FINAL Project Draft!!!

I completed my photograph book a little over a week ago. I ended up using a network called photoworks.com. It was a fun project because I got to design all elements of my book. I had a few set backs with shipping dates. I checked ahead of time to see how long orders take to be received upon submitting them to make sure that I would have my book by the due date. The information on the site revealed that orders are to arrive in five business days from submitting an order. When I submitted my order, a date was given for receipt of the book that was more than five business days. Whereas I was expecting the book to come in the mail on December 5th, the projected date for delivery was December 12th. It didn't really make sense. . .so I contacted the company and paid $20 extra to have it shipped as quickly as possible. It is now expected to be delivered on the due date, December 6th. This shouldn't be a problem, but I am nervous since the date projection of the company doesn't appear to be reliable.

I have also decided that the best way to give my presentation is to log into my account and show the class how I made the book on the overhead. This will be more effective than trying to have everyone see my little book while I speak about it.

Progress Report. . .project due date quickly approaching

I am not using the apple web site anymore to create my photo book because apparently you are required to purchase $80 software before you can begin. That was of course in tiny print that didn't stand out until I tried to actually create my book. So, I found an equivalent web site called photoworks.com. This is essentially the same thing. This site lets you create your book by downloading free software. I have been trying to get my book organized for submission this afternoon. It takes 4 to 5 business days to arrive, so I need to submit it by this afternoon in order to receive it by next Thursday. Everything is going as planned so far.

I originally intended to use Photo Shop to alter some of my photos for the project. So far I haven't and I don't think I am going to anymore. The photoworks site allows you to edit pictures, so there is no need for another editing tool.

It is hard to report what I have done because there is no way for me to upload what I have done. I am excited about the final product and I think it is going to be a very interesting book.

Video Games: ALL about communication

Video games have been the driving force behind the development of computer graphics. The more elaborate the graphics of the game, the more engrossed the players tend to become with it. They serve different purposes, from education to entertainment. Many times, video games are designed to parallel education with entertainment. The explosion of video games and development of computer graphics over the last decade has opened a whole new audience to this field. These types of games have become a popular educational outlet for small children (even toddlers).

The world's first networked video game is called Space War, which was popularized in the 1960s. So, video games are not a new phenomenon. They are just a new revolution. Our society has reached the point that some computers can outsmart humans. People are fallible by human error, but computers are programmed by people. The relationship between human intelligence and computers (artificial intelligence) is ironic.

Computer Graphics: What is animation?

Issues related to the technologies of the computer are the most rapidly changing of any media. Our society has moved into an age where any medium less sophisticated than the digital image is unacceptable. This idea of animated photo realism is the beginning of this new age.
I don't keep up with all of the "animated" movies that come out these days. I know more about the traditional animations that I grew up watching. I use quotation marks to leave open the definition for animation. To me, animation is found in the actual image that is viewed. The image of animation that is projected in my mind is of the traditional, hand-drawn cartoon movies (The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, etc.). It saddens me that it appears to be a dying art. Animation in this new age of photo realism lies within the fantasy of the story plot.
There are definitely pros and cons for each side of "animation." Photo realism allows us to create concrete images when appropriate and cartoons allow us to create more romantic images when necessary.

Project Draft. . .

In concluding my project draft, the pictures that I uploaded below to the blog are just a sample of the collection that I have put together. I think they are a good representation of the quality of pictures that will compose my final picture book.

My thoughts on that episode of CSI. . .

I am not one to watch a lot of television, so I might not be the most sophisticated critic in this class. When I do get the chance to see tv I usually opt for the more light-hearted sitcom. Therefore, I do not follow CSI, Law and Order, etc. I will say that I had fun watching the episode of CSI in class and perhaps next time I see it on the preview channel I will tune in to that station. I think one of the reasons that I usually just watch the sitcoms is because I have a child-like attention span. Even though I think the show is interesting, I find myself missing certain details that prove to be important in the conclusion of the show. So, I don't always get everything out of shows that I should.
I paid more attention to the elements of how the show was put together than I did to the actual story of the show (even though they obviously are related). I think that it is hard to develop round characters on a show like this one. The main focus is on the character as a way of finding out about the story as opposed to the development of the character in itself. I think maybe that accounts for all of the close-up camera shots. This close-up shot seems to compensate for the lack of personal investment the viewer has with that character. Another element that stood out was the shiftiness of the camera. It moved around constantly which indicated a sense of unknown. In this show there is a certain amount of mystery until the very end. This shifting compels the viewer to jump into the investigation and try to crack the case.

CSI Las Vegas Notes: The Accused as Entitled

-I don't watch CSI much, but apparently there are distinct differences between the characters on the different shows(New York, Miami, military-NCIS, etc.) as I would imagine
-a lot of close up camera shots-to get personal with the characters
-a lot of shifting in the camera angles
-the shifting seems to convey a sense of the unfamiliar. . .camera never stopped moving
-the camera angles seem to put the viewer into the shoes of the investifators
- we become so invested in the story of investigation that we never get to know the investigators as characters; perhaps the close up shots compensate for this lack of personal knowledge
-showed the character flaws well
-message that says nobody is above the law. . .even movie stars
-the tension was built around commercial breaks
-obstacles-each investigator met some sort of obstacle
-plot follows an N (not M) curve which is interesting for a television show

Class Notes: October 30, 2007

I was absent from class this past Thursday when the class viewed the film, "Downfall." There was an assignment to post a blog with personal commentary on the movie. I haven't done it because I haven't seen the film. I was also absent the day that the class posted questions from the second publication we read that was written by Diana George (a few classes back).

Notes:
FILM
-film is about experiences
-"misc en scene"- film jargon for the world inside the movie. . .from the word miscellaneous?
-the message of the film is "to see, to think, and to act". . .I still haven't seen it, but that is the class consensus
-this medium of film (Thomas Edison) was originally intended for the audience of the working class who perhaps couldn't afford to go to the theatre
-no one ever expected the "motion pictures" to stomp on the theatre
-require a certain amount of investment
-the Big M- plot lines follow the pathway of the M (in rising/falling action, etc.)
TELEVISION
-some people say that television is the dumbed down version of film; there has always been a stigma associated with watching too much television (it is still not socially acceptable because we have values that are more elevated in our society)
-useful for advertisements-central feature of the tv medium in this country
-becoming extremely interactive/multimodal-history chanel, food network, etc. . .things "on demand"-DVR, TIVO
-phasing out analog television by the year 2009-all signals broadcasted will be digital
-it's seen as consumerism-a passive activity
-Literacy. . .media literacy-there are many different types of literacy
-tv is part of modern living
-completely driven by ads-lasting from about sixty to ninety seconds-becoming more frequent toward the end of the program on television
-during an hour long show, there are usually an average of sixty commercials
-the tv medium doesn't impose the same kinds of restrictions that films do. . .tv lends itself to more casual entertainment
-a tv show should climax in about five different places to incorporate the ads
-the sitcom-situation comedy

Project Draft: some of my favorite selected photographs

This project is turning out to be really FUN for a project. I realized that a lot of my pictures already are composed of really interesting photographic elements. . .I really don't want to change anything about a lotof them. I have always ejoyed taking pictures and must have unconsciously considered the different elements of the pictures when I took a lot of these.

I don't know how to make a photo album on this blogging device, so above I am just going to upload some random pictures that I have selected to go into my picture book.

Film and Some of Its Different Elements

I was unable to find the particular article that this writing is in reference to but I did some of m own online research regarding the topic. I am under the impression that a lot of the people in this class are English majors, and have taken various film-related classes. I am a psychology major and have never seen Citizen Kane or The Godfather, which probably gives me a disadvantage in this blog discussion. I also am not very familiar with filmography in general (aside from the general overview in the book), so please excuse me if I misstep.

Previously, my understanding of these movies was very very basic (and honestly hasn't dramatically improved). My knowledge stood that they are regarded as two of the greatest films of all time (The Godfather being ranked right behind Citizen Kane). I was under the impression that a large part of the hype over these films is based on the unique cinematograph and overall film technique. In reading about Citizen Kane, the juxtaposition of scenes seems to play a large role in how the audience interprets the screen play. In reading about The Godfather, it seems like there is a heavy reliance on unique camera shots to unconsciously give the audience certain emotions (as in any film, but I think this movie is often used as an example in film classes).

Now on to the real topic which is how characters in film tend to pursue the American dream to a tragic end. This is the new and unfamiliar territory for me (character analyses). Apparently, these two films are THE classic examples of this pursuit. I suppose that makes them "conventional" in regards to character development. I can't think of any specific examples of other characters that do the same thing. however, I think this is the mission with most classical "conventional" (in character) movies. I keep specifying "in character" because these are obviously both verb unique and unconventional in other aspects. That is why the stand out so much.

I really appreciate film because of it roundness. As one of m classmates pointed out the other day, film is the "intersection where all art forms come together." This is why I have appreciation for more than acting and aesthetic considerations.

Visual "remix" day

Visual remix day was a lot of fun because we felt like our possibilities for topics were endless, which really allowed us to be creative. We were given the assignment of presenting two to three different visual remixes with broad subjects (clearly nothing pertaining to Clemson like the cartoon assignment).

This first image is my least favorite of the three that our group made because I don't feel that the picture conveys our originally intended message. We generated the idea from the chaos among the republican candidates in the presidential race. We don't feel that there are any strong front-runners across the party and no one really stands out. I thought maybe morphing all of the candidates into paper dolls would be funny in showing that they seem almost indistinguishable. Then that idea turned into making a seven headed monster and one thing lead to another as we wound up with Medusa. I think our final product sheds a negative, condescending light on the republican party (which was in no way my intention) while we were actually just trying to show that it seems like a circus between the candidates at this point in the race. I give all of this commentary on the first image because it is the one that I worked on with a few other people. Maybe if we had had more time it would send our message more clearly.

I really love both of the other images because they are both really funny and relevant to current events. The second one is a classical political statement in reference to immigration controversies. The great wall of China is superimposed along the border between the United States and Mexican borders. The third image is the funniest. Here Steven Colbert's head has been placed on the Lincoln monument because he just recently announced his candidacy.

My Progress Report

I must be honest and admit that little progress has been made on my creative project. I was really proud of myself for getting photo shop downloaded onto my computer because that was a big step. However, it got deleted while my computer was in CCIT for repairs. . .major setback. It doesn't take long though, so I'll be up and running before long.

I have researched the Apple photo books a bit more so I now know where I stand in regard to price. A hard back book with ten double-sided sheets (that is ten sheets) would cost me $29.99 with an extra $.99 for each additional page (100 sheets is the max). The single-sided hard back book is the same overall price of $29.99 with an extra $1.49 for each additional page (50 sheets maximum). I feel like both of these options are reasonable and can't wait to see the final product.

Otherwise, I have just been exploring my options for pictures to include. It is a lot harder than it sounds because there are oodles of pictures and I want to achieve a sense of balance between different types of pictures. It is easy to get carried away with pictures that all resemble each other.

I hope to get started actually working in photo shop by next week. . .until then!

Cartoon: Holiday Appropriation

This assignment was really fun because it was creative and highly interactive. It made me feel like I was on the Iron Chef show because of the team work and time constraint involved. The different positions held by each group member were effective. I was one of the two "writers" and really had fun with it. As is clear, our graphics people did an excellent job of using the simplistic tools in paint to create a graphic image.

The topic for the cartoon was hard to choose because as students we could come up with many different things relevant to Clemson for satire. We considered parking services and the inconsistencies of our football team both as topics. It ultimately came down to the ability to use a single frame with the topic of holiday appropriation as well as the ability to create a minimilistic image in the Microsoft Word paint program.

Our topic, Holiday Appropriation, was in reference to the re-assignment of holidays as President Barker addressed to the student body in an "Inside Clemson" listserv email. We received it a few weeks prior to the annual two day Fall Break. Clemson doesn't usually get Labor Day as a holiday, but due to the Florida State game falling on that Monday, one of the Fall Break days was re-assigned to celebrating Clemson Football. A lot of people were disappointed by the short holiday. Those die-hard football fans were the most understanding and supportive of the change in holiday. But let's face it, some people just don't care about football. To them, this "re-assignment" assumes that what they have had planned for Fall Break is inferior to Clemson Football and doesn't matter enough to have that extra day off. To me, that was the primary punch line of the cartoon. There was also an underlying satirical message in the cartoon. It was in reference to all the rage about climbing our way up the ladder to being a top 20 University. It seems like we tend to get less holiday time than other universities. For example, USC in Columbia ALWAYS gets Labor Day off, as well as their two well-deserved days of Fall Break. The word on the street is that our holiday control will contribute to our becoming a top 20 university. IT IS JUST ONE DAY, and we are still only number 27.

Graphic Design

One of my favorite movies at the moment is the new comedy entitled, "Knocked Up." This is a tiny picture but I couldn't get it to be any larger. I think this illustration does a good job in setting the tone for the content of the movie. The first thing the viewer notices is the KNOCKED UP in the center. It is red as if to suggest an emergency, and "knocked" is centered across both of the main characters which ties them evenly into the picture. The "up" isn't centered and is placed under the female which also suggests that the problem might be heavier for the female character than the male. The atmosphere surrounding the title is simple and relaxed, which is consistent with the tone of the movie as it is a comedy.

My Project Proposal. . .it's official

I have chosen to use the technologies that photo shop offers to create my masterpiece (and Apple is going to help me). I want to create a "coffee table book" using some selected pictures from those that I took in Europe during my study abroad. I am going to send in captions too!
So, to sum up. . .I am going to use photo shop to manipulate the photographical elements in the pictures that I select. Then, I will create appropriate and consistent captions. Finally, I will send all of this into Apple with the instructions that I will fill out. In the end I hope to have a really cool, creative book that has artistic merit as well as entertainment value.

Selecting a China Pattern

I had a really good time playing with the different font styles that Microsoft Word offers its user. It was too hard to pick just one font that I liked. . .so I picked a formal, a serious/business-oriented, and a casual font to describe myself. I did this because everyone has different personalities according to different situations.
This reminds me of selecting china. My mother has formal china, what she calls "inbetween" china, and "everyday" china. Before she married, she registered all of these three different types of china patterns at the china store. I suppose she picked patterns that she felt represented her and reflected elements of her personality.
In formal font I chose the "blackladder ITC" which has a cursive look to it. This is something that I would use for an invitation. . .I like it because it looks old-fashioned.
For my serious/business font, I chose the "Georgia" which seems to say, "I'm serious, but still laid-back."
Lastly, for my casual/everyday font, I chose the "Imprint MT Shadow" which is playful yet legible because I feel that those adjectives also describe me.

Reflections on "Changing the Face of Poverty," by Diana George

"Poverty is a strange and elusive thing. . . . We need always to be thinking and writing about it, for if we are not among its vivtims its reality fades from us."-Dorothy Day, quoted by Diana George

It was a great privelege to hear Diana George speak in person, as she is one of the leading theorists in the field of visual communication as well as being widely published. I enjoyed her presentation. I especially liked the slides pertaining to the assignment she gave her students that she called a viusual rewrite. I thought it was moving, and yet bold, that one of the students chose to do a visual re-write about the tragic events that occurred on the Virginia Tech campus not so long ago.

Moving on to her article, "Changing the Face of Poverty," Diana George makes clear that poverty is like a court case for a dss child. If the child is not properly represented, the case will not hold up in court. She seems to be telling her reader the same thing. . .it's all in the picture/visual image. Everything that the public needs to know has to be present in order to be moved by the effort.

Meet Mollymolly!

World, I would like to introduce you to Mollymolly Mopp. She's a little bit on the shy side, and a little bit standoffish, in my opinion.

. . .SECOND LIFE. . .

My name in the realm of secondlife is Mollymolly Mopp. I tried to tie it into my blog by establishing my name as BoogleBoogle Betsen, but ironically enough the name was unavailable. The avatar does happen to have mop-like hair, though, so I not completely dissatisfied with the alternative name. The inspiration for giving Mollymolly her own characteristics is and will come from impulses I have to create a quirky character.

My Creative Project?

This semester I would like to explore the realm of photography. I have always been fascinated by the art, but have never indulged my curiosity, nor do I own a "good" camera.

I have two ideas:

Number One
I went to Barcelona, Spain last semester to study abroad. I would like to use some of the photos that I have to make a picture portfolio. I want to play with these photos and alter them in photo shop. I will definitely be toying with the black and white setting because a lot of classic European photos are in black and white. However, I might decide that it is too cliche for some of the pictures. I want to have this portfolio professionally bound by Apple so that when the class is over I will have a really great picture book. For the main theme I am thinking something along the lines of "When Americans Live in Europe."

Number Two
This idea is a fall back for me. The only reason I wouldn't use my first idea is that none of the pictures that I already have were taken from the standpoint of a "photographer." I guess that adds a little difficulty to the project, which is fine. The next idea I have is to take my own pictures taking all of the important photographical components into consideration (color, form, depth, movement). My theme for this picture book (also bound by Apple) would be "Capturing human Emotions."

A Facebook Profile for My Brother, Will. . .

I prefer Facebook to My Space. My Space is creepy because it is an outlet which allows anyone on the web to view a profile. There is of course an obvious rebuttle that would probably be that it is not creepy because the profile is in the hands of its posessor. Therefore, he or she is in control of what the page displays to the web (world). To my knowledge, My Space is a phenomenon that exploded at the fingertips of the adolescents who were not able to participate in the Facebook Phenomenon. For some time Facebook was not all inclusive like My Space has been from its birth. I think that there enlies the "creepy" issue. Adolescents are over-exposing themselves to potential stalkers, pedofiles, etc. There is also a differnt side to My Space, which is its use for publicity on part of musical groups and such. I also know that there are older people who publish their profiles more responsibly.
I now have to acknowlege that as Facebook has evloved over the past three or so years, it has become more and more revealing. In my opinion, a HUGE difference is that Facebook is as private as the profile holder wants for it to be. A turn-off might be that it has a set, structured template so it does not allow one to be as creative as a My Space page would be.
It is for all of the above reasons that I have chosen to design an imaginary Facebook Profile for my brother, Will, who thinks he is too cool to be on Facebook. My vision for Will's profile is extremely simple. I did not pick him because I thought it would be easy to do, I picked him because anyone else I could think of already has an existing page and I would have no room to create it in MY mind. Will is a recent Clemson University graduate with a degree in Civil Engineering. He is not employed at an engineering firm in Augusta, GA. His activities here at Clemson included intramural tennis, basketball, and the Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity. He has a girlfriend who is currently a senior here. His profession speaks volumes about his personality. He is very structured and likes to leave things neat and simple. So, I believe that if he had to chose between My Space and Facebook he would pick the latter, for its structured template and clearcut options.

Networks: Clemson Alumi
Sex: Male
Relationship Status: In a Relationship
Political Views: Very Conservative

Contact Info: Email Address Only

Personal Info:
Interests: Tennis, Basketball, Running, Clemson Football
Music: Ecclectic Interests

Favorite Quote:
"Sometimes you're turkey will be juicey but your bread will by dry. . .and sometimes the your bread will be stale but your turkey will be dry. . .but every now and then. . . every now and then, both will be good at the same time."


He probably wouldn't be interested in revealing a lot of personal information about himself online, which might be why he does not have a profile in the first place. However, he has a very dry sense of humor, which explains his favorite quote. Anyway, that is why I chose to skip some of the options.