Documentary Ideas

My ideas for the documentary are still up in the air right now, but some ideas i've thought about that seem the most interesting are:

-homeless life:
what it's like, how certain people got to that point, what goes on in their day to day life.
I think that there are so many stories living within people on the streets, and no one gets to hear them.
There is so much character within homeless people. Although some got themselves into that lifestyle, I think they are still full of experience and stories.

-poetry slam:
inside the life of a dedicated poetry slam artist

Big Idea Project

1. A.Decide on a Big Idea that intrigues you. This should have personal interest to you and a lot of potential for exploration. Don’t choose something that you can’t personally connect with. Next, select potential Topics that narrow the focus of the Big Idea. These can change later. Be specific.
   
   My example:Big Idea: Adventure
   Potential Topics: Travel, Local Adventures, Personal Adventures, Grand Explorations, Changing perceptions about Adventure through the ages, Adventure from Male Perspective vs. Female Perspective, Adventure as an addiction
   
   

2. B.Generate a few “Essential Questions” that can lead to investigation. These questions might directly lead you to a work of art. They may not. That’s okay too.My example:
   
   

-       What is Adventure to me?

-       What isn’t Adventure to me?

-       How do different kinds of people define adventure differently? Similarly?

-       How do different cultures define adventure differently? Similarly?

-       How do different age groups/generations perceive of adventure?

-       How do the genders view adventure differently? Similarly?

-       What is the difference between real adventure and the kind of adventure ‘sold’ in movies?

-       Is movie-style adventure real? Attainable? Enviable? Laughable?

-       What is the most mundane sort of adventure possible?

-       What risks are inherent in having adventures?

-       What rewards are inherent in having adventures?

A. Big idea= Personal identity. Trying to find yourself amongst many obstacles. having a scattered brain/thought process is fuzzy.

B. Potential topics: 

-What is finding yourself?

Being 100% content with your lifestyle, choices, interests

-how can you find yourself?

discover what makes you the happiest, most satisfied, what your best at.

-where do you have to go to find what you're looking for?

forest, nature, anywhere where you flourish

-will there be any obstacles?

yes, scattered brain thought process

-what to do once you've found yourself?

just be.

-how do you know you found it?

you'll know in that moment, it may not be something obvious, but it's a feel you'll only know when it hits you.

-how long will it take to search?

depends on each person

-how do different people find themselves?

some people do everything they don't enjoy, to find who they are. some know immediately. it may hit you like a brick wall, or it could take years of struggling. in the end, you'll never truly know who you are until you die. not to be morbid, but everyday you learn new things and find new interests. every single day shapes who you are. 

How I plan to film:
I know dream sequences are over used, but dreams are extremely influential in my life. I want to have Lindsay Miller dreaming, tossing and turning, not really sure if her waking life is real or just a figment of her dream. While she sleeps, weird things are falling on her head. different substances from the ceiling. she doesn't know what they are. it will transition into different parts of her dream and journey into the cores of her brain. as she awakes she finds herself in a forest. at first walking, but later picking up the speed and beginning to run. she forgets how she got there, but it doesn't seem to matter. she still has a lot of curiosity flowing within her. as she walks, the filming transitions into animation. specifically rotoscoping and occasionally back to reality. she finds two mirrors each showing her different faces. it scares her. at this point, i want to transition back to rotoscoping and have a creepy face pop out at her. in the end, she finds herself in the forest and sits contently. 

Intervention Art

Ideas:
-Justin Bieber cardboard cut out on the side of the road.. or in someones window..
-Dress a tree up
-paint the rocks at indian village
-put things up at nature trail***

        
  Is this all there is? I find myself asking this question quite frequently.  Thinking about how enormous the universe is, gives me a feeling of claustrophobia. When i sit and think about how truly large and unpredictable the world outside of our own is, it feeds away in my brain, eating all of the logic and sense i have. But the curiosity also sparks something within me that drives me to ask questions and ponder the endless wonders of our galaxy and beyond.
    For my video, i wanted to depict my curiosity and share it with the public. The human condition causes many of us to question space and whatever else may lie around us. Therefore, i taped the questions i had to trees in the nature trail. I go to this nature trail pretty often since it is the only escape from suburbia i have. Many people run, walk, and explore this trail on a daily basis. I was hoping that the next morning after i posted these signs, some curious jogger would reflect on them. I think it is a beautiful thing when people can question the world around them, and take a break from their day to day   schedules and repetitive routines. By placing these signs and all of our planets around the trail, i think it will grab someone's attention, and force them to distract themselves from daily responsibilities, and thoughts. Without questioning, we will never find ways to adventure out of our galaxy and into the unknown.

Alter Ego

1. Sarah Sacrifice:
-"emo"
-trip pants
-chains
-dark under eyes
-pale
-"cuts" on arm
-stupid band tshirt
slipknot, as i lay dying, etc..
-black boots
-too many bracelets
-hair obnoxiously in face
-"piercing"


2. Trashy Tina:
-hoop earings
-bulky white shoes
-faded pants
-baby phat jacket
-hair up way too high
-chewing gum like a horse
-ugly make up
-baby carrier


3. Couch potato Carrie
-fat under shirt
-chip bag
-double chin
-I LOVE AMURRICA
-doesnt know anything about american history
-not educated
-trucker hat
-nurse shoes
-leggings.. its all she can fit in

Portrait of a Place

I remember...
-the sound of bongo drums in the distance
-the feeling of the sun shining on your face
-the feeling of serenity and welcome
-the way grass feels before everyone flattens it with blankets
-walking around aimlessly and exploring
-laying down and just looking up for hours
-the way gusts of wind make you feel content
-an unspoken feel of peace/unity
-the way the bark looks/the shadows of the trees
-the "golden" tint of the sun rather than the "white" tint shining
-didgeridoos humming in my ear for the entire weekend
-genuine laughter
-climbing trees
-hanging upsidown on the playground
-the view of downtown at night
-seeing so many people it feels like the apocalypse
-the smell of incense and fair foods
-diversity amongst everyone
-not knowing where I'm going but continuing to walk
-weird statues
-beautiful artwork
-uncomfortable artwork, making me wonder



I don't remember...
-where everyone went once the park closed
-who i talked to on each day
-things i really wanted to buy at the time
-the music in the background that i either tuned out, or wasn't interested in
-all the faces i walked past seem blurry now

Short Story Reflection

1.What kind of details does Carver choose to describe the “place?”

The details are pretty descriptive. In my mind, I can really visualize this guys place. It seems like his own personal den. Carver describes the placement of all the objects in his room. A yellow muslin cloth, a model television on a coffee table, a wall clock, and a sofa. The little details he uses that may seem insignificant really help the reader see this place their own way. For example, he says “A yellow muslin cloth, much too large, a gift, covered the table and hung down over the sides.” This sounds way more interesting than just “A yellow cloth sat on the table.”

2.What do the following passages tell you about the place? 

“The girl sat on the bed. She pushed off her shoes and lay back. She thought she could see a star.” 

“Lights came on in the houses up and down the street.”



Something about this place brings a feeling of comfort, belonging, and welcome. This bed, although still in good condition, has survived many years. It has stories of its own and been different places.  Its story is about to change though once it is brought into this young couples life.

 3.Now look at the passages that you chose. How do they talk about the place? Why are they important or unimportant? 


                  -“Now and then a car slowed and people stared.  But no one stopped. 
  It occurred to him that he wouldn't, either.”

                  This part honestly made me kinda sad. This guy seems to be lonely, but in a way he is at peace with that. He has already lived his life and seen many things. He wants to pass on his experiences with others now.  And by doing so, he can sell some of his memories with new people.

                  

   -"Those people over there, they're watching," she said. 
  "It's okay," the man said.  "It's my place," he said.

He doesn’t live his life in fear that others will judge him. He drinks as he chooses, and dances where he wants. He seems to have a care-free attitude. Without this feeling of openness, I don’t think this couple would have opened up so much and danced/drank with him. His comforting vibes allowed the couple to feel at ease and make bids with this man they may never see again, but also never forget. 

MA2 Class Film

Criteria: Group Movie Project


1. Describe your role in the production of the class movie. How did your contribution make things more efficient? How did you help make the movie better? What specific contributions did you make? Did you go above and beyond, or simply show up? Be honest.  

Most of the time, i was an extra in the movie. Which was honestly just a freak, schizophrenic kid in the corner. Even though i didn't have lines, i think that the weirdness of my character (along with Neely's character) gave the movie some originality. One day, i helped direct the movie in the lunchroom scene. It was hard at times to get everyone to listen to you, but i think that i tried my best to atleast make the scenes flow.

2. Describe one or more things you learned about the writing process that you did not know before working on this project.
It takes a lot of organization to make a film work. You have to take into consideration all the props your gonna need for each scene, the extras, and of course the script. I think that writing them all out really helped everyone to collaborate in the film.

3. Describe one or more things you learned about the production (filming) process that you did not know before working on this project. 

While your filming, you have to think about the film as a whole. If you film one scene wrong, it could confuse the entire film or make the clips not flow at all. Also, you need a lot of people helping out. Otherwise you're going to end up using the same five people as extras for the whole movie.

4. Describe one or more things you learned about the post-production (editing, sound, etc.) process that you did not know before working on this project.
A lot of the time, what you think is gonna look awesome in your mind, doesn't flow at all. You have to have a significant amount of "b roll" so the movie makes sense, or doesn't chop from scene to scene. Also, we needed extra recordings to make the movie seem more realistic.


5. Are you satisfied with the final product? Why or why not? Be honest.
I am satisfied with final product. At first, i was kinda worried that the idea wouldn't work. although, in the end i realized that it was pretty funny, and at the same time creative. The editing went very well, and people came up with clever editing ideas that i wouldnt have thought of on my own. For example, the montage scene shooting back to the outdoor scene ended up making the continuity of the film much better.


Suggest one improvement for next year’s class. What could I do to make it easier/better/more informative/more fun?
Find a way to get people to get more involved. Maybe more extras involved, or make the extras have specific characters, so the people in the background arent just standing around. although, most of that is their own fault for not trying.


Evaluation
Individual Contribution to Pre-Production Excellent    |    Good     |    Average    |     Poor

Individual Contribution to Production Excellent    |    Good     |    Average    |     Poor

Individual Contribution to Post-Production Excellent    |    Good     |    Average    |     Poor