For many people, technology is everything. They can’t live without their laptop, mobile, mp3 player or tablet computers. As technology has became a major part of our daily lives, there is always the question of which shapes which? Do we shape the technology, or does it shape us. As technology is constantly evolving and changing, it seems we change with it, so to many the answer is that it shapes us but I don’t think believe that is the true answer. I believe that technology is constantly changing as we as humans find the need to create the perfect system. Technology is constantly getting old and redundant in a matter of months to years. This is simply because we need better, we strive for the best. The latest machine can help us achieve fast, quicker and even deliver better results, so we constantly feel the need to upgrade. Every year I get a new mobile phone, as I believe the latest model has so many new features which will make my day a lot easier. We need to have something that will always work better with us, which is why tablet computers and hand held touch screen devices have became so much popular the last couple of years. They are intuitive yet simplistic. At heart, they have the most simple and easy navigational systems, yet can do almost anything we need it to. The world where technology was difficult to use is dying out, and the new world, in which the easier yet smart devices are elite, is coming in. We shape the world of technology as we control it and create what we need. It does not control us.






Past times will always shape the future, not just in terms of the ideology that surrounds us at that present moment, but also in many different ways, such as politics, technology and even art. To simply forget about the past and not learn from it is very childlike and preposterous, for one to progress into a better area of knowledge and understanding of art and the world that we live in, one must look back at the past and truly understand how it helped shape the present. For example, the great film noire period would not have been born if there wasn’t a great leap in the world of technology, without the first camera that could record moving images and sound, the movement would simply not have came about. And even more so, the digital art period would not have been created in later years. One has to realise that if there is a change, leap or deterrence in one area, it can effect many areas around it. The past must be looked back apon for further reference on how to shape today and the future. It is important to study such ways in which creative artefacts were produced in the past as they can help you create your own artefacts today. You can see how a designer or artist made a specific artefacts and the different resources they used to do so and use it as guidance. It can not only show you how to create something, but how to reinvent it and take something in a completely new direction. To turn a blind eye to the past, is the same as turning a blind eye to the future. You must look at both to understand the present.





It is evident that in all walks of life that the past has helped shape the present, and will always continue to forge away at creating a new future. For some, the past cannot be forgotten and will always be a major part of their present life, and how they got there.


The Second World War is an event which has shaped human history. The war was a dark time as in the side of human nature, and the unnatural lengths that we will go to but was also a great time for the advancement of science and technology. The world was thrusted into a new period, in which to survive, you had to be ahead of the game tactically, and with technology. New weapons of war were being created on all sides of the world, and at an alarming rate. This caused the world to be transformed over night. Due to this, the world drastically changed. The Second World War caused this mass expansion of weaponry to be created, and the advancement of technology. Without this event, we would not be at this technological era that we are in at this moment in time, we would be slightly far back. The Second World War had a massive impact on us, it showed us that we cannot simply let someone get away with terrible crimes. Below is a few images I have gathered of weapons, technology and vessels created during the war.

Messerschmitt Aircraft was first developed and used in The Second World War.

The worlds most dangerous weapon, The Nuclear Bomb, was also developed during The Second World War.

One of the world's first Radar systems was invented and used during The Second World War.


Adolf Hitlers hunger for world domination and to completely eradicate people of the jewish religion, was started in Germany. This where the event began, in 1936. Slowly and surely Adolf changed peoples opinions and manipulated them into believing lies. This changed the ideology of the time, and what peoples beliefs were. By creating a political party, and an army, Hitler was able to start a revolution on a small scale. In turn, the caused many peoples ideas and thoughts of people of the Jewish religion to change, and then listen to Hitlers thoughts a lot more. As Hitler’s power grew stronger and expanded at an exponential rate, the power and reputation of the Jewish people rapidly deteriorated. The ideology of one man changed the thoughts of millions of people through simple political rallies and speeches. This was revolution on massive scale. The rallies had a major impact on the country of Germany. They changed everyones thoughts, and let the worlds more terrible man rise to control a vast army. It was the beginning of the worst period in history that the world has even seen. Below are some images and a video of Hitler’s many political rallies that he held.

Hitler walks in front of his Nazi political party at a rally in Munich.

Another Nazi parade in Germany, preaching their beliefs.


Hitler changed many people’s ideas and beliefs, but to make sure that these people continued to agree with him he had to make implement it into everyday living. One of the ways he done this, is by the use of media and propaganda. By using cartoons, Hitler was able to instil the Nazi beliefs into the young children of Germany, which in turn, meant that they would grow up with these beliefs and it would be the norm to them. Below is a short cartoon which was shown in Germany to young children.

“Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.” is a quote from Hitler. This shows us that he knew exactly what he was doing, and how to manipulate people through the media and propaganda. The propaganda had a big impact on the people of Germany. It made them cement their new beliefs in place, and made everything that they were doing seem okay. By using many different posters, Hitler was able to make the society of the time seem fine and acceptable to the people, and hide the honest truth from them. A few of the posters that Hitler used are below.

A Nazi propaganda poster supporting Feminazi youth.

Another Nazi poster used to show the difference between the glorious life which Hitler and the Nazi's followed, and the dirty life of jews.


As Hitler’s propaganda took on full effect, and he had persuaded most of Germany to completely support him and his views, then the even darker side of his nature came out. Hitler thought that all of the Jewish community was dirty and wrong, and even more so, that they should be removed from life on earth. He set up what he called “Labour Camps” for Jewish people to go to and work, separate from the rest of Germany. The Holocausts, as they became known, were a home of torture and pain. The Nazi’s controlled the jews, almost as pets in the camps. They were free to torture and abuse them, without anything bad coming back on them. It was a place of pure evil, with the Nazi’s beliefs at the heart of it. The impact that the camps had on us is still present to this day. It showed us how far someone can go to, simply because they dislike another person. The show us that no matter what, we should never let someone who has hatred in their heart, run a country or even be allowed power. The camps weren’t publicised in the media, as Hitler and the Nazi’s knew that it was so shocking, that people would lose faith in him. There would have been a new revolution against him, from his own people if they learned the horrible truth about what was happening. Below are some images and a video of the holocausts.

The Jewish people were heard like sheep, and treated worse.

Jewish people were just left to die. They didn't get the rights that they deserved.

Life will always be a series of events which, in turn will alter later events which come after them. They will always hammer away at creating a new future and changing the present. The world cannot forget the past and must always use it as a template to look at situations and how to solve them.





“Fantastically, brilliantly mad!” was my first thought when I seen the ending to A Good Man Goes To War when it aired all those months ago in May. The episode was a complete high the whole way through, and a total roller coaster of emotions. The last scene however, was by far the best. It showed the character of River Song reveal her identity to The Doctor, which was a mystery throughout the last three seasons. It was an eagerly awaited moment for the viewers of the show, and the director used many different ways to let you know that it was important. The music, the imagery and the dialogy used was exceptional, and by far one of the best scenes in tv history that I have seen. What made the scene so fantastic was the revelation, and how the director used many different ways to build up to the revelation and keep you hanging right to the very end.


The music was very sad, yet intense. This was achieved by altering the tempo, rythm and volume. It worked in parallel with what was happening on screen, such as when there was a low moment, the music was slow and quiet, but when there was a lot of anger or frustration at certain characters, the music would become loud and full on. Murray Golds score was brilliant, and matched exactly how the characters felt during the scene. It took you on the roller coaster of emotions with them. The score is below.


One of the most important shots used in the scene was of River Song and The Doctor’s hands touching the cradle. The close up showed that what was happening with River taking The Doctor’s hand was important as it was the only imagery in the shot. Another close up however was more important, when we the viewers and two other characters found out who the character truly was. The close up shows the name of the character on a piece of linen, which is a shock to both the audience and the characters. By using a close up of the linen and the name on it, it emphasises how important and big the revelation is. The name being in the centre of the screen is almost a metaphor of how the character is right in the middle of everything and always the focal point. The shot is as below.

When River

Another shot that is used many times throughout the scene is Talk Space shots. These shots are used when River and The Doctor are talking, and when Amy and River are talking also. When River speaks to The Doctor, the Talk Space shot is very important as it shows the intimacy between the two characters, and the importance of the revelation as they draw closer to each other which shows how interested The Doctor is in finding out. Below is an image of when The Doctor works it out before the audience does and finds it surprisingly funny. It shows how close the characters are and how close the communication between the two is.

The Doctor works out who River Song is.