A “zine” is a shortened version of the term fanzine, which is an informal type of publication that emerged as early as the 1930s among fans of science fiction. More commonly, zines are created with collages of texts and images and reproduced via photocopier in limited quantities. They are shared within a community, and profit is not the goal of the publication
For this assignment, you must work in pairs to create a one-page zine to feature a 'dead media' artifact. We are calling 'dead media' a group of media artifacts that are no longer widely accessible, or in current use, or are no longer 'cool'. As we know, 'dead media' do not entirely disappear, they are remediated. So far, we have discussed that new technologies and new modes of communication draw, both technically and metaphorically, from older modes. McLuhan, for example, says that new media are introduced often as a more efficient or automated or information-rich way to do what existing media did. Bolter and Grusin, say that new media remediate older media, for example, the printing press remediates handwriting, removing the need for a human writer. To better understand if and how media "die" or are remediated, you will work in pairs to research a 'dead media' artifact.
How to find a 'dead media' artifac
Go to the original Dead Media Project or from the Dead Media Archive to select one medium. When choosing your medium, opt for the unfamiliar and the strange if at all possible—try to find a medium you suspect your classmates have never heard of, or perhaps one they will think they know until its reality surprises them. This is the starting point of your research. Once you select one artifact, look for other references to investigate this medium further.
Your one-page zine should feature your 'dead media' artifact and engage with the following questions •
What is this medium and what does it do?
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How did this medium innovate, diverge, or respond to even earlier media? What precisely was new about it when it was the “new media?”
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What were the cultural effects of this medium during its heyday? Did it produce substantive changes in domestic life, politics, art, or other spheres?
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How and why did your medium decline in importance?
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What were the lasting effects or products of your medium? Was it a media “dead end” or did new media evolve from it? How does your medium linger in descendants, images, or language?
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Remember that a zine must relay information about your 'dead media' artifact in ways that are informative, concise and creative.
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Bridgette Corpus and Milan Hall, The Cat Piano Lila Russell and Ashley Worden, Stained Glas Bogdana Zhelezova and Patrick Shannon - Silent Films Bobby Welch and Madison Nance, The Teletype Machin Nelie Tahssili and Caroline Richardson, Electric Typewriter Hannah Keister, Edison’s Phonographic Dol Peyton Gardner and Ava Brookhouse - Language of Flower Daniel Bizzelll and Aidan Flynn, The Super 8 Camera Audra Edwards and Rachelle Hernandez, Bone Record Elsa Trunnell and Anna Reid, Jukeboxe Emily Scarboro and Alandya Warren, Candle Powered Radio Jayden Light and Jeanine Ikekhua, The Walkma Ally Yeno and Nina Sikora, Tamagotch Lily Grace Barbour and Zoe Edwards, Myspac Hayden Roimisher and Alaina Verdi, Pigeon Post Grace Coxxolino and Clare Kiernan, Dime Museu Carter McDermott and Mak Rink, Zoetropic Record Meghan Judge and Mary Brown, The Phone Boo Catelyn Meredith and Emily Taylor, Tamagotch Marlee Wolford, Ashley Paquette and Emma Persson, Drive-In Theater Joey Spry and Heidi Reid, Vinyl Multimedi Natalie Gore and Ayden Law, The Mini Cine Toy Projecto Ella Glasgow and Jesse Childs, Yellow Page Celeste Weber and Amelia Schneider, The Dream Machine! Cybik Kelsie Johnson and Rachel Lima, The Telegraph Cora Vaughan and Mary Crispo - Language of Flowers Daniel Lash and Jack Agresta, The Experiential Typewriter Keeland Covell and Emma Jimenez, The Mixtap Brynn Moore and Kimberly Tran, Tamagotch Sarah Flake, Pigeon Pos Olivia Steare, Drive-In Theater Lauren Rose and Faith White, Flower Code Joyce Cho and Owen Larson, Minicin Courtney Cavanaugh and Hailey Badgley, Metal Mone Bayleigh Ipock and Dylan Baldauf, The Carrier Pigeon and Telegrap Katie Kitching, Sydney Eure and Ailya Arous, The Jukebo Taylor Ryan and Elise Sharpe, Silent Film Emma DiLello and Pryce Dickens, Drive-Ins Theater
The
PIANO This instrument was created to amuse a great prince who was suffering from mental illness. This media is similar to a traditional piano, however, This instrument diverges from the musical strings had been the typical piano by using live replaced with live cats. When cats to produce the “music”. a key was played, a The cat aspect is truly the corresponding needle would only thing that makes it “new media”, even the idea to use poke into a cat's tail thus musical instruments as therapy creating a melody from the came years prior. mewing of the cats.
The cat piano did not produce substantive cultural effects. The media was obscure, cruel, and difficult to make so it was not important enough to create significant cultural changes. In fact, there is no evidence to show that it was even built, it was more so of an idea. However, the oddness of it did lead to illustrations being produced of it.
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By Elise Sharpe and
Taylor Ryan
S I L E NT F I LM
Our dead media artifact is a silent film, a recorded series of moving pictures (usually black and white) without any recorded sound. This medium incorporates aspects of preexisting media such as photography. The creation of film photography allowed multiple photographs to come after one another in the form of a moving picture. Silent Films became very popular due to the inexpensive cost and easy accessibility they provided to society. the lack of scripting and dialogue also allowed these films to reach a wider audience since there harbored no language barrier. Unfortunately, there was a steep decline in popularity after the addition of sound and dialogue Although the creation of silent films built a foundation for the future of cinema and production that followed.
𝕕𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖-𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 is -in e v ri or , A d outdo eater h an ie t ople mov ch pe heir n whi in t ked i t r si s pa a car nt of o . fro een t ies scr h mov c wat
Drive-ins starting taking off in the 1950s. During this time, it offered family entertainment. People were able to sit in their cars, which allowed them to bring their children without disrupting others, could smoke and it offered a more flexibility than indoor theaters.
There were drive-in theaters as early as 1910, but the first patented drive-in opened in June of 1933 by Richard Hollingshead in New Jersey. Hollingshead created a solution for people unable to fit comfortably in small movie theater chairs. The success of his drive-in caused more of them to appear in every state and internationally.
Sever al promp factors ted t he d drive ecline in -in a sub s includ estat urban r ing eal e faded developme nt, novel ty cars, small of er num famil bers of compe ies, and a tit multi ion from theat screen shopp ers in ing m alls.