Dr. R,
Don't get down about the crazy people in this state. You know if you ever need anything, you have a whole group of TCF kids who will stand behind you. We have a lot of pride and don't like people messing with people we respect!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Looking back on a semester
Reflecting back on this semester, I’ve learned a lot about myself, storytelling, and sharing my “gift”.
We started with our self-portraits. It gave me instant insight into my classmates and it gave me something to remember them by. I thought it was a really cool way to start the semester, and I’d suggest you did it in other classes.
We then moved into audio stories. I, admittedly, was not excited about these and was wondering what class I had gotten myself into. I wanted to film and get the ‘money shots’ we had talked constantly about all last semester. Even after listening to a bunch of pod casts I was still not very excited. It wasn’t until after I interviewed my parents and edited them together in “A Love Story” when I understood what the assignment was all about. I was excited and proud to give my classmates my gift, my family history. It relefected my parents point of view, and that’s part of what makes a good story.
We also did a media diet during that time. Mine was a little inaccurate because it fell on a week when I was super busy and my Internet was out. I watch more TV and check my email way more then it says. If I had a smart phone, I’m sure it would be out of control! But, it was interesting to see because it made me conscious of all the media I was constantly around and seeking out on a daily basis.
Next we went to digital storytelling. Kind of like the audio story but with some pictures or visual enhancement. I was a more ready to jump into this one, but I didn’t have a story.. we spent a long time working on getting a picture, describing it, sharing it, storyboarding, and of course our story circle. While some people liked it more than others, I think the storyboard is very beneficial. It gives you the chance to bounce ideas off each other in a safe environment.
` We also talked about what makes a good story. This includes Lamberts 7 elements and some we added on our own. The seven elements we talked about all semester were: point (of view), dramatic question, emotional content, the gift of your voice, the power of the soundtrack, economy and pacing. I think the most important are pacing, emotional content, your voice, and your point of view. It is impossible to tell a story that people want to listen to and can relate to if it doesn’t have you in it. It is lacking a layer when the author has stepped back from the story.
We then talked and watched a lot of mashups. We learned about copyright criminals and talked about the grey area. It is hard to find the balance of moving forward and using the past to create something new and keeping copyright. I created a mashup called “easier than <3” which is still not up on my blog since I cannot get it to export right. It is on vimeo however, if you care to rewatch it. I was very frustrated doing this project at first. I couldn’t find what I wanted to do, couldn’t get it work right when I did, and I was frustrated that I had to sample and rip stuff that I already owned! But in the end, I chose to take some artistic and educational liberties and allow myself to learn from the past.
Lastly came the final project. I was really excited when Jordan and I decided to work together. I wanted to do something different, something I hadn’t done before. I also wanted to work with someone since we hadn’t at all this semester. Jordan and I got the opportunity to try a stopmotion film. It was very tedious, but I am so proud of us. We probably put about 20 hours of work into this small 2-minute video, but I feel that it is more than worth it. It is something I’ll keep forever and that I know I can use in my portfolio.
Overall, I had a great semester. I learned a lot and hope to continue learning and developing my storytelling skills! I hope you all have had as good of time as I have!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Final Project
Hello!! Jordan and I have just completed our final project. We made a stopmotion film titled The Chaos of College. We spent about 5 or so hours in pre-production - talking, writing our narrative, creating our storyboard, and playing at walmart. We then spent about 9 and 1/2 or so hours filming over the course of 4 afternoons. We filmed outside, which proved to be problematic since we cannot control the color of the sun. It was very tedious but it was still a really awesome experience. We then spent probably another 5 -7 hours in post production, cutting everything together, playing with the timeline, finding music and special effects, and especially color correcting. It took a long time, but i'm very proud of it and happy I got the opportunity to do a project like this! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
The Chaos of College from UA, Telecommunication and Film on Vimeo.
The Chaos of College from UA, Telecommunication and Film on Vimeo.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Mash Up
Hey friends,
So this week we created a mashup. I still haven't quite figured out how to export it so it looks good, but it is made up of 8 music videos and "easier than love" by switchfoot. the 8 videos were Lady Gaga - "paparazzi", Taylor Swift - "Love Story" / "You belong with me", Juvenile - "back that azz up", Miley Cyrus - "Party in the USA", Pussycat dolls - "When I Grow Up", Jessie James - "Wanted", and Beyonce - "Halo". I think it turned out pretty well. I tried to comment on how sex is the way of our industry, it is what sells and what people seem to want. it is also easier than working towards something harder, like actual love.
But why do we sample? It's pretty easy, and sometimes its easier than doing it honestly. I own switchfoot's song, but I had to rip it to use it. I also couldn't use any of the music videos that I had in my itunes, it's dumb!
Without sampling, our society can't and won't move forward. Our society is built on it, bloggers do it, rappers/hip hop do it, intellectuals, poets, and regular people like me and you. Do we really need to track down every DJ who ever used a 'beep' that someone somewhere created and owned? Some people say we do, which i can understand, but i don't think we need to. We are the consumers, but we are also the creators, we need to express ourselves and we have the tools to do so.
I liked the Remixers Manifesto: 1. culture always builds on the past 2. the past always tries to control the future 3. our future is becoming less free 4. to build free societies you must limit the control of the past.
Basically, we have to let ourselves move forward and learn and create from the past.
So this week we created a mashup. I still haven't quite figured out how to export it so it looks good, but it is made up of 8 music videos and "easier than love" by switchfoot. the 8 videos were Lady Gaga - "paparazzi", Taylor Swift - "Love Story" / "You belong with me", Juvenile - "back that azz up", Miley Cyrus - "Party in the USA", Pussycat dolls - "When I Grow Up", Jessie James - "Wanted", and Beyonce - "Halo". I think it turned out pretty well. I tried to comment on how sex is the way of our industry, it is what sells and what people seem to want. it is also easier than working towards something harder, like actual love.
But why do we sample? It's pretty easy, and sometimes its easier than doing it honestly. I own switchfoot's song, but I had to rip it to use it. I also couldn't use any of the music videos that I had in my itunes, it's dumb!
Without sampling, our society can't and won't move forward. Our society is built on it, bloggers do it, rappers/hip hop do it, intellectuals, poets, and regular people like me and you. Do we really need to track down every DJ who ever used a 'beep' that someone somewhere created and owned? Some people say we do, which i can understand, but i don't think we need to. We are the consumers, but we are also the creators, we need to express ourselves and we have the tools to do so.
I liked the Remixers Manifesto: 1. culture always builds on the past 2. the past always tries to control the future 3. our future is becoming less free 4. to build free societies you must limit the control of the past.
Basically, we have to let ourselves move forward and learn and create from the past.
Monday, March 22, 2010
LunaFest
On March 9, I attended the LUNAFEST film festival. It had films made "by, for, about women". There were a lot of films that were inspiring to me or that i could connect with in some way.
One I found humorous but almost painfully true, especially in today's world was "Plastic" directed by Sandy Widvanata. She is from Australia and created this film while completing her masters.
This film was about a normal young girl who makes changes to herself right before a date. she finds that she can alter her image and she starts with her skin, then nose, and neck, and face, and body, trying to match the model on a magazine and by the end she looks so ridiculous. She ends up going back to what she really looks like before answering the door but the story makes a good point. We try so hard to reach perfection and match the pictures in the magazines but in the end, it's much better to just be yourself.
Another favorite was called "The McCombie Way" directed by Kristina and Nick Higgins from Los Angeles, CA. It's about this 80 year old woman who is just living life her way in the Mojave Dessert. She built a road, upkeeps her many acres of land, as well as houses that have been ransacked. She is very frank about whats happening in her life. She had cancer once, and she says 'I got sick and then I got better' like it's nothing. She makes a good point though - she says you only die once, so you there is no reason to be afraid of it and you've gotta get everything done that you want and live life thoroughly cause you don't know when it'll happen.
One I found humorous but almost painfully true, especially in today's world was "Plastic" directed by Sandy Widvanata. She is from Australia and created this film while completing her masters.
Another favorite was called "The McCombie Way" directed by Kristina and Nick Higgins from Los Angeles, CA. It's about this 80 year old woman who is just living life her way in the Mojave Dessert. She built a road, upkeeps her many acres of land, as well as houses that have been ransacked. She is very frank about whats happening in her life. She had cancer once, and she says 'I got sick and then I got better' like it's nothing. She makes a good point though - she says you only die once, so you there is no reason to be afraid of it and you've gotta get everything done that you want and live life thoroughly cause you don't know when it'll happen.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Digital Story
Well, it's been an adventure...but here is my digital story!!
It's about my journey to Obama's inauguration last year. A long, cold, and quite eventful adventure that I took with my boyfriend, Josh. Hope you enjoy!
Inauguration Digital Story from UA, Telecommunication and Film on Vimeo.
It's about my journey to Obama's inauguration last year. A long, cold, and quite eventful adventure that I took with my boyfriend, Josh. Hope you enjoy!
Inauguration Digital Story from UA, Telecommunication and Film on Vimeo.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Lambert's Seven Elements
1. Point (of view)
There has to be a reason behind telling your story. Just giving a list of what happening is boring and useless. A point can be a need, desire, or problem that you want to address. The point of view can be the audience's connection with the story and can be the reason that they understand the premise of the story.
2. Dramatic Question
Making a point won't hold your audience's attention, you have to have something bigger and broader. A question runs throughout the story and is in the opening and closing lines. It's the beginning and the end - Will the girl get the guy? (beginning) the pursuit (middle) and the getting/not getting of the guy (ending).
3. Emotional Content
Stories need emotion - without emotion fueling a story, it is nothing. It is boring and useless. An emotional story connects with an audience like nothing else. It is a way to involve your audience. Different emotions drive different stories, and a different emotion behind the same story can change it entirely.
4. The Gift of Your Voice
Having a voice over can add so much to a story. We all talk a little differently, and having a conversation with you audience can make your audience more engaged. We naturally listen more to a voice then to anything else. We listen for inflections and pauses to help us understand the proper reaction to the story being told.
5. The Power of the Soundtrack
We are at a time where people walk with soundtracks constantly playing in their heads. We think to music, we are exposed to a lot of different kinds of music and can connect certain music to certain emotions and situations. If your soundtrack is off - a sweet, soft song playing while something bad is happening won't connect and will confuse your audience. Also, the opposite of if fast music is playing and something slow is happening an audience will get lost and lose focus. We, as audience members, know what music is supposed to go with what, so you have to go with what you know.
6. Economy
7. Pacing
The rhythm of the story determines if the audience will stay interested and entertained. If the story is too fast, it will create urgency, and could lose the audience if there is no chance to catch their breath. If the story is slow it could be romantic or relaxed - but if it's too slow the audience will stray. Changing pace in your story could be very effective - it can help move the story along and keep the audience engaged. You have to be sure to give your audience a chance to stop and process - move at an even pace, but every so often stop or slow down - you know the story but they don't.
There has to be a reason behind telling your story. Just giving a list of what happening is boring and useless. A point can be a need, desire, or problem that you want to address. The point of view can be the audience's connection with the story and can be the reason that they understand the premise of the story.
2. Dramatic Question
Making a point won't hold your audience's attention, you have to have something bigger and broader. A question runs throughout the story and is in the opening and closing lines. It's the beginning and the end - Will the girl get the guy? (beginning) the pursuit (middle) and the getting/not getting of the guy (ending).
3. Emotional Content
Stories need emotion - without emotion fueling a story, it is nothing. It is boring and useless. An emotional story connects with an audience like nothing else. It is a way to involve your audience. Different emotions drive different stories, and a different emotion behind the same story can change it entirely.
4. The Gift of Your Voice
Having a voice over can add so much to a story. We all talk a little differently, and having a conversation with you audience can make your audience more engaged. We naturally listen more to a voice then to anything else. We listen for inflections and pauses to help us understand the proper reaction to the story being told.
5. The Power of the Soundtrack
We are at a time where people walk with soundtracks constantly playing in their heads. We think to music, we are exposed to a lot of different kinds of music and can connect certain music to certain emotions and situations. If your soundtrack is off - a sweet, soft song playing while something bad is happening won't connect and will confuse your audience. Also, the opposite of if fast music is playing and something slow is happening an audience will get lost and lose focus. We, as audience members, know what music is supposed to go with what, so you have to go with what you know.
6. Economy
7. Pacing
The rhythm of the story determines if the audience will stay interested and entertained. If the story is too fast, it will create urgency, and could lose the audience if there is no chance to catch their breath. If the story is slow it could be romantic or relaxed - but if it's too slow the audience will stray. Changing pace in your story could be very effective - it can help move the story along and keep the audience engaged. You have to be sure to give your audience a chance to stop and process - move at an even pace, but every so often stop or slow down - you know the story but they don't.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)