Email and texting seem to be the origin of the emoji. Email and texting represent an evolution of the face-to-face conversation that has allowed us to engage in this type of communication asynchronously. The struggle is that writing often does not allow us to pass on simple non-verbal cues. Non-verbal elements such as facial expressions and gestures play a huge part in creating a sense of connection between two people and this has lately been adopted by writers on a more broad scale. Kress believes that ” writing is giving way, is being displaced by image in many instances of communication,” and that this is not entirely a bad thing. While this assignment does not prove his thesis, it does allow us to take a personal ste towards understanding the social effects of this shift from written text to image based communication.

When we take emojis away, and provide readers with a simple text, it is harder for a reader to understand or connect with an author’s message on an emotional level. To be sure, ideas can be conveyed by text, but if a writer tries to build a relationship that allows the communication between two people to flourish, it must involve an emotional connection. Emojis are just the right amount of commitment to allow a writer to make better connections with their readers. By utilizing a basic set of symbols that have become stand-ins for non-verbal elements, basic emotions can be communicated on the written page through emojis. We also need to consider the gap between what emojis are capable of communicating and real emotions. True emotional connection does not get passed along in a simple emoji. If we compare a lifelong friendship to a person you serve dinner to in a restaurant, emojis are just enough emotional connection to increase your tip, but the level of commitment is still far less than real friendship.

The movie I chose has a plot that emojis can not quite connect to, but the over use of heart emojis should allow the “viewer” to know that love plays a part in the plot.

Did you rely more on syllables, words, ideas or a combination of all of them?

I think ideas were the most important element however, I did try my best to recreate the names of the characters using emojis. My attempts to make syllable word puzzles by adding emojis and subtracting parts of them was really tough.

The one attempt I can tell you about without breaking my vow of silence on name of the film is the last line……did you get it?

Dolphin – doll = FIN (ie The End)

lol

My search for a doll took up much more time than I suppose I should have allocated towards this less than “doll-like” emoji.

Did you start with the title? Why? Why not?

I did start with the title. This allowed me to find ways to create parts of words from emojis as opposed to allowing them to fulfill their destiny as emotional connectors.

Did you choose the work based on how easy would it be to visualize?

Definitely not. If I wanted easy I would have done Star Wars…..This movie will be a very tough one for anyone over 35.

Kress (2005), Gains and losses: New forms of texts, knowledge, and learning, Computers and Composition, Vol. 2(1), 5-22.