All good things come to an end...Does this one have to?

hmmm, So Los Angeles...where dreams come true or?

After spending the week here in LA I have learned so much about myself, my peers, and this great city. The most positive aspect of this trip, I mean everything was positive, but the most long lasting thing, I think would be the networking I did. I met alumni who have been out in LA for several years and ones that have just moved out there. They all had one thing to say, "Get out here as soon as you can!" I did meet a couple people that brought up other cities such as New York and Chicago but the majority would all agree on Los Angeles. This is where I come to a slight dilemma...I realized one thing on this trip amongst a few others, but this was a big realization. I don't think Los Angeles is right for me. That does not mean that I may not end up there, but there is a large part of me that may want to try out my career in New York and then if it doesn't work out I can give LA a try. I did love this trip and I seriously enjoyed every second of it but I think with what I want to do, I don't need to go all the way out to California! I have decided that I would like to try and do an internship out in Los Angeles. I want to give it another try just to make sure I won't make the wrong decision in my future. Hey, if I love my internship than maybe I will stay out there! I have also decided that I want to do an internship the summer before senior year because most of the programs like that time so I have a good chance of getting an internship somewhere. I would really love to get the internship through the Academy of Arts & Sciences so hopefully I can get accepted into that. If not, I'm sure I will find something else. I also decided that I'm going to try and do a short internship with a commercial producer that I know who works in Hoboken, NJ, which is very close to home. I figure I can do that over the Winter Break and/or next summer. I think I am sticking with set design, art direction, or production design. I'm pretty sure I learned that they all kind of mean the same thing! I may try to dabble in editing but I have narrowed down my options for sure and this trip was a huge help to that.

Traveling to Los Angeles motivated me to start working on projects and different shows offered on campus. I am joining Athens Film Club when I return to school and getting more involved in a show with AVW Productions. I wish I had had this motivation earlier but I'm glad it came sooner rather than even later! Also, I decided that it would be a great idea to take advantage of the 19 other creative minds and skills in the group and maybe start to work on projects together. Hopefully, as a group we can get started on a short film or something. Maybe it can even continue throughout the rest of our years at Ohio University. That's my goal!

This trip was definitely one that I will never forget and I couldn't be happier that I chose do it instead of lying around on some beach for my Spring Break. I didn't only network with alumni but I networked among the other students on the trip. They are what is important because that's who I am in Ohio with and can work with now. I didn't just leave this trip with a bunch of e-mails and business cards, I left with 19 new friends. I think I could go a little further and say that these friendships will last a long time and without LA, I would have missed out on meeting these 19 other amazing people!

Dream of Californication

Today's first thoughts, "wow, it's already Thursday" AND (of course!) "IT'S MY BIRTHDAY".

Rocco Hindman, a behind-the-camera talent agent, spoke to us about how to become his client and what type of people are his clients and basically just what he does. He really got me motivated to get up and start putting experiences on my resume. He explained that you don't look to get an agent until you have enough experience and are ready for any job that the agency could throw at you! It was really useful to listen to someone who could seriously help me in my future. He has been the first person we can go to after we are well into somewhat of a career!

After Rocco, was Matt Rhodes, president of Persistent Entertainment. All I can say is AMAZING. Literally no other words. He wins the best speaker award for this week by far. He literally told us the brutal truth and I loved it and also appreciated all of it. Right now one of my options is to work on a below-the-line job as a set designer. Matt explained that the only way to succeed in a job like that is to join the union. You complete the requirements and you get in, it's that easy. I would know nothing about the union unless Matt filled me in. He is also a big believer in positive persistence, hence his company name. Find people and call them. Make a ton of calls and if only a few of them get back to you, that's alright. A few is better than none so be happy with that much. If I work a below-the-line job than joining the union will be my main goal and after that I'm golden. I will have a set pay and health insurance which is all a person needs really! He also gave advice about being able to sell yourself. It got me thinking...what would I say in two sentences or less...well, I'll have to think about that one!

After the speakers were over we headed back to Hollywood and Vine and I realized once again how much I do not want to live in Hollywood! We toured the Kodak Theatre and it was very interested and kind of cool to think that someday, someone from this trip or from Ohio University could be winning an Oscar!

We went to the Atlas Digital Production Center which I found very interesting. They are company that rent out its space to other companies who have people edit their work. I met an editor for Disney who was working and she was extremely helpful. She edits promo videos for different Disney shows. She loves her job and says it's a ton of fun! She told us all about how she got where she was and she even talked about starting off in New York, who would have thunk it! She even rooted for New York for the first time. she made a good point. In New York, she said, everyone is on the same playing field, in Los Angeles, higher up people think that you have to pay your dues like they did. Although, she had great advice, meeting her was slightly unfortunate...I began to think that maybe I want to be an editor again, which is what I originally wanted to do! I HATE CONFUSION! I did leave this tour with one other thought on my mind..."Maybe I'll start in New York and move my way over to Los Angeles." Then, I got to thinking. I live in New York and throughout this trip I have asked about the difference between the two cities but as this week is drawing to an end I'm thinking why pack up and move? I can start in New York, not far from home, if I love it, I stay, if I don't, I come out to LA!...that rhymed if you didn't catch on to it! So I think I have made up somewhat of my mind, finally!...not really though!

Finally, tonight was the Ohio University Alumni dinner. We watched some student made films and then mingled the rest of the night...my worst fear. I think I did a pretty good job though and I'm proud of myself. I spoke to a few people, some who were media students and some who were not. Surprisingly, I spoke to an engineer who took down my information to give to his friend who is in set design. The non-media student was the one that I made the best connection with! I spoke to a few others: a camera assistant, a writer, and s guy that works for Warner Brothers. I got to network, get my name out there, and also just have a good time. I was so nervous but they are real people who have a life just like me. Towards the end the business talk kind of came to a close and it just became fun talk. We spoke a lot about how Ohio University is now and how it has changed since some of them have been there. It was a great experience to network and just simply talk to some of the alumni. Although, I didn't get my name out there too much, I really enjoyed myself. They were all great people who have cool jobs, love living out in Los Angeles, and just know how to have a good conversation. All in all, it was a great end to a wonderful day! I appreciate what the OU Alumni Association did for us tonight and it truly was a great event!

...Only one more Los Angeles blog coming your way, wonder how much confusion will show through that one!

Driving down the 101...

On today's agenda, The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Panavision, and a live shooting of the sitcom Mike & Molly, sounds like a good day to me!

At The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences we spoke to the internship coordinator and a few other of her colleagues about different things going on in the company. The internship she explained sounded amazing and to say an internship sounds amazing is not a very common thing! I could see myself applying and really enjoying it. They basically set you up with someone to shadow in a specific area and you stay with them for the entire time. There is a competitive application process but I see myself at least applying after I get more experience in the area that I think will fit me best. I am still interested in art direction and set design but I didn't see that as one of the specific areas but I'm sure there is something that can point me in the right direction. This internship would definitely be what I would love to see myself doing the summer between Junior and senior year of college. The scholarship program that was discussed didn't completely apply to me but I wish it did because they give you A LOT of money! The archive program that was discussed was really interesting. I don't have to write research papers for many of my classes but just to become more involved in the media world, I think the archive could be very helpful. Keeping up with the archive would be similar to keeping up with trades and other things that can be useful to being in the media world and doing interviews. I really enjoyed our time at The Academy today, I found it extremely helpful and all the information was very useful.

After that, we were off to Panavision, which is basically a company that makes all their own equipment but is starting to use other companies equipment as well. They get shows and films to use their equipment and then they supply for them. I thought the facility was a really cool building. It was very modern and open and I loved the atmosphere, it was really laid back. I noticed not too many woman worked there which didn't shock me but almost made me maybe want to go into technology. The people we spoke to said that people who work or intern at Panavision are people that eventually would want to go into cinematography. I don't think I would want to go into that but maybe I will add technology to my list of possible future choices! I'm glad we went to Panavision because although it was different from all of our other tours, I found it to be very informational and interesting!

We took a break from tours and walked around Hollywood Boulevard, which was a good break and fun to see all the interesting people. I will say, today made me realize that I know for a fact I do not want to live anywhere near Hollywood. To be honest, I really did not enjoy it that much! It's a cool place to be a tourist for a bit but I learned that it is not where I will be in several years!

Tonight's activities included a live shooting of the sitcom Mike & Molly, although our host was not the greatest, I really enjoyed myself. It was fun to watch it all happen right in front of your eyes and have a media background to kind of understand what was going on. I realized again that art direction is what I am still very much interested in. I was looking at all the sets and could just picture myself falling into a job like that in my future. It was interesting to see the different cameras being used and how they all create different shots! I have never experienced anything like that and it was definitely a good time! Plus, I got some god laughs in, besides the few forced ones that were directed right at the mics so that I could maybe recognize myself when the episode airs!

Today was more of a relaxing day. I heard more of the same repetitive advice which I think is great because it is becoming implemented into my brain, and this way I don't have to right it down at every meeting we go to! I'm still slightly confused, but still figuring out somewhat of a direction for myself which is always helpful. I found out, that it is ok to not know what I want to do in my future! Hey, who knew such a thing was possible?

California Dreamin'

Today, in simple terms, was perfect. It would be anyone who is interested in anything in the media world's dream day, hence the title...

I couldn't be more appreciative of what Coop (professor coordinating the trip, he doesn't like when we add the "er" to his full name...Cooper!) has set up for us and done for us this week. The only negative, is now when I say I have a clue of what I may want to do in my future, I really have absolutely no clue because our next day's adventures change my mind all over again!

Today started off with a tour and lunch with Randall Winston, producer of Cougar Town and Scrubs. He was completely laid back and honest. He showed us the sets and stages let us read the script from an episode that hasn't aired yet. Also, we got to watch the unfinished episode as well which was pretty awesome. We did bump into some actors and actresses on the show. We met Busy Phillips, who plays Laurie on the show, Bob Clendenin, who plays Tom, and Dan Byrd, who plays Travis. This was extremely cool because I had never really spoken to a celebrity but also to see how they interacted with Randall was interesting. I liked seeing that it was very informal and casual. It made me want to work in production and get to know the actors and actresses. Randall is friends with his cast which I think is really awesome. This was only my first stop into more confusion...wait, it gets better.

After our visit at Culver Studios, the home of the Cougar Town set, we headed off to the Dreamworks Studio. We met with the recruitment chair who gave us a tour of some of the Dreamworks space. It was really cool to see that Dreamworks is like its own little town, it almost felt like a fantasy world. Everyone was smiling and cheerful and no one looked overwhelmed or stressed. It was almost weird to see everyone "liking" their jobs! We met with some Ohio University Alumni that are now working at Dreamworks and we had a Q & A session with them. Lauren, one of the speakers made a very good point. She said that live action is very competitive and cut throat and many people may be in it for themselves as compared to the animation world where everything is much more laid back, slower pace, mistakes are ok, and you work as a team all the time. This got me thinking...I am a fast paced person but not when it comes to projects and I do make mistakes. I don't know if I would fit into the live action world just based on those things. I have not completely ruled it out but Lauren got me to picture myself at a place like Dreamworks where the setting was peaceful and mellow. I also realized that talking to Lauren is very similar to talking to a future me. She was interested in what I am interested in now and her job now at Dreamworks is something I would totally be in to. She works in the art department and I just see a lot of similarities between her and I. This is where I got forced into my second stage of confusion. Now I'm thinking, maybe move beyond set design for live action, beyond general production, and go into animation! Wait, what? Animation? I never thought I'd be saying such a thing! I'm an art minor and if I was into set design, well hey, I can do it in animation, can't I?

After Dreamworks we headed over to the Chiodo Brothers studio. These are three brothers that work in stop motion animation, regular animation, and a bunch of other areas. The brothers actually grew up on Long island near where I'm from which from the gecko inspired me. They moved from New York to Los Angeles a while ago so why can't I do it in a few years? They have produced and directed a film called Team America, did work on Dinner for Schmucks, worked on Pee-Wee Herman's Big Adventure, and the movie Elf. They have touched on a bunch of different movies and I think what they do is awesome. They create everything they use right in their facility. They have always been into art and film so basically they put the two together and decided stop motion is what they wanted to do. They got me thinking about my 3rd stage of confusion for the day....stop motion animation maybe? I could sculpt figurines and paint them and then help animate them! It sounds like an awesome idea! The brothers were so honored that we came to learn about what they did and when we applauded them for their time they were so happy. It was almost like they had never been applauded for before this evening. To be honest, I did not really think I would be interested in what the Chiodo Brothers do but as soon as I walked into their studio I felt something. I had a moment and began to think...I could picture myself doing this too! (Gosh, I hate Coop for giving us all these great experiences for me to just become more confused at!)

After a long day, I'm still confused. Yesterday ended with me kind of knowing what I may want to do in my future and today has put me back at square one. I have no clue once again.

Arielle Busch the set designer...

Arielle Busch the producer...

Arielle Busch the animator...

Arielle Busch the stop motion animator...

Hey, I think they all have a little ring to them, but I guess we'll end today's writings with this thought...maybe tomorrow will bring my futures answer!...but I'm learning to not get my hopes up!

Is this what the Los Angeles life is all about?

The day was filled with a couple of studio visits and talks with Ohio University alumni. Is this what living in Los Angeles is all about? I think this would be a dream day in the life of a working PA or a media intern!

First stop, the Warner Brothers Studio tour! Although it was raining for half of the tour, this was great! We got to see the exterior sets of several shows that used to air and that are airing now such as Gilmore Girls, Friends, and Pretty Little Liars. I am a huge Gilmore Girls and Friends fan so all of this was very exciting for me. Realizing that the sets were built specifically for general time periods or looks that are reused for different movies and television shows was very cool. It does make me realize that now when I watch the upside down kissing scene in Spider-Man, I'm going to know exactly where they were as well as in Rent, when they all throw their rent off their terraces. I'm not going to lie, it may make me not appreciate it AS much, but that's ok. It was very interesting to see where it all really goes down. We also saw the sound stages for Pretty Little Liars and The Mentalist. Sound stages are the interior sets where dialogue is taken. As we walked from set to set and drove around the lot, I had a slight realization. I think I figured out what I may want to do in my future! I'm interested in set design. At Warner Brothers we learned that as a set designer you have to research the character/s and basically build around them and build their lives for them. It could be their bedroom, their office, or maybe their bathroom. I'm an art minor and I have a taste for interior design and I really think that set design may be my interest. Now, this could change over and over again, but for now, it sounds good and I'm going to say it when someone asked me my favorite question, "What do you want to get into?"

After Warner Brothers we moved onto the set of The Talk, which is a new live talk show on CBS. We saw the set where it is shot and then the control rooms where the video and audio is all taken care of. It was very interesting to see the differences between live television and movies and television that is shot prior to showing. They are two different worlds and I had never really thought about live television until today. We also spoke to the producer of The Talk, Kevin Hamburger, and the geffer, who is the person who controls all the lights on set. I was interested in what they were talking about because I had never really thought too much about live television but it made me realize that that is not what I want to do in my future. I hope there will be no hard feelings towards everyone, but I came onto this trip to learn and part of learning is figuring out what you like and what you don't like!

In the evening we spoke to a panel of Ohio University Alumni who are all working in different places and in different areas. They all had great advice and answered our questions perfectly. I asked a question, "What if I want to take a year off and work out in Colorado possibly still doing something at a production company, is that a smart idea?"...I got three different answers. The first one was to go for it, I like this answer the best. The second one was you'll lose out on a year of experience in Los Angeles and you'll be a year behind everyone else. The third answer was kind of irrelevant but still helpful. I did get a fourth answer from Jen Jones and Pam Griffiths who ended up speaking to us after the panel left. Jen believed that no matter your age, if you have the motivation, you will go places. This made me very confident in possibly making a decision to take a year off. I know I have time to figure this out, but I still like to have some what of an idea of where I'll be in my future. I will continue to go back and forth with my idea of coming out to Los Angeles and pursuing internships and jobs that will get me closer to becoming a set designer or my idea of taking some time off and going out to Colorado and fulfilling a dream there that I may not be able to do in my later years! I really agree with Jen and I really do believe that even if I am 25 years old, if Los Angeles is where I want to be then my motivation, passion, and willpower will push me to the top. It may be a struggle to be at the bottom at an older age, but hey, life is short and you have to follow yours dreams, even if that means taking a detour from a lifelong career.

The panel gave me this idea that Los Angeles has everything whereas Pam Griffiths elaborated more on other places such as New York city. I believe that this is because she has worked in a lot more places than the panel has and has more experience so I really enjoyed listening and learning from her. The panel was great though. They all seemed like they had passions for what they were doing and they knew what they were talking about. They also seemed willing to help us out which I know for netwroking purposes is going to be highly appreciated in my future. Pam and Jen were also extremely helpful in other ways. Pam has so much knowledge from all her experiences and Jen is such a bubbly woman who was extremely open and helpful with any question we had. I'm really glad that we were able to interact and network with this group of people.

Today was kind of a big day in my book. I may or may not have figured out the direction I want to go in. I got to see live sets, I mean what is cooler than that!? I'm really starting to learn more about my self and this industry that I just don't think I could learn in the classroom. If this is just the first day, I can only imagine how the days to come are going to turn out. I can't wait to learn more and see more and figure out myself and my future! Today has opened my eyes to a lot that I really did not think I would ever see until I maybe ended up moving out here.

The last thought on my mind was something that Jen Jones said tonight, "Let life take you where it wants to and you just follow it!" I'm along for this ride and I can't force it to turn any which way, I want it to call the shots and eventually everything will fall into place.

Los Angeles...is that in California?

I've traveled by myself before, I've gone international, and I've even gone on those teeny tiny 12 row planes, BUT I have never been diverted or had an emergency landing to another airport due to bad weather! That was my first memory of my Spring break trip to Los Angeles, California. After that, it all got a little better....

So to begin, AHHHH, I made it, after a 6 hour flight, and an hour bus ride to Burbank. I'm here and I could not be happier. The atmosphere and the people that surround you are just so different then my home in New York, and school in Ohio. I'm not completely sure if this will be where I end up after graduation but I'm sure after this week I will have a much better idea. I'm not sure what I want to do after I graduate. I have ideas of taking a year or two off and working out in Colorado or staying in New York and moving into the city or coming out here to Los Angeles. I'm only a freshman in college, so people say I have some time but it would still be nice to have some clue!

An Ohio University graduate named John Swartz came to speak with us during dinner. He works as Kathleen Marshall's assistant. Kathleen Marshall is famous producer and has produced a ton of well-known titles such as Schindler's List, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, and is currently working on War Horse will be out in theatres very soon. John talked to us about living in Los Angeles and his struggles and what he loves. He told us about how he got his job and his life at Ohio University when he was a student. I took a lot from him. I thought he was an excellent first presenter for this trip. He gave us all faith that we can do it too, he was once in our shoes as well. He has it all now and really enjoying his life. He gave me answers to some questions that I had and was just very real and honest in everything he said which I truly appreciated. I hope to stay in contact with John, he would be a great person to network with in my future.

I'm pretty sure I made the right choice in coming to Los Angeles for my Spring break and doing something that is not only beneficial for my education but my future. After this week, I have no doubt in my mind that I will have a much better clue of where I want to be in my future and what I want to do!

My Manifesto...

After reading Karim Rashid's, "Karimanifesto", where he created a 50 point guide to life and design, I have been inspired to create my own manifesto. (You can view Karim's work at  www.karimrashid.com, unfortunately, he does not have his entire work published yet.)

10, maybe 11 things I believe are most important to live and to live creatively by...

-Go out and experience life in different cultures beyond your own, its the only way to really understand other people

-Take some time to relax and breathe, its good to give your creative mind a break once in a while

-Don't be a follower all the time, be a leader, step up and believe in your own abilities

-Take a road trip somewhere, I don't care where, just spend some time in a car, it will get you thinking, you'll be surprised

-Go on a backpacking trip in the nature, take in the scenery, it make spark some creative ideas!

-Make friends in your industry and keep them, they will be extremely beneficial to you at some point

-Use your family for support because when no one else believes in your ideas, they will!

-Go out and do something creative in a different sense. Dance, sing, draw, even if you are no good at all of those things. It will help in mysterious ways!

-Do something for yourself once in a while, you'll always deserve it!

-Trust your gut instinct, although at times you may find it hard, push through and just go with it! 

-Finally, live in the present because the past is behind us, and the future wont exist unless we do something in the present!

So this is where I'm supposed to write a closing to this blog, but what if I don't want to stop?

I may be done blogging for my Media 203 class but I'm not nearly done blogging yet! I never use to like writing and reflecting in high school because I was being graded on every little thing, there was no room for creativity. Now, on my own blog, I can be as creative as I want. I can say and write what I want the world to see and no one is there to judge. You said you wanted a closing blog but unfortunately, this is an opening to a whole new world of blogs.

I'm not done here, this is just my beginning...

The Transmedia World

Check this interactive game, animated and real-life video, and documentary out called Collapsus. This is an outstanding example of trans-media work and what the creative world may look like in our future.

Here is what I think...

This American Life

Have a listen to this, This American Life, what superpower do you think you would like to have?

This is what I was thinking...

FREAK FACTOR: Discovering Uniqueness by Flaunting Weakness

Read David Rendall's, FREAK FACTOR and see what you think!

David Rendall's, FREAK FACTOR: Discovering Uniqueness by Flaunting Weakness, is an article about how people living in the creative world need to let loose and be unique. He gives nine suggestions about how we can overcome weaknesses in our lives. You can’t be scared of who you are or if people will judge you. You just have to go with your first instinct, be unique, be different, be crazy, just be yourself whoever that may be. After reading Rendall’s article, I have chosen three of his nine suggestions that I believe are most valid and that I can apply to my creative life.

The first suggestion I found to be most valid is Rendall’s second suggestion. He explains that we all have weaknesses. We all think that trying to fix our weaknesses is what will make us better people but that is not the case. Through our weaknesses we will find our strengths. He is hyperactive and can’t sit still so now he is paid to stand up and talk. He can’t be a team player so he chooses to work for himself. It is not realistic to fix al of our weaknesses and make us “better people”. Instead, we find those weaknesses and make them into our strong points. We turn out weaknesses into our strengths. I know I have a lot of weaknesses and until I read this article I felt that I could fix all of that. Well, I just realized I cannot directly fix my weaknesses but I can make myself into a better person by finding my strengths through my weaknesses just like Rendall does. One of my weaknesses is that I can’t take myself seriously. In my future I will work in the creative world so I am going to have to attempt to take myself seriously. I can deal with this weakness by putting it into my art. I can produce films that are not about serious topics; maybe comedy will become my cup of tea. Another weakness of mine is not being able to public speak. In my future, maybe I will work behind the scenes and make my once weakness into a new strength.

The next suggestion that I found to be valid is Rendall’s third suggestion. In this suggestion he explains that we are technically all flawless. He also provides a list of strengths that have corresponding weaknesses. I completely agree with him. I think that when someone has a strength, there will always be a weakness to follow. There is no person out there that is perfect, although some people think they are. You cannot be ashamed of a weakness that you have because that means that you also have a strength that goes along with it. Some of the examples Rendall provides, I see in friends of mine and in myself. Now that I have been made aware of this case, I’m not ashamed of the weaknesses I have because I have great strengths to go along with those weaknesses. This suggestion can be applied to my creative life because in my future I will be dealing with a lot of bosses and co-workers who will most definitely point out my flaws. Now, instead of getting down on myself, I will just think of my strengths that go with that flaw and not let the flaws get to me but rather embrace them because they are a part of who I am.

The last suggestion that I found to be valid is Rendall’s eighth suggestion. In this suggestion he explains the power of uniqueness. He discusses the Leaning Tower of Pisa and how millions of people go to visit the tower just because it is unique. You live your entire life with people telling you to be better, be stronger, stand up straight, and stop being a freak. Take a second and think, people who are unique go so much further in life and in the creative world. Embrace your uniqueness; get people from all over the world to come see you because you are different. In today’s day, it’s not common to be like everyone else, it is common to be different. So go out there and be yourself, I guarantee you won’t be like the person standing to the right of you! This suggestion can be applied to my creative life because in order to be successful in the media industry, you need the next best idea. It is really hard to come up with something that no one else has done before. If you are unique you may have a little big more of an advantage. So love who you are, be unique, and come up with the next greatest idea that the media world has never seen!

I mentioned before what some of my weaknesses were. I cannot speak in public. I can be impatient at times, and I have a hard time taking life seriously. To someone who has not read this article, they will see my weaknesses and think that I will never get anywhere in life. But, little do they know, I will go somewhere. My not being able to speak in public means that I do great one-on-one which means I can network like its my job. My impatience can sometimes be a big problem but it also comes with my strength, which is passion. I have passion for everything I do which I think is a great quality. You need to love your job and the work you are doing, otherwise what is the point of working so hard and dragging yourself out of bed everyday. Be passionate, even if it means you are impatient. Your strength, in this case, may just outweigh your weakness. Lastly, me not being able to take life seriously, well maybe that isn’t a great weakness but, sometimes its ok to laugh a little and lighten the mood. Everything does not need to be taken seriously. These qualities make me unique and the person I am. These are the qualities that are behind my creative ideas and will follow me throughout my creative life that lies ahead of me. I can’t wait to show the world the freak inside of me!

Reflections on The Gaming Presentation

I think that our gaming presentation was good but there were definitely some points that did not “come across” to our audience. Our game is called “OU, Oh No!” and it is a take on a typical Saturday night in an OU’s student’s life. The final goal is to make it home safely at the end of the night.

The first point that did not completely come across to our audience was the map of our game. We only showed what the main part of the game would like which was Court Street but we didn’t show how specific levels would work. The specific levels would be the different tests that the player would encounter such as, dodging police, getting into a fight, trying to find your out-of-town friend, and making it down Jeff Hill. We didn’t display the specific levels, which made it confusing for our audience, and they didn’t completely understand how the game would work.

Another point that did not come across clearly to our audience was our in-game sounds. We wanted the sounds to be constant throughout the game, such as a noisy street with different distractions coming in and out. Instead, our sounds were just distractions coming in and out. This also made it confusing for our audience and they did not completely understand what was going on.

My group could have made our presentation stronger by being clearer with our ideas and maybe changing the way we explained ideas so that it could be more understandable to our audience. We also could have reviewed our ideas and attempted to fix them and make them better before even presenting our game design to our audience.

I do think that our presentation had its strong points. We made a few jokes during our presentation that the audience really enjoyed and it kept them engaged. In addition, the designs that we made for our two players were very creative and the audience seemed to want to play the game because they could be one of the players we had created.

I think that the most difficult concept to discuss with others is the objectives of the game. I think that objectives, elements that the designer has put into the game that funnel the player through different tasks, is difficult to discuss with others because you see this image in your head but then it is difficult to actually put on the table. It is hard to put your creation into someone else’s head. The objectives of the game are one of the more creative items. As you are explaining your creative ideas, you are also asking the other people to conform, agree, and understand, what you are trying to explain. It is very difficult to get someone else to understand what is going on in your head. Once everyone understands your ideas, the process becomes simple.

I think the easiest concept to discuss with others is the mechanics of the game. I think that mechanics, way the game works, is easy to discuss because on a console there are only so many options for controls. It could also be said that in many game designs, a lot of the mechanics are similar to ones we have seen in many other common games. Mechanics is a good common ground to discuss because choosing what controls will do what and what actions will do what is simple and usually easy to agree on. Normally, there isn’t a lot of creativity that goes into the mechanics, which means there will be less for a group to disagree on.

All in all, I think our gaming presentation had its flaws but it came together in the end and our audience understood what we were talking about. It may have taken them a few minutes to absorb all the unclear information, but eventually they got the idea and enjoyed it!

Tony Pepperoni vs. Toy Train (Video Joke Compare/Contrast)

My group for the joke video project chose the joke that was about the little boy being rude to his mother after she punished him for using bad language while he played. We made two videos and had a different approach for each of them. 

In the Tony Pepperoni video we used Line and shape and movement in the video to get our points across to the viewer. Line and shape was used to show the mom's power throughout the video. The mom's head was square shaped which made her more powerful than her son. Tony Pepperoni was a circle head, which displayed his weakness. We used a low camera angle, which made the mother's line seem very linear and strong which also proved her power over Tony Pepperoni. Throughout the film, we used character movements within the frame. We used a mixture of complex and simple movements to give a little variety through the shots. In addition to those visual elements there was also active and didactic communication. The didactic communication was present when Tony Pepperoni slams the door because no one tells the viewer to think he is angry but his actions shows us this. The active communication was when the mother is yelling at Tony because she is telling us that he is getting punished.

In the Toy Train video we used visual rhythm and space in the video to portray our ideas to the viewer. Visual rhythm was used in the frame because Tommy and his mom were both wearing green shirts. We also had the same dinner plates, which drew the viewer’s eyes in. In addition, the frames had rhythm as well because they went from the mothers face to Tommy’s face and then back again to the mother’s face several times. We used flat space in the shot of the mother giving Tommy his train to play with and the shot of the mother cooking in the kitchen because the viewer’s attention is focused on the characters. Limited space was used when the mother walking into the living room where Tommy was playing because the layers were formed but they were not connected. In addition to those visual elements, there was also some contrast and affinity throughout the frames. The affinity is present in the shirts that the mother and son are wearing. They are both wearing green shirts, which shows their connection to one another. Contrast is present when the father comes into the frame because he is dressed in white instead of green.

Red Bullet's Animation

Stevie's Animation

Red Bullet & Stevie

Tony Pepperoni

Toy Train

Remember the Titans

Super Mario Brothers

How To Be Creative

Read Hugh MacLeod's article How To Be Creative and see what you think!

Reimagining Visual Framing

          The original image I chose is by an artist named Sally Mann. Her original image and my reframing are similar and different in several ways. First, they are two different types of shots. The original piece is a two medium shot, meaning there are two characters and it is taken from the waist up. My reframing is a close-up shot because only the characters head and shoulders are in the shot. Second, both the original piece and my reframing have actual lines as compared to virtual because they are real lines that are created by the edge of an actual object being the boys bodies. Third, the rule of thirds applies to both images but the eye of the viewer is drawn to different objects. In the original piece, the rule of thirds draws the viewer’s eye into the boys grasping hands, which is in the center of the piece. In my reframing, the rule of thirds draws the viewer’s attention onto the blood dripping on the little boys face. In addition, the original piece has affinity between the boy’s shirts and contrast because one boy has blood on their face and one has nothing. Lastly, the objective and subjective of both images are different. The objectives of the original image could be the two boys themselves, their clasping hands, and/or the blood on the boys face. The subjective could be the reason behind why they are holding hands and why there is blood on the boys face. The clasping hands could mean that at one time these boys were connected and the blood on the boys face could mean that now there is something that separates them. In my reframing, the only objectives are the little boy and the blood on his face. The subjective could be that he just got into a fight of some sort and is bleeding from it.

            I was drawn to the original image because of all the questions is poses about the young boys. You cannot look at this piece and not wonder, why? I chose to reframe the image the way I did because out of the entire picture, the young boy’s bloody face is what draws me in the most. I feel that the answer behind the bloody face is the most important out of the entire piece. Although I reframed the picture the way I did, I think that Mann originally framed the picture the way she did because it shows more. The artwork has more of an effect when you see both boys especially since they are holding hands. My reframing doesn’t need as much explanation as the original piece does. Sally Mann did a great job with getting her viewer to ask why, which is something I love most in many artists’ work.

Song Critque

Click here to listen to David's Song and John's Song

Click here to listen to My Critque

Soundscape Critque

Listen to Jordan's Soundscape

Brainwashed

 In Seth Gordin's article, Brainwashed: Seven Ways To Reinvent Yourself, he discusses how when we were first born we were forced into being compliant people. If we stepped out of the lines we were forced back in. If we showed any sense of creativity we were frowned upon. Gordin feels that the world used to need compliant workers but now not so much. Once the job markets start to fail and many people begin to be out of work, people start to giving up. Gordin talks about how we don't have to be like that anymore because there is more freedom now if you are up for the challenge. Gordin believes that if you have the time and the intellect to get your ideas out there than you have the ability to reinvent yourself.

Gordin than goes on to discuss the seven layers in which one can reinvent themselves; Connect, Be Generous, Make Art, Acknowledge The Lizard, Ship, Fail, and Learn. Acknowledging The Lizard in simple terms means, acknowledging the resistance in our minds and ignoring it. In more complex terms, the lizard is the prehistoric brainstem that we all must listen to. It is the part of our brain that worries and gets angry so as a result it shuts off the artistic ideas that come into our heads. This shutdown is considered resistance and because resistance thinks its rules us, resistance always wins. Artists have learned that this is the only barrier between their art and the real world so they have realized that they have to acknowledge it to ignore it and move on. 

A second layer that "spoke to me" was Make Art. This layer is about how making art is an original gift. It is a human ability to make a different. Art does not always have to be something physical like a painting or photograph but instead, it can be interacting with others so that you have a platform to create something new. Art is creating the uncreated. Art doesn't follow rules or instructions but it connects people to one another. Art always feels risky because it is always risky. It can get laughed at and made fun of but that's all a part of it. When an artist takes these risks, is when they are truly an artist and can be rewarded.   

These two layers can help me with this blog that I am creating in several ways. Acknowledging the resistance in my head and ignoring will help me move forward in my creative process and my work for this blog. If I can't ignore the resistance than I can never move along on this project that could last a life time. Making art completely applies to my blog because every time I post something, I am taking a risk and making my own art. I know that people read my blog but I put myself out on the line and hope that my art can inspire my viewers and is not too risky. If it is too risky, well that's the risk I take as an artist, especially in the industry I am about to enter into.  These exercises make me a better artist because if I just made art but never took a chance and showed it to an audience, well than would it really be considered art? These exercises allow me to take a risk, get feedback, and help me connect with other students who may share similar ideas with me.

Tom Petty or John Mayer?

People tend to think of artists who cover songs as being lazy or not creative. Believe me, I used to feel the same way. I always like the original version better but this cover changed my mind. I am, of course, a John Mayer fan but I can honestly say that its not so much his music I enjoy but the sound of his voice in all his songs. I do enjoy Tom Petty as well but when John Mayer covered Free Fallin’, my whole mind changed on artists who cover songs. Tom Petty’s, Free Fallin’ is definitely a classic and a great listen but John Mayer’s is definitely a beautiful cover and one of my favorites. Both versions have the same lyrics and share other similarities but are also very different. 

Tom Petty is an adult contemporary and classic rock artist, so his original fell under those categories. The rhythm of his version seems to be regular and consistent throughout the entire song. The constant source that drives the rhythm is the drums, which is the affinity throughout the entire song. The contrast in his version would be the drum riff that leads into the chorus and the guitar riff that is played during the bridge because they are different then the rest of the melody played throughout the song. The instrumentation includes drums, guitar, and a few other instruments, which differs from John Mayer’s cover. This version has a simple and crisp timbre and its organization is straightforward and classic as well. The tension in the song is definitely the chorus because that is what the verses lead up to. The release of the song would be the music and lyrics played right after the chorus because now the audience can relax and enjoy. The intensity is medium in some parts and than gets louder as the tension is approaching. The pitch of the instruments is low but the pitch of Petty’s voice is decently high. 

John Mayer is an acoustic rock artist who is known for his guitar skills and his version of Free Fallin’ completely displays how he plays his music. Similar to Petty’s version, Mayer’s rhythm is consistent all throughout the song. In Mayer’s version, the constant source that drives the rhythm is his guitar, which is also the affinity throughout the entire song.  The contrast in Mayer’s version is the guitar riff he plays during the chorus. Another difference between the two versions is Mayer’s choice of instrumentation, which includes just guitar and bass. This version also has a crisp and simple timbre with the instruments but contains a lot of layering of Mayer’s voice. The tension in the song is also the chorus especially in this version because Mayer changes the pitch and intensity of his voice during it. The release is still the music and lyrics played after the chorus because the audience can relax again. During the verses Mayer’s pitch is low and his intensity is soft but then during the chorus his pitch is very high and his intensity is loud. 

I didn’t think I would ever admit this but I enjoy John Mayer’s cover better than the original. Tom Petty’s, Free Fallin’ will always be a classic to me but I really enjoy the layering of voice that John Mayer put into his cover. I know both versions are the same song but I feel like I’m listening to two different songs. Tom Petty’s is very simple and classic while John Mayer’s is acoustic and the vocals are outstanding.

 

 

My Song

Soundscape

What is your howl?

In Jonathon Flaum’s, FIND YOUR HOWL, he references two different stories. The first story is about a wolf named Mumon, who needs to "find his howl". In other words, the wolf needs to find his one-of-a-kind authentic voice.  He goes on a journey to do this and basically sacrifices everything. He spent time alone, did things he believed he couldn't do, and pretty much walked away from the life he had always known. Along the way he meets different animals that try and help him. He does not completely understand what the animals are trying to say to him but he tries to listen and take their advice. At the end of his journey he finds himself "dying". In reality, he is finding his howl. It was a long journey for Mumon but he survived it and found his distinct voice. He will always be Mumon, only now, he is better because he has found his howl. 

The main point that Flaum tried to portray throughout this story is that sometimes our journey to finding our voice will be hard but we just need to tunnel through it and keep searching. It will be even more beneficial in the end than we had ever imagined. Our journey will not be easy, it's going to be long, dark, and treacherous but we need to trust our instincts, keep going, and trust the help offered to us along the way. In the end we will not settle for anything less than our official howl.

Read Flaum's story for yourself and decide what you think. Hey, maybe you should find your howl as well.

After Reading Flaum's story, I decided to find my own howl.  

Want Breakthrough Ideas...

Picture this, you’re sitting in your, what you’d like to call it, “thinking chair”, trying to stir up a new idea for a project. As you are rolling and rocking the chair, you soon realize, that no matter how powerful you think your “chair” is, it’s not going to give you the new idea you’re looking for this time! Now you see, you need some help. You could call up mommy and see what she says or you could look around, do some research. You may just stumble upon Mitch Ditkoff’s, “14 Ways To Get Breakthrough Ideas”, at first site it may not look that interesting but it is actually an extremely beneficial and informational guide to finding new ideas! After I read through it I chose three suggestions that I believed were the most motivating and interesting. You may agree with me, or you may go read it for yourself and find others more stimulating. You can find and download his article here and figure out for yourself, just how to get new ideas!

1.   Follow Your Fascination

When something fascinates you, don’t just let is pass. Follow it. Participate in it. Make it. Help it evolve into more than just another one of your many fascinations. Ditkoff is right when he says, “Fascination, quite simply, is nature’s way of getting our attention.” When our minds feel like its time to give up, we dream and become fascinated about other things. Well, now its time to use those fascinations to revive our minds. Put those dreams into our own realities. I mean, if we are not planning on using them in our creative lives then why are we going to waste our time thinking about them? This is a great suggestion and one that everybody, creative people or not, should implement in their daily lives. It’s nice to sit back and just dream, but sometimes it’s also really fun to live those dreams and by that I mean, turning a fascination into reality. I knew I wanted to work in a creative industry so about a year and a half ago, I chose the media industry. I used to be so fascinated about the industry and what it would be like to study at a university that had more opportunities available than I could count on one hand. Look where I am now, attending Ohio University all the way from New York! I made my fascination a reality when I chose to apply and now I am currently living in my fantasy. Don’t you want to say you did that?

a)   What new idea is fascinating you?

A new idea that is fascinating me is doing a photo of the day project over the course of one year. I find this idea to be very creative and because I enjoy photography I think I may just make it a reality. I want others to see what pulls my eye everyday and what I choose to photograph. I want all my travels to be remembered and my memories to be shared. When it’s all finished, I want to make a photo album titled a year in photographs. It’s not much, but it’s fascinating to my creative mind.

                                   

b)  What new possibility has captured your attention?

I have the opportunity to go on a trip to Los Angeles over Spring Break, with one of my media professors. The application process is simple. Apply, have a good GPA, and good references. The rest is up to my professor. I would give anything to go on this trip. We will be going to several different studios in the city and talking to many OU alumni. I can’t explain in words how beneficial and extraordinary this trip would be if I get to attend.

c)   In what ways can you honor this inspiration today?

The only way to honor this inspiration is to hope that my professor sees the passion behind me. I haven’t done much when it comes to media but I know that this is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life. I know that this is what I want to call “work” when I am older. I have to hope that my professor sees all this and considers be for the wonderful opportunities the trip has to offer.

4.   Make New Connections

      Now I know that when we here this, the first thing that comes to mind is, meet new people and don’t burn bridges. Now while that is a very good trait to have in this industry, this type of making new connections refers more to thinking outside of your box. This suggestion is a good suggestion and one that you should implement right away! Step outside of your comfort zone and take the plunge. Think rationally or, hey, think irrationally. We are so used to thinking about ideas that make sense and are easy but maybe its time to just think. If it sounds crazy, well it probably is, but that doesn’t mean it is impossible. Go for it; think of ideas that connect in ways you’d never thought possible! 

7.  Listen to Your Subconscious 

      Ditkoff was telling the truth when he spoke about how most of the world’s great thinkers came up with there ideas at times that were not on purpose. This suggestion is also a good suggestion that I think everyone, especially creative people, should start doing everyday. I mentioned before that sometimes we sit in our “thinking chairs” waiting for our next best idea to come to mind. Unfortunately, we all know that totally does not work. Take a break sometimes and maybe go do something else. I guarantee that while you’re brushing your teeth and playing that addicting computer game, the light bulb will light up in that creative mind of yours and you’ll have it! The next best idea!