What is Digital Media??? Creativity in the new digital age?

Alwin Nikolai "Gallery"

This week we are diving into the topics of digital media, copyright, and the performing arts in this new age. In Bob Kings audio we get a good defintion on what digital media is. Basically its the difference between the analog age ( continuous file) and the digital age (tiny pieces assigned a numerical value). A good example of a medium of this would be film. Without studying digital media we wouldn't be able to live in this modern world, we would be at a standstill and lost.

Lev Manovich states that new media is the use of computer for distribution and exhibition rather than production. A good example would be like 3-d and text-image compositions.

Johnathan Lethem "Ecstasy of Influence" talks about creativity. Most artist are converted to art by art itself. We try to make "familiar strange" and we almost are making culture property this leads me into the topic of copyright.

Lawrence Lessing talks about changes in copyright which we have alot to deal with when it comes to impact of digital technologies and the old traditional copyright laws. Are society has made it so easy to get any source in a matter of minutes, kids can download music without purchasing from Itunes. Are we criminals? The film Girl Talk goes into more depth about this.

Steve Dixion talks about performing arts and digital media. I really enjoyed this. Performing arts is considered "digital" when technology plays a key role . Like Merce Cunnigham using virtual dancers and Alwin Nikolai in his piece " Gallery" where he uses black lights. I believe this new age of digital media has made the performing arts better. Technology has added a whole new element to the performing arts, on the flip side it has caused problems because its taking away from the " live experience" of theater. The digital age has caused creativity to be pushed to a whole other level.