Learning objective: To analyze the intersection of film, digital platforms, and personal archiving practices through educational and cultural lenses.
Fundamental concepts
Film as narrative medium (cine como medio narrativo — narración mediante imágenes en movimiento)
Cinema has long been a cultural vehicle that conveys collective imagination, emotions, and historical anxieties. The mention of the film Deep Impact (Impacto profundo, 1998, United States, science fiction-disaster genre) illustrates how Hollywood has used apocalyptic themes to address fears of global catastrophe. The storyline reflects societal concerns about planetary defense and human fragility in the late 20th century. By contrast, 3 Caminos (Spanish television series released in 2021) represents a contemporary narrative focusing on pilgrimage, friendship, and existential meaning along the Camino de Santiago. The juxtaposition of both works highlights the diversity of audiovisual storytelling, from cosmic-scale destruction to intimate journeys of self-discovery.
YouTube as a distribution platform (YouTube — plataforma de distribución de videos en línea)
The circulation of a YouTube link demonstrates how digital ecosystems have transformed the accessibility of cinema. Unlike traditional broadcasting, YouTube allows unofficial circulation of entire films, though this often conflicts with copyright regulations. Pedagogically, YouTube illustrates the democratization of access but also raises ethical questions regarding intellectual property. The platform, launched in 2005 and owned by Google (empresa tecnológica estadounidense fundada en 1998), is central to digital literacy, as it enables learners to analyze media both as consumers and as potential creators.
Personal digital archiving (archivo digital personal — práctica de almacenar información en medios digitales)
The practice of saving messages or links in a private space exemplifies informal knowledge management. Creating a group or channel for oneself functions as a personal database. This illustrates how digital users employ everyday platforms for archiving, replacing traditional notebooks with cloud-based, searchable environments. From an educational standpoint, such habits can be understood as micro-archiving practices that reflect the growing importance of digital curation in knowledge societies.
Contextual and cultural notes (contextos y notas)
The use of WhatsApp (aplicación de mensajería instantánea — comunicación digital en tiempo real) is part of a broader trend where communication tools double as organizational and archival systems. These hybrid uses demonstrate how digital affordances extend beyond their original design. It is also relevant that messages were forwarded, showing how content migrates across platforms and contexts, a process known in media studies as “remediation” (remediación — reconfiguración de un medio en otro). Evidence on the long-term sustainability of such archives is limited, since platforms evolve and data loss may occur.
Applications and controversies
Pedagogical implications of film analysis (implicaciones pedagógicas del análisis fílmico)
Educators can use the juxtaposition of Deep Impact and 3 Caminos to teach comparative narrative analysis. One focuses on planetary-scale crisis management, including scientific concepts such as asteroid impact mitigation (mitigación de impactos de asteroides — técnicas para evitar colisiones), while the other explores personal transformation through pilgrimage, integrating geography, spirituality, and interpersonal dynamics. Both serve as case studies for how media reflects and shapes cultural values across time and regions.
Digital ethics and copyright debates (ética digital y debates sobre derechos de autor)
The circulation of complete films on YouTube illustrates tensions between access and legality. Intellectual property law (derecho de propiedad intelectual — normas que regulan el uso de obras) attempts to protect creators while balancing public access. While learners may benefit from free availability, creators risk economic loss. Institutions such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (Organización Mundial de la Propiedad Intelectual — organismo de Naciones Unidas creado en 1967) regulate international standards, yet enforcement on global platforms remains inconsistent.
Everyday digital curation as cultural practice (curación digital cotidiana — selección y organización personal de contenidos en línea)
The act of saving media in a private WhatsApp group is both practical and symbolic. It shows how individuals act as curators of their own digital museums, collecting fragments of cultural production. This practice is increasingly important for lifelong learning, as it allows individuals to revisit and contextualize media experiences. However, it raises questions about the permanence of digital memories: What happens if platforms close or links expire?
Synthesis and projection (síntesis y proyección)
The integration of cinematic narratives, digital platforms, and personal archiving underscores the importance of media literacy in contemporary education. Learners must develop critical awareness of how stories shape cultural imagination, how platforms mediate access, and how personal habits of archiving reflect broader epistemological trends. Future pedagogical efforts should include both technical literacy (understanding platforms) and cultural literacy (analyzing narratives), ensuring that students can critically navigate an environment where media is abundant but fragile.
Sources
- IMDb. Deep Impact (1998). https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120647/
- FilmAffinity. 3 Caminos (2021). https://www.filmaffinity.com/es/film807949.html
- YouTube. “About YouTube.” https://www.youtube.com/intl/en/about/
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). “About WIPO.” https://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/
- Bolter, J. D., & Grusin, R. (1999). Remediation: Understanding New Media. MIT Press.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 