New technology with some bugs -> Stylistic quirks -> A signature look for an era

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This is a pattern that is seen over and over again. Let's look at the Polaroid camera as an example. Introduced as a way to take photos and get the results instantly, without having to get film processed. There are some problems with the results (colors are inaccurate and fade easily, the photos have to be a certain size and shape, etc.), but the technology is so cool that people snatch them up anyways. Now, those old Polaroid photos have a certain look that scream "early 1970's," and people often try to replicate that look. It's an accidental style that becomes something to strive for. You see the same thing with Super 8 movie cameras, with old-fashioned sepia-toned photos, with black and white film, etc. Looking at the current technology, what are we using currently that will create a signature style for our era?

― n/a (Nick A.), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

I vote cameraphone pictures.

― n/a (Nick A.), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

Jerky, streaming video.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:32 (twenty years ago)

...with blocky compression artifacts.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:32 (twenty years ago)

nostlagia looks worse every decade, it seems.

― jermaine (jnoble), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:38 (twenty years ago)

Pixilated jpeg-looking images with poor colour compression (especially if they've got that weird square moire pattern) already look "sooooo early noughties" to me.

― Luminiferous Aether (kate), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:40 (twenty years ago)

Nick, I guess you won't have seen it but there's a TV ad over here which is basically 25 secs of some kids fooling about with the video function on a mobile phone, having a laugh, and then BANG one of them gets ploughed down by a speeding driver when he steps out suddenly into the road. So it's already started, I guess.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

I really hope the answer to this thread doesn't turn out to be iTunes's bloodyminded refusal to have a "stop" button.

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

Is that a tampon commercial?

― n/a (Nick A.), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:53 (twenty years ago)

iTunes's bloodyminded refusal to have a "stop" button

oh I hate that! I am convinced that if I pause something for too long it'll get damaged (because obviously the tape will be strained and then snap, what do you mean mp3s don't get scratched? etc).

― spontine (cis), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

you'd rather itunes had a "stop" button, markelby?

crosspost

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

xpost

Is it wrong to find that road commercial really funny? I just find the comic timing of the car very amusing...

― carson dial (carson dial), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 13:57 (twenty years ago)

This thread doubles as "Recent Portfolio Entries from The Jonathan Williams School Of HTML Web Design"

― Fushigina Blobby: Blobania no Kiki (ex machina), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:17 (twenty years ago)

I haven't seen that advert, but it sounds very Chris Morris to me.

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:22 (twenty years ago)

The 00's is defined by people trying to recreate older stlylistic quirks, camera phone style is already being used in advertising as is jerky web video

Maybe bad CGI sums up the mid 90's, the crazy frog adverts seem a bit like early eurotrance videos whether it's a concious effort to mimic that style or just a really cheap advertising budget. And 3 started a similiar ad with the "get videos on your mobile" thing.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 14:23 (twenty years ago)

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