Blog 8

http://changethis.com/manifesto/show/66.01.Brainwashed

Art is the act of pure human creation.  It doesn’t follow any rules.  It is something that any of us can create, and can change everything.  It is also risky.

Acknowledge the Lizard brain refers to the prehistoric brain stem responsible for us fearing being laughed at, causes anger, and makes us compliant.  Its worst nightmare is being laughed at.  It is what stands between us and our art.  It is happy with following orders and being compliant, because it doesn’t want us to be resistant.

The learn section discusses how school used to be used to create compliant trade workers.  That mindset needs to be changed.  School is now, and it is not school without constant failure.

I believe this class is teaching us to be creative, to not be held back by rules and guidelines.  It teaches us to create.  It gives us the tools we need to be creative and express ourselves, and lets us run wild.  We can be solely expressive, and not worry about being laughed at or being humiliated.  We use a variety of programs and tools to allow us to be creative in different ways.  We collaborate with others, and learn how to work together.  I know this class really helped me become more creative and expressive.  I got to just roam free designing scripts and soundscapes, and animations.  It also taught me how to be creative while also collaborating with others.

                This class helps us to let go of our “Lizard Brain”.  It helps us become comfortable in being creative.  It helps us to not fear being laughed at, and challenges our lizard brain by requiring us to “think outside the box”.  We do not have many rules to follow, not much pure busy work, it is almost fully based on our own, and our group mates, creativity.  I was always worried about being laughed at while creating things or giving presentations.  This class provided an environment where we did not have to be worried about that sort of thing, we could just be creative, and not worry about anything else.

                This class also redefines what it means to learn.  Instead of being a usual class where you do worksheets, take tests, and the usual, this class was based on creativity.  I believe Universities in general are more focused on the personalized and creative education method, where as grade school is focused on the latter, making compliant workers for factories and other trades.  This class allows us to be ourselves.  The article defines true school as a place where you will fail and without failing, and struggling, and being worried about your own creativity, you are no truly learning.  I truly felt like I was being challenged, and almost felt like I was going to fail, during the Pencil unit.

                Overall this class challenges the standard class structure.  It allows us to be fully creative, and challenges us to express ourselves in new ways.  It helps us forget our Lizard Brain by providing a friendly environment to experiment.  It also truly teaches us, by letting us be ourselves, and not just giving us busy work.

Blog 7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VhfPN_6fcA&feature=related

The scene I chose was from the Matrix.  The theme in this movie is alternate reality.  It portrays that everything we see, hear, and taste, could all be fictitious, a figment created by a machine.  Everything you ever knew, could not even exist.  The real world could be completely opposite of what you believe, it could be a dark, industrialized wasteland, run by robots with artificial intelligence.  It also has biblical references.  It has people that relate to God and Jesus, that you are being watched, and that someone is the “Chosen One”.  And they alone have the power to change the course of history.

Shape is used in this scene to Contrast the characters.  The agents have a square shape.  They have square edged glasses, square face, their suits are also squared off.  This shows a big contrast from Neo, who is more circular.  Has a circular head, his trench coat has lots of curves in it.  Movement is also used to differentiate the mood and feelings of each character.  The agents are moving fast and this represents their frustration.  Neo, on the other hand, moves very slowly and with confidence.  This represents that he has realized he has nothing to worry about, he now realizes his power.  The agents are trying to punch him, frantically throwing punches, and Neo almost without effort is blocking every blow.  There is some affinity between the characters too.  Both are wearing dark clothing, and have heavy shadows, helping to indicate that Neo has risen to the same level as them, and is now an equal contender.  When Neo finally see’s the world for what it is, it is shown with great contrast.  Everything is replaced with green lines of text, showing the contrast between what everyone sees, and what the world really looks like.  It is just a figment of the imagination, nothing you see is what it seems.  It is all just code in a massive computer simulation.  Once you realize that, you have unimaginable power. 

Blog 5

In my scene the director did follow the 180 degree rule.  All shots were taken from the same side of the desk.  There were really only 3 shots primarily used.  There was a 2 shot at the beginning, to a close up, then it mainly switches between a sort of over the shoulder shot from each direction.  The cameras never break the 180 degree arc.  The cameras were almost completely opposite of each other while being close to the 180 degree plane, they did not break it.

                The rule of thirds is used in the scene.  The 2 detectives faces are always at on of the intersections.  Mainly in the top left and right thirds of the screen.  In some of the shots it has one detective in the lower left third, and the other in the upper right third.  This gives a feeling of dominance to the detective on the right, and makes the other detective seem submissive and weak, even when he is actually the one yelling at the other detective, it still makes him seem stupid, and the other detective dominant over him..  Throughout the whole scene, the attention is always placed on their faces.

                The 30 rule is definitely applied in this scene.  There are no jump cuts, and all the camera shots have at least a change in angle of 30 degrees.  In the 2 widely used shots in the scene, there is a difference in around 170 degrees between the shots, and they are each zoomed in on the opposite detectives face.  So both rules are applied simultaneously.

All three of the rules were applied in this scene.  The cameras never broke the 180 degree plane.  The faces of the detectives were always in one of the intersections of the thirds.  The camera shots applied both changes larger than 30 degrees and zooms over 30%.

Blog 6

The 2 images I chose were from the movie Aladdin, and the series Adventure Time.  Both images are strongly using color to contrast characters in the scene.  In the scene from Aladdin, the Sultan and Jafar are colored very differently, to show the differences in intentions and personality.  The sultan, representing good, is colored in very light colors, such as the white beard, light blue, and whitish yellow.  This is heavily contrasted in the coloring of Jafar.  He is colored in darker colors, purples, reds, blacks.  This is to represent his evil nature, and perhaps relate him to the Devil, which is usually represented with reds.  The contrasting colors in the scene represents the conflict that is occurring.

                The scene from Adventure Time uses color in a similar way.  The ice king is colored in dark blue, which represents power.  Blue is also associated as a boyish color.  The background is filled with light blues, which represents calmness and healing.  Princess Bubblegum is colored in purples, which represents royalty.  Purple is also strongly associated as a girly color.  The Ice King’s and his lair are all colored in shades of blue, strongly contrasting the purple Princess Bubblegum, and emphasizing how out of place she is.  The blue brings a calming feel to the scene, even though that is the complete opposite feeling you should have considering what is happening in the scene.

                There is symbolism in both scenes.  In Aladdin, the Sultan is representing good, purity, whereas Jafar is representing evil and the Devil.  In Adventure Time, if you analyze what is happening in the scene, the Ice King is basically a powerful creepy old man, and Princess Bubblegum is a young princess, and basically the Ice King is kidnapping the princess and trying to make out with her.  It is not really hidden in the scenes, but is cleverly dismissed in the shows, whereas it is never acknowledged as being as serious as it really is.

                Both scenes use color to strongly contrast the characters personalities and intentions.  Both scenes feature characters in a conflicting situation, which is represented by the coloring.  They also both use symbolism to represent power and evil, and good and weakness.

Blog 4

Tonight, Tonight, Hot Chelle Rae  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzlNFcT2aOE&ob=av3e

Change of Seasons, Sweet Thing  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVFAWYPlcLU&ob=av2e

The two songs I chose were Tonight, Tonight by Hot Chelle Rae, and Change of Seasons by Sweet Thing.

                The songs have many elements that are the same.  Both songs have a medium-fast tempo, and both have an upbeat and happy groove.  The height of the 2 songs are also similar.  They stay in the medium and higher range of notes.  The drums were prominent in both songs and helped give the song its primary movement and rhythm.   In Tonight, Tonight, the bass guitar provides additional rhythm to the song, and in Change of Seasons, the piano provides additional movement in the song.  Both songs have similar emotional architecture.  They both end with the climax point of the song, with the highest depth of instrumentation.  Tonight, Tonight has a single drop of in intensity and then a buildup until the end of the song, whereas Change of Seasons has a smaller drop off after the first chorus, then a large drop off in intensity and then its buildup till the end.  The structure of the songs were fairly similar.  Both have the “verse, chorus, verse, chorus” pattern in the middle, and both songs end with the climax point.

                I like both of these songs, but if I had to pick one that I liked better, it would be Change of Seasons.  I really like the depth to the song, especially during the chorus and climax.  I like how throughout the song the piano adds a unique feel to the song.  The guitar in the background adds a really neat complementary sound to the song as a whole.  The background singing is almost used as an instrument in parts of the song.  I really enjoy the upbeat and happy feel to the song.  I particularly enjoy the end portion of the song with the build up to the climax, and quick drop off at the end.  Overall, I like the song because it is very deep and gives your ears and mind somewhere to go.  It gives you a feeling of not having a care in the world, and just having fun.

Youtube Script

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4wykeJBHdE&feature=related

FADE IN                                                          
                                                                           
                                                                           
          INT. POLICE STATION OFFICE DAY                                   
                                                                           
          ALLEN GAMBLE sits at his desk and types on his computer.         
                                                                           
          As he is typing, TERRY HOITZ enters the room.                    
                                                                           
                              TERRY HOITZ                                  
                    Do you know what I just did?                           
                                                                           
          Allen Gamble stops typing                                        
                                                                           
                              TERRY HOITZ                                  
                    I just walked out that door, saw a                     
                    couple detectives, and I was about                     
                    to start bad mouthing you behind                       
                    your back, but i stopped myslef                        
                    because my pops taught me that a                       
                    man that talks behind somebodys                        
                    back, is a coward.                                     
                                                                           
                              ALLEN GAMBLE                                 
                    Wow, i actually appreciate that                        
                                                                           
                              TERRY HOITZ                                  
                    Good, because im going to tell you                     
                    directly to your face.                                 
                                                                           
                              ALLEN GAMBLE                                 
                         (Quietly)                                         
                         No, you don’t have too                            
                                                                           
                              TERRY HOITZ                                  
                    I don’t like you.  I think you’re a                    
                    fake cop.  The sound of your piss                      
                    hitting the urinal, it sounds                          
                    feminine.                                              
                                                                           
                              ALLEN GAMBLE                                 
                    Mmm                                                    
                                                                           
                              TERRY HOITZ                                  
                    If we were in the wild,i would                         
                    attack you.  Even if you wern’t in                     
                    my food chain, i would go out of my                    
                    way to attack you.  If i were a                        
                    lion and you were a tuna, i would                      
                    swin out to the middle of the ocean                    
                    and i would freaking eat you!  And                     
                    then i’d bang your tuna girlfriend.                    
                                                                  

ALLEN GAMBLE                                 
                    Ok, first off, a lion?  Swimming in                    
                    the ocean?  Lions don’t like                           
                    water.  If you’d placed it near a                      
                    river or some fresh water source,                      
                    that would make sense.  But you                        
                    find yourself in the ocean, 20 foot                    
                    wave, i’m assuming it’s off the                        
                    coast of South Africa, coming up                       
                    against a full grown 800 pound                         
                    tuna, with his twenty or thirty                        
                    friends?  You lose that                                
                    battle.  You lose that battle nine                     
                    times out of ten.  And guess                           
                    what?  You’ve wandered into our                        
                    school of tuna, and we now have a                      
                    taste of lion.  We’ve talked to                        
                    ourselves.  we’ve communicated.                        
                                                                           
                              TERRY HOITZ                                  
                    Yeah?                                                  
                                                                           
                              ALLEN GAMBLE                                 
                      And said, you know what, lion                        
                    tastes good!  Lets go get some more                    
                    lion.  We’ve developed a system, to                    
                    establish a beach head, and                            
                    aggressivly hunt you and your                          
                    family.  And we will corner your,                      
                    your pride, your childeren, your                       
                    offspring.                                             
                                                                           
                              TERRY HOITZ                                  
                    How you gonna do that?                                 
                                                                           
                              ALLEN GAMBLE                                 
                    We will construct a series of                          
                    breathing aparatus with kelp.  We                      
                    will be able to trap certain                           
                    amounts of oxygen.  It’s not going                     
                    to be days at a time.  An hour,                        
                    hour fourty five, no problem.  That                    
                    will give us enough time to figure                     
                    out where you live, go back to the                     
                    sea, get more oxygen, and then                         
                    stalk you.  You just lost at your                      
                    own game, you are outgunned and                        
                    outmanned.                                             
                                                                           
          Awkward pause                                                    
                                                                           
          Allen Gamble resumes typing                                      
                                                                           
         

ALLEN GAMBLE                                 
                    Did that go the way you thought it                     
                    was gonna go?                                          
                                                                           
          Allen shakes head                                                
                    Nope                                                   
                                                                           
          Terry dumps hot coffee on Allen.                                 
                                                                           
          Allen screams as Terry exits the room.                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
          FADE OUT                                                         
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           

Finding your howl

http://changethis.com/manifesto/show/51.01.YourHowl

A group of wolves who had been held in captivity are finally released into the wild.  The wolves are happy to get out of there caged environment.  But they realize one thing.  They have forgotten how to Howl.  The wolves are living in fear because none of them can howl and claim dominance and become the leader.  Throughout the story one of the wolves meets different characters and is actually killed.  Then he wakes up and realizes it was a dream, and realizes he is howling and that he knew how to howl the whole time.  He then becomes leader of the pack and the wolves no longer live in fear.  Flaum was making the point that we have to pay a price, do things we are not comfortable with, and almost risk it all to find our voice.

A meaningful quote I know was told to me by a news cameraman I can across while on vacation.  He said when doing videos you need to “Imitate the Eye”.  By this he means you need to use the camera as if it were someone’s eye, show the things people would naturally want to look at.  Doing this makes your videos much better, because it is easier to watch, because it is imitating how you would naturally see the world.  This quote pertains mostly to doing news reports.  When you are getting footage on a news story, you need to be sure to shoot the things people would want to see.  For example, you wouldn’t sit on a shot of a gun before it fires, because your eye would be drawn to the gun as it is firing.  If someone is getting out of the car, don’t shoot the door before they get out, shoot it as they are getting out of the car.  People don’t naturally just stare at car doors waiting for someone to come out, you would be drawn to the action.  This can apply to all kinds of scenarios.  If you are filming a concert, you don’t focus the entire time on the singer, your eye is drawn to the drummer, the guitarists fingers strumming, maybe backup dancers, people dancing or cheering in a crowd.  That’s why you would show those kinds of shots when you are shooting it, because that is what people would naturally want to see.  If you use the “imitate the eye” technique, your videos should be more interesting and flow better.  A good example of imitating the eye are shows like Cops.  The cameraman is basically pointing the camera where he wants to look.  That is why it will show a man being arrested, and as that is happening, he might turn around to show a cop holding a dog back behind him.  Then he might turn back to show them putting the criminal in the cop car, then show two cops conversing at the same time.  This idea of “imitating the eye” has taught me better and more interesting ways of shooting video, and wanting to go into the news field, this technique can become very handy.