A FEW THOUGHTS

I've thought about a lot of different subjects for my final project but it seems like I always keep coming back to one in particular. Ever since moving to L.A. I've had a sort of weird fascination with downtown, particularly the old Historic Core and eastside that has been undergoing a sort of gentrification-fueled cultural renaissance over the past few years. I'm no city planner, but I can't help but notice the pricey lofts and apartments that are appearing in old warehouses and department stores throughout the district as well as the new restaurants and trendy bars that seem to be popping up on a daily basis.

For my project I'd like to look at that area of downtown and assess how it has changed, why it is changing, and what we can expect to see in the future. This would probably involve making multiple trips to downtown itself to talk with residents, store owners and visitors, as well as a little work tracking down the people that are behind the gentrification and growth. For the project website I hope to go beyond the standard set of interviews, articles, and links and provide the viewer with pictures, video, and sound. The goal is to provide a better sense of what downtown and the people that exist there are all about. All in all, I hope visiting the website will be a cultural experience in itself.

As I stated in the first day of class, I am not hugely technically minded. At this point in time I feel that I can get by with my basic html, photo editing, blogging, existing on the Internet etc. That having been said, there aren't too many things that I can think of that I would like to focus on in the second half of the class. One of the only things that comes to mind is working with Flash, although I am not sure if that is too advanced or time intensive for this particular course. I think Flash would make our final websites/project much more interesting, but if we are aiming for a more basic approach to the project then it might not be appropriate.

Thanks a lot and enjoy your Spring Break!