I'm A Freak, You're A Freak, We're ALL Freaks.

I related immensely to David Rendall’s creative manifesto “FREAK FACTOR: Discovering Uniqueness by Flaunting Weakness". The purpose of Rendall’s article is to open people’s eyes to their flaws and weaknesses as well as their strengths. Instead of advising individuals to overcome their downfalls, he stresses the importance of embracing our weaknesses and combining them with our strengths. I absolutely adore the term that he uses to name the people who have mastered embracing their flaws as well as their strengths; “freaks”. I really just love this term because prior to reading this manifesto, I too would often refer to geniuses and creative innovators as ‘freaks’ in a positive way. Rendall claims that this term perfectly describes these creative masters because they possess an uncanny obsession for pursuing their dreams and achieving success in that particular field. He provides us with shout outs to successful intellects that have conquered their positive and negative traits and made a name for themselves, such as Richard Branson and David Neeleman. So, what are my favorite suggestions that Rendall provides? That, my friends, is a hard question to answer. I had to narrow down my favorite of his nine points to three of them mentioned below.

1.     Flawless: There’s Nothing Wrong With You

Rendall mentions that every person has both positive and negative characteristics that are impossible to separate. I agree with this idea that mankind has a perfect balance of imperfections, meaning that all people are flawed; both a mystery and a beauty that I find awe-inspiring. We need to be able to use our flaws and gifts together to create, but we first need to recognize our strengths and weaknesses. Rendall provides a chart with examples of positive and negative characteristics and, as mentioned above, he even references celebrities and successful business people who have made their strengths and weaknesses one.  This made me think of a quick list of my positive and negative attributes so that I could reflect on them and make them one in harmony together. A few negative points about me: I am stubborn, anxious, a worry wart and I tend to become obsessed with certain things to the point where if I don’t accomplish the task and/or goal that I am investing all of my time thinking about, I become flustered. On the other hand, some positive aspects about me are that I am compassionate, hardworking, dependable, loyal and conscientious. I strive to practice linking together these traits to develop my own value system and reach my full potential.

2.     Forget It: Don’t Try To Fix Your Weaknesses

This idea seems so unorthodox at first glance. Don’t fix your weaknesses? What about all of those years that I was taught to eliminate all of those bad habits as a kid and focus on becoming a more powerful individual? After reading this suggestion, I felt that allowing yourself to acknowledge your weaknesses and leave them be is the most rational idea one could ever think of. I found it so odd that 59% of people responded in a survey that they believed in the eliminating of personal weaknesses as an essential part of personal development. I especially found the response odd since there are many individuals in the world that who have used their disabilities to their advantage and help others in the process. Rendall states that the ultimate fact that we all must come to face is that “we all have limitations”. We are by no means invincible and we must always be aware of our mortality.

3.     Fit: Find The Right Spot

In order to clarify this point, Rendall uses the classic children’s story Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer to better clarify his message about learning to fit in. Just as Rudolph was different than the other reindeer, we too are freaks of our own nature. Every human being on Earth has different interests, backgrounds, skills and personalities. We must learn to take our abnormal talents and apply them to the world. The biggest rule of life is that we must NEVER TRY TO CHANGE OURSELVES TO ‘FIT IN’. The biggest sin that we can commit against ourselves is to try to cover up our inner freak, just as Rudolph and his parents did with putting a black rubber cone on his nose. I know that when I was young I had a hard time talking with my friends about my interests in filmmaking and art, simply because they were not interested in the subjects. When I came to college, however, I met a huge group of people who I was able to discuss art and filmmaking with since they also had a passion for the subjects. We must let our inner freak shine like Rudolph did as he guided Santa’s sleigh and light the way for ourselves. Only when we follow our freaktastic selves are we able to find our place in the world.

Throughout my Media and The Creative Process course I have recognized my strengths and weaknesses. One of my weaknesses lies within some collaborative work when a group of people or an individual provides me with constructive criticism. This weakness must be combined with my strengths such as my determination and passion, which will allow me to better embrace creative criticism and recognize the compassion that others are exhibiting towards my work. Another weakness that I have discovered is that I tend to think too much on the far right side of my brain than I do on my left. The meshing together of my negative and positive traits will also aid me in making more logical decisions for my artistic endeavors by using the left hemisphere of the ole’ noggin.

Overall this manifesto proved to be the most useful since it allowed me to rummage through my brain and examine myself in a deeper way that will ultimately guide me to success.

And so, in closing, don’t be afraid to be called a ‘freak’; you will only be in denial.

Fellow freaks, UNITE!

Collapsus.com. Are You In?

Want to check out a really cool Trans-media piece about the future of our oil and energy sources? Look no further; the futuristic world of Collapsus is just one click away.

Thoughts On My Gaming Presentation.

My group's video game proposal entitled "Pirates & Ninjas"is categorized as a strategic multiplayer battle game for online game consoles. I found it hard to convey our idea that we envisioned as a group to the rest of the class. I feel as if the different rules of the game were confusing when we described them in our presentation. There are too many ways in which a player can break the rules. For instance, players who choose to be a pirate have separate rules from those who are a ninja. Although some of the rules of the game can apply to both sides, they seemed to come off as way too complex when we presented. 

A positive aspect of our presentation was the way in which we conveyed the goals of both the ninjas and the pirates.  Since both pirates and ninjas differ greatly in appearance and personality, it is easier to understand each of their motives. The goals of the pirate is to conquer the ninja's land, treasure and work your way up as captain of the ship whereas the ninja's goals consist of defending their treasure, take control of the pirate's ship and lastly, become a ninja master.

Overall these were the major weaknesses and strengths in our video game proposal presentation.

Extra Credit Comments For Blogs 5 and 6.

Katie Mack's Visual Reframing.

MacKenzie Bennett's video game critique.

Becca's Critique of 'Rebecca'.

Morgan's Creative Process.

Nightnurse vs. Biohazard.

 Take a look at this action-packed animation sequence featuring an epic standoff between the heroic Nightnurse and the devious Biohazard. Which super will prevail?

                                                                                           Biohazard created by: me.
Nightnurse created by:

Lauren Worthington

                                                    

Creativity Expo Finding.

While browsing around Ohio University's Creativity Expo on Friday afternoon, I came across a video game about seagulls-yes, you read it right; this game allows you to take a ride into the life of a seagull. Ever wonder what it would be like to steal food, annoy humans and soar the skies? I certainly do! This game enables you to do all of the above without any worry of a revenge seeking angry mob charging after you. I wish the best of luck for the developers of the game since the idea is very original and enjoyable and I'd really like to try it out.

From A Mime To A Cowboy.

These are the two short films that our group created for our media class's video project. Both were based on a 'T.G.I.F' (Thank goodness it's Friday) and 'S.H.I.T.' (Sorry honey it's Thursday) joke. I really like both films and I truly think that they present the joke in humorous ways. In terms of analysis, the films differ in how they are presented visually.

 The primary focus of the Charlie Chaplin-esque mime film, La Boite, is the use of line throughout the piece. The establishing shot at the beginning of the movie reveals a pathway that leads to not only Mime as he enters but also to the Pretty Girl who is seated on the bench at the end of the path. The bench itself is also an effective use of line since it signifies the initial place of security and intimacy that eventually leads to the punch line of the movie. La Boite differed greatly from our second film, Hey There Harry, in that it presented a heartwarming yet comical atmosphere that added to the overall humorous conclusion. Tension and release was evidenced after Mime realized that Pretty Girl was not showing up for their date as she promised she would. The tension was felt when Mime ignored Pretty Girl when he saw her at the bench on later that day while the release happened when he realized that it was only Thursday and the date was scheduled for Friday. Overall the primary intention of this film is to provide lighthearted entertainment and evoke feeling from the audience through the actor’s carefully thought out actions and facial expressions.

The second film, Hey There Harry, is an old western ‘shoot ‘em up’ that relies heavily on the use of space. The shot that introduces the two main characters, Harry and Randall, shows the existing tension as evidenced by the amount of space between them. Randall and Harry are separated from the very start, foreshadowing the tragic events that are destined to occur. There is also a significant amount of space between Caleb and Harry at the end of the film. Hey There Harry also contains text and subtext in the plot. Although Caleb appears to have complete and utter confidence in shooting Harry, he keeps his distance from him and takes precautions in the case that Harry makes a sudden counterattack. The text is that Caleb is intending to get revenge on Harry for the death of Randall yet the subtext is that Caleb is still unsure about carrying out the orders from the Townsperson. I was very satisfied with the way that we were able to make this film visually appealing since it was a little harder to call the shots and capture the intensity of an old western all the while without breaking any of the filmmaking rules.

Overall the hard work of the crew and the actors for both films really paid off. I think that the joke worked a little bit better for La Boite since the T.G.I.F. joke is presented in a more direct and emotional way. Besides portraying the same joke in a silent film approach, the two videos contain a character who appears more confident than he really is; Mime is almost positive that he will win Pretty Girl’s heart while Caleb is focused on taking care of Harry for his wrongdoings.

I hope you enjoy our short films and find them funny!

I Wanna Be A Webslingin' Superhero.

 Have you ever dreamed of waking up and realizing that you had amazing superpowers? Well, I know that I have! This broadcast from "This American Life" discusses what it would be like to be able to do the extraordinary by exploring what ability or abilities you would most like to have and how you would use them. I was stoked for this assignment since I was finally able to let out my uncanny obsession with the ole' webslinger himself, Spider-Man! (I'm still waiting for that radioactive spider bite...). After listening to my reasons for wanting Spidey's powers and why I hold him so dearly to my heart, I encourage you to read either the original Amazing Spider-Man books or the first series of Ultimate Spider-Man; you won't be disappointed!

"Bond. James Bond."

I'm not big on video games, but one of my all-time favorites is James Bond "007 Nightfire". I used to play this with my brother for hours on end back in the day and I still do! In this video I discuss the use of lighting that adds to this action-packed spy infused adventure.

Wanna Know How To Be Creative?

Read Hugh MacLeod's article, "How To Be Creative" here.

This is a video response relating my personal opinions and experiences with three of the suggestions that he offers. All of the sketches that I show at the beginning of the video are my personal drawings from my sketchbook. I hope that you like them and the video!

Audio Commentary on Sweeney Todd:The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

I discussed how director Tim Burton and the cinematographer chose particular types of shots to represent the love disconnection between Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett in this particular scene where Mrs. Lovett sings "By The Sea". This is one of my favorite scenes from a film, so enjoy and be sure to watch the original because it's funny as heck! Sorry in advance for the uber annoying watermark, there was no way to delete it. I should have had Sweeney Todd grab his razors and SHAVE it off the screen...

Visual Framing Re-Imagined.

      

I chose to reframe an image from pop artist Roy Lichtenstein since I admire vintage comic book drawings. The first image is the work without any manipulation and the second is one that I edited using Photoshop. I wanted to capture the intensity and uneasiness of the couple in the car as the artist had originally intended it, with much emphasis to the wide framing of each character's facial expressions. Three major visual topics that are expressed in my framing of Lichtenstein’s image are line/shape, shot type and visual movement/rhythm as well as contrast/affinity and text/subtext.

Lichtenstein’s original and my re-imagined image both contain elements of both actual and virtual line/shape. Actual lines are seen on top of and next to the figures that represent the wind blowing as the car zooms into the distance. There are also facial lines on the man and the woman, a common detailing of many comic and pop artists, in order to physically exaggerate the emotions in which the characters are experiencing. The menacing gaze of the man and the disgusted direction in which the woman is staring depicts virtual line. This use of line works well in the piece because it emphasizes the emotional strain of the relationship. After framing the photo, most of the lines that outlined the car disappeared. This affects the photo because the lack of lines makes it harder for the viewer to realize that the scene is taking place inside of a vehicle. I purposely cropped the lines out because I did not think that the location of the scene was relevant to the emotion that it conveys. As for the use of shape, the man has a square jaw and face which symbolizes that he has the power over the woman while the woman has a round, innocent looking facial structure, proving that she falls victim to the driver.

The shot type of the original is an OTS 2S (over the shoulder two shot) while my manipulated photo is mainly a 2S WS (two shot wide shot). The contrast in each shot type is that the initial photo is focused on both the location and the situation in which the event is taking place, whereas the framed copy has an enhanced and clear focus on the individual’s body language. Affinity in this work is reflected through the unchanged focus of the man’s powerful gaze upon the woman that is present in both versions. In essence, the text of this photo is that there is a couple driving in a speeding car. The subtext, however, is that the car ride is far from the ordinary; the pain that each individual is feeling relates to the realization that this is a highly uncomfortable situation.

Lastly, visual movement and rhythm is not only depicted through the use of lines to indicate speed but also through the way in which the viewer’s eye is immediately guided to diagonally towards the man’s face. This makes his gaze seem inescapable and intimidating, making us feel as though we are the woman in the piece.

Through the use of these elements above the viewer is able to establish a sense of how framing is important in understanding the overall meaning and feel of any form of art.

Ways To Avoid Being Brainwashed.

Seth Godin's article, "Brainwashed"discusses seven ways to break free of the confines from the corporate drone culture that has plagued our nation. In order to better ourselves and increase our creativity levels, he suggests that we must acknowledge seven layers of reinvention: connect, be generous, make art, acknowledge the lizard, ship, fail and learn.

One of the layers mentioned above instructs us how to "Acknowledge The Lizard". As soon as I heard of the name of this topic, all I could think of was a reference to the Spider-Man villain, The Lizard, who acts on natural instincts and impulses when responding to danger in a fight. Don't worry; there is a method to my geeky references, especially for this section of the article! Similar to The Lizard from Spider-Man, Godin informs us that we as humans are interconnected with the prehistoric part of our brain that he calls "the lizard brain". "The lizard brain" despises being ridiculed and laughed at and it worries about safety and as a result of this worry, it releases anger. The lizard part of our brain reacts to "the resistance", a mechanism that trains us to comply with instructions and discourages us to think outside of the box and reach our full potential. I truly believe that this advice is crucial for expanding our creative minds to accomplish our ultimate goal in life. I often have instances where my doubts and fears disable me from performing to my full potential which I now realize is the prehistoric part of my brain telling me to hold back and stick to the norm. Keeping this concept in  mind will also aid me in making my blog posts more appealing, creative and personal while still following the guidelines that I am instructed to adhere to. I strive to develop a distinctive voice for myself through my blog posts and to entice people to read them. We must realize that successful people gained their place in society by taming the lizard part of their brain and becoming fearless in their tasks and endeavors. Like Spider-Man we must fight the lizard!

Another layer that I found useful in developing my creative process is the "Make Art" suggestion. I really enjoyed reading about this section of the text since I have a huge adoration for drawing and any type of artwork in general. Godin's definition of art is spectacular; he claims that art is not just painting or writing a poem, but it is an original gift that all people can perform at a human level. He claims that "If you interact with others, you have the platform to create something new-something that changes everything. I call that art." This ideal will help me greatly as I continue my education in the media school as well as when I pursue my ultimate career. Creating vast networks with media industry professionals will encourage my interaction with others and make myself known.

I strongly believe that the assignments that are given to us for this class including the "Brainwashed" article will expand our knowledge and mold us into well-rounded individuals. Most classes in college are designed to teach students to obey instructions from bosses, officials and any other person in a higher power position, whereas this class teaches us just the opposite: to make ourselves known through hard work, perseverance and to think as if we are those bosses and officials in power.  I will also continue to create ideas and write scripts for short films that I will direct with my friends who are also video production majors. The layer mentioned above regarding making art will have an amazing influence in the creation of my blog, since I hope to expand my eccentric ideas into full-fledged productions with the help of creative criticism and input from my peers. If I am able to break free of the social confines of what is considered the "norm" for careers just as this article is persuading me to do, my confidence in my work and myself will grow and reach its peak. Confidence is undoubtedly the key to happiness and success in oneself and their career, which I hope to accomplish as I dive deeper into the media school curriculum.

Music Project.

Here is the song that I created using Garage Band. I was going for a heavy metal feel by changing the panning of the tracks and the pitch. I also played the organ on the program at the beginning and I also played my own electric guitar at the very end of the piece. Hope you like it!



And do not forget these three awesome songs that I critiqued as composed by Tyler Dawley, Vincent Franks and Gretchen Kessler.

Music Cover Madness: Nine Inch Nails vs. Johnny Cash.

My all-time favorite cover from a musical artist or band is Johnny Cash’s rendition of the song "Hurt" from industrial rock act, Nine Inch Nails. Both Nine Inch Nails and Johnny Cash are two of my favorite musicians; Johnny Cash for his innovative place in the rebellious history of rock n’ roll and Nine Inch Nails for their ability to push musical limitations between hardcore rock and electronica while packing an angsty punch. When Cash’s heartfelt gritty country rock passion is infused with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nail’s fury, a beautiful musical composition is birthed. Before analyzing NIN’s original song and comparing it with Cash’s ingenious rendition, check out the two variations of “Hurt” below and brace yourself for an epic battle of "whodunitbetter". Let the battle BEGIN!

Ding Ding!

         vs.

Every battle has a beginning, so let us commence with the original version of the track as created by Trent Reznor and the gang. The eerie lyrics suggest an inner turmoil and self-loathing. The beginning of the piece is delayed for a few seconds until it starts with Reznor proclaiming, “I hurt myself today/To see if I still feel/I focus on the pain/The only thing that’s real.” Reznor whispers the lyrics during the verses and then shouts in the chorus with despair: “You can have it all/My empire of dirt/I will let you down/I will make you hurt.” The haunting melody of the song has an andante tempo with an undertone of a heavily distorted electric guitar being picked slowly and steadily. The repetitive melody remains constant throughout the verses but then suddenly takes a heavy turn during the chorus while Reznor yells in frustration. The timbre of Reznor’s voice as well as the volume of the guitar varies as the chorus progresses. The speed and intensity escalates through the heavy pounding distortion of a gritty guitar riff and the guitarist’s speed takes the listener on a rollercoaster ride through Reznor’s personal hell.
Now let us transition into the cover of Reznor’s personal song as performed by the legendary Johnny Cash. Cash’s version can be portrayed differently than Reznor’s because Cash takes the meaning to the next level and adds a religious aspect to the song in order to reveal to the audience how drug abuse can lead to demise. Although the majority of the lyrics stay true to the original piece, Cash changes one part of the lyrics to “I wear this crown of thorns” while Reznor sings “I wear this crown of s**t”. The melody is similarly haunting and although it also contains an electric guitar as NIN’s piece, the distortion is set to clean and is more melodic than the original. The tempo is also set at andante speed that adds to the contemplative tone of regret that Cash exaggerates in his version. As the chorus kicks in, so do the guitars as they switch tempo to a moderato speed. Cash’s vocal performance is distinctively grittier and heavy than Reznor’s, providing the track with a different aesthetic.
And now lies the ultimate question of which contender dominates this epic battle of survival of the fittest, “Hurt” edition. Still stumped? I will let you in on my answer to this challenge: Johnny Cash. Although I love Nine Inch Nails and credit them with the originality of the song, I honestly feel that Cash brought more pain and suffering to the song, especially through the addition of the religious symbolism that he manipulated in the lyrics. I believe that although Reznor’s original evoked his own sense of struggle, Johnny Cash’s representation was a more universal one. Whenever I listen to this rendition, I feel as though Mr. Cash himself is speaking to me because of his ability to develop a strong connection with his audience. I admire Cash greatly and respect him for making ingenious musical risks to push the limits. This is a phenomenal example of Cash’s courage to perform a cover by a hardcore band and put his own spin on it with his unconventional country-rock roots. I highly recommend watching Cash’s music video to “Hurt” as it is his last and extremely powerful in performance. Keep in mind that the performer refused to wear any makeup or alter his appearance for the video in order to show his ill health and prove a point about drug addiction. (Johnny Cash's "Hurt").

Also, HERE is a link to an article about Reznor’s own opinion on Cash’s spin on his personal creation.

So, which version do you prefer?

Soundscape Project.

For those who are unfamiliar with the term, a soundscape is a combination of sounds that is used to evoke a specific emotion, especially in film. Check out our soundscape above and try to guess which emotion it is trying to convey. Still can't figure it out? Have no fear and look no further my friends; the answer is located on the last clip of the video!

Other awesome soundscape projects that I commented on: Bre Donovan, Joey Buccini and Angela Salerno.

FInd Your Voice (Or In This Case, Your Howl).

Individuality is crucial to finding our creativity. Jonathon Flaum reasserts this in his article, Find Your Howl. He shares two stories throughout the article in order to specify how important it is to find our inner voice. One of the stories talked about how his devilish fifth grade teacher assigned the class a five page paper on a topic of their choosing. One of Flaum's classmates, Nick Thompson, chose to write his essay about a captive tiger at a zoo who longed for his freedom. Each time that the tiger would try to escape with all of his might, he would wake up in a different cage at another zoo. The theme of this story repeated throughout Thompson's entire essay and the fiendish teacher ended up adoring his work. Although the story may seem cruel on the surface, he moral of the fifth grader's story is universal and rings true for all people; we are prisoners of our own anxieties, fears and our culture all play a part in constructing our own cage. We must learn to break away from these forces holding us back from our artistic potential and face the factors that are disabling us to use our utmost strength.

For this exercise, I expressed my inner "howl" by singing and playing a small excerpt on my Epiphone SG guitar of My Chemical Romance's song, "Summertime". I encourage you to find your inner passion and break free of all of the obstacles that are detrimental to your creative self.

Need Ideas For A Creative Project? Don't Change That Dial!

Fellow dreamers, ever feel as if you're stuck in the middle of a massive brain freeze when trying to formulate a brand spankin' new creative idea? If you've answered "yes" to my rhetorical question, then be sure to check out Mitch Ditkoff's 14 Ways to Get Breakthrough Ideas. These bits of information will come to rescue yourself from those nasty brain bubbles. Here are three of the fourteen ways that I found most helpful:

1. Follow Your Fascination- All of us are deeply intrigued by something, whether it be the wondrous forces of nature, the swirls on Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal or the amount of time it took animators to move Jack Skellington for just one second of film. Ditkoff advises us not to overrule any of our interests as silly or unimportant. Instead we need to embrace what makes us tick and use it to generate other ideas and concepts. He even suggests that those intriguing ideas are part of our individual calling since "the fascination felt for just one of them is a clue that there's something worthy of engagement." I truly believe that each of us is called to perform a greater task in life and that in order to find our destiny we must look further into developing our fascinations and expanding upon them to come up with an ingeniously creative idea.

4. Make New Connections- A television show about a talking sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea? When Stephen Hillenburg came up with this strange idea for a Nickelodeon show on a very low budget, who knew it would ever become a world phenomenon? The connection between something as imaginative and normally unrelated as an anthropomorphic sponge was formulated to create a truly ingenious idea. Ditkoff explains that we must not stay within the confines of our own little 'box' of what we are most comfortable with. We have to be wiling to break free of this box and express ourselves through things that are not interrelated. Make connections between different ideas and you'll be on your way to making the next worldwide phenomenon!

5. Fantasize- Be a dreamer. I know for a fact that daydreaming is my middle name. Ditkoff affirms that most ingenious ideas come from fantasizing about something great that you want to make happen to benefit yourself and others. How did J.K Rowling come up with the fantastical concept of Harry Potter? The answer: as she was DAYDREAMING on a train.You must set out and attempt the impossible and never miss your chance at conceiving an irrational yet inspiring idea and fulfilling it to your best ability. Be sure to make fantastic revelations and don't be afraid to take a tiny mental vacation every now and then (something that your teacher will never tell you). IMAGINATION IS KEY TO SUCCESS.

I chose to answer suggestion #5's prompt;"Think of a current challenge of yours. What would a fantasy solution to this challenge look like? What clues does this fantasy solution give you? 

-One current challenge that I have is to come up with ideas for a screenplay that my 48 hour shootout team and I are conceiving. I am usually able to whip out my notebook and jot down some crazy bits ad pieces of notes that I am able to use for a story, but as of right now I am flat out of ideas. If it were up to me I would solve this problem by stopping time for a a few moments and just allow my mind to relax and process ideas without having to respond to any outside noise. The fantasy solution informs me that I tend to become too obsessed with coming up with new concepts for a film that I don't allow it to come naturally. I tend to over-think issues and I need to step back and let a screenplay hit me in the face (not literally of course, that would be painful). As I mentioned before, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series was spontaneously birthed as the author looked outside of her train window. I have had random 'idea spurts' in the past where I would think of lyrics to a new song or words to a new story as I was lying in bed. When these miraculous occurrences happen, I toss my warm blankets in the air, grab my glasses and head to my desk for any available writing utensil. Perhaps I need to stop wishing for another one of these moments and instead wait and see what the future has in store. On a side note, I have just rented out two phenomenal screenplays from the university library to aid me in my quest to create a great script; Sleepy Hollow and Back to The Future.

Shout-Outs To My Other Favorite Works.

Back To The Future
One of my all-time favorite films that I have always admired is the Back To The Future trilogy, although the first film will always remain my absolute favorite. I adore the character of Marty McFly (alright, I'll admit that I've always had a crush on him!) because he is so relatable, realistic and he plays electric guitar. I also love Doc Emmett Brown for his wacky yet lovable demeanor as well as George McFly's nerdiness. This film allows me to dive deep into the fantasy world of traveling back in time to find out what my parents were like as teenagers with a super trendy DeLorean for a time machine. There is a reason why this sci-fi comedy has become a timeless classic; although the time periods are dated, the story still rings true about how certain events affect future outcomes. The script is phenomenal and I intend to make a timeless classic as a director just as Robert Zemeckis did with this film.
                                      
One of the best scenes from the first film where Marty does some awesome skateboard tricks to run away from Biff and his gang.


Spider-Man 
Another mention of an inspiring work for me. As mentioned earlier, art has been part of my life ever since I was born and I am expressing that through my cartooning on 'Camelittle'. I really like comic books because of the artwork and meaning behind the stories. If you ask any of my friends or family members, they'll all explain to you my adoration for Spider-Man. I am a reader of both the original Amazing Spider-Man series as well as Ultimate Spider-Man, which focuses on superhero Peter Parker as a teenager in high school. Why, you may ask, am I so enthralled with Spidey? The answer is simple; he is such a realistic character. If you think of other superheroes, you'll notice that most of them seem to be from a whole different planet (in the case of Superman) and do not experience regular human emotions. With Pete, it is the opposite. We can see the destruction Uncle Ben's death plays in part of his character as well as his struggle to help others and cope with having powers, which he usually doesn't want. Spider-Man is also extremely humorous and always provides comic relief to every situation, which is another form of tension and release as I described earlier. These are just some of the reasons why I am a total Spider-Man girl!

Green Day
Finally, shifiting gears a little bit, it would be a sin for me not to mention anything about music. Green Day has always been my favorite band of all time, and without them I would have never picked up a guitar and dedicated my life to rockin' out! Billie Joe Armstrong and the gang were actually also the ones who introduced me into old school punk rock bands such as The Ramones, The Clash, Social Distortion and even Rancid. I have now expanded my rock roots to include bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Doors, Guns n' Roses and even Johnny Cash. Without Green Day, I would have a huge musical void in my life.  Music has become such a huge piece of me; one of my uncles is a band manager in Los Angeles while the other runs a music venue in the San Francisco Bay Area (heck, my dad and my brother play guitar too). So, here's a shout out to Green Day for getting me into the magic of ROCK!

People Who Inspire Me To Become A Filmmaker #1-Tim Burton.

My first and foremost inspiration for wanting to become a film director is the eccentric and ingenious Tim Burton. I was first introduced to Burton's work when I watched Beetlejuice as a child, which still remains one of my favorite films. His work has always fascinated me and encouraged me to continue writing strange Gothic-esque dark yet humorous stories and screenplays. I admire his ability to create films that are truly pieces of art and always contain an underlying theme or message. For every media class that I have attended thus far I have either written a paper focusing on a specific Burton film or I have written a biography in order to better acquaint myself with who he is and why he chose the path of filmmaking. I have always shown interest in dark mysteries and horror stories even at a young age when I picked up an Edgar Allan Poe poem for the first time or when I watched The Shining and thought it was brilliant. I feel a connection between the filmmaker's desire to dig deep into the fantastical world of monsters, goblins, ghouls and complex fictional tales. For the longest time I felt that I was the only one of my friends who took such interest in obscure things and almost every time that we had a girl's movie night, I always suggested to watch a dark or action film while my friends unanimously agreed to watch a chick flick. As this trend continued, I decided to try and find a person who shared the same affinity for eccentric films as myself. That was when I discovered Tim Burton and ultimately confirmed my passion for wanting to become a filmmaker since I had already been making short movies with my neighborhood while filming on my Digital Blue camera for a few years. Ever since then I have always identified myself as a big Tim Burton connoisseur and I could relate myself to his unique interests and his driving passion to create films that were not only important for his own identity, but that would also impact the audience in a deeper way.

Another reason why I admire Burton is because he is a talented artist and cartoonist in addition to being a filmmaker and had his start at Disney Animation Studios, illustrating parts of the animated film, The Fox and The Hound. He did not enjoy his time as an animator at the studios since his style of drawing was a far cry from that of the traditional Disney artwork. I too have been drawing since I was a young girl and I am currently expressing that interest as an illustrator for the show 'Camelittle' that is student-run at the university. Similar to Burton, it was a bit challenging for me to adopt the artistic style of the show to my own signature cartooning at first, but soon I was able to incorporate elements of my work into theirs, which made working much easier for me and I absolutely love being on the show. Burton's use of romantic imagery within his pieces is fascinating to me. Although the artwork and animation in his films and sketches are quirky, they inspire me to find my own artistic style and apply it to my own projects and endeavors. I truly believe that his passion is undoubtedly the ultimate force that shaped his fame and recognition today and I admire him greatly for all of his achievements.

Burton uses the elements of contrast and affinity greatly in his feature films and shorts. In every movie that he has directed and/or written, there is always a contrast between the "real world" and the "alternate world" (which is sometimes the world of the dead as in Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride). This contrast is usually depicted through the use of dark and light imagery. For example in The Nightmare Before Christmas, Halloween Town contains a gray and black cold and bleak setting with monsters as the inhabitants while Christmas Town is just the opposite with colorful glowing lights and a warm atmosphere. Affinity, or similarity, in the films is that there is usually an outcast, since Burton considered himself an out casted individual during his childhood. Take for instance Edward Scissorhands who is alienated from society because of his unique physical appearance and is eventually a wrongly accused victim as a result of his uniqueness. This is also shown with the character of Frankenweenie, a friendly dog who is brought back to life by his owner and is feared throughout the town because of his appearance.

    

Halloween Town contrasted with Christmas Town. Which would you rather live in?


Tension and release is created as a means of pushing the limits on the comfortability of the audience. The use of tension is evidenced in Sleepy Hollow when the Headless Horseman brutally decapitates a character in front of protagonist Ichabod Crane. The viewer's first response to this action is one of both disgust and shock as the severed head rolls towards the front of the screen. The release of this particular scene happens when Ichabod comically faints in front of the camera, creating a sense of comic relief. Burton added this reaction shot to purposely add humor after a disturbing situation. The mere fact that Ichabod, a detective in charge of solving the mysterious murders occurring at Sleepy Hollow, shares the same nauseous feeling as the audience after witnessing the Headless Horseman's strike is particularly humorous and causes a release of uncomfortable tension. This element of tension and release is crucial for all experimental filmmakers who aspire to push the limits and take their audiences to uncomfortable heights while managing to bring them back to a level of comfort with hilarity.





Ichabod fainting. I LOVE Johnny Depp!

The objective element of the scene mentioned above is that the headless horseman chopped off one of the character's heads in a disturbing fashion (is there any other way to cut off a head?). We as an audience know that the head is no longer attached to the body; it is visual and straightforward in its presentation. The subjective element, however, is the question of whether or not Ichabod Crane is the right individual for solving the murder mystery of Sleepy Hollow since seems to be unable to handle events related to his mission as evidenced by his sudden fainting. Burton intends to pose this indirect question for the audience's interpretation. If Ichabod is unfit for stomaching the gory events taking place in Sleepy Hollow, who should be in charge of the investigation? Is anyone really fit for the job? Also, Ichabod's means of solving the case are considered unorthodox to the townspeople of Sleepy Hollow, which also adds to the question if Ichabod is qualified or not.

**And just for the heck of it, I'm going to throw in Burton's first animated short, Vincent, because I think that it is phenomenal and captures Burton's signature style. Plus, I just visited the Chiodo Brothers Animation Studio in Burbank, California where this was filmed! Enjoy :).

Coffee Is My Best Friend.

I signed up for the bright and early 8:00 a.m. Friday morning Media 203 lab not because I am a morning person (which anyone could attest that I am not), but to start my day off without having to worry about hurrying to afternoon class. All I need is a warm cup of Starbucks House Blend Coffee with vanilla Coffee Mate creamer to stir up my creative brain waves and I am ready to kick start the media filled morning. The early lab also allows me to go back to my dorm and rest for a while before starting some homework for the weekend. In addition, the majority of my friends registered for this section, so I thought it would be fun to be in class with them and see what kind of creative things they would produce.
With that being said, I look forward to posting my interesting and crazy media creations on this blog not only for my class but also for others who might stumble upon my ramblings. Just a little about me so you can get a sense of who I am and what my interests are: I love drawing, music (I play electric guitar), writing and I hope to one day become a film director/screenwriter (Tim Burton is my biggest inspiration as you can see). To all of my followers and Media 203 class, feel free to give me some creative criticism! I hope you enjoy my work :).

Livin' Under The Los Angeles Skyline.