DailyBean
LQ: 9.6
Recommended Age: 4+
Skills Used: Self-Awareness, Self-Control, Reading, Writing
Cinemagram is a mobile app that lets users take short micro-videos, made up of a handful of still photos which loop one after another to create movement. The concept is akin to GIF images, a file format in which more than one image can be “played” in succession to create animation. To begin, users shoot video with the app’s camera, and then choose a small portion of it to use. Expressive filters can be added to change the shading, color and exposure of the image. Optical illusions can be created too, as users can choose specific segments of the image to animate, while leaving other areas static and still. Cinemagram’s shots, known as “Cines,” are usually kept under two seconds, and like Instagram, the app involves a social element that allows users to “friend” each other, “like” one anothers’ posts, and employ a tagging system to sort Cines by subject (i.e., #rollercoaster, #hiking, #skateboarding). Cinemagram is very straightforward and easy to use, but features a heavy social media aspect revolving around uploaded video imagery, so parental supervision is strongly recommended for ages 13 and up.
Adapting and adjusting to changing conditions and expectations.
Cinemagram affords users the opportunity to see photography and video recording in a new light. The app combines aspects of both forms into one short, entertaining hybrid. Combining the lighting and filtering elements that photography apps like AfterGlow employ, with the sensibility and editing skills that shooting a video necessitates, allows users to bridge the gap between the two forms, and create something truly unique. The app has a bit of a learning curve, as users will not create their best Cines immediately. A certain familiarity and sensibility is necessary to make a trending Cine, so users must be willing to experiment with the video's length, as well as what part of the frame they want to put in motion. Developing a feel for the app requires trial and error, and an attitude that can overcome the frustration of a few unsuccessful attempts.
Understanding our own actions, thoughts and feelings.
The real purpose of Cinemagram is not to simply take Cines. It is a platform for users to share their short filmic creations with the world. Social apps like Cinemagram, Instagram, and even Twitter have the same end goal: to trend. Trending means that a blog post, picture, meme, or cine has been "liked" and "shared" numerous times. The user who creates the trend will ultimately become more popular in the social media world. But in order to create something that while will pique the interest of users, one must employ humor and aesthetic sensibility, while having a finger on-the-pulse of their friends or followers. The better users are in tune with the feelings of their peers, the more likely their creations are to trend.
By commenting, liking, and posting regularly, users will generate more followers, and those followers will usually reciprocate the goodwill. Social media etiquette (like following users back) is a skill nearly as important everyday manners in this digital age.
Animated Cines can also be more expressive than photographs - and even videos. The conflict between static image and motion creates an interesting dichotomy, leaving room for artistic liberties and interpretation. Popular Cines often reflect an aspect of a subject that is sometimes overlooked, capturing an interesting take on something otherwise seen as mundane or commonplace. Users who are able to tap into their creativity and look at the world from new perspectives may find they can pull outrageous creations from from the most everydaysettings.
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