where do we go from here?

Now that our research blog is coming to an end *tear* it is time to begin work on the main event. After blogging our ideas and insights surrounding all things memes, we need to refine our ideas (we have already begun this process by narrowing our definition of a meme is in relation to our web feature) - and focus on a few prominent ones that will provide great stimulus for reader discussion and comment.

Each member of the group will be designated a feature which they will work on. So in total we should have four feature articles. Then tasks will be split again depending on skill set - we will need a layout designer, graphic designer, timeline/ slideshow creator and video animator as well as someone to work on the 'history of memes' and 'how to build a successful meme' (these could easily be group tasks). 

Our next point of call is to decide on the feature each member wants to work on and start collating any research material and contacting any interview subjects whilst beginning to build the foundation of our web feature layout and accompanying graphics so we can get a better feel for the ease of navigation and overall aesthetic.

We have also decided to stick our initial publication choice Vulture, as we all agreed that our intended style of writing, the content and target audience is a perfect fit. We will use mainly American examples to illustrate our points (geared towards New York specific content also) and will also maintain a similar format and voice to articles written in Vulture.

So long as we stick to completing tasks in line with our proposed work plan, we should be heading in the right direction to creating an insightful, thought-provoking,  entertaining and informational web feature.

Video Ideas: Comic-based

The group has agreed for quite some time that we would definitely want to include a video made by us on one of our feature pages. Jonno posted earlier about the possibility of creating a typography-based video, as it suits the topic very well and they're always a very engaging way of discussing a topic in the format of a video without the need to physically film anything.

But we've since realised that none of us really knows how to go about putting together a typography-based video. While they seem simple, they are actually incredibly technical pieces of art that requires a very specific form of animation and video editing using programs such as Adobe After Effects to achieve effectively.

The main draw for using a typography-based video was that due to our topic - memes, in particular image-based memes - there really isn't any reason to film any actual real-life footage. But on the same vein of videos that do not require camera footage, there is actually an alternative genre that is very appropriate considering the topic we will be discussing.

Zero Punctuation is a game review web series produced by The Escapist magazine that has really popularised the comic-based video genre. What's great about this form of video is that it is essentially just a slideshow of static images, in this case single frames of drawn comics. No fancy animation or video editing skills required - just place the images one after the other. It sounds tacky, but that's the allure of it.

Another reason why this genre is so perfect for our purposes is the fact that so many memes originated from or are expressed via comics. Take for example trollface and other rage comics or the more recent "Dolan" meme.

I think this will be a much easier format for us to produce, and it's an appropriate genre for our feature on memes!

Focussing in

After discussing all our ideas for our feature and all the different kinds of memes, different perspectives and different mediums, we came to a realisation - we have too many ideas.

Source: MemeCenter

We don't want our final feature to be a mess of a dumping ground for everything meme, with nothing really connecting or reaching a coherent goal. So we've decided to confine our exploration to to a more specific theme and medium.

Our feature will be focussed on image-based memes. In previous blog posts we've examined viral videos, ideas that have become memes, and memes outside of the internet. All of this has been great as a foundational scatter-gun approach to the whole concept of memes, but not necessarily appropriate for a standalone feature based on a single unifying theme.

The problem is, the concept of "memes" as a whole is just way too broad. But confining our research and discussion to the social significance of image-based memes will allow us to more effectively bring our feature together with a clear focus.

There are a number of terms floating around these days that are connected with image-based memes. Demotivators were an early form of the medium, for example the above image. Characterised by their black backgrounds with a typically white or sometimes coloured border around the image, demotivators were used to signify a single word or idea by placing them in a large serif font accompanied by an illustrative (usually humorous) image and a tagline. These were originally created as spoofs of motivational posters often found in corporate offices in the late '90s.

From demotivators, we now have the term image macros. This is a terms used to describe, broadly, captioned images that typically consist of a picture and a witty message. Demotivators were a relatively early form of image macros (relative to the time in which modern internet memes have been popular), but these days most image macros almost always use large white text in the font "Impact". Within the genre, snowclones can be seen as a sub-set or sub-genre of image macros, where the text typically follows a specific format. For example, "X all the Ys," "In Soviet Russia, X Ys you," or "X is the new Y." In particular, these have been made popular by sites such as Meme Generator.

So from here on out, we're going to endeavour to focus our discussions and research on image-based memes. Other types of memes are relevant and they will certainly deserve a mention, but we envision that our feature will now be a far more coherent and directed product.

Video Ideas: Typography

So we've been trying to think of ways for how we can "use the medium" to it's full potential.  A typography video would be a neat (yes neat...) way to explore some of our ideas, perhaps about the origins  of memes or even any of the issues we cover.

The video below is way more complicated than what we would probably be able to do, but still pretty inspiring and a good watch.  It was one of the first typography/animation style videos that I ever saw, back when I was in high school.  Ever since then I've really liked the style and I've seen tonnes of videos utilising the form as a really informative and entertaining way of getting information across. 

It's definitely way more complex than what I was thinking, but something more along the lines of the next one, purely word-based, could be a bit easier?  I don't have much experience with making these sort of videos, my use of Flash or Adobe After Effects is limited to a brief dabbling in high school classes but nothing ever so sophisticated.  Perhaps one of you have some experience?  Otherwise maybe we can discuss a way of doing it that would be easier...

Let me know what you guys think!

the meme network.

When I found Sydney Uni Memes earlier this year I thought it was the funniest thing ever. I practically liked every post and shared them all on my wall. University meme pages represent a shift from specialised meme and image sharing communities like Know Your Meme, 4Chan and Reddit and towards more broader, widespread platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Know Your Meme notes the earliest Facebook memes pages was created for Florida International University of Miami in October 2011, uploading a 'Y U No' image macro related to their football team. More university meme pages started appearing en-masse around February of this year and have almost become a necessary component of every tertiary educational institution. This has since encouraged high school meme pages (just the other day I saw old high school acquaintances like HGHS memes) and now even narrowing it down to suburb or area (that's Hills Shire memes for me). 

So why are university related memes so popular? It references certain experiences and in-jokes that only students of a particular institution will understand - from wi-fi connectivity frustrations to avoiding USU election candidates on Eastern Avenue. It gives viewers a sense of belonging (yes that dreaded word) and inclusivity into a certain group of like minded individuals. It's just like the cultural currency  you hold when someone makes a pop culture reference/ joke and you understand its source (therefore giving you authority to partake in the humour).

While we had previously discussed the idea that the internet meme is to some extent a new form of communication (in terms of expressing particular feelings and frustrations with day to day life), it was brought to our attention during our proposal that memes are also a form of networking and bringing people together. Although Sydney university has over 50,000+ undergraduate students and in our four years or so of tertiary education we would have only encountered a small portion of USYD population, we can all come together share a laugh or two and vent our annoyances through the convenience and familiarity of a social media platform.

When any cultural trend or phenomenon has the power to change the way and channels in which we connect and communicate with one another, it's certainly more than just a passing fad. I think our web feature will certainly be testament to just how influential memes have been in shaping society (and also how sociocultural ideals are embedded in the meme format). 

More than just a meme.

Source: Meme Centre

The 60's was defined by Vietnam War, The Beatles, Woodstock and the first man on the moon. The 80's were known for arcade games, bad hair cuts, Michael Jackson and boomboxes. But what cultural products will symbolise our generation?

In considering our high culture perspective on a low culture topic, I pondered the significance of memes in popular culture. While it is easy to dismiss memes as nothing more than a joke, the fact that internet material has been spread profusely over the last ten years (we traced it back to 1998 and All Your Base Are Belong To Us) and has grown exponentially in terms of exposure means that it probably not just a passing fad or a trend. From my observations thus far I think it would be safe to say that memes both reflect and shape our cultural realities. 

Popular culture has always been influenced by and is a commentary of significant events of our time. If music, television and movies have the power to shape our understanding of culture, then surely the internet and memes are not different?

I see our web feature as being able to answer this question, to uncover and deconstruct the internet meme genre and document its effect in popular culture. I think it's a great time to be asking this question as well as there is very little material on this topic. There are plenty of platforms and forums of which to share meme content but none detailing its significance or the nature of viral content. Especially since memes have gone beyond that of specific forums like Reddit and 4Chan which are catered to a very specific audience with an extensive knowledge of certain pop culture topics like film and games to a broader mass medium like Facebook. The actual content of memes themselves indeed have a more mass appeal (as I detailed in my first post) allowing for wider reach and much of the humour is no longer specific to a particular event or issue - in fact it can be reshaped and catered to suit the experiences of any one (like the way colleges and specific suburbs have meme pages on Facebook).

It's obviously quite a heavy question, one which we we can endeavour to provide answers (or at the very least insight) to our target audience, the meme user. We hope that our audiences' daily interaction with memes will spark a need to understand what significance their meme sharing and creating has on the shaping and reflection of culture. It will be interesting to see historians looking back on our generation one day and wondering how something as ridiculous as planking was legitimate trending behaviour or how pictures of funny cats with incorrect grammar was found to be so humourous to so many people.

But wait... what about real life?

We know by now that the term "meme" was originally coined by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in 1976, adapting the Greek word mimeme (something imitated; pronounced "mimema") to explain the spread of ideas and cultural phenomena. Nowadays, the term is more commonly used to describe digital creations of various mediums that are passed electronically from internet user to internet user and are often adapted or remixed with each transfer.

Source

But whatever happened to memes before the internet? The term obviously existed well before the internet became so widespread, but where did they live during those prehistoric times?

One example you might remember was the popularity of the late Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter. His show was a big hit both in Australia and overseas (with particular success in America) during the early 2000s, and one would have been hard-pressed to find someone that did now know his name. But what was far more well-known were his iconic shouts of "Crikey!" upon sighting an animal in the wild or whenever a croc lunged. As a result, Irwin had people all over the world imitating him in everyday life.

In the same vein of nature programs, Sir David Attenborough's celebrated wildlife documentaries was another platform for the birth of a meme without the need for the internet. His recognisable British accent and the classic opening line "...and here we see the ____ in its natural habitat..." have been imitated and appropriated and again and again in popular culture. 

Source: EPA

Caleb has also discussed the creation of memes based on television shows, and Mel has written about Olympics memes which have spread via television and print media. Does this mean that memes always require such a medium - the internet, TV, print, radio - to carry them and allow them to spread? I would suggest not, but it certainly makes it a helluva lot easier.

What about another famous figure - Queen Elizabeth II. Her iconic wave - fingers together, arm unmoving, minimal wrist rotation - has come to symbolise the Queen as a person or royalty in general. Here is a meme that has spread (arguably) without the intervention of any medium.

What's interesting, particularly from a semiotics perspective, is the way in which words, phrases or the smallest of gestures can come to symbolise a person or idea. The term "meme" has truly reflects its Greek roots - the creation and growth of these ideas are catalysed by imitation and mimicry. The question is: what's required to elevate something like an expression or a wave to viral status of a meme? And what avenues exist that do not rely on the internet? This is definitely an area for further enquiry and research in the course of our feature.

Television memes

(This post contains offensive language, if you're under the age of 10, please stop reading now) So I'm here surfing Facebook while on graveyard shift (pardon me if I appear to be incoherent in this post!) for my job as a concierge and it hits me that we missed out on something in our unpicking at the realm of Internet memes, memes referencing television programmes.

Having sat through today's lecture on copyright and the laws protecting intellectual property, what caught my attention was the smart and hilarious 'Hitler reacts to the Hitler parodies being removed from Youtube' video.

The creator of the video made a great point in that the fat cats in suits working for the studio companies do not appear to understand the bigger picture, that these spinoff memes actually possess great marketing value for the programmes/or movies that the memes parody.

Scanning through my newsfeed on the great time-waster that we all know as Facebook, it would appear that Breaking Bad comic memes are trending (For the uninitiated, spoiler alert!) based on the fact that 5 friends from different social circles shared the following image.

                      Walter White exercises some tough love      Source: Knowyourmeme

Prior to me watching Breaking Bad and becoming a fan (only managed to get through 3 seasons though), whenever I saw the comics, it gave me a general idea of the premise of the show. What got me to actually watch the show was the frequency of these memes being shared and me wanting to know what the fuss was all about.

Linking this back to the notion that memes have the power to provide an audience with awareness of a television programme/movie/product, it would be interesting to see if the corporates manage to catch on to the idea that meme production, if anything, should be encouraged rather than suppressed like the examples we saw in lecture.

what do?

While I believe our presentation and proposal went quite well last week, we had much to consider after being proposed the challenge of writing from an American perspective, for a predominantly American audience. This meant reconsidering some of the Australian entertainment blogs and websites we had initially brainstormed in the first week. However after some analysis of these Australian publications, I feel that Vulture is still the best fit given our topic, approach, writing style and target audience. 

The style and general vibe of these Australian entertainment and pop culture publications are more relaxed, informal and conversational. The topics of their articles are quite often obscure and at times trivial which I see as being catered to more niche audiences with a particular sense of humour and really specific knowledge of certain topics (their perspective is somewhat against the conventional and the mainstream). I'm also not a fan of the way many of these articles include swearing, and I feel this would discredit our perspectives and does not align with our 'high' approach to a 'low culture topic'. 

Thus I still feel that Vulture.com is the perfect 'home' our web feature even though we face the challenge of writing for American audiences. Given that the meme genre is universal and that they have spread rapidly throughout the western world, I believe that this would still be achievable. As Caleb said last Thursday, meme audiences hold cultural capital and do not necessarily need to live/ exist in a specific physical environment to be able to appreciate and understand the references. 

For example, the meme 'The Rent is Too Damn High' was adapted from Jimmy McMillan's political party slogan in November 2010 when he ran for the New York state's gubernatorial election. Although I have absolutely no idea what that gubernatorial election is, I still understood the humour from the original video. The idea around most memes is not about whether you understand the source reference, but more so relates to the feeling that stems out of that particular meme. In this case it is about intense frustration about a certain subject - for McMillan it was the rent being too damn high, for me it is the amount of university work being too damn high. That is the reason why internet memes can be transferred so easily from one country/ culture to another - because they are easily adapted to suit people's social experiences.

Obviously this means we might not be able to include references to Sydney Uni memes/ Law School memes/ Citirail memes, but this trend of Facebook University meme pages emerged from the United States (the earliest known account was the International University of Miami in October of last year) so we should be able to find plenty of examples to use to describe our point about how they connect people through specific shared feelings and experiences. Also Jonno and I discussed briefly today about how the Aboriginal Facebook memes page would still be a newsworthy/ relevant example to international audience (Huffington Post from the UK reported the issue) as it could easily have occurred in any other country.

I'm still set on Vulture being the host publication for our feature, and I haven't been able to find anything of a similar quality based in Australia. I'm willing to run with Vulture despite the challenge of writing for an audience that we may not be a part of, but feel free to make any other suggestions/ objections in the comments below. 

Notes from the class discussion

So here are the main points from the class discussion of our presentation the other day.  A lot of them were actually something we'd considered doing anyway or stuff we'd covered in our posts already.  I'll write each point and a quick comment responding to it, feel free to add some more in the comments below!

Memes connecting groups (Uni, Areas, Schools etc.): We've spoken quite a lot about these groups, it's something that I think has really fueled the spread of memes, involving people that would have previously stayed away from them.  This is something we would cover in our articles part of the site.

Experts in memes: It's something we've spoken about already, and something I'm sure we can manage, whether it's just an email to someone from Know Your Meme or an actual academic, such as Jean Burgess (the one Fiona mentioned in relation to "vernacular creativity"). Additionally, contacting someone who has been turned into a meme, and what it's like to be on the other side of it all.

The humour behind the memes:

 This is something that was raised by a few people in the class, but covering a whole range of issues.  The ideas behind it mainly were concerned with the perception of the humour of the meme. 

• Both how humour can be used positively, and in an intellectual way for satire and parody, and the negative side of the humour.  The negative side of memes stretches from issues like racism (Aboriginal memes etc.), sexism, cyber bullying, and even hidden agendas behind memes. 
• Similar to "fair use" of material, the idea of defamation was raised, and the case of the girl who couldn't get in to law school, and is now being used as a meme.  When is it satire/parody and when is it offensive? 
• Where is the line for comedy? How far is too far?
•  As I mentioned in my post about cyber bullying, people can post something offensive, but due to the author-less nature of memes, they can hide behind them and essentially say whatever they want.  It's taking that idea of people cyber bullying and hiding behind their screens to a new level.
• Fiona raised the idea of detournament, and how the meme only works amongst people with shared values or who can recognise the humour behind it.  
• The idea of elitism and if this exists in meme creation