Georgia and Victoria Cranstoun are the two girls featured in this video, they have no professional experience in the film or telivision production industry however have created a series of videos and posted them to Youtume. Being distantly connected to the Cranstoun sisters through a friend I am aware that they are both aspiring to enter into the television industry and hope to pursue careers together. They have already accumulated many fans through their videos on Youtube and have started their careers in their own backyards.
I begin this blog with the aim of addressing the new media term ‘Produsage’ which has been developed by Axel Bruns. When defining Produsage, Bruns addresses the idea that produsage allows collaborative communities to break down the boundaries between producers and consumers (A Bruns. 2007) This quote supports the idea that new media technologies such as web 2.0 are narrowing the gap between producers and consumers through the formation of collaborative networking and file sharing. Produsage essentially has lead what used to be a hierarchical structure in which the producer, consumer and users being clearly defined, to become a more even structure known as ‘heterarchy’.
Bruns has also written a paper called “Reconfiguring Television for a Networked, Produsage Context”. This paper addresses the idea of produsage and how networking or file sharing affects the television industry. An online copy can be found at this link : http://snurb.info/files/Reconfiguring%20Television%20for%20a%20Networked,%20Produsage%20Context.pdf.
When scanning through this reading, I became more aware of how produsage can affect me as a creative practitioner. Bruns addresses Youtube, and how producing and sharing video affects the media and film industries. At one point it is suggested that Youtube can result in quality and popular content to “rise to wider attention” (Bruns. n.d) allowing an avenue for amateur ‘users turn producers’ to get their work out there. Much like the Cranstoun sisters featured above, their work is out there and are becomming more and more popular as they create more videos.
Produsage directly affects me as my professional interest in the film industry and film production is openly affected. Youtube, is one clear example of how produsage is breaking down the boundaries between producers and users. At the moment, I am not certainly decided that a career in the film industry is my designated profession, however I have a keen interest in it. This is where Youtube helps me, as currently I can explore video and film production as a leisurely exercise as apposed to a proffestional one (this is where I stumble upon entertaining videos like the featured). To put it quite simply, when researching this term of ‘produsage’ I have been able to find a way in which it relates to me personally through Youtube. My case is a simple example of how Youtube channels the idea of produsage within the creative industries.
The film industry is a very tough industry to break into and make a reasonable living or career out of. However with these new developments and the idea of produsage becoming more and more prominent in society, alternative avenues of getting your creative work out into the world are becoming more available to the average user. Admittedly, the film industry is still a very refined industry but this idea of produsage makes it a little more accessible to users and amateur creative practitioner’s like me.
May 3, 2009 at 5:39 am |
Gemma,
It comes to no surprised to me that the produsage has affected your professional interest, film industry even when my professional interest, health has been dramatically affected as well. The community knowledge is now valued just as much as the knowledge of experts in any field of professions.
As you have mentioned that Youtube has an immense affect in the film industries today, through the showcase of videos by amateurs is being valued. I believe that these ‘produsers’ have an equal power to shape our media and people than with knowledge and information that are given from professionals; the power to influence their values and attitude by sharing their own point of view and opinion. Do you have any videos on Youtube or some other ways to contribute such as leaving comments on videos?
Produsage gives us a position in any fields of profession even when we’re still, as Bruns terms as ‘folks’ (for now) rather than ‘experts’. We are able to locate ourselves by contributing our own knowledge and point of view and to collaborate with professionals and other non-professionals to develop an even broader knowledge and through this, to build a wider “collective intelligence’’.
Crystal
May 27, 2009 at 6:12 am |
As I opened up your blog on produsage I was pleasantly confronted with two close friends’ faces from the YouTube video. Finally, something and someone familiar, making a mark in this world using what the web has to offer. Knowing these people and some of their dream and ambitions I believe this was a perfect example for what the web has offered amateurs to strive to be professionals. Previously such amateurs wouldn’t get recognised which would lead to another profession, something that is of second preference.
Furthermore Bruns states how, ‘A major strategy available for television in a produsage context is to engage more directly with users as produsers themselves.’ ( 2008, 10) Therefore as the entire produsage shift affects several industries for the more diverse future, we are able to connect more closely with the content. I originally was hesitant towards this change, however through this example and several others presented by the new media students, this change is for the better. It is allowing a space for more attached selection of either professional or amateur work or entertainment. Thank you.
Bruns, A. (2008) Reconfiguring Television for a Networked, Produsage Context. http://produsage.org/files/Reconfiguring%20Television%20for%20a%20Networked,%20Produsage%20Context.pdf (accessed 27th May 2009)