DCIM Blog Posts
Course and Project Take-aways
It has been an interesting experience taking Strategic Presentation in my final semester at Rutgers University. As this course comes to a close, I’ve had time to reflect on the different projects and lessons that helped shape my understanding of digital content creation and strategic communication. A few key takeaways really stand out.
This class was a hands-on, creative course that gave me the opportunity to build real projects aligned with my interests in digital technology and multimedia. One of the most important and beneficial experiences was creating a personal website through WordPress. While navigating this website builder, it definitely had its challenges, it taught me how to publish reflection blog posts, and showcase work such as our PSA recordings and final podcast. I learned how to turn abstract ideas into accessible content.
Another major takeaway was learning about Creative Commons standards and the importance of properly using and attributing digital media. It reminded me how critical it is to respect the rights of other creators, even in spaces where content seems freely available.
I also appreciated learning how to use digital tools for education. One standout of the class was recording a screen tutorial on how to spot AI-generated videos on social media, a timely and relevant topic as this technology continues to evolve. It showed me how digital storytelling can be both informative and engaging when used strategically.
Overall, this course opened my eyes to many small but significant aspects of the digital world. It helped me look at content creation through a more strategic lens, and I now feel better prepared to pursue my career path in digital multimedia with purpose and awareness.
Thanks for reading! Signing off from Strategic Presentation, it’s been a journey…
Podcast Takeaways:
Expectations Of This Podcast:
Overall, I hope this podcast served as a formative and insightful conversation about the current state of the digital world we live in. I aimed to highlight the vast opportunities and resources available at our disposal.I intended for this podcast to strike a balance — not too long, yet not too short — while effectively relaying important information about the significance of multimedia among creators and emerging individuals.Throughout the process, I learned that things may not always go as planned, and it’s important to adapt and overcome challenges to get the job done.One unexpected challenge during production was that I was unable to secure a guest speaker to contribute to a certain segment. However, I managed to adjust the content and still deliver a podcast that holds value and is worth listening to.In the end, I believe this project met its purpose and provided meaningful insights for listeners interested in the evolving digital landscape.
In the end, I believe this project met its purpose and provided meaningful insights for listeners interested in the evolving digital landscape.
Links to:
Non-Profit Org:
www.industryarts.tv
https://www.lightricks.com/post/the-evolution-of-content-creation
"Memes"
How does each meme relate to your topic and target audience?
Each meme relates to my topic for my website because of the recent trend of using AI in media. With the constant evolution and advancements of AI technology, it has incorporated itself into everyday life, such as doom scrolling on social media sites such as TikTok and Instagram Reels. These memes indicate how creative people can be with AI and how it almost binds well with the recently created word, “brain rot,” which can come in different forms and be used for many contexts throughout the Internet. This would include how popular AI-generated images have become viral and memes with their odd yet entertaining effect for users who happen to stumble upon it on their feeds. The other memes I have chosen, such as the AI studio Ghibli trend and the AI action figure trend, have also led to divided sides of the question of creativity and intellectual rights issues. Many people on the Internet have been either converting their images to a similar style of the popular anime art style from Studio Ghibli, in which they are or inputting custom prompts to follow the trend. Still, users and even the artists who created the art style have been met with complaints. The artist who created Studio Ghibli called out the AI’s use of imitating his art style as a disgrace or shame to his and others ‘ artwork. I believe that all of these memes will play a role in indicating to my viewers how AI can both be used as a tool, but also as a disruption to intellectual rights and copyright laws, infringement, and the restriction of AI use on social media platforms when it causes issues like this. Overall, my target audience would be individuals who follow and consume video and images across social media platforms and understand AI being incorporated into the social media field.
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In Davison’s framework, what are the ‘ideals’ of your chosen memes?
Being that my selected memes for my website are related to AI’s use in social media, whether it’s through short-form videos or images, and a combination of audio or all three. These memes have made its impact on the meme community as well as the social media community, and the range the memes that can be created with the use of AI. Showing how viral and elaborate these memes can be. The ideals of this meme are those of how Patrick Davidson describes the concepts of memes as “the concept or idea conveyed” (Davison, 2012, p. 123). For example, the AI brain rot meme might have the ideal that AI-generated content is weird, funny, and kind of addictive. The Studio Ghibli AI trend or the AI action figure meme shares a different ideal: AI can remix or copy familiar art styles in a fun, creative way. But they also raise questions about who owns the art and whether it’s fair to copy someone else’s style using AI. Lastly, Davison also adds that sometimes a meme’s ideal can change, even if the ideal looks the same. He says, “is not always replicated from instance to instance. … However, what is replicated from instance to instance is the set of formal characteristics” (Davison, 2012, p. 130). The same thing happens with AI memes; people may use them for different reasons, but still follow a similar format, like using the same visual style or structure. That connects them as part of the same meme, even if the messages are different.
What are the “behaviors” of your identified memes? Where do they originate, and how do they spread?
The “behaviors” of my memes are that many people saw the memes posted across their social media feeds. According to Davison, the behavior of a meme is “the action taken by an individual in service of the meme” (Davison, 2012, p. 123). Online users saw its charm and entertaining aspects as well as the reaction it would invoke, so many people went ahead and followed to make their own versions of the trendy memes. With how ease of use of AI, many people managed to replicate these memes as well as put their own spin on them to further push this meme along the river of memes and such.
This memes originated from being used on OpenAI, but it was added to the Know Your Meme database within the last two months. This plays into longevity and relevancy with the other countless circulating memes, the social media stream. They spread because of the attention it garners from other users, and its style of appearance also plays a factor in how it spreads. As mentioned in the Know Your Meme database, “Several internet users began sharing “Studio Ghibli” versions of notable and personal images in late March 2025 as the trend spread online.” (2025). In one instance in the database, it mentions how viral these posts got, “on March 25th, 2025, X[2] user @GrantSlatton tweeted two images, one showing him, his wife and his corgi at a beach and another showing a Ghibli version of the same image. The post gathered over 22,000 likes in a day.” (Know Your Meme, 2025). It is an insane amount of likes for someone who is not as relevant on the internet, but managed to attract and also promote this meme.
What are the “manifestations” of your chosen memes, and how are they different from other possible manifestations?
The “manifestations” of the chosen memes are that they “live” on social media and are created, the majority of the time through ChatGPT and also used with other AI programs to reach the desired audience and or effect for whatever the video is for. Its all the elements that come together, such as inputting a prompt on ChatGPT to reach the desired outcome for the meme to make sense to other online users who recognize the meme. These are different from other manifestations because of the ease of access to produce these memes. It can be done in a matter of minutes, depending on the ability of the online user and their creativity. Overall, it ultimately depends on the user to be able to apply their own thinking power to how complex these memes are. These memes can either provide short term entertainment or cause controversy with how they are being used among online users. Its up to users and social media platforms to determine what is the boundary in which these can problems.
Conclusion:
Overall, these specific manifestations will appeal to my target audience because of their current relevancy and tip of the iceberg in terms of AI memes being the new thing for social media spaces and online content creators, as well as taking note of this trend.
References:
Davison, P. (2012). The language of internet memes. In M. Mandiberg (Ed.), The social media reader (pp. 120–134). New York University Press.
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/studio-ghibli-ai-generator
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/ai-action-figures
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/tralalero-tralala
Screencast Tutorial: How to Spot AI-Generated Videos
Video Tutorial Context:
This tutorial was made to help general internet users who may not be fully aware the levels of imitation, AI can acheive by anyone on the Internet. How to distinguish AI videos from real videos. Overall, its meant to serve as a quick overview to visualize what are the common signs of what AI videos usually have across the many iterations of AI used throughout videos.
Takeaways:
I expect users to find my video either from redirection from other posts I can make regarding the topic of AI and video editing. Also, having this video promoted on the main menu of my website can increase the number of users who view it. Additionally, users may discover my video through YouTube’s recommendation system, which plays a major role in guiding viewers to related content based on their watch history and other factors. As Wolf (2016) explains, “what content appears and actually gets watched on YouTube is heavily dependent on the recommended or ‘related’ video feature,” making algorithmic recommendations a main factor of video discovery.
I believe my viewers will find my video tutorial informative and engaging because it sheds light on how advanced AI has become in imitating real-life objects and scenes. Viewers often assess the credibility of videos based on factors like facevalue truth and relevance to their interests. Wolf (2016) notes that users tend to prefer videos that appear “straightforward” and reflect “seemingly obvious “common sense”,” as they find these videos more trustworthy. By making sure my tutorial is clear, well-structured, and informative, It has a higher chance of doing well due to its appeal and credibility to my viewers.
Reference:
Wolf, C. T. (2016). Making worlds small: The entanglement of search practices and algorithmic recommendation on YouTube. First Monday, 21(6).
Links to Video Examples of AI from TikTok:
The Making Of My Header Image
The header image is one of the first visual aspects of a website that viewers see other than your web address. My header image, to me, is representative of the theme of this website.
What does the header image convey about your website, and how does this relate to meeting the information needs of your target audience?
The header image is designed to immediately communicate my identity as a technical, creative, and tech-savvy individual. It blends futuristic digital elements and digital imagery. The image of the hand and keyboard along with the streaks of light represent speed and my ability to get things done quick while also showcasing it relates to using computers. The color design in the process was chosen to make sure it looked attractive and appealing to a digital look. This is so that my audience whether they are potential collaborators, clients, or employers could instantly perceive my capability in both technology and design.
Where did you find your source images? How do you know that you are allowed to reuse them?
The images were used from a royalty free source such as pixabay and some images I had previously taken from my time at my previous college. I knew it was good to use because of the notification on top of the download image it said, “Free for use under the Pixabay Content License” and it had a link to what not to do with it and what you could use it for.
Briefly address the production process. How did you make use of image editing techniques described in Manovich’s article to create a multi-layer image?
After looking through the many available images, I found a few that seemed like it would benefit to be use for my header. I imported the images into photoshop and went to work as I have have 4 years of photoshop experience. I set the project size to be that of a web image dimensions and add the images. From scaling to cropping to also adjust the layer settings. It took sometime to get things in order but ultimately my vision came to be. I enjoyed the outcome of adjust the images. Mostly I modified each layer individually such as adjusting the curves and contrast and brightness and the color saturation as well. Linking the adjustments to each image was also used to ensure separate settings to be changed. Multiple layer image creation can help achieve what a single image creation cannot.
Compare your production process to that of a single-layer bitmap image of the sort that Davison describes. How is it similar or different?
My process was multi-layered. I could not image not being able to not create projects with multiple layers. I believe it would inefficient to work like that since there are many ways to design images with the use of layers but if I were to achieve a complex image one layer at a time then it would be tedious and time consuming.
Welcome Post!
Welcome to my ePortfolio! This space serves as a digital showcase of my journey through the Digital Communication, Information, and Media (DCIM) program at Rutgers University. This blog is an ever changing collection of my experiences, projects, and insights gained throughout my coursework and professional projects. This digital space serves as a place to document…
Welcome to my ePortfolio! This space serves as a digital showcase of my journey through the Digital Communication, Information, and Media (DCIM) program at Rutgers University. This blog is an ever changing collection of my experiences, projects, and insights gained throughout my coursework and professional projects.
This digital space serves as a place to document and promote my DCIM projects, demonstrating the diverse skills and knowledge I have learned. Not only showing what I have learned but also encapsulates what the DCIM program is gearing up students with relevant digital projects for the real world. These projects have helped me develop essential skills in communication, collaboration, and content creation.
My target audience includes fellow students, media & industry professionals, and mostly potential employers who are interested in digital media and communication. By sharing my projects, I hope to not only engage with like minded individuals but also showcase my abilities to those seeking candidates with strong digital communication skills. This website can assist in being an effective tool to help communicate my professional experiences.
Throughout my DCIM courses, I have had the opportunity to explore various digital ideas and technologies that have enhanced my technical skillset. Learning in digital environments has made me more adaptable, an important trait in today’s professional world where remote work and digital collaboration are the norm. These experiences have provided me with hands-on knowledge of digital tools, content management systems, and multimedia platforms, all of which are invaluable in any future career path.
So far, my portfolio includes a range of projects, such as:
Infographics News Projects – Crafting visually engaging and informative content to present data and ideas effectively.
Collaborative E-Book Project – Working as part of a team to create a comprehensive digital publication.
Professional Website Portfolio – Navigating WordPress create professional and promotional style website, showcasing best work and personal details for potential future employers.
Working on these projects has been an incredibly beneficial experience, allowing me to apply theoretical concepts to real world applications. I hope this blog serves as a demonstration to my growth and attracts potential employers who value creativity, digital proficiency, and innovation. Thank you for visiting, and I look forward to sharing more! Keep creating!
