Response 1 – MatthewB

The idea of new media is in a state at which many don’t really know what it’s capable of. We as new media students get somewhat of an idea, but we are often left to interpret most of the information and use it how we please. Today new media is often associated with sharing information for causes in a new and often-times interactive way. It can bridge over many barriers that are almost always a hassle in other mediums; Language, education-level, and cultural background, just to name a few. This power, of almost a universal language through symbols and other forms of art or expression, yields the ability to directly change peoples minds and also the ability to inform the uninformed.

To me new media is interesting, and I learn new ways of creation nearly every day. I came with the intent for film and photography, my main passions, but I can definitely see other ways of this intertwining with other mediums, such as interactive video, 360 degree video, projection mapping, and much more. As we speak new technology is constantly developed to a point that five years ago we may have not even dreamed about.

Something that intrigues me as of right now are bendable and paper thin displays. This is opening up an entirely new way to display images and video, and from a design standpoint this allows you to put screens where there weren’t any before. Architecturally you can have designs and patter,s on screens that are essentially your walls, and there are even 100% clear screens which can display anything you would want, such as a smart home system where you can see the weather new and TV on your window, or perhaps simulate a different outdoor scene entirely. That to me is what the future of new media is going to be, some sort of blended and obscured word that covers a broad spectrum of how we live day to day, in hopefully an ever growing efficient world.