Blog Post 4: Say Something Bunny

In Alison S. M. Kobayashi's presentation, one thing that stood out to me was her point on deep listening. I agree with Kobayashi in that deep listening can be used to learn more about people. When we listened to the recordings of the family, I felt that we were able to get a small glimpse of who these people were and their personalities. By listening to the recordings, you also get an idea of what families were like at the time. In addition to this, listening to the audio can help you create a visual image in your mind of what is happening as opposed to just reading the transcript.

Another thing about the presentation that I thought was interesting was how interactive it was. The audience played a role by representing members of the family and despite not actually have to act or even say anything, it helps you feel as though you are part of the performance which I think is much more engaging than just hearing someone speak about the project.

Overall I thought the presentation was very interesting in the way it presented what could be considered "old media" and showed how it can be used to create new and interesting experiences that also give us a glimpse of the lives and experiences of other people.

Project 3

Blog Post 3: Shot Analysis

The scene I chose to review is from the original Star Wars where Darth Vader tells Luke that he's his father. The scene starts with an high angle establishing shot showing the area. following this is a long shot of Luke walking down a corridor. Shortly after, Vader, who is initially hidden from the shot appears from the left. A high angle shot is then used while the two are fighting in order to present a sense of depth and show the audience how high Luke and Vader are as well as their size compared to their surroundings. Another high angle shot is used immediately after when Luke falls. I believe that this is used to present Luke as inferior compared to Vader who is in a low angle shot immediately after. A close up shot is then used on Luke's face to bring attention to his expression. This series of shots is used again shortly after when Luke's arm is cut off to further establish this sense of inferiority between the two. After this, another high angle shot is used to show the audience just how high they are in relation to their surroundings. This is then followed by medium shots of both Luke and Vader as they speak. The scene then ends with a high angle shot of Luke jumping and falling from an extreme height.

Project 2 Audio Portrait

Blog Assignment 2: What I Hear

My sound walk took place in Central Park starting from the east side to the west. I chose this area because I often use this route to go to work. Most of the time I usually just listen to music and not really paying attention to the rest of my surroundings. One sound in particular that I noticed was the sound of the zippers on my bag constantly hitting each other. This sound stood out to me not only because it was the first time I really heard it but also because it did not stop for the entire walk.

Another constant background sound was the cars passing by. As the route I usually take is right next to the road, the sound of cars moving overtook almost everything else. However, there were a few brief moments when there weren't any cars nearby and the silence that followed allowed me to hear many of the other sounds around me. One of these sounds was water dripping from the roof of a tunnel that I was passing through. What made this sound stand out even more was the added echo due to the tunnel.

Even though the sound of cars passing by dominated most of the other sounds during the walk, as I was leaving the park on the west side, I did notice a particular sound signal. It was a persistent beeping sound coming from a nearby traffic signal. I believe that this is a sound signal because it was loud enough for me to hear across the street.

Overall I found the sound walk to be incredibly interesting. I believe it really highlights the importance of disconnecting every once in a while and simply take in your surroundings.

Project 1: Define A Space

Artist's Statement

Growing up during a time when DVDs were all the rage, I watched a ton of movies with my
friends and family. But, as ordinary as many movies were, there was always something special
about TV and film compared to other forms of media. What I thought was even more special was
getting to see a movie in the theater. Looking back, I’m not sure if it was the more “premium”
feeling experience or the larger screen, but there was definitely something that just made the
experience feel "better." Fast forward about ten years later and I find myself hating watching
movies in theaters. It’s incredibly expensive, the seats are uncomfortable, and more often than
not, I find myself surrounded by people who are less than well mannered. But even now, I still
can’t deny that there is something special about cinema and the way it’s created. This sparked
my interest in wanting to learn more about film.

As someone who is a bit of a techie, I find myself far more interested in the more technical
side of cinematography. I think it’s amazing how people are able to take simple video footage
and turn it into something almost entirely different through different effects and techniques.
In addition, even though my desired career path is web production, I believe that some of the
skills I will gain from learning shooting and editing will also help me when creating pages and
other applications. My mom always told me that every skill is important and learning as many
as you can, no matter how small, is important to leading a fulfilling life. The skills I learn here
will only become better and help me to further grow both as a person and a media maker.