Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Editing Analysis Assignment
For my editing analysis, I chose the "You're The One That I Want" scene from the film Grease.
The scene initially begins with dramatic camera pans/tilts to reveal the main characters new looks.
First with panning from Danny Zuko's friends to reveal Danny approaching them, in a new jock look(different from his normal greaser look). The motivated camera movement builds the anticipation after his friends are shown surprised to see him.
The next big reveal similar to the first, begins with a shot of Danny's friends looking surprised to see someone approaching them. The camera tilts up from bottom to top revealing that they are looking at Sandy who now has a greaser look(different from her normal preppy look). The pan and tilt from Danny and Sandy's reveals, create a (lighthearted) sense of shock. The quick cuts to medium shots of Danny and his friends reactions are shown, and the music begins just after Sandy says her classic line, "Tell me about it, stud."
A lot of the shots in the beginning of the scene are medium shot reaction quick cuts, but when the characters are singing there is more time between cuts and wider shots. Danny's first verse for example is a mise-en-scene, wide shot revealing more of the setting, and all of the characters(Sandy, Danny, and their friends).
There are a few more quick medium shots of the other characters reactions, then once its time for Sandy's verse the shot is wide again. This is an important part of the scene because it shows that Sandy is clearly now the dominant one. The camera shows Danny on the ground, Sandy stepping on her cigarette then lightly kicking Danny up from the ground as she begins her verse with lyric, "You better shape up..."
The camera then follows Sandy as she struts forward and Danny begins to move towards her. The back and fourth chase continues to build up until the beginning of the chorus.
Sandy is again shown as the dominant one being "chased" as she is on the top of the steps of the fun house looking down on Danny.
One thing I noticed and thought was interesting was the mirroring of the characters movements and movements of the set. When Sandy is at the top of the steps of the fun house she is standing in front of a spinning wheel, then the shot of Danny shows him doing a little roll/spin too. I think it is a nice continuation from frame to frame. There is also another part where Danny and Sandy do a side to side shimmy-kind of move just before they go into the next part of the fun house called the "shake shack". The "shake shack" makes a similar side to side movement.
As perfect as I think that Grease is overall, one thing that bothered me as I analyzed the scene was during the "shake shack" part, that one wide static shot of them during basically the entire chorus was kind of dull. For such an upbeat chorus they could have had maybe a few more quick cuts. Maybe to a medium shot of Danny and Sandy or to the backup singers on the side, something to break it up and to match the music.
Sandy then leaps into Danny's arms, sort of ending the chase feel from earlier, showing that he's finally "caught" her. The rest of the song continues and cuts to medium/two shot's of the other main characters pairing up as well. As the music fades, the camera pans following Frenchy running to the gang to reveal that Kenickie and Rizzo have also made up. (So everyone ends up with the one that they want.) Frenchy then kind of puts an ending to the scene by saying, "Oh look the gangs togehter!"
The scene has a good beginning, middle and end. Beginning with the reveals of Danny and Sandy as kind of solo moments, then the "chase" happening between Sandy and Danny, then them coming together for the end of the song and everyone coming together for the end of the scene.
Monday, November 9, 2015
Monday, October 19, 2015
Soundwalk Assignment
My Nighttime Commute: Penn Station at 10pm
My soundwalk begins as I step off of the E train and onto the station platform. Dozens of people rushing passed me, leaping onto the train as the "Please stand clear of the closing doors" recording is played.
I head down the staircase, as a few hopeful stragglers hop up the steps, trying to rush toward a train, which...*the loud sound of the wheels beginning to turn* ...is now in motion.
After weaving through the sighs and groans of a tired and defeated few accepting their fate, I begin to make my way to Penn Station.
The walk from the bottom of the staircase to the turnstiles begins. Now only the echos of my footsteps and those of a few others heading in the same direction can be heard. It is the first and only quiet moment of peace I will have between the subway platform and Penn Station.
Turning the corner, the turnstiles are now in sight, and the momentary calmness is broken. A wheelchair stricken women is begging for change. As her voice fades out, the sound of a young man playing the trumpet fades in. I've grown accustomed to seeing him there night after night. He's become somewhat of a landmark of my everyday routine, a signal that I'm halfway there. Subway station performers come and go, but just about every night the trumpet man is sitting in the same spot in the middle of the long hallway. He sounds wonderful, and I enjoy hearing him, even if just for a minute on my journey. Soon, the trumpet man's music grows dim, and is instantly overshadowed by the mixed sounds of busy New Yorkers, commuters and tourists. I exit the turnstiles and the roar of the Penn Station begins.
Up the ramp, towards the heart of it all, I pass co-workers discussing their days, parents rushing weary children and a trio of older men playing guitars and singing. Positioned in an inconvenient corner of the narrow ramp, they take up a large chunk of space and their music loudly echos.
Finally free from the claustrophobic atmosphere, I look at the large screen on the wall with the train times...40 more minutes until my train arrives. I make my way to a machine to purchase my ticket. I hear another musician, singing along to an instrumental track playing from the speaker attached to his microphone. His speaker is so loud, I'm barely able to hear the announcements of the train track numbers for each station. I collect my ticket, check the time board once more, then venture on. I find a place to plant myself, but it only lasts for a few moments, I get bored easily, and am unable to sit still. With about 30 minutes until my train, I decide to take a walk through a store inside of Penn Station. They close soon, so there are very few people left inside. Mostly just employees, and a few bored and restless commuters, like me. "Can we get a mop in the men's department?" is muffled over the store's loudspeaker system, which a few employees respond to with groans. Once I've killed enough time, I make my way out of the store, and towards the huddle of people standing beneath the screen on the wall awaiting the announcements of their track numbers. I join the group, preparing myself for the announcement of my track number.
The impatient crowd is starting to fidget, then suddenly, "All aboard track 21 for the train to..." There is barely time to think as the stampede marches down the staircase to the track, all determined to get a seat on the train. "This is ridiculous" grunts one woman in the middle of the herd. Others in the mob of people are hurriedly discussing with the rest of their party which direction they would like to sit in, and if they want to sit in a car towards the front or rear of the train.
As the pack steps onto the platform and scatters to find a train car with empty seats, I can hear the conductor repeat, "All aboard track 21!"
Luckily, I find an empty, isolated conductors seat at the front of the train car. I am finally able to tune out some of the sounds my fellow commuters, ready for some much needed peace and quiet.
My soundwalk begins as I step off of the E train and onto the station platform. Dozens of people rushing passed me, leaping onto the train as the "Please stand clear of the closing doors" recording is played.
I head down the staircase, as a few hopeful stragglers hop up the steps, trying to rush toward a train, which...*the loud sound of the wheels beginning to turn* ...is now in motion.
After weaving through the sighs and groans of a tired and defeated few accepting their fate, I begin to make my way to Penn Station.
The walk from the bottom of the staircase to the turnstiles begins. Now only the echos of my footsteps and those of a few others heading in the same direction can be heard. It is the first and only quiet moment of peace I will have between the subway platform and Penn Station.
Turning the corner, the turnstiles are now in sight, and the momentary calmness is broken. A wheelchair stricken women is begging for change. As her voice fades out, the sound of a young man playing the trumpet fades in. I've grown accustomed to seeing him there night after night. He's become somewhat of a landmark of my everyday routine, a signal that I'm halfway there. Subway station performers come and go, but just about every night the trumpet man is sitting in the same spot in the middle of the long hallway. He sounds wonderful, and I enjoy hearing him, even if just for a minute on my journey. Soon, the trumpet man's music grows dim, and is instantly overshadowed by the mixed sounds of busy New Yorkers, commuters and tourists. I exit the turnstiles and the roar of the Penn Station begins.
Up the ramp, towards the heart of it all, I pass co-workers discussing their days, parents rushing weary children and a trio of older men playing guitars and singing. Positioned in an inconvenient corner of the narrow ramp, they take up a large chunk of space and their music loudly echos.
Finally free from the claustrophobic atmosphere, I look at the large screen on the wall with the train times...40 more minutes until my train arrives. I make my way to a machine to purchase my ticket. I hear another musician, singing along to an instrumental track playing from the speaker attached to his microphone. His speaker is so loud, I'm barely able to hear the announcements of the train track numbers for each station. I collect my ticket, check the time board once more, then venture on. I find a place to plant myself, but it only lasts for a few moments, I get bored easily, and am unable to sit still. With about 30 minutes until my train, I decide to take a walk through a store inside of Penn Station. They close soon, so there are very few people left inside. Mostly just employees, and a few bored and restless commuters, like me. "Can we get a mop in the men's department?" is muffled over the store's loudspeaker system, which a few employees respond to with groans. Once I've killed enough time, I make my way out of the store, and towards the huddle of people standing beneath the screen on the wall awaiting the announcements of their track numbers. I join the group, preparing myself for the announcement of my track number.
The impatient crowd is starting to fidget, then suddenly, "All aboard track 21 for the train to..." There is barely time to think as the stampede marches down the staircase to the track, all determined to get a seat on the train. "This is ridiculous" grunts one woman in the middle of the herd. Others in the mob of people are hurriedly discussing with the rest of their party which direction they would like to sit in, and if they want to sit in a car towards the front or rear of the train.
As the pack steps onto the platform and scatters to find a train car with empty seats, I can hear the conductor repeat, "All aboard track 21!"
Luckily, I find an empty, isolated conductors seat at the front of the train car. I am finally able to tune out some of the sounds my fellow commuters, ready for some much needed peace and quiet.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Artist Statement
My whole life I have been obsessed with the art of storytelling, no matter the genre, media, or subject. I acquired a great sense of self when I was young; I knew I enjoyed creating things. I would always try to get my friends or cousins or the other neighborhood kids to perform some sort of skit, routine or video with me. Growing up I wanted to be an artist, then a comedian, then an actress, then a director, then a singer - and although the answer to the "What do you want to be when you grow up?" question has changed over time, they've all generated from the same passion: storytelling.
I think my desire to entertain stemmed from two things when I was a child: Being an attention-seeking middle child, and having dreadful insomnia. As the middle kid, I often played the role of peace-keeper and the comic relief - the one that interjected with a joke or humorous observation when tensions were high. I believe I learned that skill because my insomnia kept me up all night watching re-runs of great comedy shows like "Gilligan's Island", "I Love Lucy", "Three's Company", "Cheers", "The Cosby Show" and "The Brady Bunch", then as I got a little older, "Full House", "Seinfeld", "Friends" and "Roseanne". All of these shows helped shape my love of comedy and sitcom-style writing, and overall helped me to create humor from ordinary, every day situations.
My biggest influence throughout my life, however, has been Walt Disney. He is by far one of the greatest storytellers of all time. His ability to tell stories and create media that has been enjoyed for generations by people of all ages is something that has inspired me as a media maker. I think that one of the most important qualities in being a maker of media is to be adaptable. Personal interests change, society's interests change, technology changes, and in order to be successful you need to be willing to adapt with it.I want my media to be seen as something that can be enjoyed in anytime period, that can be enjoyed by everyone, that entertains people in a positive way.
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." Walt Disney
I think my desire to entertain stemmed from two things when I was a child: Being an attention-seeking middle child, and having dreadful insomnia. As the middle kid, I often played the role of peace-keeper and the comic relief - the one that interjected with a joke or humorous observation when tensions were high. I believe I learned that skill because my insomnia kept me up all night watching re-runs of great comedy shows like "Gilligan's Island", "I Love Lucy", "Three's Company", "Cheers", "The Cosby Show" and "The Brady Bunch", then as I got a little older, "Full House", "Seinfeld", "Friends" and "Roseanne". All of these shows helped shape my love of comedy and sitcom-style writing, and overall helped me to create humor from ordinary, every day situations.
My biggest influence throughout my life, however, has been Walt Disney. He is by far one of the greatest storytellers of all time. His ability to tell stories and create media that has been enjoyed for generations by people of all ages is something that has inspired me as a media maker. I think that one of the most important qualities in being a maker of media is to be adaptable. Personal interests change, society's interests change, technology changes, and in order to be successful you need to be willing to adapt with it.I want my media to be seen as something that can be enjoyed in anytime period, that can be enjoyed by everyone, that entertains people in a positive way.
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." Walt Disney
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