Admittedly, coming up with an
example for this week was difficult. I pondered a long while and for some
reason could only think of the relationship between VHS (Video Home System) cassettes
and DVDs (Digital Video Device). Although I’m not sure VHS cassettes are considered
non-digital objects, we may very ‘broadly define’ them as such. In the same way
that Dr. Galey described the vinyl LP, the advancements in technology in film affect
the representational choices and certainly alter the experience.
Before the introduction of menu
buttons and fast navigational tools, videotape-cassettes involved the user in a
more physical way. In order to progress to the main feature quickly, one was
required to manually fast-forward through trailers and commentary. This aspect
was part of the expected drudgery, and I myself found it quite annoying. Thankfully,
DVDs developed and chose to represent the film in a different manner. Whereas VHS tapes are displayed as one
continuous block, DVDs on the other hand are a more digitized version that
allow for chapter selection, title screens and an ease of navigation. The new representational
choices are an interesting way in which audiences interact with the device.
Similarly,
the choice to digitize film also eliminates the need for rewinding, another
bothersome task. No longer is one required to physically remove the tape, place
it in an external ‘rewinder’ and wait. While this aspect may not be a direct representational
decision, it still reveals the effects of digitalization. Certain elements are
completely omitted or forgotten from the ritual of film watching. Amusingly,
future generations will not understand the phrase ‘be kind, please rewind.’
Overall, the active shift to new technologies modifies how we engage and
process the information.
I completely agree that DVD technology has granted the user a much greater degree of control over their viewing experience. That being said, DVDs are not without their own little annoying features. For example, the beauty of the VHS was that anything could be fast forwarded. On the other hand, DVDs have certain unskippable portions, mostly the legal warnings which annoys me to a similar extent as the drudgery of fast forwarding.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that you mention "future generations" not understanding the phrase "be kind, rewind" since it's been my experience that even undergraduate students at the University of Toronto seem to have no experience with it. Working at the media commons, I see my fair share of VHS tapes going in and out and they almost never come back rewound - even though there is a "be kind, rewind" sticker on the VHS.
ReplyDeleteI also think the switch to DVD is interesting in terms of special features. Does anyone else remember having to watch until the credits were over to see special features? (I immediately think of the Jodi Benson music video for "Part of Your World" at the end of the last VHS re-release of The Little Mermaid). It's funny to think about how DVD has changes the relationship of bonus features to a movie - considering you can now just insert the "bonus features" disc and disconnect it from watching the movie entirely.
I really like that the Inforum has little signs asking borrowers to "be nice, charge your device." It is an attmept to have technology returned with enough battery charge to be lendable to the next person. However, I love that it references the old "be kind, rewind" of my childhood.
ReplyDeleteExplaining VHS to the next generation will be like just like learning about card catalogues now.