Thursday, July 21, 2011
4.3
I really liked my group that I had the privilege of working with. I had a lot of fun working with them and we were really productive and creative as a group. I think that one of the weak points of our presentation was the pitch. I think we were all nervous when we presented and that was really broadcast through our voices. I think that if we would have spent some more time on rehearsing the pitch it would have been a bit smoother and would have sounded/made us more confident. I think a strength that we had was how well we worked together. We didn't have any problems with making up the game or the PowerPoint. We were all on the same page when it came to making the characters and the actual game play it was pretty much smooth sailing. The hardest part of designing the game was probably the rules. The rules were already set out for us because it is was a well established board game we adapted. However, we did add the elements of items and abilities. Coming up with procedures that made sense with the traditional game and make it more interesting to play level to level. We just kept the traditional chess delimiters and gave the player abilities that surpass some of the delimiters.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
3.1
For this blog entry I had to choose a picture and then edit it in iPhoto to show a new perspective of it. I chose a photo done by Ben Goosen, because he is a pretty crazy artist. I chose the owl and chair photo because it was unusual but also pretty normal at the same time. It had a lot of linear lines in it that drew your eyes just about everywhere. Your eye gets led across the photo by the diagonal lines made by the edges of the box. There are also a lot of lines in the chair too. Those lines frame the owl up and also point directly to him. It is also one of the only points of interest in the piece. The only difference between my edited picture and his original, is that I cropped mine about 30% or so. It was a pretty wide shot in the original. I wouldn’t say it was wide enough for an establishing shot but I would say wider than the normal wide shot. I brought it in to a tighter wide shot and took out some of the background. It is quite humorous too that I took it in 30% because of the 30° rule. I also thought that with the poor resolution of the image when I got it, I would just keep from cropping too much to loose quality. I did loose some quality but I countered that with framing the owl on the second point of interest according to the rule of thirds. If you were to cut the frame into a tick-tack-toe board you would see that the owls head and eyes rest on the second intersecting line. This is something that I like to do with everything that involves framing because it gives you a good looking image and a pretty evenly weighted frame.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Cover Songs 2.1
It was hard to think of a good cover to write about that people wouldn’t know already. So I dug deep into my iTunes library. I found some of my local music and other underground bands in other cities covering each other’s stuff. I thought that would just be too much. I finally settled on a tasteful and modest selection. The original song that I chose is from a pretty well know band, The Postal Service. The original song I chose was “We Will Become Silhouettes”. This song has been a favorite of mine since sophomore year of high school. It really got me into the indie electronic scene a lot more than I anticipated. It really sparked my interest in a different sort of music and re-kindled my appetite for searching for new music. In my search I found another indie rock band that has definitely stuck with me. This band has come to make a reputation as The Shins. They covered The Postal Service’s song on their album Such Great Heights. Their cover was a fantastic new look at their electronic poppy song.
The Postal Service’s original song is fantastic track to listen. It starts with a beautiful piano riff. The piano riff starts with a soft intensity. The piano is acoustic sounding but there was some definite reverb effects placed over it. It had a very deep quality to its overall sound. This piano riff is a nice calm to the start to their song that would help build some tension. The entire song’s tone and emotional architecture is calm with some inspiring overtones. The guitar riff just reiterates that theme, or motif. They have very warm tones and deep hypnotic sounds and effects mastered over the song. The beginning keyboard loop is followed by another harmonic, more manipulated keyboard. The organization was very ordered with choruses and verses. This also helped with small amounts of tension and release throughout the song created by layering of instruments. The timbre was very tonal because it uses a lot of piano and electronic effects with some electronic drumbeats to create a very deep and tall song.
The Shins’ cover is equally fantastic and addicting as The Postal Service’s original. It starts with a count in of acoustic drums followed by more acoustic instrumentation. They play acoustic guitars with an acoustic drumset. It is arguable whether the bass is acoustic or not. From the beginning the song is of modest intensity. I say it is modes because it is not as quiet as The Postal Service’s original, but it is not loud by any means. The tone of the song is very warm because of the warm sounding instruments and the lead singers calm and friendly singing style. The emotional architecture is happy and up beat because of the chord structures and again because of the instrumentation. It never really changes from happy but it does get a lot more intense with more layered effects. The Shins have changed the focus from a quiet electronic song to a happy sunny day kind of groove. Both of the songs have their source in their drumbeats, which make it easy to bop your head a long with. The organization of The Shins cover was also very ordered with choruses and verses because they do not change any of the lyrics and follow the same song structure. The timbre matched The Postal Service’s original because it was also very tonal. All of the instruments were very ear pleasing and not noisy by any means. All of the sound had a very clean quality to them.
It is hard to say which song I would like better. I did find out about The Postal Service first. I do think that I would owe some sort of allegiance to them. However, I have not been as indulged in the electronic scene for as long as I have been marinating in the traditional style bands. I can identify with The Shins more. I have always been into harder music since I was a child and learned to play instruments from grade school. I just find more interest in people that play the instruments instead of creating them on computer programs. That is not to say that I do not respect that music by any means. I completely respect electronic artists and everything that they do. I just don’t understand it as much as I do running sound for live more acoustic bands with instruments. Therefore I would have to say that I side with The Shins version of the song.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Blog 1.3 Post Links
Andrew http://artistmdia.blogspot.com/2011/06/mdia-203-audio-reflection.html?showComment=1309454366768#c3134519373415648102
Jack http://mdia203blog.blogspot.com/2011/06/soundscape-project_27.html?showComment=1309427176911#c2073969522379059661
Kirby http://kirbykilwalski.blogspot.com/2011/06/soundscape-vid.html?showComment=1309427593556#c5824525104162028110
Jack http://mdia203blog.blogspot.com/2011/06/soundscape-project_27.html?showComment=1309427176911#c2073969522379059661
Kirby http://kirbykilwalski.blogspot.com/2011/06/soundscape-vid.html?showComment=1309427593556#c5824525104162028110
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Ways To Get Ideas 1.2
Mitch Ditkoff's 14 Ways To Get Breakthrough Ideas
I think one of the most important steps in Mitch Ditkoff's 14 Ways To Get Breakthrough Ideas is Fantasize. Just like Ditkoff says in the reading, fantasizing has a negative connotation to it, but in reality it would be your day dreams. You have to receive your ideas someway, and what better way to do that than through your own mind's storytelling. The best part about day dreaming or fantasizing is that if you are a visual person it is almost as if you can watch your ideas play out in your head. You se in your mind's eye exactly what you are wanting and are working on. I like to have one good idea of what I want then start picking characters and personalities. I sit and day dream about the setting of the story and how it represents the tone of the story. I have to day dream about the relationship between and and all of the characters and how their personalities represent each element of the character. The step of fantasizing is definitely a key step to a creative breakthrough, but not the most important step.
As previously mentioned fantasizing is an important step in breakthrough ideas but there is a more important step than that. That step is the third step, in Mitch Ditkoff's 14 Ways To Get Breakthrough Ideas, is tolerate ambiguity. This is an important step of realization. This step refers to the nature of trial and error in the creative process. Everything any one person or even multiple people do they will do something wrong because it is only human to make mistakes. Whether or not you learn from those mistakes is a personal choice. Trial and error is a learning process and a good one to gain experience. one of the best ways I can describe this in a practical media sense is the way I learned how to light for film, video, and photography. I have been lighting on and off for projects for about three years now. I started with no instruction, just purely fantasizing about the different lighting schematics and lighting effects. I did not know the actual mechanics yet, but once I took my lighting class I understood what was wrong with my techniques. I then began working with lights in different set ups to see if they worked, trial. If something didn't work, error, I would tweak the set up until everything was perfect. This trial and error is how I learned some of my most useful lighting techniques.
The most important of Mitch Ditkoff's 14 Ways To Get Breakthrough Ideas is follow your fascination. It has tied with hundreds of conversations I have had with distinguished media professionals. They all say two things. First is if you do what you love money will come to you. The second is if you do what you love you will feel as if you have never worked a day in your life. This spoke volumes to me. First of all, if you are fascinated with something, you probably know a lot about it. If you don't know a lot about it, then you are probably very willing to learn. With this knowledge, you will be constantly fantasizing about creative new ideas. Ah, see, fantasizing, one of the other breakthroughs before. this will make being creative a lot easier for anyone. Of course once you have your fascination and your fantasy you can try your trial and error of your ideas and projects. In my own personal experience I did not know what my passion in life was. I know it had to do with art, but not anything specific. It wasn't until a moment of enlightenment that I knew I wanted to work with video and film. That is when I became fascinated with every aspect of them both. I love creating videos and films recreationally and professionally. I haven't felt like any of it has been work. It wasn't until I came to Ohio University that I had the realization that i wanted to be a Cinematographer.
The activity that I have designed is made to get your creative juices flowing. I would like to combine all three of the breakthrough techniques I have previously mentioned. First, think of what you are fascinated with. Once you have that in mind, start fantasizing what you would like to draw that includes your fascination. Then comes the tolerate ambiguity step. With this drawing you can only lift your pen or pencil off the paper 5 times. You may try this drawing as many times as you would like.
I think one of the most important steps in Mitch Ditkoff's 14 Ways To Get Breakthrough Ideas is Fantasize. Just like Ditkoff says in the reading, fantasizing has a negative connotation to it, but in reality it would be your day dreams. You have to receive your ideas someway, and what better way to do that than through your own mind's storytelling. The best part about day dreaming or fantasizing is that if you are a visual person it is almost as if you can watch your ideas play out in your head. You se in your mind's eye exactly what you are wanting and are working on. I like to have one good idea of what I want then start picking characters and personalities. I sit and day dream about the setting of the story and how it represents the tone of the story. I have to day dream about the relationship between and and all of the characters and how their personalities represent each element of the character. The step of fantasizing is definitely a key step to a creative breakthrough, but not the most important step.
As previously mentioned fantasizing is an important step in breakthrough ideas but there is a more important step than that. That step is the third step, in Mitch Ditkoff's 14 Ways To Get Breakthrough Ideas, is tolerate ambiguity. This is an important step of realization. This step refers to the nature of trial and error in the creative process. Everything any one person or even multiple people do they will do something wrong because it is only human to make mistakes. Whether or not you learn from those mistakes is a personal choice. Trial and error is a learning process and a good one to gain experience. one of the best ways I can describe this in a practical media sense is the way I learned how to light for film, video, and photography. I have been lighting on and off for projects for about three years now. I started with no instruction, just purely fantasizing about the different lighting schematics and lighting effects. I did not know the actual mechanics yet, but once I took my lighting class I understood what was wrong with my techniques. I then began working with lights in different set ups to see if they worked, trial. If something didn't work, error, I would tweak the set up until everything was perfect. This trial and error is how I learned some of my most useful lighting techniques.
The most important of Mitch Ditkoff's 14 Ways To Get Breakthrough Ideas is follow your fascination. It has tied with hundreds of conversations I have had with distinguished media professionals. They all say two things. First is if you do what you love money will come to you. The second is if you do what you love you will feel as if you have never worked a day in your life. This spoke volumes to me. First of all, if you are fascinated with something, you probably know a lot about it. If you don't know a lot about it, then you are probably very willing to learn. With this knowledge, you will be constantly fantasizing about creative new ideas. Ah, see, fantasizing, one of the other breakthroughs before. this will make being creative a lot easier for anyone. Of course once you have your fascination and your fantasy you can try your trial and error of your ideas and projects. In my own personal experience I did not know what my passion in life was. I know it had to do with art, but not anything specific. It wasn't until a moment of enlightenment that I knew I wanted to work with video and film. That is when I became fascinated with every aspect of them both. I love creating videos and films recreationally and professionally. I haven't felt like any of it has been work. It wasn't until I came to Ohio University that I had the realization that i wanted to be a Cinematographer.
The activity that I have designed is made to get your creative juices flowing. I would like to combine all three of the breakthrough techniques I have previously mentioned. First, think of what you are fascinated with. Once you have that in mind, start fantasizing what you would like to draw that includes your fascination. Then comes the tolerate ambiguity step. With this drawing you can only lift your pen or pencil off the paper 5 times. You may try this drawing as many times as you would like.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Influences 1.1
I am a Junior at Ohio University, using my creativity to paint pictures with light for film, video, and photography. I am a visually and aurally creative person and I am influenced by many other creative people. One of my favorite artists is Ralph Steadman. He is British artist that focuses on Gonzo art. His style is very unique because he uses paint splatters to create a contrast with his thin scratchy pen line drawings. His art work has a very addicting and menacing tension based from his subject, or content, as well as his contrast from his style. Another reason he is a big influence on me is because his art work goes hand in hand with the works of Hunter S. Thompson. Hunter S. Thomspon has influenced the way I think, create, and percieve the world since I picked up a paperback cope of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Ever since then he has enlightened my artistic subconscious. Hunter's work is subjective, as is Steadman's, because their work is looked at through a "Gonzo filter". it is almost like they use creativity to tell the truth while streatching it to a point to the brink of untruth. His work Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas influenced me very much so because his personality and views contrast so much with the average boring American. If I may quote him, Hunter once said, "I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity, but they have always worked for me." I find that they work for me and my creativity also. I, like Hunter, try to represent an altered reality with my writing and art. I try to represent the outcast, the black sheep, and the artist. I don't agree with dirty politics and neither does Hunter or my biggest musical influence The Frankl Project of Cincinnati, Ohio. The Frankl Project is a power trio of some of Cincinnati's most talented musicians. They play music that is a very unique blend of ska, punk, and blues. They have very bluesy grooves in "Greyhound Bus" and very fast punk songs with ska/reggae up strokes during the verse such as the song "Black and Blue". Each member of the band is a friend of mine and they share my political and spiritual beliefs. They are amazing musicians that have very socially aware lyrics. I have actually adapted my drumming style and preference from their drummer Joseph Frankl. He uses a unique style of syncopation to combing with the crunchy guitar and the grooving bass. Finally my most influential film is Fight Club. If fits my style just fine. I instantly too the the rebellious messageof the film. Along with the beautiful Neo-Noir cinematography it captured my attention from the first scene. I felt like i was the "Narrator" in the film. It strung me through every minute of it. I went into cinematography because of the beautiful imagery in the movie. It gave me the cut the shit do what you love belief, and I've kept it ever since.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)