Week 8B

http://crwill.blogspot.com/2011/05/characters.html

Collin has very interesting characters as well, especially from my perspective since I’m from China. Collin’s figure for the hero is very typical hero figure in old and traditional Chinese culture, though I am not sure where his idea of hero comes from, it is very similar to Chinese typical hero figures. For the color,  which is quite obvious, is red, with red makeup for eyes but the eyes are yellow. And also, the color is not that saturated, although I think this character supposes to be saturated in terms of color. I like the post the character has, which may be a symbolism to audiences which creates a mood as well. I am sure there is a contrast and affinity between the characters. The clothing is one of the major differences. The text and subtext is quite obvious as well which audiences can tell through the way how the characters stand in the picture. Traditionally, the way how his hero stands suggests that the hero is powerful and ready for a fight. And the makeup, especially the makeup for the eyes suggests that the hero is a smart guy. Though maybe the creator of the picture haven’t realize that, if a there is a “hero” dressed like that in China, people would analysis our concepts talked in class as I did. 

http://mdia203gerace.blogspot.com/2011/05/herovillain.html

For Adava’s post hero and villain, it is very interesting. These two characters have very obvious differences in terms color hue and lighting. The hero has reddish color for his shirt, so that it may give the audience a feel of righteousness. And also, the hero has an axe in his hand. It seems that he is going to log the lumber, which could be a sign of his powerfulness. The hero’s blue hat is classic contrast with his shirt. A very big contrast with what he wears.  I like his partner’s villain as well. It is very obvious for the color hue, only black and red. I think red the traditional righteous color, which is always used for heroes. However, the red lips on the villain goes really well with the black body, which makes me feel the greedy and dark influences from the villain immediately. So that the audiences can tell the symbolism and everything immediately. And, it also creates a dark mood instantly simply by using the black color as the body of the villain. The text and subtext is very obvious as well by simply adding the tool to the hero and by drawing the special eyes for the  villain. Great work!

http://swickaroo.blogspot.com/2011/05/8b.html

To me, I feel Mary’s characters are quite innovative and unique. How many of us will think a female character as a villain role? So it is very special and different to make a female villain. And, I have to say Mary did a good job on color hue for two characters.  Using some kind of dark color combination for the villain really makes the character stands out than others. The facial expressions immediately create the mood and symbolism. The triangle head with many triangles in the picture subconsciously stress the point of this villain. The contrast and affinity between two characters are quite obvious as well. The hero has a very powerful figure and very strong. The hero immediately can make people feel friendly and ready to help. So I think the creator did a good job in making the audience understand the text and subtext. It will be very helpful for the audiences to understand who is who in the real animation. 

Week 8A

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/178/superpowers

week8 a

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/178/superpowers

The animation

Week 8B b

Week 7

Week 7

I am going to compare and contrast the videos between our group and the video based on joke 5. There are very obvious editing style differences between two videos.

Many scenes in these two videos both were shooted in the interiors. So both videos give audiences similar feeling to space. In our video, we have the guy sits on the coach reading newspaper and talking on the phone. In joke 5 video, they  have the guy sits behind the desk and talks with the phone. So these two scenes both allow the audiences see the limited space through the frame. The rhythm is also different. Our video is faster than the joke 5. And the story flows faster since our video is more like old silent movie style. And joke 5 video is more like modern style editing style. It may be coincidence. The characters have rounder face in both videos are the naïve and nice one. The characters have triangle faces are more like characters with negative influence to the story. So I think it is how the shape plays similarly in both videos.

I think these two videos have very different tension and release due to editing and plot. Our video has less tension since we have funny background music and an old silent movie style. Because of these factors, audiences may be more relax to watch our video. But for video of joke 5,  because they did not use any music and most of story flows because of the ongoing dialogues, audiences more be more expected to see what will happen at last. Our tension released when the girl said she doesn’t want to drink and just want to wait for police come. And in the other group’s video, I felt when the guy sits down with his eyes covered and fly was flying around, I couldn’t help myself to think what will happen, will he screws up the cake. But the tension finally released when he takes off the eye cover.

The contrasts and affinity is quite obvious as well. As I compared and contrast the space, shape, and rhythm, from these components in the videos, these two videos generate their affinities and contrasts. Also, one important contrast is that we did not use any spoken dialogues but used a background music to go with the entire video. In joke 5 video, they didn’t use any background music but only used spoken dialogues to flow the story. 

Week 7

Week 7

I am going to compare and contrast the videos between our group and the video based on joke 5. There are very obvious editing style differences between two videos.

Many scenes in these two videos both were shooted in the interiors. So both videos give audiences similar feeling to space. In our video, we have the guy sits on the coach reading newspaper and talking on the phone. In joke 5 video, they  have the guy sits behind the desk and talks with the phone. So these two scenes both allow the audiences see the limited space through the frame. The rhythm is also different. Our video is faster than the joke 5. And the story flows faster since our video is more like old silent movie style. And joke 5 video is more like modern style editing style. It may be coincidence. The characters have rounder face in both videos are the naïve and nice one. The characters have triangle faces are more like characters with negative influence to the story. So I think it is how the shape plays similarly in both videos.

I think these two videos have very different tension and release due to editing and plot. Our video has less tension since we have funny background music and an old silent movie style. Because of these factors, audiences may be more relax to watch our video. But for video of joke 5,  because they did not use any music and most of story flows because of the ongoing dialogues, audiences more be more expected to see what will happen at last. Our tension released when the girl said she doesn’t want to drink and just want to wait for police come. And in the other group’s video, I felt when the guy sits down with his eyes covered and fly was flying around, I couldn’t help myself to think what will happen, will he screws up the cake. But the tension finally released when he takes off the eye cover.

The contrasts and affinity is quite obvious as well. As I compared and contrast the space, shape, and rhythm, from these components in the videos, these two videos generate their affinities and contrasts. Also, one important contrast is that we did not use any spoken dialogues but used a background music to go with the entire video. In joke 5 video, they didn’t use any background music but only used spoken dialogues to flow the story. 

The silent movie

Based on Joke 4

Week 6B

Extra Credit Student Expo

OK....I went to the student expo....
the picture is the evidence.....
if you don't believe...
i have the video about it....
they were nice cuz they offered free drinks and pizza...
so i really was there...

Week 6A

http://changethis.com/manifesto/6.HowToBeCreative/pdf/6.HowToBeCreative.pdf

Week 5B

The master and commander, talks about the Captain Jack leads his crew fights with their enemy, a French war ship.

Many moving dolly shots show the space of the space of the ship, which gives audiences depth of the field. It also gives audiences a more specific and vivid illustration of the ship back in that certain time period.

The movies used many wide shots to show the shape and sizes of the ship, which is a sharp ship body with square sails, a beautiful ship sailing on an endless ocean. The movie also used a large mount of close-up and XCU shots for characters. And, these characters’ faces are either in square or triangle shapes, which are the same shape components of their ship. I think these shapes symbolize the strength and brave spirit of the crew and captain Jack.

Week 5A

The eyes can convey much more information than we thought. Sally Mann’s original picture place the kid’s head right at the middle of the frame, which allows the readers focus on the kid’s eyes at first, then exam the rest of the picture, such as what does the kid dress. I appreciate Mann’s original idea to get people’s attention on the kid’s eyes. 

However, I feel like readers’ attention will be distracted by other information in the picture. So when I reframe it, since I know I want a more intense feeling drove by the kid’s eyes, I zoomed in the picture and pull the frame closer on the head and barely left space around the kid’s head. I feel after I reframe the picture, the new version seems more stressful than the original one since I don’t really have room, or space, around the kid. But Mann’s original one has a lot more space around the kid. Since Mann uses CU, mine is XCU. Although, the original one make people have a depressed feeling because what might be reflected through the kid’s eyes, the large space around the kid’s head gives some room for readers to breath. So I feel my version is more visually intensive than Mann’s original one. 

Also, I don’t really feel that Mann’s picture follows the rule of third. Mann put the kid just right at the center of the frame. I tried to make the kid’s eyes fall on the intersections of line when I apply the rule of third, so that the kid’s eyes are more focused and somehow exaggerated as well. Once the saddest part of the picture is amplified, the larger tension is created. I think Mann’ did a great job in tension and release. She released the readers’ tension by the empty space in the picture. I also appreciate the subtext in the picture. The text is very obvious, a cold, facial expression. The depressing feelings, the subtext, come out the eyes of the kid is very touching. 

Week 4

http://changethis.com/manifesto/show/66.01.Brainwashed

Connect

I remember it was in 2005; I had my very first blog. I wish I could use this “new” approach to connect with my friends in school. I failed to succeed because back to that time, few people used blogs and there was no ideas like connecting people through facebook or online blogging, though people not only connecting each other through these media but also making money because their blogs and articles they post on their blogs. Because my failure experience of blogging, I stopped blogging and now I enjoy writing for myself much more than blogging. Nevertheless, I completely agree with Godin’s idea of connecting people through the social media. It is a great way to advertising or doing marketing for oneself.

It is an amazing way to know a stranger through reading this person’s blog articles.  I feel many people feel naturally to write their blogs in a more open and casual tone since the content is not going to be printed and turned it in to a professor. (Though it is what we are doing now). Therefore, people are more likely to related and find things in common between themselves and the bloggers. Connections could be built through these commons people share. The similar experiences, same emotions, same interests, this is how, now, people can make new relationships with others through the digital media.

Acknowledge the lizard brain

It is so true that people are reluctant to do things that they were once laughed at by others. It is that fears we have in mind, fears to be embarrassed by what we can’t do or by what we are unable to do well, fears to others’ disappointments to us. All kinds of fears barrier us to have further actions or ideas. I agree with Godin’s idea that we have to acknowledge our fears, our lizard brain, first, so that we can ignore it then we move on without the fears.

I am sure the articles we read lastly will have impact to us better than many other articles we assigned to read at other classes but in a different way. Those articles are not telling readers the academic or scientific discoveries but telling people to think, to live and to do things in another way, the way people usually don’t do. The written assignments along with these articles are quite useful as well since we re-think, re-exam what we read in a deeper way while we are writing the correspond response. It is also one of the fun enjoyments we can have as bloggers in this class.