Blog #5

This semester media 160 has most importantly exposed me to the production process involved in several different types of media. First, we discussed all of the collaborative work involved in making a movie, a documentary, or even a short film. There are so many roles and efforts going on behind the scene that allow the film to actually come together. There is a hierarchy of jobs, from the producer to the boom operator, or the director to the makeup artist, everyone must work together like a team on a tight schedule.

When making our own short film, I quickly became aware of the in depth planning and organization that is required in order to be successful. I finally recognized the importance of storyboards and keeping layers organized and labeled correctly. I was introduced to the editing process, mainly in final cut pro. This program allows editors to manipulate and alter any scene to make the audience interpret it exactly how they want it to be interpreted. It is amazing how much you can do to a scene with music, transitions, sound tracks, sound effects, coloring, etc.

The last type of media we produced was a graphic animation using the program Flash. I now have a good understanding of the tools and potential that flash animation offers. The importance of organization holds just as true for flash animation as it does for final cut pro. Keeping your layers organized and labeled helps dramatically when you start to get in depth with your animations. I never fully comprehended how often flash animation is utilized on the web. We are bombarded with flash animations every day on almost any website you go to. I now understand the process involved in getting these animations up and working.

Overall, this semester has broadened my knowledge of the "behind the scenes" of many different media types. I now have a better understanding of how the final product is produced, edited, manipulated, and ultimately created for us, the audience, to finally see.

Blod #4

The “Y0UNG-HAE CHANG HEAVY INDUSTRIES” is a group consisting of two artists who utilize flash animation in an unusual way to narrate their stories.

http://www.yhchang.com/DAKOTA.html

This particular piece is called “Dakota”, and is actually characterized as a film noir digital animation. The art piece is simply a browser page of flashing words in a variety of different sizes and shapes synchronized to many different drum rhythms by Art Blakey. To follow along with the essence of film noir, the piece is in all black, white, and grey. It tells the story of three different very cynical narratives; the first about a group of kids on the road, the second is an homage to Blakey, and one in a fast-food noodle stand late at night in Korea.

Watching the piece, it is difficult to look away. The artists successfully accomplish a state of urgency, as the fast paced drums keep impelling us forward with the bold, flashy, and blunt narrative. The fact that you are not always able to read every word due to the quick speed of the piece keeps the audience interested. You are still able to comprehend the narrative with the key words you do catch. This keeps the audience constantly captivated; constantly trying to catch each word before it flashes away. The combination of the two different art forms (drumming solo and flash animation visual text) are both so prominent in the piece, it is as if they are in a constant battle to outdo each other. However, without one or the other, (the drums or visual) the piece would not work as effectively. Also, the piece is captivating by nature due to the unorthodox way of narrating a story. We are used to hearing a story in a particular way, in chronological order, in complete sentences, and without repetition. This piece however, breaks these orthodox boundaries using flash animation to blast words into the faces of the audience, often times repeating specific words and altering the shape and rhythm for emphasis. I consider this piece extremely successful in its attempt to capture the full attention of the audience, keeping them in a state of awe and bewilderment, by shocking them, blasting them with images and sounds, all to convey a very melancholic story.

Blog #3

Never having planned, shot, or edited a video before, the initial process of planning the project was somewhat uncertain as to how detailed and in depth the storyboards and scene outlines actually needed to be prior to shooting. After having completed the project and looking back, I would have spent more time carefully laying out each scene and including what each scene needed in order to maintain consistency and fluidity between shots for the later editing process. It was somewhat frustrating during the editing process to realize that certain scenes that were planned to be back-to-back couldn’t be because they weren’t exactly fluid due to some minor detail that is crucial later on. For example, we planned on shooting two different shots that were supposed to be back-to-back, but shot them from the same angle, and therefore the fluidity was lost. These are details that I would definitely think through more thoroughly next time.

Looking back at the shooting process, I would have been more organized in keeping track of the different shots that I have or have not taken, especially since we were shooting them out of order. During the shooting process, we found ourselves saying, “Did we already do this shot? How many times did we take it?”, which was frustrating and time consuming to figure out. I would have used a shot checklist that would dictate which shots I have finished, and I would include how many takes each shot was taken. Organization is definitely a key factor during the shooting process.

I think we did pretty well during the editing process; staying organized with each file and naming them properly. It helped a lot when you are deep into the editing process to have them properly ordered and labeled.

After finishing the entire process, I realize how crucial organization truly is. It may seem somewhat unnecessary at first, but it is evident that right from the start it makes the entire process go smoothly.

Blog #2

Katie Blauvelt

Blog #2

As a piece of linear media, I chose a scene from the Godfather that exemplifies a very compelling example of parallel editing.

http://www.spike.com/video/godfather-baptism/2724589

The scene depicts a baby’s baptism, while at the same time numerous men are being brutally murdered. The juxtaposition of actions occurring is extremely ironic for the viewer, giving it that much more significance. The contradiction of such an innocent baby in such a holy environment accompanied with such evil and corrupt murders brings about an extremely dramatic effect. The combination of music and baby’s crying successfully creates a tense atmosphere, which is accompanied by quick flashes of the murderers preparing for their days. Even more interesting, as the scene progresses, the baby and murderers become more intertwined, as you hear the babies cries and see the murderers walking to their victims. The climax of the scene is constructed so in sink with the organ/church music, bringing yet another ironic tone to the scene. As each murder shoots his gun, the organs emphasize each bang. The constant switching back and forth from the church, where michael is announcing his faith in god, to the murders that michael has ordered, emphasizes further the hypocrisy of Michael's character. Each shot was specifically planned to intensify this contradiction. The intent of the entire scene is to evoke a dramatic feeling from the audience, and I believe this was done extremely well due to the cut of each shot carefully matched with the music, and contradiction of the two scenes occurring simultaneously.

Blog #1 Media 160

Media 160 Blog #1

Currently, my relationship with media today is a very reliant one. I depend on numerous websites in order to communicate with friends and family, to complete my school assignments, to find jobs, look at the weather, entertainment and music, and much more. At this point in my life, it is hard to imagine a lifestyle without these easily accessible forms of media on the Internet.

One specific site that I use on a frequent basis (along with many other people) is Face book. Being that I went to an international high school in Amsterdam, my friends are now spread all across the globe. Face book provides an extremely efficient way to communicate with these friends via messages, images, online chatting, etc. My parents still live in Europe, so it is a very easy way to communicate with them as well. The user-generated content makes the site so successful, as the user creates their own accounts, pictures, and decides what to display and not display.

Another site I use every day is Pandora.com. This site allows me to listen to an endless playlist of songs from a genre of my choice. By typing in my genre or artist of choice, I am communicating with the site what music is popular amongst my demographic. Furthermore, they are communicating with me via advertisements on the page, and via a commercial every 10 songs or so.

I am aware that I am constantly bombarded with hundreds of forms of media each day. This includes print ads on the subways, billboards, buses, etc, all television and commercials, radio, Internet, etc. Our society is based on a system of mass communication, where personal contact is becoming less of a necessity. Whether this is a good or bad thing is up for question.

Blog About Anything...

Fargo (1996)

My Film 101 class recently screened the film Fargo, as it represents one of the great classics in film history. Fargo epitomizes the film Blanc category, as it is the direct opposite of the typical film noirs of the past. There is no femme fatale character; instead there is a naïve and very innocent wife who is victimized and eventually suffers a tragic ending. This is quite opposing to the Film Noir’s femme fatale that is dangerous, sexual, devious, and manipulative. Instead of a “hard-boiled” detective, there is Marge Gunderson, the very optimistic and moral police chief working the case. All of the scenes are consistently lit high key to emphasize the light atmosphere of the film, contrasting film noir’s low-key lit scenes filled with shadows and dark corners that stress its dark outlook. The ending of the film suggests a moral outlook and a somewhat happy ending as one family (Marge Gunderson’s) has a very optimistic future to look forward to (Very different than the typical ending of the film noir that concludes with a dark ending to match its dark content). Joel and Ethan Coen did a remarkable job of combining dark and serious content with comedic antics. It is rare to find yourself laughing during such cruel and malicious scenes, but somehow Joe and Ethan Coen were successful. For example, when Jean Lundegaard finally gets out of the kidnappers’ car, she desperately tries to escape. However, the black bag fastened over her head prevents her from seeing absolutely anything, and results in her clumsy running in circles aided by frequent falling, (alluding to the headless chicken act). The combination of lighting, Jean’s ridiculous screaming, the kidnapper’s laughing, and music all create a comedic scene although the content is truly horrible. Overall, I think the Coens did a fantastic job combining juxtaposing aspects to create a very entertaining result.

"What I Hear"

“What I hear”

Sitting in central park on East 103^rd street

Initially laying in the grass in central park on the Upper East Side, all I heard were the lawn mowers and hedge clippers that were unfortunately maintaining the field the same time that I sat down. These soundmarks of central park are frequently heard in any field or landscaped area. However, after sitting silently and listening for about 5 minutes, I started to become attuned to the myriad of other sounds that served as keynotes in the background. These keynotes usually go unnoticed, as if immune to their mundane nature. However, with the incentive of this blog, I began to notice the hum of a far off jet plane. I noted the occasional chirping of birds that even outshined the landscape machinery. Being in New York City, one becomes extremely used to the sounds of people, talking, walking, singing, running, etc. However, when in the park you experience a peaceful atmosphere lacking the abundance of people. Therefore, I found myself being particularly attuned to the sounds that one single runner would make jogging by, which is extremely different than the usual sounds of hundreds of people. Over the machinery, I could make out his faded footsteps against the pavement. Two women power walking talked amongst themselves, producing a keynote of vocal tones that went from a low, serious chatter, to a high shrieking of laughter. Two men walked by, one holding a boom box. The music, intended to be a sound signal to attract attention, became another keynote as it was washed out by the lawnmowers. All of the sounds I hear contributed together to create one single atmosphere. Typically, I would have recognized the atmosphere alone, without pinpointing each individual sound. It was interesting to dissect the entire myriad of tones instead of grouping then together into one vague sound. 

Design I Like

The National Geographic magazine seeks to communicate the natural beauty and awe of Earth. The most effective way of conveying this is through photography first, and then through journalism that elaborates on the nature of the photograph. National Geographic photographs are renowned for their superb quality and composition, and the magazine places a large focus on the display of their photographs. The covers of the magazines consistently hold priority for the featured photograph, which illustrates the feature story. Here is a link to view several National Geographic magazine covers

http://www.magazine-agent.com/national-geographic-magazine/covers

Every cover includes the well-known yellow rectangle that frames the page. This yellow rectangle is a symbol for the company’s other media outlets, on television and the Internet. The font used for the title “National Geographic” is Times New Roman Condensed, which is also a well -known symbol for the company. This font is a simple design that does not draw attention from the photograph on the cover, emphasizing the number one priority of the photo. The next most prominent feature of the cover, after the photograph, is the title of the featured story. This title upholds a more bold and noticeable appearance, as it is matched with the photograph. While the “National geographic” title remains in the same position month after month, the arrangement of the photo and its title is different every month. Each photograph is different in size, shape, and color, so the corresponding title must fit compatibly with the photograph. There has to be a sense of balance among the separate elements of the page. For example, this cover:

http://blogs.tamtam.nl/paulb/content/binary/natgeo1.jpg

Is set up very differently from this cover for obvious reasons of color, size, and positioning:

http://www.fundacionprincipedeasturias.org/ing/01/fotos/zoom/foto639_2.jpg

Graphic designer Robin Williams suggests that if you squint your eyes and look at the design and see more than 3-5 items on a page, then there are too many separate elements. Trying this on National Geographic magazine, I continuously see 3 separate elements (The National Geographic title, the image, and the image title story). Even though each magazine is different from the last, they all share the same functionality of the design, keeping 3 separate elements. The design of the cover also symbolizes the values that the magazine upholds and the message it is conveying. The lack of flashy and modern font types reinforces their priority of the photographs. Because oftentimes the amazement and awe of the natural world goes unnoticed, they are seeking to communicate this admiration for nature to people all over the world through a focus on photography that captures objects, animals, and nature in a way that is impossible for viewers not to be amazed by. Although there is not one single National geographic cover design for every magazine, each cover upholds the same priorities and sense of balance that revolves around the photographs. 

Trouble the Water

Tia Lessin’s documentary “Trouble the Water” takes you on an extraordinary first-hand journey through the Hurricane Katrina disasters from the incredible experiences of the couple Kimberly and Scott Roberts. Not only does the film do an astounding job of presenting shocking images and footage from the midst of the hurricane, but it also delves into the heavy, emotional aspects as the audience bonds with the courageous Kim and Scott Roberts. Personally, I felt that the disasters and horrible consequences of the physical destructions from Katrina were sufficiently covered in the mainstream media, however Tia Lessin bravely reveals the astonishing lack of aid provided by the government, which was desperately needed, and scarcely covered by the media. The primary evidence is blatantly revealed in the film, where thousands of people unable to evacuate New Orleans were simply abandoned and left to endure. The decision to keep significant military sources overseas fighting in the war against terror while thousands of people were in desperate need of military aid, in need of food, water, and shelter, truly speaks about the corrupt priorities of the Unites States government. The footage shot about a year after the hurricane revealed more disturbing realities about unjust priorities; all of the buildings and property that contributed to tourist profit were sufficiently rebuilt and reopened, while the homes and residential neighborhoods of the lower class citizens of New Orleans were left in their horrific state of rubble. The levees remain to be weak and vulnerable to floods, neighborhoods like the ninth ward where Kim and Scott lived remain devastated, and many people who lost everything remain without government compensation for their losses.

After the screening, Tia Lessin spoke for about an hour about her journey making the film and the intentions she had for the finished project. My initial reaction to the film was that the documentary was an incredible account of the Katrina disaster, filmed first-hand from the perspective of Kim and Scott, giving the film a unique angle that really draws the viewer in. However, I am glad I was able to witness her speech after the screening because her personal account of the experiences she went through making the film truly made the documentary so much more significant. Her intentions were full of integrity and bravery, covering a topic that is extremely controversial. She endured so much initial rejection, and I commend her stubborn nature for persisting to work and complete the film, regardless of the reactions of some. I hope that her film continues to circulate and that more and more people become aware of the corruption Tia Lessin is revealing. 

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho

In the 1960 film, Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock does a tremendous job of creating an everpresent feeling of suspense. Around every corner seems to be the threat of danger. The shower scene in particular does an excellent job of provoking a foreboding notion of impending danger. The scene lasts for 22 seconds and consists of 28 shots, all contributing to the dangerous atmosphere. Before the scene begins, the camera takes a subjective point of view (that of the murderer), peering through a hole in the wall at Marion Crane, his victim.The camera shots of the murderer looking through the hole switch from close-up to extreme close-up, framing his eyeball intently starring at Marion undress. Marion's normal, everday task of taking a shower is turned into a suspenseful waiting game. Hitchcock emphasized every sound that she made while preparing to shower. When she unwrapps her soap, the extreme crumpling of the paper abruptly breaks the silence. The water from the shower faucet sounds five times louder than usual. All of these heightened sounds of mundane actions causes viewer discomfort, a contribution to the suspence. The notion of Marion's vulnerability reaches its climax while she is in the shower. The camera switches angles several times before it reaches the climatic shot; Marion showering in the right side of the frame while a dark sillouette slowly appears behind the shower curtain in the left side of the frame, and the camera zooms in on the killer lurking just behind the curatin.The chaotic shots during the murder switch back and forth between extreme close-ups of Marion's horrified expression, different parts of her vulnerable body, and the killer's knife raised high. During the 22 second scene, the viewer only sees the knife touch Marion's body for a split second, but the combination of the shots imply that she has been stabbed brutally multiple times. The music plays a key role in the murder, with high pitched violins played backwards to enhance the vulgarity of the murder. The camera then follows Marion as she slowly slides to her death, a drastic contrast to the previous chaotic and fast-pased stabbings. Near the end of the scene the camera shifts from her body to the draining water that is now tinted with her blood. Last, the camera follows the bloody water to an extreme close-up of the drain, which is superimposed into an extreme close-up of Marion's eye as she lays dead over the bathtub, an extremely dramatic effect.

Museum of the Moving Image

The Museum of the Moving Image provided an illuminating glimpse at the movie and television industry. Most interesting, I found, were the demonstrations exploring modern editing. Specifically, the sound editing demonstration revealed how powerful of an impact sound effects and music render for a film. As necessary as the picture itself, the sound of a film creates the appropriate mood and emotion that is to be evoked from the audience. At the demonstration, scenes from the movie The Titanic were shown while manipulating the sound effects using a computer program. One run through of the scene where the Titanic is sinking was shown with only the human dialogue and voice audible, (muting all music or other sound effects) to demonstrate how certain human screams, panting, or thuds were emphasized to evoke panic. Another run through was shown with only the music audible, which revealed that the music is really the main contributor to the emotional aspect of the scene. Further dissection of the sound effects revealed a very interesting component; animal sounds such as lion and elephant roars. The only way to actually pinpoint these animal sound effects was to use the sound-editing program and single them out amongst the chaos of all the other sounds playing simultaneously. Apparently, the editors of the film wanted the ship to appear as a character of the film itself, and therefore appear more alive. The animal sound effects were included to insinuate that the ship was “dying” as if it were actually alive, and therefore provoke emotional feelings from the audience. Each and every sound in the scene was scrutinized over, (what volume to be played at, which thud or bang to emphasize amongst the rest, which splash in the water should be loudest) all for the single purpose of evoking the appropriate emotion from the audience. This demonstration truly enlightened my knowledge of the sound-editing process, and revealed how integral a role the sound effects and music play in the film as a whole.

Welcome to my class blog. My Name is Katie Blauvelt, and I am majoring in media studies at Hunter College. This blog will document the various digital media projects we will be exploring throughout the semester.