use; however, video clips do help viewers feel more like they are there and they can relate to it better. There is also a good use of rich content in this site. In order to play some of the clips on the site they use Flash Player, which provides interactivity. Another good use of interactivity on this site is that they allow you to contact them and send them your Halifax stories to be published on the site. Overall I think this is a great site and it effectively uses all multimedia aspects very well. It’s a great website and would be a great example for anyone to follow who wants to make their own website.

 http://www.cbc.ca/halifaxexplosion/index.html

Churchill Speech Interactive

This website is not as impressive to me as the Halifax website, but it is still a pretty good one. It doesn’t use as many graphics as the Halifax website, but it does have some graphics and the graphics they do have are good ones. It has many photos to help keep your attention and help convey the message and go along with the text and the audio. The site; however, does not have any produced or information graphics that I could find, and I think those might have helped make the site more viewer friendly. The website does have a great audio slideshow. I think the slideshow was a great affect, very informative, and definitely keeps the viewers interested and not wanting to leave. The slideshow also has text to go along with it so if you don’t hear something that is said you can read it, which I think is a very good idea. The site doesn’t have any video that I could find, but I think the audio slideshow was good enough that there aren’t any video clips needed. This website, like the Halifax one, also uses Flash Player so it has a good use of interactivity. It also has a contact us section where you can write them comments and suggestions and they will reply back to you if you want them to. This is a good use of interactivity because it gets the viewers involved and lets them state their wants and opinions. Overall I think this is a pretty good website. I do like the Halifax one better, but that’s just because I am a more visual person and the Halifax website is more visual friendly. This website could be better with a few more photos and maybe a couple video clips, but I do like it overall.

http://www.churchillspeeches.com/index.htm

For the multimedia story to defend I chose a story about a donkey who went to court as to testify as a witness that he was a peaceful animal.

The donkeys name is buddy and he went to court April 18, 2007. Buddy was brought to a Dallas court room to prove his civil nature after a neighbor complained to the court that he was a nuisance. I think this video is a great use a multimedia on the web because it is definitely a story that people would want to see and it also has some emotion in it. It shows how much emotion this guy had about proving to the court and everyone else that his donkey was a perfectly civil animal and the lengths that he went to in order to prove it. It of course is a story that people who want to see because who would actually believe a donkey was allowed in court as a witness if there wasn’t evidence and footage to prove that this actually happened. For these two reasons alone I think this is an excellent use of multimedia on the web.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/VideoPlayer/videoPlayer.php?vidId=136788&catId=342

1 comment September 17, 2008

First Audio Gathering Assignment

Last week my class had our first audio gathering assignment. The assignment was to go out and interview a friend over either a talent, a hobby, or their personal history. After we got the interview we had to edit the audio and make it sound as best as possible. I chose my best friend Kristi Mannon and I interviewed her over her personal history. Im in the final stages of the editing process right now and as soon as I complete the editing I will attach the audio link to this post for everyone to be able to see it.

Interview with Kristi Mannon

Add a comment September 11, 2008

Sound Slide Assignment

This week we were told to go out and do an interview and take pictures for a sound slide assignment. The assignment was to do an interview over some aspect of student life and then take pictures that go along with the interview and then combine the pictures with the interview in order to make the sound slide show. This was not extremely hard but I did find it a little difficult to come up with an idea for the slide show and it was also kind of difficult to come up with a lot of photos to go along with the audio. I finally decided on doing an interview with an incoming freshman and how he felt about their new college life and experiences. As soon as I edit the audio and combine it with the photos I will attach it to this blog so that everyone can see it.

Williams transition from high school into college

Add a comment September 11, 2008