Flash Movies: Allowing Us To Learn At The Speed Of Light

While I was reading Chapter 2 and 3 of Brian Carroll’s book, Writing For Digital Media, over the weekend, the main point that stuck with me after doing the assignment was how people these days are living life at such a fast pace. People who are communicating to the everyday person are learning to communicate a message in a much different manner than in previous years, at a much faster pace. So really, every word counts when trying to communicate a message to the online viewer.

Identification was the subheading that caught my attention the most about how people aim to communicate in digital media. Growing up, we are taught to write in the third person and limit the use of personal pronouns. This form of writing may seem more professional; however, it limits personal expression and does not promote activity on websites that write/report like robots.

Linking different articles and pages to one’s website allow for the reader to further expand on their interest that has brought them to your particular website. I love links because they may provide me with another perspective on the same topic, which can make concepts easier to understand.

The form of digital media that I felt most interested to learn more about was Flash movies. I feel this is a critical form of digital media that can be used a lot more in learning facilities because it breaks down complex topics and explains things in a way that can be better understood by the everyday person.

I was interested in finding a flash movie online regarding a subject that I don’t have too much background knowledge in, and seeing how the subject sat with me after using the flash movie. I chose to look at WaterLife, which is more of an interactive website that is dedicated to showing the viewer just how important water is. Each adjective to describe water shares an interactive story with the audience member. This interactivity is seen on the website as visuals (photographs and movie clips), narratives, and text.

There are many flash movies like WaterLife, especially on National Film Board of Canada, that break down complex processes, but also many flash movies that just tell stories. I’ve found that I’m a fan of flash movies, since they allow the viewer to retain information at their own speed and in a more “everyday person” life.  

Discussion Questions:

1. What form of digital media do you prefer and what characteristics of this form of digital media, described in Chapter 2 of Carroll's book, support your preference.

2. What is one website that you consider to be a credible, what do you believe this website has that makes it more credible than another website that may provide similar content.