Enmore theatre VS Sydney Opera House 3.0

UPDATE!!

My progress in the lead up to creating a prototype is continuing. Thus far, I have completed site maps and a wire frame. The wireframes that I have created for my prototype are shown below!

Updated wireframe for Enmore theatre ‘Home’ page

Updated wireframe for Enmore theatre ‘Upcoming Events’ page

Updated wireframe for Enmore theatre ‘Gallery’ page

Updated wireframe for Enmore theatre ‘Visit Us’ page

The updated prototype will feature a simpler, more modern design. This will not only improve aesthetic, but will also enhance overall usability. I have decided that this layout will create a less ‘busy’ aesthetic. I will use a colour scheme of white, black and reds in order to create a retro, street art-like theme, accurately representing the theatre’s history and environment in Newtown.

In the coming weeks, I will create a prototype for the homepage and three navigation pages. The prototype design will feature relevant information, an updated colour scheme and a concise navigation menu, enhancing general aesthetic and usability.

More updates coming shortly!

Until next time, that’s this week Pinned.
Emma.

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Enmore Theatre VS. Sydney Opera house 2.0

This week for GAGD290: Website analysis and re-design, I created a site map for my re-designed Enmore theatre website. The new site map features an advanced navigation system.

The advanced navigation system allows for improved usability as well as general aesthetic.

Enmore theatre original site map

VS.

Updated site map for Enmore theatre after re-design

From the above site maps, I have formed ideas as to how the re-designed website for Enmore theatre should operate. The next step in my process is to create wireframes for each page of the website and there on, create a prototype of my re-design.

More updates coming shortly!

Until next time, that’s this week Pinned.
Emma.

Enmore theatre vs Sydney Opera House: Same-same but different

For my focus study in GAGD290: Website analysis and re-design, I am analysing the website of Enmore theatre.

Current homepage’s:

Homepage: Enmore Theatre (http://www.enmoretheatre.com.au)

Homepage: Sydney Opera House (https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com)

Enmore theatre that has been operating since 1908. The theatre is highly unique due to its history and art-deco styling. The Enmore theatre is a venue that hosts many forms of live entertainment including stage shows, bands/music performances, comedy shows, etc.

A venue in the same genre to Enmore theatre is the Sydney Opera House. The website for the Sydney Opera house targets a relatively similar target audience and information, however presents this information with a vastly different interface design.

The website for the Sydney Opera House presents many functional elements that improve overall user experience. The home page of the Sydney Opera House website features a video display of performances within the theatre and Sydney harbour. The website also features navigation tabs of ‘What’s On’, ‘Visit Us’, ‘Our story’, ‘Give’, ‘Backstage’, ‘Schools’. The home page also features a large search bar across the top of the screen for ease of navigation. The Sydney Opera house website also only travels for two folds of a page, which creates ease of access for the user.

In order to enhance the brand identity of the Enmore theatre’s website, I will add photography of the theatre to the site’s background in order to update and enhance the aesthetic of the website. I will also add features such as a search bar and tabs such as ‘backstage’ and ‘our story’ in order to further invest users in the experience.

To see the websites that I will be researching, see:

• https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com
• http://www.enmoretheatre.com.au

More updates coming shortly!

That’s this week Pinned.
Emma.

Take time off life…Actually live! PROJECT UPDATE

As previously mentioned in post “How can we put life on hold in order to actually live it”, I am completing a research study on the concept of work/life balance.

Image: Giphy.com

Upon further investigation and critique, I have narrowed my question down to the following:

“What prevents people from taking time off life in order to live to the fullest?”

In editing my question, I have decided to focus more on the concept of taking time off in order to participate in activities that you cannot when at work, uni, school, etc.

Thus far in my research:

• I have created and released a survey through which has gained 70+ responses and am in the process of analysing. (You can complete the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KDX2L2D ) I used my Twitter account (@emma_pinfold) to distribute my survey. I found that more participants completed my survey when my Tweets were written in a casual, friendly manner.
  See snapshots below.
  
  
• Have begun approaching interview participants, which will be participating in an in-person interview in early May.
• Have read and analysed several articles that aid in my understanding on the topic of work/life balance and taking time off life

Looking forward: 

Within the following few weeks, I will be finalising analysis of my survey results and beginning the format of my report. I will also be comparing and collating the results of interviews conducted with research previously gathered, including survey results and published articles. Extensive research conducted will create fluency and ease when creating my report.

More updates to come shortly!

Until next time, that’s this week Pinned.
Emma.

How can we put life on hold in order to REALLY live?

Life of a uni student as expressed by graduates of the 80’s: “PARTY! PARTY!”
Life of a uni student as experienced (by me) in 2017: “How am I supposed to balance life? I’M STRESSED!”

I’ll be honest, I know this topic runs deep, however I’ve just worked a 35-hour week on top of Uni and as it has now reached Sunday night it’s safe to say I’m exhausted. Which again, leaves me thinking about how tempting it would be to take a year (six months even) (FINE I’d settle for three) off life to actually live it.

Source: Giphy.com

What brings me here?
I’m constantly reading up on volunteer abroad programs, but no matter how much research I do, I’m always met with the same result, that being “Emma, you can’t just take six months off life.” There’s always one reason or another why I can’t drop everything and live life for a while. Whether that reason be Uni, work, money or simply hesitance. So week after week, I tirelessly balance a part time job, university and life in general.

Source: melissaparisfitness.com

So to you I ask:
How to balance life, work and happiness. How can we put life on hold to actually live it?

Through my research project I will investigate how much work a student should take on, considering factors such as financial stability, mental and physical health and overall happiness. I intend to focus my research on two areas in conjunction with one another, those being workload of Uni students and reasons why we don’t put life on hold to actually live it. I intend to conduct my research by combining quantitative and qualitative methods, in order to gain the most in-depth results possible.

The approach and goal:
Although I’m aware of my own bias, I intend to approach this project with an open mind. I will investigate how much work students view as “too much” and why we tend to put off living life, for reasons other than “I just can’t right now”. Is there ever really a ‘good’ time to take time off life?

I am aware that not all students may have experienced the desire to take time off life, and the idea of ‘actually living life’ will be expressed differently by many, and that I am excited to uncover.

For further updates and to get involved with my research, follow me on Twitter @emma_pinfold

That’s this week, Pinned.
Emma.

Peace Journalism; phew.

Peace journalism is a fairly new-age concept. Defined by Lynch and McGoldrick (2005) peace journalism is “when editors and reporters make choices – of what to report, and how to report it – that create opportunities for society at large to consider and value non-violent responses to conflict”.

Peace journalism arose from the idea that media coverage of issues was bias towards violent responses to conflict. The concept of ‘Peace journalism’ was proposed by Johan Galtung and promotes the education of journalists and media networks in storytelling techniques that discourage violence. In an age where adolescents are more in-touch with media than every before, it is vital that the media encourages positive reinforcement and non-violent resolutions to conflict.

In order to successfully practice peace journalism, a piece must “show backgrounds and contexts of conflicts; hear from all sides; explore hidden agendas; highlight peace ideas and initiatives” (peacejournalism.org)

Jake Lynch and Annabel McGoldrick use their extensive experience and knowledge not only to teach in Universities across Australia (such as University of Sydney) but also to run “professional training courses for editors and reporters in many countries. These countries include Australia, Indonesia, The Philippines, Nepal, Israel, Georgia and Armenia.” “From 2001 to 2005, Lynch and McGoldrick presented the ideas of peace journalism to professional journalists in British media, in the Reporting the World project, with large emphasis being put on coverage of the ‘war on terrorism’, Iraq and conflicts in South-East Europe, Africa, Indonesia and the Middle East.” (sydney.edu.au)

In a society where conflict is a story appearing every day in the media, Peace journalism is a vital element for encouraging peace in society.

For more information/references, see below:

• http://www.peacejournalism.org/Peace_Journalism/Welcome.html
• http://sydney.edu.au/arts/peace_conflict/research/peace_journalism.shtml
• https://www.transcend.org/tri/downloads/McGoldrick_Lynch_Peace-Journalism.pdf

Until next time, that’s this topic Pinned.
Emma.

Diasporic and Inter-cultural Cinema, the pro’s and the con’s.

Defining diaspora: “diaspora’ is derived from the Greek dia meaning ‘through’, and speirein meaning ‘to scatter’. It embodies the notion of a central home from which the dispersal occurs, and also invokes images of multiple journeys”, stated by Postcolonial theorist Avtar Brah (2003: 616).

Image via: http://www.tpfund.org/2013/05/the-changing-landscape-of-global-philanthropy-diasporas/

Diasporic and inter-cultural cinema is therefore, cinema that centres around one location but disperses internationally. Fan-bases of Diasporic media are therefore made-up largely of international migrants, as it is a connection to their homeland that is often readily accessible from their new home.

Production of Diasporic cinema is often difficult in considering ethics. Within cinema there is a fine line between representation of culture and mockery of that culture, and this is where problems arise. Although Diasporic media can help cultures understand the values and ethical standards of other cultures, it can also provide audiences with reasons to isolate migrants. For example, if a Bollywood television series aired in the US, social acceptance of Indian migrants among Americans may rise, however Americans may also become more educated about the differences between Western and Indian culture and create discriminative issues as a result. It is important for production of Diasporic media to be well planned and projected into society’s whereby the cinema will discourage cross-cultural discrimination. If consumed correctly, Diasporic media can be an invaluable asset to society worldwide in achieving peace.

Examples of Diasporic media include:

• Bend it like Beckham
• Slumdog millionaire
• Films by Fatih Akin
• The Saphires

For more information/references:

Diaspora:

• http://www.diasporaalliance.org/what-is-a-diaspora/

Diasporic media:

• http://www.ecmi.de/fileadmin/downloads/publications/JEMIE/2013/Georgiou.pdf
• http://www.ukessays.co.uk/essays/media/diasporic-media-play-in-migrant-communities.php

Bend it like Beckham trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IwGeYMepvM

Slumdog millionaire trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwiU94p9XPA

The Saphires trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlkMgpYNDpU

Until next time, that’s this topic Pinned.

Emma.