Editing and Reflecting

This week’s lecture took the form of an interview between Susanna Edwards, Course Leader, and Angharad Lewis, a lecturer at the London Metropolitan University.

What strikes me initially is that Lewis did not study visual culture at degree level. She found an interest in the realtionship between words and images, completing a masters in History of Decorative Arts and Design, before setting out on a career of writing about design.

She started writing for Graphics International and explains how the magazie transitioned through several iterations, mimicking changes that were happening in the world of Graphic Design.

I suppose these changes would have also been in the tone of voice of the publications too? In 2014, Grafik moved to an online format where it would, again, have to change its tone of voice and style.

To be fair, most organisations have had to change with the developments of social media and freeer access to the internet. We all now live in a ‘Tik-Tok’ society where 30 seconds of attention may be all we can ask for from certain consumers.

Lewis’ advice on writing the essay is as follows:

Context – What sort of publication is it written for
Know your theme
Think about pace and rhythm
Beginning, middle and end

Tone of Voice

Genres and tone of voice often go hand in hand. They have been developed over centuries to incite feelings within a reader.
The macabre and modern mystery is often laced with tension and suspense. Questioning and often based on facts, the text engages through a game of obsuring and revealing.

With the rise of real life murder mysteries, such as Netflixs’ ‘Making a Murderer’ and the Ted Bundy biopic, ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile’, it has highlighted the human desire to find truth in the darkness.
Spliced with hues of red and blacks, tv and film produces often highlight the unseen to cause apprehension with its audiences.

The theme I have chosen, therefore, will focus on the idea that the Boot Lace Killer was never truly identifed. I hope to write in a style which places the investigation in the reader’s hands. The fact that no answer exists in this account is actually a helpful aspect as it will leave audiences questioning and debating Bennett’s guilt.

In terms of a beginning middle and end – I will lay out the details of the crime before examining the investigation conducted by the police. Finally, I will look into the additional murder which took place in similar circumstances, years after Bennett’s death.
Was Bennett the Bootlace Killer?

Moodboard

References

Dandad.org. 2020. Dracula Billboard. [online] Available at: https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2020/232802/dracula-billboard/ [Accessed 14 May 2021].

newonnetflix.info. 2021. The Ripper – Netflix. [online] Available at: https://uk.newonnetflix.info/info/81006684 [Accessed 14 May 2021].

Maze Theory. n.d. Peaky Blinders — Maze Theory. [online] Available at: https://www.maze-theory.com/peakyblinders [Accessed 14 May 2021].

Scott Vinkle. 2019. What is High Contrast Mode?. [online] Available at: https://scottvinkle.me/blogs/work/high-contrast-mode [Accessed 14 May 2021].

Netflix.com. 2021. Netflix United Kingdom – Watch TV Programmes Online, Watch Films Online. [online] Available at: https://www.netflix.com/gb/ [Accessed 14 May 2021].

Weekes, P., 2018. True Crime Is Exposing Problems POC Have Been Yelling About | The Mary Sue. [online] The Mary Sue. Available at: https://www.themarysue.com/true-crime-poc-serial/ [Accessed 14 May 2021].