#vaping nz

[spark-study-blog]

The Vaping Culture of New Zealand: Final Log

With the conclusion of my project now having finally arrived, I can say that while there were certainly ups and downs to my efforts on this project, overall I am happy with what I was able to achieve with a topic that I didn’t have a great deal of information about prior to this project.

Both of the podcasts and the cinemagraphs were fun for me to create in their own ways, though one certainly seemed more successful than the other.

The two podcasts have been uploaded to YouTube while my two cinemagraphs have been converted into gifs for viewing purposes.

[spark-study-blog]

The Vaping Culture of New Zealand: Project Start - Log 8

After completing my podcasts, there were several issues with my cinemagraph's production.

For one, any reshoots I could have wanted to do was nullified by my original model's inability to attend, with him no longer being available with his current work schedule.

In addition to this, the gathered footage was shaky and made it difficult to work with. And in particular, my choice for my second cinemagraph was far too ambitious for someone of my more recent knowledge of cinemagraphs to pull off without some hiccups.

In the end, I was able to use the key images from my raw footage and add an effect or switch through the images to add a gif-like effect similar to a cinemagraph, but I have a long ways to go before I am able to create these effectivley.

[spark-study-blog]

The Vaping Culture of New Zealand: Project Start - Log 7

As of current, both of my podcast entries have been completed.

In addition to the audio that I had already recorded for the podcasts showing no errors or glitches when being ported to Premiere Pro, I was also finally able to fully complete my title cards for the podcasts.

Not only are these a good evolution on the title cards I had preferred previously, but it also includes an additional image and a more unique title font in order to properly convey what my podcast is about and the vibe of the overall project.

Using royalty free music from the website Uppbeat, the intro and outro chosen for the podcasts is the beginning part of Orimasu by Yawnathan, further emphasizing the relatively laid back vibe of the podcasts.

[spark-study-blog]

The Vaping Culture of New Zealand: Project Start - Log 6

After several fellow students have evaluated my Presentation Pitch, feedback from them has been largely positive. Many of them reported that they believed my concept was interesting, though a few pointed out that it would have been nice to utilize actual vapors in my cinemagraphs, something I would have been happy to do had the one used by my model not run out of smoke prior filming. I will definitely take reshoots into consideration for the future.

Otherwise, it seems as though everything is going according to plan. As such, I feel confident in continuing as I have been planning.

[spark-study-blog]

The Vaping Culture of New Zealand: Project Start - Log 5

While external factors have made my attempts to finish my Project Presentation a little difficult, I was able to make it in the end.

This combined with my current raw footage for both my podcasts and cinemagraphs has me in high spirits about completing this project.

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The Vaping Culture of New Zealand: Project Start - Part 4

As of today, I have managed to record 35 minutes of audio for the podcasts (Which I was recently informed required two entries, but I can simply split the audio in two) and record some small videos to attempt to turn into cinemagraphs.

In this current stage, I have what I would consider to be the raw materials for my projects. What is required of me now is to hone them to something closer to my final goal.

[spark-study-blog]

The Vaping Culture of New Zealand: Project Start - Log 3

I now have a set of questions for my guest on the podcast.

Question 1: What do you believe the public perception for smoking is like?

Question 2: What do you believe the public perception for vaping is like?

Question 3: Why do you believe/not believe there is a difference in these perceptions?

Question 4: What might make vaping more accepted in public? 

Question 5: What have been your experiences with smoking/vaping?

Question 6: Are there genuinely any benefits to vaping over smoking?

Question 7: Is it an aesthetic thing?

Question 8: Is it a question of flavor?

Question 9: Do you think that vaping has become a core part of New Zealand’s culture

Question 10: Can something like vaping or smoking become a core part of a culture?

These questions feel as though they cover a broad enough spectrum within my particular topic in order to fill a time of 35 minutes.

[spark-study-blog]

The Vaping Culture of New Zealand: Project Start - Log 1

The two forms of media I have decided to stick to for this project are an audio based podcast and a set of cinemagraphs.

Through my research, I have found that what is considered the average podcast time is somewhere in between 30 and 41 minutes. While I am well aware that podcasts can go on for far longer, for the sake of both lightening my own workload and the time any assisting persons have to spare in order to assist with my project, I will be reaching for a runtime of 35 minutes.

As the podcast will primarily be audio based, I have no intention of revealing the faces of either myself or the other persons involved with this project. In spite of this, visuals are not entirely out of the question as a title card is still required for the podcast. 

Cool blues and greens are my impression of what would provide a calm podcast, as the overall vibe is attempting to be mellow, with some attempts at introspection. Though recently, I have considered the use of light and dark grays in order to simulate the idea of smokes or vapours.

On top of this, I will be required to write out questions about my chosen topic of how vaping has been normalized within New Zealand such as why and how they’ve been normalized and whether or not that is a good thing.

On the topic of my second half of the project, the cinemagraphs, I will have to take a variety of short videos in order to have a useful repertoire to convert into cinemagraphs. The easiest idea for the cinemagraphs would likely be someone holding a stationary vape while the smoke still continues to blow, though admittedly it is likely I will have better ideas for this half of my project once I begin filming.

Particularly, I have to consider how I can use the medium of cinemagraphs to properly display the idea of vaping being more socially acceptable in New Zealand.