http://changethis.com/manifesto/show/45.02.FreakFactor
"The Freak Factor: Discovering Your Uniqueness by Flaunting Weakness" by David Rendall is an insightful look at your personal strengths and weaknesses. Weakness is considered to be a flaw, or something that is wrong with you and a strength is considered to be a powerful trait you possess. However, Rendall explains to us that a weakness is also a powerful trait we possess but unfortunately it is frowned upon. Rendall tells us to work with both of our strengths and weaknesses to reach highest potential without being mediocre at everything. The three suggestions I found most interesting were numbers three, six, and nine.
Number three was the most compelling suggestion because I never really looked at strengths having a reciprocal . So after I read his strengths/weaknesses, I thought of some others. If your weakness is worrying, you are most likely cautious and if your weakness is slow, you are most likely precise. The two strengths and weaknesses Rendall mentioned that I found most interesting were patient/indecisive and reflective/shy. I found these most interesting because I have noticed these strengths and weaknesses in people and in myself. I am a fairly shy person the first time I meet someone, (Rendall talks about don’t try to fix your weaknesses in suggestion four but I do think being shy is a weakness you should work on because you end up holding yourself back if you don’t) but after awhile I loosen up. On the contrary, I realize I am a very reflective person which causes me to be a patient person, but at the same time I have become very indecisive because I think about each end of the spectrum and their consequences before I make a sound decision. Which takes entirely way longer than it should.
Suggestion six “Focus: You Can’t Do Both” was another engaging slide. The thing I liked most about suggestion six was the “Freak Fallacy: I need to be well rounded” and the “Freak Factor: No one will pay you for being mediocre”. I think this is completely true. In our study, its good to know a little bit about everything. Know how to work audio, know how to work lighting, know how to work set, know how to do programs, know principles of photography, know principles of multimedia. Be able to speak the lingo, but be able to shine in at least one of these areas. Our whole education is centered around a major that we chose so we can gain the knowledge to create our ideas. So along the way to graduation, take classes that you will benefit from that will help you create your most ultimate work in an area you need to be exceptional in. For me, video production. I chose video production so I must now understand everything I am doing or every class I’m taking will and should correlate to my major and I will learn from it so I can become exceptional in my field of study.
Number nine was my third favorite suggestion. The sub-suggestions I liked most about “Freak Factor: Putting Your Quirks to Work” was number 2 “Engage in permanent procrastination”. I like number two because I think it is truthful. If you are forcing yourself to like something, and telling yourself to do it while pretending to like it...its a total waste of time. There is no reason to forcefully pretend to like something or do it. It is also a waste of valuable time that you could be putting towards something you are interested in. For example, I keep telling myself to get involved with AVW but when I look at the projects I just think they are cheesy and cliche, (not trying to be offensive, just a personal opinion), and I think the material they are producing does not meet college-level expectation. So instead, I shouldn’t participate in something I don’t like, I should find a group of people or organization that I share similar interest with so I can work with something I do like.
After doing blogs concerning strengths and weaknesses, ideas, and “acknowledging the lizard” I have come to believe my biggest weakness in “the creative process” is being timid. When it comes to creating with other individuals in a group, I don’t usually express my ideas until there is a window of opportunity. I’m not exactly sure why I don’t mention my ideas. I’m not afraid of critique but it may be directed towards a lack of confidence (?). Sometimes in groups I tend to believe that other people have better ideas than mine but if I don’t voice my exact opinion, I will never know. I need to start doing this and I think with the start of media 240 in spring quarter, I will have to.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Blog 9A
Our group received an 83% on the game design project “O.U. Oh No!” which, honestly, is completely reasonable. As a whole, we were not as prepared as we should have been and we were not very thorough. We understood our game design but we did a poor job explaining our game design to the class. If it was not for the character drawings, we would have had a very boring presentation and the audience would have a general idea of our concept. We should have also made clear who our game design was meant for and what demographic. We failed to mention our game was an online game, played by college students, free, and meant for advertisers to invest in it. As a whole, I think our group needed to explain the RULES and OBJECTIVES of our game to make our presentation stronger and to get our point across.
Objectives:
A major weakness in our presentation was explaining the game’s objectives. Our challenge was putting our ideas into words. More visual references of each level and the map in its entirety would have helped explain our game much better. Although it is difficult to put your ideas in words or an image, being able to do so will separate you from other groups/people and make your creation unconcealed. In order to make our objectives more clear, we should have drawn out each map and we should have drawn a game interface so the audience would be able to grasp our concept in a visual standpoint.
Rules:
Another major weakness our group had during the presentation was explaining the rules. We intended to explain to the audience the procedures and delimiters of the game. Unfortunately, we explained them vaguely and did not provide examples. For procedures, we said the player has three chances to pass each test that comes there way and if the do not, they get caught by the police of knocked out from a fight. What we forgot to mention was how do you encounter these tests. Without including examples, the ill-defined rules added to our generalized game design. We should have said,
“In one level, you will get into a fight. If you manage to lose your balance or get hit a certain amount of times you will get one of your chances taken away. If you happen to fail three times, youwill have to restart the level.”
For delimiters, we should have better explained the restrictions placed on the character. The character is weighted so you have to constantly be using the left and right arrow keys to keep your character walking straight. If he/she falls over you will get a strike and if you get three, you will have to pass the test.
In conclusion, using visuals and in-depth explanations, our group would have been able to make clear of our game design, our group would have earned a better grade, and our group would have been able to explain all aspects of our game design to our audience.
Objectives:
A major weakness in our presentation was explaining the game’s objectives. Our challenge was putting our ideas into words. More visual references of each level and the map in its entirety would have helped explain our game much better. Although it is difficult to put your ideas in words or an image, being able to do so will separate you from other groups/people and make your creation unconcealed. In order to make our objectives more clear, we should have drawn out each map and we should have drawn a game interface so the audience would be able to grasp our concept in a visual standpoint.
Rules:
Another major weakness our group had during the presentation was explaining the rules. We intended to explain to the audience the procedures and delimiters of the game. Unfortunately, we explained them vaguely and did not provide examples. For procedures, we said the player has three chances to pass each test that comes there way and if the do not, they get caught by the police of knocked out from a fight. What we forgot to mention was how do you encounter these tests. Without including examples, the ill-defined rules added to our generalized game design. We should have said,
“In one level, you will get into a fight. If you manage to lose your balance or get hit a certain amount of times you will get one of your chances taken away. If you happen to fail three times, youwill have to restart the level.”
For delimiters, we should have better explained the restrictions placed on the character. The character is weighted so you have to constantly be using the left and right arrow keys to keep your character walking straight. If he/she falls over you will get a strike and if you get three, you will have to pass the test.
In conclusion, using visuals and in-depth explanations, our group would have been able to make clear of our game design, our group would have earned a better grade, and our group would have been able to explain all aspects of our game design to our audience.
Blog 8B
Lena Al-Hashemi and Joe Battaglia did not have their animation projects posted at the time I was doing my blog critique. I emailed you on March 1st.
Adrian Andrade and James Watson’s animations are most noticed by their use of COLOR. Adrian’s superhero, Eric Williams, used two different primary HUES, blue and yellow. These colors aren’t exactly split complementary but when they are used together it gives the character an energetic feel. It also SUBCONSCIOUSLY makes the character seem enthusiastic, alert, and authoritative.
James Watson’s villain is colored with two different tints of purple. The villain’s looting bag is a SATURATED purple and the villain’s hat has an average purple tint. The diamond he is holding is blue, roughly the same color as the superhero. The purple on the villain is analogous to the super hero’s blue outfit which makes the villain seem less intimidating and less destructive. However, he is clearly noted as a bad guy because the purple looting bag is complementary to the yellow on the super hero’s cape. This subconsciously shows that super hero and the villain CONTRAST each other.
Another part of the color scheme I found interesting was how the diamond was colored blue, similar to the super hero’s suit. This tells the viewer that the diamond was stolen and belongs to the good guys. The purple on the villain delivers a different mood than the blue of the superhero but also complements from the super hero’s yellow cloak showing the difference of the two characters. The blue diamond is the variable in the drawing that subconsciously tells the viewer’s each character’s motivations. The bad guy stole from the good guys and the super hero must retrieve it.
Adrian Andrade and James Watson’s animations are most noticed by their use of COLOR. Adrian’s superhero, Eric Williams, used two different primary HUES, blue and yellow. These colors aren’t exactly split complementary but when they are used together it gives the character an energetic feel. It also SUBCONSCIOUSLY makes the character seem enthusiastic, alert, and authoritative.
James Watson’s villain is colored with two different tints of purple. The villain’s looting bag is a SATURATED purple and the villain’s hat has an average purple tint. The diamond he is holding is blue, roughly the same color as the superhero. The purple on the villain is analogous to the super hero’s blue outfit which makes the villain seem less intimidating and less destructive. However, he is clearly noted as a bad guy because the purple looting bag is complementary to the yellow on the super hero’s cape. This subconsciously shows that super hero and the villain CONTRAST each other.
Another part of the color scheme I found interesting was how the diamond was colored blue, similar to the super hero’s suit. This tells the viewer that the diamond was stolen and belongs to the good guys. The purple on the villain delivers a different mood than the blue of the superhero but also complements from the super hero’s yellow cloak showing the difference of the two characters. The blue diamond is the variable in the drawing that subconsciously tells the viewer’s each character’s motivations. The bad guy stole from the good guys and the super hero must retrieve it.
Blog 7
The two videos we made were from my script, Tony Pepperoni, the Meatball Lovin’ Son of a Bitch and Justin Matzen’s Toy Train. Both scripts followed a similar guideline but each writer included their own personal twist. For example, I added a flashback and Justin added a father into his script. Both scripts show CONTRAST and AFFINITY.
AFFINITY between the two videos are in MOVEMENT. The movement is similar because the only movement in the video is of the character because we were not aloud to use camera movements. In Tony Pepperoni, the shot of the mother stirring the pot while Tony plays with his train is an example of simple movement because they are only using there arms to move. The mother is moving her arm in a curvilinear direction and the son is moving his arm in a horizontal direction. In Both videos, when the son is being reprimanded, the mother is walking and flailing her arms showing an example of complex movement because several parts of her body are moving in different directions at different rates. Another similarity is that both videos are DIDACTIVE. There is no information you need to figure out for yourself.
CONTRAST between the two videos are in the SHAPE. Both of the mother’s in the videos had square faces, but the shape of the boy’s faces were different. The mother’s had square faces to show power. This was also SUBCONSCIOUSLY shown by camera angle. The difference of shape was shown in the boy playing with a train. In Tony Pepperoni, Tony had a circular face so he seems less harmful even though he is getting into trouble and swearing. In Justin’s video, the boy playing with the train has a triangular face to differentiate himself from his mother. This subconsciously shows how he is the antagonist. He also appears to be a troublesome character because of his triangular face.
Tony Pepperoni, The Meatball Lovin' Son of a Bitch
Toy Train
AFFINITY between the two videos are in MOVEMENT. The movement is similar because the only movement in the video is of the character because we were not aloud to use camera movements. In Tony Pepperoni, the shot of the mother stirring the pot while Tony plays with his train is an example of simple movement because they are only using there arms to move. The mother is moving her arm in a curvilinear direction and the son is moving his arm in a horizontal direction. In Both videos, when the son is being reprimanded, the mother is walking and flailing her arms showing an example of complex movement because several parts of her body are moving in different directions at different rates. Another similarity is that both videos are DIDACTIVE. There is no information you need to figure out for yourself.
CONTRAST between the two videos are in the SHAPE. Both of the mother’s in the videos had square faces, but the shape of the boy’s faces were different. The mother’s had square faces to show power. This was also SUBCONSCIOUSLY shown by camera angle. The difference of shape was shown in the boy playing with a train. In Tony Pepperoni, Tony had a circular face so he seems less harmful even though he is getting into trouble and swearing. In Justin’s video, the boy playing with the train has a triangular face to differentiate himself from his mother. This subconsciously shows how he is the antagonist. He also appears to be a troublesome character because of his triangular face.
Tony Pepperoni, The Meatball Lovin' Son of a Bitch
Toy Train
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Blog 5A
I was originally drawn to this particular Ben Goossens photograph because of the VISUAL INTENSITY . The feeling photo delivers is much calmer and relaxing than his other photos. This photo holds a little less mystery and TENSION. Its easy to look at for a while without getting bored. I also liked how the colors CONTRASTED each other. The owl is sitting on a brownish red chair and the farthest wall is various shades of blue.
I chose to frame the photo the way I did because there are only two main focuses in this image, the owl and the window. After completely cropping out the owl and the rest of the room, there is only a single window with a quarter moon in the left window pane. The LINE AND SHAPE of the window is in 3 sections of roughly the same sized rectangles. The moon is curved, which really puts the focus on the moon because it has absolutely no AFFINITY to the window. Also, the window pane, the wall, and the exterior of the window are all different shades of blue. There are no uses of DEPTH CUES in this frame and actually, there is no depth at all because all of the colors are different values of blue. This creates a very flat picture frame.
I think Ben Goossens framed the picture the way he did to create a much more flavorful image as well as SPACE. The Owl and the wall look very far away from each other due to color choices Goossens made. If red is in front of a blue, there will be a sense of depth. I also like how he made the moon and the owls head very close to each other on the image. In reality, you know the moon is much larger compared to an owl, but in this image, he makes the owl seem much larger and the moon much smaller with the use of color. There also seems to be a virtual line connecting the moon and the owl. Ben Goossens photograph is a very ACTIVE piece of work because you need to figure out what it means for yourself.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Blog 4A
Seth Godin's "Brainwashed"
Acknowledging the Lizard
The lizard is the part of our brain that holds us back. Its the part of the brain that tells us to not take risks. However, if you resist to take risks as a creative individual, you will never be rewarded. Acknowledging the lizard means to understand what your fears are, learn from them, and overcome them because if you don’t, you will not be able to break your boundaries that you have created for yourself.
Fail
This layer stood out to me because I agree, failing is part of the creating process. People love it, you hate it, people hate it, you love it. Seth Godin talked about making art in a previous layer. Doing art stuff is a great hobby, however, when it becomes a field you practice and go to school for, it becomes your career. Failing can only go so far. Yes, sometimes you gotta say fuck it and just do some stuff you want to do, but every other time, it is your job (literally), to do it right. Creating is very methodical and when you have a budget and when your working with people, you can not fail. The film industry is harsh and if you have a name for yourself in it, you have very little breathing room to fail.
Don’t reinvent yourself...know yourself.
Relation to Blogs
I don’t think these two layers fully pertain to our class assignments, but they definitely contribute. In relevance to the Fail layer, this blog is a way to help us analyze our opinions and constructively analyze/critique other classmates work and help us realize what we would like to improve on. You can either half-ass the assignments just for the grade or actually put effort into the readings and other assignments. Blogs are a great way to ship and organize your ideas and work. The best part about blogs, in relation to the lizard, is if being embarrassed is one of your major set backs, you don’t need to worry about it. You have the choice wether or not to reveal your name or just your ideas. I think the blog exercises/assignments is a cool way to get your feet wet in different areas of media.
Acknowledging the Lizard
The lizard is the part of our brain that holds us back. Its the part of the brain that tells us to not take risks. However, if you resist to take risks as a creative individual, you will never be rewarded. Acknowledging the lizard means to understand what your fears are, learn from them, and overcome them because if you don’t, you will not be able to break your boundaries that you have created for yourself.
Fail
This layer stood out to me because I agree, failing is part of the creating process. People love it, you hate it, people hate it, you love it. Seth Godin talked about making art in a previous layer. Doing art stuff is a great hobby, however, when it becomes a field you practice and go to school for, it becomes your career. Failing can only go so far. Yes, sometimes you gotta say fuck it and just do some stuff you want to do, but every other time, it is your job (literally), to do it right. Creating is very methodical and when you have a budget and when your working with people, you can not fail. The film industry is harsh and if you have a name for yourself in it, you have very little breathing room to fail.
Don’t reinvent yourself...know yourself.
Relation to Blogs
I don’t think these two layers fully pertain to our class assignments, but they definitely contribute. In relevance to the Fail layer, this blog is a way to help us analyze our opinions and constructively analyze/critique other classmates work and help us realize what we would like to improve on. You can either half-ass the assignments just for the grade or actually put effort into the readings and other assignments. Blogs are a great way to ship and organize your ideas and work. The best part about blogs, in relation to the lizard, is if being embarrassed is one of your major set backs, you don’t need to worry about it. You have the choice wether or not to reveal your name or just your ideas. I think the blog exercises/assignments is a cool way to get your feet wet in different areas of media.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Blog 3A
Robert Johnson was an American blues singer/musician born in Mississippi. His prominent recordings are from 1936-1937. Although he only lived until the age of 27 (died on August 16, 1938), he is a legend for his blues playing and has influenced many musicians, especially Eric Clapton. Robert Johnson is considered a master of blues particularly in the Delta blues style. It is said that Robert Johnson went to the crossroads (also one of his songs) and played the guitar. He met the Devil, then the Devil tuned his guitar and played a few songs. In exchange for his soul, the Devil taught Robert Johnson to play the blues.
One, of many, classic rock groups who had much influence from Robert Johnson was Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin played heavy, guitar-driven blues-rock. Their band consisted of guitar player Jimmy Page, singer, Robert Plant, drummer John Bonham, and bass player/keyboardist John Paul Jones. The band was together from 1968-1980. They disbanded after John Bonham’s death. Led Zeppelin’s music has influenced many musicians and their music remains very popular today.
The song I am choosing to compare and contrast is “Traveling Riverside Blues”, originally done by Robert Johnson and covered by Led Zeppelin. Robert Johnson’s version was recorded in 1937. On the other hand, Led Zeppelin’s version was recorded in 1969 but was not released until 1990. Both versions are unique, yet still hold similar characteristics.
Their are several characteristics of Led Zeppelin’s version of the song that CONTRAST Robert Johnson's original. The three most noticeable traits are the LYRICS, INTENSITY, and SPEED. Right away, you will notice how Led Zeppelin’s version reflects their blues-rock style. Its more in your face, louder, and faster paced. It sounds pretty ballsy and heavy. However, the lyrics are different in Led Zeppelin’s version. Its as though they paid more of a tribute to Robert Johnson. They use different TEXT from several of Johnson’s songs. For example, they use lyrics straight from “Traveling Riverside Blues”, but also incorporate lyrics from another one of his songs, “Kind Hearted Woman Blues”. By doing this, Led Zeppelin completely rearranged the order of his original song, added bits and pieces of other songs, and completely changed its SUBTEXT to put their own two cents into the song. Which is pretty cool when done right, which Led Zeppelin definitely did.
The AFFINITY of the two songs lies in the ORGANIZATION and RHYTHM. Both songs are in order and well structured. Once the songs start to get going, the rhythm stays consistent throughout the songs. Robert Johnson’s song is only guitar and Led Zeppelin’s version is a full band. However, the pattern of the songs remain the same throughout, other than the time Jimmy Page plays a fairly modest solo.
Overall, I think its interesting how Robert Johnson’s music has influenced other very well-known musicians. Robert Johnson is a legend and has laid down the grounding for blues.
Robert Johnson - Traveling Riverside Blues
Led Zeppelin - Traveling Riverside Blues
One, of many, classic rock groups who had much influence from Robert Johnson was Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin played heavy, guitar-driven blues-rock. Their band consisted of guitar player Jimmy Page, singer, Robert Plant, drummer John Bonham, and bass player/keyboardist John Paul Jones. The band was together from 1968-1980. They disbanded after John Bonham’s death. Led Zeppelin’s music has influenced many musicians and their music remains very popular today.
The song I am choosing to compare and contrast is “Traveling Riverside Blues”, originally done by Robert Johnson and covered by Led Zeppelin. Robert Johnson’s version was recorded in 1937. On the other hand, Led Zeppelin’s version was recorded in 1969 but was not released until 1990. Both versions are unique, yet still hold similar characteristics.
Their are several characteristics of Led Zeppelin’s version of the song that CONTRAST Robert Johnson's original. The three most noticeable traits are the LYRICS, INTENSITY, and SPEED. Right away, you will notice how Led Zeppelin’s version reflects their blues-rock style. Its more in your face, louder, and faster paced. It sounds pretty ballsy and heavy. However, the lyrics are different in Led Zeppelin’s version. Its as though they paid more of a tribute to Robert Johnson. They use different TEXT from several of Johnson’s songs. For example, they use lyrics straight from “Traveling Riverside Blues”, but also incorporate lyrics from another one of his songs, “Kind Hearted Woman Blues”. By doing this, Led Zeppelin completely rearranged the order of his original song, added bits and pieces of other songs, and completely changed its SUBTEXT to put their own two cents into the song. Which is pretty cool when done right, which Led Zeppelin definitely did.
The AFFINITY of the two songs lies in the ORGANIZATION and RHYTHM. Both songs are in order and well structured. Once the songs start to get going, the rhythm stays consistent throughout the songs. Robert Johnson’s song is only guitar and Led Zeppelin’s version is a full band. However, the pattern of the songs remain the same throughout, other than the time Jimmy Page plays a fairly modest solo.
Overall, I think its interesting how Robert Johnson’s music has influenced other very well-known musicians. Robert Johnson is a legend and has laid down the grounding for blues.
Robert Johnson - Traveling Riverside Blues
Led Zeppelin - Traveling Riverside Blues
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Blog 1B
Mitch Ditkoff’s “14 Ways to Get Breakthrough Ideas” is a motivational way to help you organize your thoughts and ideas. He teaches you the mathematics of creativity. Thinking all the time and trying to be creative can be incredibly stressful. From the moment you wake up until the time you sleep, and sometimes even while sleeping, ideas are running through your head. Ditkoff explains how to control the stress of idea-making by taking breaks or trying different techniques. What I like most about Ditkoff’s suggestions, is how he reinforces the trial and error aspects of creating. The three prompts I found most appealing are prompts eleven, ten, and seven.
Prompt # 11 - Brainstorm
Prompt #11 really stood out to me. I’m not a ‘rugged individualist’ but when it comes to creating, I like to have total control and full responsibility of the project. However, I think this is because the only time I’ve worked on group projects is in school. The groups are assigned, people are shy, some people aren’t committed and by the time you get comfortable with each other, the project is already being graded. Its a total clash. I am particularly shy in groups without really having any reason to be. I never fully surface my ideas to the group and I feel most members do the same. If groups were able to be chosen on our own, collaboration would be much more enjoyable and constructive because group members would be honest with each other. Unfortunately, the business world does not work like that and when it comes down to it, you will be placed to work with other creatives you may not get along with. For that reason, it is critical to be outgoing, constructive, and enthusiastic because one person escorted by these traits can make all the difference.
Prompt # 10 - Hang Out WIth Diverse Groups of People
I was really excited to see prompt ten. I agree with this prompt completely. It is very beneficial meeting and hanging out with diverse groups of people. One, it makes you a well-rounded human being. Two, it changes up your weekly routines. For instance, when you see the same people everyday, you start talking about the same things and start sharing similar opinions, eventually influencing each other for better or for worse. Three, you make connections. Being in a field that has a lot to do with who you know, its significant to be able to get along with, and relate, to all walks of life. Transferring from community college, it was easy to think of how many people you will meet, how everyone gets along, and everyone is down to hang. Well, its not like that. Most people get in there steady groups of friends and stay in their comfort zones until they graduate, and thats totally cool. However, I’m not really like that and never have been. Most college students here usually view “townies” as weird people. Two of the coolest dudes I’ve met here so far grew up and live in Athens, I celebrated New Years with them. Its really important to stretch your boundaries and branch out. Meet new people, its good for you.
Prompt # 7 - Listen to Your Subconscious
Listening to your subconscious. It seems way harder to tap into your subconscious than it sounds. I spend a large part of the day just thinking. My favorite time to think and go over my day is when I’m in the shower. Hot water and white walls, perfect conditions for thinking. The subconscious is a huge part of your actions, like why you decided to respond so negatively, why you responded so politely, why you always take a left instead of a right even though you will get there at the same time. Why? Well its our job as people to understand ourselves to our fullest amount, it just depends how far you want to go, or if you even want to try. Carl Jung believes that when you understand your conscious mind just as well as your unconscious mind, you will discover The Self. He also believes most people will never achieve The Self. Personally, I believe I have a pretty good grasp on how or why I react the way I do in most situations. I try to study my behavior and how I got there. Have I always reacted this way, has someone influenced me to think twice about it, has someone influenced me to think negatively about it? Analyzing is like a chisel that starts the crack on your ten foot self portrait. You’re the sculptor. At your own pace, you chisel away. The more you chisel, the more you realize that a huge rock can be broken down to create a pretty wicked piece of art.
Prompt question #11
What is the topic of your next group brainstorm? Who will you invite? Who will facilitate? When?
The next time I will be in a group brainstorm will be during the 48-hour shootout. I’m very excited for this. I’m doing it with my buddies who I’ve met through class. Real cool dudes and well-humored. We will receive the topic when the shootout starts. Its a total surprise topic but the team we have is real diverse and I think we will be able to create a pretty good short and if not, it will be fun making it. The shootout is the first weekend of February (if I’m not mistaken). Jimmy will be facilitating. He’s well-organized and has an apartment which will make this shootout much easier to work on. I’m pretty psyched to be be working with these people on such an active project.
Prompt # 11 - Brainstorm
Prompt #11 really stood out to me. I’m not a ‘rugged individualist’ but when it comes to creating, I like to have total control and full responsibility of the project. However, I think this is because the only time I’ve worked on group projects is in school. The groups are assigned, people are shy, some people aren’t committed and by the time you get comfortable with each other, the project is already being graded. Its a total clash. I am particularly shy in groups without really having any reason to be. I never fully surface my ideas to the group and I feel most members do the same. If groups were able to be chosen on our own, collaboration would be much more enjoyable and constructive because group members would be honest with each other. Unfortunately, the business world does not work like that and when it comes down to it, you will be placed to work with other creatives you may not get along with. For that reason, it is critical to be outgoing, constructive, and enthusiastic because one person escorted by these traits can make all the difference.
Prompt # 10 - Hang Out WIth Diverse Groups of People
I was really excited to see prompt ten. I agree with this prompt completely. It is very beneficial meeting and hanging out with diverse groups of people. One, it makes you a well-rounded human being. Two, it changes up your weekly routines. For instance, when you see the same people everyday, you start talking about the same things and start sharing similar opinions, eventually influencing each other for better or for worse. Three, you make connections. Being in a field that has a lot to do with who you know, its significant to be able to get along with, and relate, to all walks of life. Transferring from community college, it was easy to think of how many people you will meet, how everyone gets along, and everyone is down to hang. Well, its not like that. Most people get in there steady groups of friends and stay in their comfort zones until they graduate, and thats totally cool. However, I’m not really like that and never have been. Most college students here usually view “townies” as weird people. Two of the coolest dudes I’ve met here so far grew up and live in Athens, I celebrated New Years with them. Its really important to stretch your boundaries and branch out. Meet new people, its good for you.
Prompt # 7 - Listen to Your Subconscious
Listening to your subconscious. It seems way harder to tap into your subconscious than it sounds. I spend a large part of the day just thinking. My favorite time to think and go over my day is when I’m in the shower. Hot water and white walls, perfect conditions for thinking. The subconscious is a huge part of your actions, like why you decided to respond so negatively, why you responded so politely, why you always take a left instead of a right even though you will get there at the same time. Why? Well its our job as people to understand ourselves to our fullest amount, it just depends how far you want to go, or if you even want to try. Carl Jung believes that when you understand your conscious mind just as well as your unconscious mind, you will discover The Self. He also believes most people will never achieve The Self. Personally, I believe I have a pretty good grasp on how or why I react the way I do in most situations. I try to study my behavior and how I got there. Have I always reacted this way, has someone influenced me to think twice about it, has someone influenced me to think negatively about it? Analyzing is like a chisel that starts the crack on your ten foot self portrait. You’re the sculptor. At your own pace, you chisel away. The more you chisel, the more you realize that a huge rock can be broken down to create a pretty wicked piece of art.
Prompt question #11
What is the topic of your next group brainstorm? Who will you invite? Who will facilitate? When?
The next time I will be in a group brainstorm will be during the 48-hour shootout. I’m very excited for this. I’m doing it with my buddies who I’ve met through class. Real cool dudes and well-humored. We will receive the topic when the shootout starts. Its a total surprise topic but the team we have is real diverse and I think we will be able to create a pretty good short and if not, it will be fun making it. The shootout is the first weekend of February (if I’m not mistaken). Jimmy will be facilitating. He’s well-organized and has an apartment which will make this shootout much easier to work on. I’m pretty psyched to be be working with these people on such an active project.
Blog 1A
As a creative individual, like many, I’m constantly viewing real life as a frame. Either as a photograph or in motion. I decide what I like in the frame (my eyes) and what I would change in it. I view what I’m seeing in several different angles, wide shot, close-up, would I use a tripod?, or would I use a dolly track? Its a smart way to practice ideas while becoming a better observer. Unfortunately, I don’t always write my ideas down or act on them. I’m definitely trying to do so.
Moreover, my artwork and my personality are almost completely different. CONSCIOUSLY, I’m a pretty well-humored individual and not much gets to me, for example, MacGruber is probably one of my favorite / funniest movies created. On the other hand, my artwork is nothing like my personality. My photography is pretty high CONTRAST black and white, and I try to create a completely unusual time and space. I love the idea of timeless places. I’ve come to realize that my art is a way to tap into my SUBCONSCIOUS.
Overall, I’m not completely trying to create a meaningful, metaphorical piece. Honestly, I’m really trying for a “That’s cool!”.
Three Large inspirations to me are Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison, Guillermo del Toro and musically, I really like Modest Mouse.
Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison are both fine art photographers. I love seeing photographs shot on film just as much as using film to shoot with. Film is awesome. The development process is such a major part in photography and the use of digital takes away the genuine feel of photography as an art. Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison use complex darkroom techniques as well as sculpture and painting, clearly defining their photos from other well-known artists. They incorporate beauty, grieve, hope, confusion, and several other feelings into their images. In one series, they contrast a suited man and nature in the most compelling way. Its hard to tell whether the man is controlled by nature or if the nature controls the man. They are an inspiration to me because of their creative capability. When I’m having trouble creating or coming up with ideas, its easy to get lost in their photographs and really stretch my imagination. They allow me to realize it is possible to create the things I imagine.
Guillermo del Toro is one of my favorite directors. After seeing Pan’s Labyrinth, I really realized where I would like my creativity to stand in film-making. The clashing of a harsh fantasy world and a coarse real world is remarkable. When Ofelia enters the fantasy worlds, TENSION is created. When she returns, there is a sense of RELEASE from the tension, but it is soon picked up again due to the obstacles she faces in the real world as well. Guillermo del Toro is an inspiration to me because he also allows me to realize I am able to create my imagination. His use of fictional croaky characters appeal to me most, as well as the escape from real world to a timeless imagination-constructed place. All elements in which I would like to include in my creativity.
Everyone has that one particular band that helps them enter a creative mindset, one band that will always put them in the right place. Modest Mouse is my musical inspiration. When I’m creating or thinking, I am usually listening to Modest Mouse. Each album is different and they each consist of common themes. For example, The Moon & Antarctica typically involves songs about outer space, both lyrics and music, and The Lonesome Crowded West seems to be a more personal, angry, depressing album. The reason I like Modest Mouse so much is because Isaac Brock is a lyrical genius. There is an incredible amount of SUBTEXT in his songs. In addition, the music underlying his poetry really emphasizes his points in his music.
Modest Mouse- Grey Ice Water
Whether its a photographer, director, or musical group, they all contribute to my creativity. With their help, I am able to realize there are no creative boundaries and if I work hard enough, I too will be able to create a piece of work that I can admire.
Moreover, my artwork and my personality are almost completely different. CONSCIOUSLY, I’m a pretty well-humored individual and not much gets to me, for example, MacGruber is probably one of my favorite / funniest movies created. On the other hand, my artwork is nothing like my personality. My photography is pretty high CONTRAST black and white, and I try to create a completely unusual time and space. I love the idea of timeless places. I’ve come to realize that my art is a way to tap into my SUBCONSCIOUS.
Overall, I’m not completely trying to create a meaningful, metaphorical piece. Honestly, I’m really trying for a “That’s cool!”.
Three Large inspirations to me are Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison, Guillermo del Toro and musically, I really like Modest Mouse.
Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison are both fine art photographers. I love seeing photographs shot on film just as much as using film to shoot with. Film is awesome. The development process is such a major part in photography and the use of digital takes away the genuine feel of photography as an art. Robert and Shana ParkeHarrison use complex darkroom techniques as well as sculpture and painting, clearly defining their photos from other well-known artists. They incorporate beauty, grieve, hope, confusion, and several other feelings into their images. In one series, they contrast a suited man and nature in the most compelling way. Its hard to tell whether the man is controlled by nature or if the nature controls the man. They are an inspiration to me because of their creative capability. When I’m having trouble creating or coming up with ideas, its easy to get lost in their photographs and really stretch my imagination. They allow me to realize it is possible to create the things I imagine.
Guillermo del Toro is one of my favorite directors. After seeing Pan’s Labyrinth, I really realized where I would like my creativity to stand in film-making. The clashing of a harsh fantasy world and a coarse real world is remarkable. When Ofelia enters the fantasy worlds, TENSION is created. When she returns, there is a sense of RELEASE from the tension, but it is soon picked up again due to the obstacles she faces in the real world as well. Guillermo del Toro is an inspiration to me because he also allows me to realize I am able to create my imagination. His use of fictional croaky characters appeal to me most, as well as the escape from real world to a timeless imagination-constructed place. All elements in which I would like to include in my creativity.
Everyone has that one particular band that helps them enter a creative mindset, one band that will always put them in the right place. Modest Mouse is my musical inspiration. When I’m creating or thinking, I am usually listening to Modest Mouse. Each album is different and they each consist of common themes. For example, The Moon & Antarctica typically involves songs about outer space, both lyrics and music, and The Lonesome Crowded West seems to be a more personal, angry, depressing album. The reason I like Modest Mouse so much is because Isaac Brock is a lyrical genius. There is an incredible amount of SUBTEXT in his songs. In addition, the music underlying his poetry really emphasizes his points in his music.
Modest Mouse- Grey Ice Water
Whether its a photographer, director, or musical group, they all contribute to my creativity. With their help, I am able to realize there are no creative boundaries and if I work hard enough, I too will be able to create a piece of work that I can admire.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Why I chose video production
Throughout high school and my first year of college, I worked a lot with darkroom photography. I've worked with small, medium, and large formats and made my own darkroom at home. During critique, instructors advised me to work with film or video because of similar resemblance. My photography was basically all studio type stuff in a controlled setting, with controlled light. All of my projects were also shot in sequence, which was another resemblance to film. It'll be a strange adjustment but I'm taking their advice 'n goin' fer it.
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