Scene Deconstruction Part 2

In this clip there are two important topics that help reinforce the theme that good always triumphs over evil, lines and space. Lines are particularly useful because we can almost distinguish what is good and bad by lines. Straight lines generally represent good people or memories. For example, when Harry’s friends walk into the scene they are upright and straight. At the end of the clip when Voldemort leaves Harry’s body, Harry is left in a straight line position which reiterates straight lines are good. Most of the evil sections of this clip are curvilinear, for example Harry lifts his body up into a snake formation during the battle versus evil. Straight and curvilinear lines help show tension and release because tension rises when evil clips appear because we don’t know if Harry will overcome evil temptations. Tension releases when we are reassured Harry will stay morally straight until the end of time.

Space remains fairly flat in the clip because we need to focus on the primary movement in the scenes. The background may change color or texture but it is meant to be a backdrop to compliment the main action in the scene. There may be a few seconds of deep or limited space in flashbacks, but to keep attention focused on the overall message, the background is simplistic. Space is complimented with contrast and affinity. There are some snippets that largely contrast colors in foreground and background, whereas some snippets display affinity between foreground and background. There are many more important factors that bring this clip to life, but lines and space really differentiate motifs of good and evil. 

Scene Deconstruction

This scene comes from Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix, as if you can’t tell already I have an obsession with Harry Potter. The theme of the movie and the scene is that good always triumphs over evil, and I think this is exemplified in a didactic manner. Harry starts out struggling and seeing dark images of dark times in his life. But then he knows that all the happy moments and people that love him can help him through anything. It shows a struggle of good vs. evil, but in the end good wins because nothing beats the power of love. 

Animation Deconstruction

The two pictures I am comparing and contrasting come from Monster’s Inc. and Finding Nemo. First I will explain how these two images are different. Picture 1 shows the use of complimentary colors between the good and bad characters. Mike Wazowski (the green character) and the right side of the picture have more saturation to symbolize good, or an absence of evil. Since mike is a brighter color he appears to advance. The mood of this picture is fairly dark due to the background, rusting metal, and the only light is on the character for interrogation. Cooler colors were used to evoke emotion.

In picture two there are a plethora of colors but the most prominent tones are warmer colors. Opposite of picture 1, picture two uses warm colors to create a look of tension, suspense, and darkness. Our eyes are drawn to the top of the volcano because it is a bright color and a heavily saturated yellow. We also see bubbles coming out of the volcano that advance toward us because of the saturation. The eyes of the fish are points of interest because they are brighter juxtaposed to their surroundings.

These pictures are alike in that they create a similar mood and feeling, but they used different colors in doing so. Both pictures utilized shadow to emphasize a character. Picture 1 has a shadow on Mike to show that Randall (the lizard) is dominant in this interaction. Mike is looking up at Randall empowering his stature. In picture 2, shadow is used as a sense of mystery because it is lighting up half of the fish’s faces. It seems like a horror story because the shadows are causing the characters to have dominance because they can see all of us, but we can’t see all of them. We are also looking up at the fish, signifying that they are being emphasized due to the low horizon line.

These two movies are great examples that you can create a sense of fear using different hues, although both utilized shadow and horizon lines to emphasize characters. The creators used bright colors and saturation to make certain parts of the picture catch our eye and we have to pay special attention to those spots. 

Story board imitation part 2

There were many innovative shots taken in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The 180 degree rule, the rule of thirds, and the 30 rule (either 30% or 30 degrees) were used. In the following paragraphs I will demonstrate how these rules were applied.

The director utilized the 180 degree rule multiple times in these 5 shots. From shot 2 to 3 the 180 degree line was crossed because Ron moves, enabling a new 180 degree line. The 180 degree line was also broken from shot 3 to 4 and 4 to 5 because new characters were introduced to the scene.

The rule of thirds was used quite often. In shot 1, the most important element is the stopped train. In shot 2, Ron’s hand falls under the rule of thirds, but then drifts to the middle of the shot. In shot 3 the glass bottle and Ron’s hand fall into the vertical and horizontal intersections. In shot 4 and 5 the rule of thirds is not utilized because the characters are in the middle of the screen.

The rule of 30 was used multiple times. In shot 1, the camera moved from a wide shot of the train to a medium shot of Ron in Shot 2. Shot 2 goes from a medium shot of Ron to a close-up of Ron. The rule of 30 was only used twice because the 180 degree rule was used for the rest of the shots.

I think the directing talent in the Harry Potter movies is phenomenal. The director knows how to push boundaries of filmmaking and keep the audience interested and on edge throughout the whole movie. The director followed the 180 degree rule, rule of thirds, and the 30 rule (30% rule). The director did not use the 30 rule of 30 degrees. This may be used later in the movie clip but since the 180 degree line kept changing, we did not use the 30 degree rule. 

Story Board Imitation

Song Deconstruction (Part 2)

The song Forever originally sung by Chris Brown was remade by American Idol contestant Andrew Garcia. These two songs are arranged very differently and appeal to different audiences. Chris Brown’s version was created in a studio and contains many machine made sounds and effects. Andrew Garcia’s version was acoustic and he performed live without the help of sound effects.

   

Both songs generally use the same lyrics. Andrew Garcia’s song is shorter in length; therefore he had to cut out a few verses of the song. In the end, he shortens a chorus and the finale, and then adds them together. The melodies of the two songs are nearly identical because the melody is the vocal aspect of these songs.

Chris Brown’s version has a fairly fast tempo (allegro) and could be described as having hip-hop, poppy, or dance personality to it. There are a large amount of instruments/ effects in this song. The most prominent sounds were base beats, popping beats, keyboard, synthesized sounds, background vocals, and main vocals. The song organization is as follows: Intro, verse 1, bridge, chorus, verse 2, chorus, verse 3, chorus, and finale. There are wide ranges of high and low pitches. The timbre is complex due to the large amount of sounds and effects overlapping throughout the song. 

Andrew Garcia’s version has a slightly slower tempo (moderato). Most of the prominent sounds come from a guitar, bongo drums, and vocal. There are some background instruments playing, but they are very subtle. The personality of this song is rather soft, hypnotic, and relaxing. This is almost the exact opposite of the original song. The organization is as follows: Intro, verse 1, bridge, chorus, verse 2, chorus/finale. This song remains rather consistent until the verse 2 breakdown. There were many low pitches, but the only high pitch I noticed were violins in the background. The intensity of the song was low because it is a soft song; the timbre was fairly simple as well.  

I enjoy Andrew Garcia’s version of Forever more than Chris Brown’s version. The acoustic version seems more real and meaningful. Andrew only had one chance to get this song right on stage and he nailed it, whereas Chris Brown could keep working until his voice sounded right.  I may be a little biased because I have a weakness for live performances, especially ones involving acoustic guitar. 

Song Deconstruction

Chris Brown- Forever

Andrew Garcia- Forever (Cover)

Harry Potter Sound Critique

The Harry Potter series exemplifies a unique array of sound characteristics. One scene in particular is when dementors board the Hogwarts Express in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The creators utilized different listening modes. In the beginning, we see heavy rain and some wind, and we can hear those exact casual sounds. We also see the train jolt as well as hear it. An example of a semantic sound would be the sound a dementor makes when trying to suck out Harry’s soul. The noise you hear is a dark representation of what a soul-sucking creature would sound like. It almost sounds like a deep windy noise mixed with a growl.

Space is also utilized in this movie clip. Near the end of the scene Harry faints and he can hear his mother scream “Harry.” The sound fades out since he is fainting. The sound is then transformed into the train whistle and gets louder as he starts to come through. We perceive this sound as if we are Harry, hence it fading in and out. We also hear the dementor’s suck more loudly because the directionality of the sound is pointing toward Harry. During that time we are looking through Harry’s point of view, which increasing the intensity of the noise.   

Harry Potter Sound Design

Blogs ARE Important

The three layers I chose to elaborate on were acknowledging the lizard, fail, and learn. I think these layers positively affect the blog assignments we create in this Media and Creative Process class. Blog assignments are not meant to be perfectly written, boring, formal papers; blogs are informal, fun, and expressive. Acknowledging the lizard fits in perfectly with how a person views their own work. When writing my blog, I say things that other people might not agree with, things that other people will judge me for, and things right off the top of my head. Everyone could critique me for it, laugh at me, and shoot my thoughts down, but it’s MY blog, MY thoughts, and I don’t care what other people think. If I want to be a weirdo, then I will be a weirdo.

This blog easily expresses the fail layer. These assignments are meant to be something we can build off of and start thinking in new kinds of ways. So what if I write a post that doesn’t make sense or that nobody likes. I failed and I can move on. These blog posts are not going to make us famous anytime soon, but they could be fundamentally helpful in the future. The saying “knowledge is power” is becoming essential, especially if you wish to be an indispensable employee in the future.

Once you fail, you learn. This is how life works. You fall off a horse, you get back up. If I make a bad post, or get a bad grade on a post, I know what I need to improve on for the next assignment. With the constant change in our society, it is our job to educate ourselves as much as possible. That is the whole idea of being a media major, you know you are different, but what are you willing to do to get ahead of everyone else. The answer is learn. You can never learn too much information.

I think if we were to eliminate blogs, we would be eliminating part of our creativity. Blogs are a way to express our internal feelings and put our thoughts onto paper. The creative assignments are great to showcase skills with computer programs and teamwork. There is room for adding your own style to the creative assignments, but you are restricted by your computer skills, your partner(s), and the criteria used for grading. I think both the creative and blog assignments are important because it enables us students to think through different mediums, voice our opinions, and have a chance to learn. 

Brainwashed Summary

Three layers of Seth Godin’s Brainwashed that I am going to summarize are acknowledging the lizard, fail, and learn. Subconsciously everyone has the fear of being laughed at or scrutinized for creating something different and new. If we recognize this fear exists we can overcome it, this is “acknowledging the lizard.” Failing is an important part of art creation. Some artistic risks will fail, but continuing to fight the resistance of an average, boring life will be rewarding. The third layer I will mention is learn. Learning is all about experiments and experiences, which are necessary to create a new path for yourself. Learning happens every single day so you are able to continue to grow. 

Read Brainwashed

Finding MY Howl

I decided to choose a music video, John Mayer playing Free Fallin’ instead of choosing a quote or other written work. I am a very visual person and I am inspired by actions and sounds, not simply words themselves. Much like when I watch a musician play music live I am instantly feeling what they feel and finding meaning to their lyrics. Lyrics are just empty words until you put rhythm, melody, emotion, and many other things together. This song, when specifically played acoustic, has more meaning than the upbeat Tom Petty version. Both versions of the song are fantastic, but John Mayer’s version says so much more.

If you compare music videos, Tom Petty’s version is a bunch of different scenes recorded and then edited into a final product of him to make sure he looks great. John Mayer’s cover version is a live performance; there are no re-takes or restarts. They had one chance to catch him on camera. What you heard was raw and real music. Sure they had multiple cameras catching different angles of him performing so they could show close-ups on his face and full body shots, but the editing was fabulous. The editors put close-ups of John Mayer at perfect moments to catch his emotions and facial expressions. This is the kind of media that inspires me to work in this field for the rest of my life.

  I have always been undecided with what I wanted to do with my life. I am a quick learner, but what good is that going to do if I can’t find a profession I can enjoy. I have always had a special interest in music, movies, and TV. My parents, however, thought sitting in front of the TV or computer was lazy and wouldn’t work out as a professional career, so I shoved that idea to the side and tried to find something else. I started out as a pre-pharmacy major and I hated every second of it. I was too creative to be stuck behind a counter all day, no matter how great the salary may be. My parents understood that they needed to let me make my own decisions now, so I switched to Communications. I still felt like something was missing and I had no clue what I was going to do with that degree. I met with an old friend from home, who happens to work in the Scripps College of Communications, and she asked me “If you could do one job in the world for the rest of your life…what would it be.” I told her I wanted to make music videos or commercials. She responded “I help you get there.”

Since that day, I have been a Video Production major. I am trying to get involved with as many projects as I can to figure out what part of production I would like to be part of. I am learning new information and techniques daily. I am actually interested in all my courses and enjoy going to class. I feel like I can’t learn enough! This profession was calling to me, and I just had to find my way to it. You really can’t make it through college if you hate your major. I hope I can work with music videos because I think every song has a message and evokes different emotions. I want to be able to make people feel a certain way when they see my videos. Music is the only inspiration I need.  I think I found my howl.

Finding your Howl Summary

The first story Jonathan Flaum talks about in Finding Your Howl is about red wolves. Previously held in captivity due to near extinction, the wolves were released into the wild after repopulation. In order to survive in the wild and find a leader, one wolf goes off to hunt from the rest of the red wolves. He comes across a deer and a raven guiding him to follow his heart. The wolf has a vision of finding his howl. Once he finds his howl, by following his heart, the other wolves find theirs and come together as a pack. His howl is what makes him stand out and become a leader.  

Deconstructing Character Antagonist

Whether you see ketchup and mustard or just red and yellow, these are the colors you see on my second character. Red primarily makes up his outfit with incorporations of yellow. The red is complimentary to the green in character one’s outfit. This is important to understand the characters are opposites of each other; character one is good and character two is evil. The color red generally denotes the devil, anger, or aggression. Character two is definitely an angry character and would love nothing more than to capture character one. Character two also wears a red hat with a large feather attached to it. 

This lighting represents character two because of the sense of mystery. He is often associated with darkness because evil resides in the dark. When this character comes onscreen it is usually sunset or nighttime. Since it is dark and he is on a pirate ship he uses lanterns as his light. Lantern’s only let off a tiny amount of light which hides most of a person’s features making them seem more threatening. Although the darkness may make this character seem threatening, he never succeeds his evil deeds in the dark. Character two may look scary, but he has fears of his own. 

Character two’s shape makes him look like a lamp shade. He wears a long colonial coat that flares out into a triangle shape. He maintains this triangle shape whenever he is sword fighting because of the wide stance you take when fencing. The shape of a triangle could mean masculinity. Character two has control over a whole crew of people and holds a position of high status. Since his coat is triangular shaped and clean cut he tries to over compensate for his loses by looking well put together. His hook in place of his hand usually slows him down and makes him lose fights. 

Captian Hook! 

Deconstructing Character Protagonist

A tree relates to my character because of the colors he wears. His outfit consists of different shades of green and accents of brown. The bottom of his shirt and the sleeves are jagged to resemble leaves.  His shoes are brown and look like tree roots. Trees usually create a sense of safety because they are grounded and strong. They are also organic indicating purity and simplicity. These colors can also be a form of camouflage on the island he lives on. Shades of green and brown will help him blend in with plants and trees to hide from his enemies. 

This spotlight represents my character because it resembles the moon. My character spends a lot of time flying in the moonlight because he visits people during the night. Even when he is in a house the moonlight is still shining on him, almost making him a godly figure.  The lighting usually brightens whenever my character comes on screen, suggesting he is “the good guy.” Although he is always in the spotlight, it is hard for his enemies to keep an eye on him and capture him. His shadow detaches from him at one point suggesting there is no dark or evil part to this character.

My character takes the same shape as a bird when he flies. He generally holds out his arms when he flies, but he doesn’t flap his arms. He likes to be enthusiastic and show others how to soar to his homeland. He tells others to think happy thoughts to give them the power to fly. When this doesn’t work, sprinkling fairy dust on his friends seems to do the trick. Only one other person on his home island can fly; this ability is especially helpful when he needs to fight evil or travel long distances. This is the power that sets him apart from regular people. 

Peter Pan!