Movie Highlight: Looper

To keep this blog active, I will be regularly trying to highlight significant movies, shows, games, music and whatever. Just for fun.

This post, I will highlight Rian Johnson's Looper. Set in the near future, we follow Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a hitman who eliminates targets sent back to him by a mob in the future. Things change when one of his targets turns out to be his future self. A lot more happens I do not want to spoil.

Right now, I am championing this film to hopefully get an Original Screenplay nomination at the Oscars. It has so much creativity and genuinely engaging elements in the script that even a few gripes I have are not enough to detract heavily. A very fun time travel movie.

Check out the trailer and a few standout scenes below to get an idea:

Looper Official Trailer (the first and best of the film's trailers IMO)

TK Clip (Introduces Looper's version of Biotics or The Force or whatever you want to call it)

 Seth's Death (Practically no blood or gore, but still rather shocking)

Aging Montage (Shows how Bruce Willis comes to be his version of the character for the rest of the film)

The Rainmaker Revealed (A very shocking scene for more than one reason **SOME SPOILERS Only see if you know or don't mind** )

Fireside Chat Artist's Statement

            When dealing with the stories of our lives, we want to convey them with the tone that best suits what is being shared. For the story I chose, I didn’t have any form of angst, drama or sorrow tied to the experience. The story is a genuinely happy moment in my life and I wanted to communicate that not only in my story telling but also in my visual. With that in mind, I created the presentation that was shown at the event.

            The idea for the stick figures came from a friend, but I think it actually really suited what I wanted to do. The story is a part of my childhood and it is a very simple story as much as I had a relatively simple childhood. In one way, it communicates the effect of memory. I imagined what it would be like if my fourth grade version of myself attempted to draw the events to the best of his ability. As I have demonstrated, my fourth grade self is no Rembrandt. In another way though, I wanted it to be genuine in its simplicity. This is supposed to be a very humble story and with that I wanted a humble presentation.

            As for the performance, I wanted the piece to be genuine yet leaning to a comedic bent. I didn’t want this to just make a testimony meeting out of it and I didn’t want any emotionally heavy stuff. It is a fun story to tell people and I wanted to make it fun. I rehearsed it several times to try and pinpoint lines I could tie specifically to certain slides. Funny comments, specific descriptions and other details were worked and reworked to make the flow of the piece more organic. In the end, I wanted the aim for something that would edify through happier emotions than the more weighty things.

Concerned Citizen Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbMbtXBMmhU&feature=plcp

Artistic Statement: A Concerned Citizen

Being a concerned citizen does not have to mean just giving stuff to people. Sometimes it is just as important to know HOW to give or how we can improve how we help. This wasn’t the concept we expected going into the interview, but it was just right for making a compelling and insightful little documentary. It is having things develop naturally like this that makes developing our artistic vision more interesting.
One thing we wanted to do with our presentation is invite a calm and reflective environment for the audience and the speaker. Thankfully, the speaker had such an environment in the house she was staying at. Partly this served us because it was easy to access, but we felt it really served the tone of the narrative. When we think of someone who does service for communities, we picture a humble home and lifestyle that reflects their work. Complimented by the unflashy lighting and leisure flow of the editing, we hoped that the setting of the piece set the tone well.
However, this does not mean we just wanted to do a “gather around for story time” video either. As sweet and calm as the speaker and environment are, there is still a sense of fun to the things she does to help in Bolivia and the other countries they did work for. To reflect this, we added a few creative choices into the mix. One of those choices was the Latin music in the background. It is just subtle enough to not be distracting, but light hearted enough to add some enthusiasm. The other big choice was the inclusion of some lighter moments from the taping. Jordan’s hands serving as a clapper, some of the speaker’s comments, some moments where she can just laugh, etc. It not only rounds her as a character, but it adds depth and personality to the narrative.
Ultimately, all of these decisions and manipulations of the film are to portray an honest picture of the speaker. She is a very humble person. She is a funny and lighthearted person. She is informative. Through the way we assembled it, we wanted to give respect not only to the advice she gives on how to do service well, but respect to her as a concerned citizen.

Protest Poster

Artist's Statement

            As much as social media has helped me to reconnect to people around the world, I do have a bone to pick with it. Not just for the actual use of social media in today’s culture, but for the insane amount of venues available to engage in social media. Not only does it feel counterproductive to our ability to actually connect to other individuals, but it is just an annoyance that the success of one good social outlet spawned thousands of imitators trying to snatch its money. So, I decided to use that for my protest poster.

            If you have an axe to grind against something, you need to know your enemy. So I took to the source of the issue, the Internet, and studied about the social media rage. Obviously, social media has been around much longer than we think. Sites like MySpace have been in circulation since the early 2000’s. However, the continued rise of social media sites and the success of Facebook changed the climate into a rougly $2 billion that has increased Internet felonies and distorted dating to make people feel “closer” to people online better than face to face.

            The key thing I wanted to do is give a certain visual layout to the poster. The background is intentionally black and empty to tie into the intentionally red text’s ironic title. The icons are arranged in a neat little order to try and imitate structure, though the gaps and cracks in-between are apparent. The icons are all that is shown for most of the sites represented, since most people are familiar with a site just by the logo alone. This creates an idea of building blocks or pillars if you want to go by the title. Yet there is no base, nothing behind it and no supports around it. It is a system of pillars with a weak foundation.

            I posted this on my Facebook account hoping to discuss this further with other friends. Unfortunately, the post received zero comments. Disheartening perhaps, but perhaps this fuels my idea. People are so used to the use of social media for dating and interaction that they don’t want to agree to dissention. I will still try to gauge opinions on it, but for now I stand alone in discussing it.

Web Spinna

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Haunted Sky - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1vjTJTRn48

Moon Atmosphere- http://margaretnoble.net/blog/sounds-from-the-moon-b/

Heartbeat- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHBk80JiBo8

Regan Alien Invasion- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfejBpD_wm4 (0:02)

Signs Sounds- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADqLmzqeH6M

District 9 Board- http://www.soundboard.com/sb/District_9_movie

Japanese Scientist Alien Invasion- www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpaIWPmiS5w (:10)

Preparing for alien invasion- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6aUrqSagog (1:18) to (1:51)

Starry Night- http://vimeo.com/29582860

Artist's Statement

            The Internet is a crazy, complex and incredibly fascinating place.  It is able to provide loads of information, hours of amusement and immense amounts of work for those looking for it. Who would have thought, however, that the Internet could become a place for creating art just as much as posting it? Through this webspinna, I was able to see the endless possibilities of using the Internet’s media tools to create a wide variety of art forms.

            The biggest thing I wanted to sell with my webspinna was atmosphere. With a topic like alien invasion, we should feel like there is a growing sense of dread and paranoia accompanying it. However, music alone should not be the source for this. I wanted the dialogue and conversations to build upon each other to heighten the tension. Starting from speculation of invasion to preparing for military action, each bit of dialogue builds up to the inevitable climax. It’s almost like writing a musical piece.

            Researching the audio to be used was quite a challenge. In the end, I decided to focus on YouTube links for two reasons. For one very easy reason, it is because it satisfied many of my immediate needs. However, I also wanted the challenge of coordinating each piece of audio and clicking them at exactly the right moment. With practice and patience, I planned and decided when to start each file and when to just let the ambient sound play. Playing a sound at the right time really made a difference for how the piece as a whole worked.

            While there isn’t a huge message in this piece, I do feel it does have practical application historically. When I picked the Reagan piece, it seriously reminded me of the paranoia times of his era. In those days and the decades of the cold war preceding it, this sort of paranoia and dread was actually very common. So it inspired me to try and pluck those chords of that time and evoke those base emotions we have today and seek application in our own lives.

Media Specificity

 

My Comic Strip: Just Read a Book

http://www.stripcreator.com/comics/jjzgamer/546356

Artist Statement

           Comics are a peculiarity for reading in general. Whether they come as strips or full-blown graphic novels, there is a fine balance of visual and written storytelling that needs to be met. While the art can take the steering wheel on many stories, there needs to be a balance where the words can compliment the visual. Having said that, can a comic work when the words are the dominant driving force? This is what my comic hopes to test for the medium. Though I did use a comic application from the Internet since I cannot draw, the intent of my strip should be clear regardless.

            One of the important elements for this work was making sure that the art had was how it is portrayed here. The generator allowed for all kinds of variations in characters and background, but the point I wanted to make required the art to be stagnant. Is it still a comic if there is no action present in the scene? The words explain everything about his feelings, thereby superseding the tell factor over the show. We have seen comics use dense literary language like Alan Moore’s most famous books or comic strips Calvin and Hobbes, but they also had moving images. So do the words really carry weight when it is just a guy on a bench?

            In a way, this is both praise and criticism to the medium of comic writing. For one thing, comics are somewhat the gateway between movies and literature in that it follows many of their similar principles. It requires multiple layers of storytelling so if you can communicate from both a visual and written standpoint, you get the best of both worlds. Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, Ghost World and many other comics are powerful because they allow for strong writing on top of vivid, expressive and well-framed images. It creates a world as the writer and artist sees it while allowing enough room for the audience to fill the gaps.

            However, it also shows some of the shortcomings of writing for a comic versus a book or a movie. On one end of the spectrum, many writers shun actual writing to let non-stop kinetic imagery tell the story. Look at any local comic store and you will see many examples of this in the popular trades. On the other hand, some writers have the story take so much precedence you wonder why it wasn’t just a book. I point a finger at Persepolis not that it is a bad comic by any means, but it feels like it could have easily just been a memoir given the subject matter and writing.

            I personally feel comics, like gaming and other “subgenres” or entertainment, can be a serious art medium. When we see how the components of the medium work together, we understand what can be accomplished. I can only hope that Gabe from Penny Arcade is fine with his avatar being used here to help make my point.

Social Media Adaptation

The Official YouTubeChannel:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8VvK43f3jyvCI8EB4j_GUw?feature=CAQQwRs%3D

Artists Statement

Group: Aubrey Clark, Camlyn Giddins, Jason Richey, Justin Zarian

Our literary work was Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Within that work, we found the Creature’s experience most intriguing. His journey basically compiles the learning experience of a baby, child, adolescent and finally he develops into an adult, and a tormented one at that.

To recreate the Creature’s experience, we decided to create and gather images and audio. The story behind it all is Frankenstein creating this being from human remains as well as machinery. The images coming from one of the Creature’s eyes, which is a camera. The audio coming from Dr. Frankenstein’s recorder.  

The social media aspect went through many phases.  We first wanted to use Soundcloud and Instagram, but later realized that Youtube would be a good way to combine both audio and pictures in one.  Youtube also allowed us to incorporate the captain character from the book and create a context in which he found and shared these tapes. In the books, Captain Robert Walton was a narrator, telling these stories to his sister in letters. We found it appropriate that he help tell this story over a social media site and created a profile based on his character.

Artistically, we wanted to show the progression of the Creature’s character. The photos and audio also reflect this progression, as far as quality of the images and sound go. His speech and contemplation also improve.

One of the hardest things to do in this class is to curb creativity and focus it in order to not spend a ton of time doing things that are too big for a week long project. This was probably the worst one for that.  A few of us constantly found ourselves wanting to tell the WHOLE story of Frankenstein, but this daunting task led to frustration.  We had to set limits. Even within those limits though, there was plenty of room for spontaneity. We decided to end the entries with something open ended. We didn’t want to recreate the whole story. We thought it would allow for more thoughts and comments to end with themes like Frankenstein’s abandon, or what is a monster?, what is beauty?, why do we react the way we do to ugliness?, what’s in a name?    

We ended up separating the responsibilities, having the guys in charge of audio and the girls in charge of pictures.  While this seemed a good idea at first since we couldn’t find a time to work all together, it caused a bit of a problem as the we didn’t really communicate what each was doing.  Thus when we met up, the guys had recorded something different than what the girls had taken pictures of.  In the end it worked out, but I think if we had had the opportunity to work side by side more it would’ve been easier.  

We didn’t realize how interactive and Facebook-like Google+ is. There is so much room for the interaction, evolution, and instantaneous aspect we talked about in class. In creating our Youtube account for Robert Walton, we found several ways that his character could be more visible and involved. If we gave ourselves more time, we definitely could make it more expansive.

If we were to spend more time on this project, there is room (with all of the class adaptations really) to make a more abstract adaptation. We kept close to the book overall, but toyed around with the idea of straying. Perhaps we can create an account of a boy, in a foreign land, abandoned by his dad, etc. This is a lot like the TV show Once Upon a Time. As the show illustrates though, this can get complicated... but then again, it only gets as complicated as the ‘writers’ want it.

Textual Poaching Assignment

***NOTE***Please forgive the watermark. It was the only way I could get the footage on my Final Cut Pro.

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Artist's Statement

“He's a goofy kid. Everyone sees the big, hard, tough guy, silent, really. He's just a big goofball.” - Bobby Frasor

There is just no way to hide it. Sometimes we have to own up to elements of our personality that we try to suppress out of fear. We want to create something different for ourselves, an identity that fits what is acceptable and enjoyed by the public. It can appear artificial or mechanical. Within the confines of my identity however, there is always one comforting reminder I can come back to when I need a pick me up. It boils down to one little sentence: I am a closeted goofball! It may not be apparent to many people, as I have been told I can come off rather serious and strong willed in many aspects. And yet this is that small part of my personality I have tried to preserve and craft over the years as a means to handle situations. I am sure many of us can understand this duality and how what others perceive is not always what is actually inside.

Thinking about this, two pieces of media came to my mind. The first one was Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times, his classic satire on the rise of industry. Comedy always seems to be an outlet for people to set their lighter and goofier sides loose. Watching the opening acts of the film helped me make a connection I had not otherwise. The arc of this intro shows a seemingly stressed and overworked man becoming a loose cannon when he has had more than he can take. As I saw it, it’s not so much that Chaplin’s character is going insane as it is revealing the bottled up wackiness to handle stress. While he certainly reacts crazier than I would, the way it is expressed spoke to me personally. And with the turmoil and drama in his own life, what better way for Chaplin to show off his lighter side than through a variation of his goofy alter ego The Tramp?

The other piece was Jamiroquai’s Virtual Insanity; his hit single about the way technology drives the world crazier. Other than noticing crazy was a consistent theme with this and Modern Times, I also remember how amazed I was not only the song itself but its music video. The lyrics juxtaposed with the imagery of dancing to a constantly moving room seemed almost the inverse of the previous example. Rather than letting the world pry open his wackiness, Jamiroquai integrates it as a part of himself to counter the problem. It’s not so much hiding as it is putting something in such plain light it is just a part of you. Putting this alongside Modern Times felt fitting because of it.

The actual re-editing and assembly of the movie was an entirely different beast. Along with the long time processing the movie footage, the direction of what I wanted to do was not always clear. The vagueness and imminent due date loomed over my mind and caused stress. I figured maybe I could parallel the influence of technology and how technology was a part of my personality to the point of being crazy. Feedback from roommates and friends online countered this idea. It never really struck them that way. They commented on how wacky it seemed, which was so contrary to their perception of me. That is when the idea solidified itself. I decided to let the video progress more naturally in that wackiness. I even toyed around with a few aesthetic choices, like the motion blur of Chaplin going around the gears back and forth. I needed to let that part of me edit the film and I felt that part was expressed.

 It is hard to quantify this part of my identity to others, yet it is a part I feel others can relate to. We can all be a father, a religious man, a fireman or whatever title we assert. Yet inherently, there is that inner personality we conceal that shows something about our true selves. We can call it a “goofball” or whatever, but it is that side only certain people truly see and only comes when it is invited for better or worse.

The Name's Blog...James Blog: A Look at Skyfall's Intro and An Underrated Bond Classic

I may not be a James Bond fanatic, but I do recognize when a great Bond movie comes out. Casino Royale was a fantastic reboot for the franchise and a glimmer of what Bond can still do in this generation. Quantum of Solace was a misstep sadly, but not a franchise killer. However, everything I learn about Skyfall makes me incredibly excited. The director, the crew, the composer, the cast and so many of the elements/players involved in the film inspire so much potential and hope. One thing that has sealed the deal lately has been the reveal of the new theme song by Adele. Aptly titled "Syfall," I can just say you should listen to it and see for yourself how great it sounds.

Along with that, I want to shine a spotlight on an underrated Bond classic. For all the lavish and deserved praise "Goldeneye" on the N64 received, people tend to forget the other best Bond game ever made "Everything or Nothing." A high octane, well structured and very fun Bond romp, it highlighted the elements that make Bond movies enjoyable while having its own mark on the franchise. It also had one of my other favorite Bond intros with the title song, which is located below. See it in all of its Xbox/PS2 era awesomeness!

Tunes You Play: Highlighting Terrific Music From Video Games

I know I am the weirdo in this case, but I REALLY love instrumental/soundtrack music. There is something about music without lyrics that speaks to the heart. It makes you focus on the tone and mood rather than words. It touches emotions rather than simply logic. It is the backbone to all music.

One area that does not get a fair shake here is video game music. Call me an uber nerd, but I think gaming has some absolutely terrific scores to reference to. Don't believe me? Check out this selection of fantastic gaming scores to listen for yourself. I will refrain from using the obvious ones only because we know how awesome they are (Metroid, Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, etc):

Mass Effect 3- I Was Lost Without You (Sam Hulick)

Freedom Fighters- Main Title (Jesper Kyd)

Gears of War- Gears of War (Kevin Riepl)

Halo 3- Wake Me When You Need Me (Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori)

Bully- Bully Main Theme (Shawn Lee)

Heavy Rain- Painful Memories (Normand Corbeil)

Mass Effect 2- Reflections (Jack Wall)

Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy- Main Title (Angelo Badalamenti)

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves- Nate's Theme 2.0 (Greg Edmundson)

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater- "METAL GEAR SOLID" Main Theme (Harry Gregson-Williams)

The Original Showdown at Nathan's - Historical Story

Artists' Statement

     It is one thing to revisit the past, but it is another when someone must try to recreate it for a modern audience. After a quick run through of historical events, we were able to adapt something that most likely few have ever known about. It is a true example of how one little argument could spur a national phenomenon. It is a testament to how something seemingly trivial can become history. After all, why shouldn’t Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest have its roots explored in all of their potentially ridiculous glory?

            Following that thought, we began laying down the narrative of our piece. While there exists and account of the year and winner of the first contest, most of the other details have been lost in time. This allowed us greater flexibility with the storytelling. We were able to insert characters into the story, develop a background and make the narrative progression entertaining. We felt that having such an open historical event would serve the narrative better so we could better pinpoint story beats and a climax.

            Then we moved on to dialogue. Of course we did our research on 1910’s vernacular to make things historically correct. We felt that a few of these references would be consistent with our point about the silliness of the event. The characters are more or less stereotypes, so their dialogue should be appropriately melodramatic.  The style began to gel into what I personally envisioned the script: like an entertaining children’s show history lesson in the vein of Bill Nye The Science Guy.

            Overall, these points and others lend themselves to our main thought: it is amazing what will go down in the history books. You may have to embellish to make it fit as a story, but the premise almost writes itself.

Darn You Nostalgia: The Intro to Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers

As treasured as some things may be in our lives, sometimes they just do not age very well. Whether it is loses relevance in the current pop culture or just our opinions on it just change through getting older, revisiting the past can sometimes work counter-productively towards fond memories. This is what happened when I revisited Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers back in my Freshman year of college.

I stumbled upon a link for the pilot episode of Power Rangers on YouTube one day and thought, "Hey, I used to watch this all the time as a kid. It'd be fun to relive those times." So I pressed play and tried to let the good times come back. First there was the cheesy but still kind rather catchy intro to get me in a good mood. Then I started hearing the dialogue. That led me to notice the acting. That led me to notice the gimmicky qualities of the production. That led me to noticing how boring it got halfway through. And so on and so forth. The only time it got really interesting again was when the Megazord formed and even then it kind of dragged. My entire opinion of how I held up Power Rangers changed that day and not for the better.

So while it is sad to have lost my love for a childhood favorite, here is my tribute to those good times with the intro for the first season of the show. Enjoy it in all of its spectacularly 90's glory.

Genealogical Artifact

It stood several feet taller than my head. It smelled like plastic on its best days. It wasn’t terribly comfortable to carry around. Yet, this Christmas tree has meant more to the unity and happiness of my family than I will probably ever realize.

I can remember decorating this tree as far back as elementary school. We still lived in California at the time and that year family home evening was going to be focused on decorating the tree. Mom and dad hefted down those red and green containers full of ornaments I have always remembered us owning. The sounds of Alan Jackson’s Christmas album echoed from the stereo nearby.  My brother and I held back our excitement as we prepared to finally decorate that awesome tree. The moment our parents told us to start, it was a race to see who could put the most on the fastest.  We had no concept of arrangement or spacing out the ornaments on the branches, but we didn’t mind. It was the start of the only tradition we would ever truly stick with.

Every year, the tradition expanded and rooted itself as the year’s biggest family home evening event. The amount of ornaments continually grew, from the incredible millennium ball for 2000 to the red felt Carl’s Jr. star. Our sister eventually was old enough to decorate, picking up the speed of the process. We learned how to space our ornaments, maintain a variety on all angles and even move onto things like strings of stars on the branches. And that same Alan Jackson album played on the stereo every year until we could sing it from memory. This was the time of year when the family was truly united and happy together.

Then the missions came into our lives. Upon returning home, I understood what my family had felt for two years being short one family member on Christmas. On the surface, everything was the same. It was the same ornaments, the same music, the same tree and the same time of the week. Yet, something felt incomplete. I noticed my brother’s ornaments on the branches. There was the ornament ball from his birth year. There was the gold painted macaroni collage he made in pre-school. There was the star ornament with the picture he took with Santa as a baby. All of these were ornaments he was supposed to hang personally. Now he was thousands of miles away spending Christmas in Peru. Looking at everyone’s faces, I knew they were thinking about the same thing. Being short even one person made all of the difference in the world.

The tradition was going to continue regardless. The tree would be brought out of the garage with those same red and green boxes I’m sure are older than me. Alan Jackson would still play those same warbling tunes on the stereo. The tree would be decorated…again. Yet this year, I am sure our thoughts will focus on the day when a beloved brother and son returns to leave his mark once again on that green imitation tree. Only then will the tree truly bring our family together again.

Artist's Statement

            Thinking this assignment over, I realized that I really had no item I personally felt had real significance. A lot of them are tied to good memories and emotions, but only this item that we as a family shared had any true value. Nothing else truly had tradition and emotion attached to it like our Christmas tree did.

            Repetition became a theme that I developed while writing this piece, especially after my initial draft when I felt like it needed better focus. Ideas, actions and feelings would be repeated in several paragraphs. My intent was not to be lazy however. I wanted to communicate the consistency of this tree and event in our lives. As much as traditions evolve, familiarity is something that makes a tradition be a tradition. We do many of these things repeatedly because we love doing them. They lay the groundwork and without them, things do not feel the same.

            This led to the direction of my story aimed towards my brother currently serving on his mission. At some point, I realized how the tree as an object really did not mean much to me. The real reason I connected with the tree was because I connected with my family through it. We had our routines, our traditions and everything we repeated each year. Yet, those things did not matter as much without everyone being there. We built that tradition together and it felt the best when everyone was there to enjoy it.

            As for the structure of the narrative, I felt that simply one story about the tree was not enough for this piece. There were too many Christmases, too many memories and too many moments connected to the tree to say, “This event here was the event I remember this tree by.” The tree was older than that and so was our tradition. I attempted to write the story through bookends, with my earliest and most recent memories of decorating that tree being present. I wanted to feel like the full history of the tree was being represented. Besides, it is not like we could make the tree do anything other than stand there to be decorated. Those branches can only be moved so much to make it feel like thing were different.

And This Is Our Landing Craft: The Introductory Cutscene for Psychonauts

Sometimes, a good product falls through the cracks. Maybe a movie wasn't marketed well, a song was too independent to be popular, a game was too strange for the public or something involving all of the above. There are many reasons good products do not get the credit they deserve. Psychonauts should not have been one of those products, but thankfully its continually growing cult status has elevated it to being deservedly recognized as one of the best video games of he 2000's.

I remember buying this game when it released and being completely sucked into it. It had brilliant art design, fully fleshed out characters, original storytelling, witty yet appropriate humor, unique gameplay and many memorable moments. It was also one of those rare game where the gameplay and story actually worked hand-in-hand rather than favoring one for the other. Even aside from a few hiccups in the gameplay and design, I could go on and on about the love I have for this game for so many things it does right.

Embedded above is the introductory cutscene of the game, which pretty much will set the tone for whether it is your kind of game or not. Enjoy and let me know what you think of the video, the game or anything in between!

Where My Journey Began: My Application Movie for TMA

I am very humbled that I have been accepted into this film program. I remember those days stressing about every little paper, every little edit, every little detail needed to apply. It was a stressful yet ultimately very rewarding and oddly enjoyable experience. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I decided to share my application video on here just to show people my work. I will not credit it being any kind of masterpiece, but I really enjoyed the process of crafting it. Hope you have a great day!

Process Piece By Kirsten Anderson and Justin Zarian

The world is full of so many wonderful and amazingly unique sounds.  Consider everything you do in a day - take a shower, eat food, or walk from location to location.  Every movement comes with a distinct sound, whether our ears register and pay close attention or not.  Noises make our surroundings come alive.  Think about it - if you watch a horror movie without the sound, is it really so terrifying?  Definitely not.  Sound effects and music scores help draw in audiences without them even realizing how they are being manipulated.  Just as in a film, surrounding sounds play a subtle but vital role in every-day living.

In an effort to express human life through process, we chose to document a typical morning of a girl getting ready for school and walking to class.  Not only did we want to record a universal event, but we wanted to communicate the theme of the passing of time.  Everybody has deadlines to meet.  What happens before the deadline is the individual's call, as long as they make it in time.  Our process piece shows a girl working against the clock; however, when it matters most, she delivers just in time before the bell rings. 

Just as in the viewings for class, we also wanted to show the contrast of both mundane moments in life, as well as how grateful we truly should be for these little events.  In "My Mom the Taxidermist," the daughter tries taxidermy with her mother, even though she is a vegetarian.  This process is so special and touching because it focuses on a mother-daughter relationship.  The importance of these events, like the bonding in this piece and the seemingly insignificant task of getting to school on time in our piece, is highlighted because they are specific processes in which humans grow.  Both are not momentous events, but both are vital when determining important moments in ones life.  Alarms begin everyone's day.  We all have to climb out of bed, even if doing it somewhat drudgingly.  And showers (hopefully) are a daily routine that everyone should partake in.  These sounds are a representation of the processes everyone goes through that are taken for granted.

Every process we, as humans, go through have specific sounds attached to those movements.  This is why in a movie if something could be making a sound, then it should be making a sound.  In the Disney Pixar film Wall-E, every sound is rerecorded and layered on top of other sounds for a full effect.  We wanted to layer sounds like this in our process piece to give a more realistic representation of life.  Sounds are everywhere, and never is there one sound.  For this reason we chose to overlay the ticking clock on top of other sounds.  The ticking clock also connects to our theme of racing against the clock, and ultimately coming out on top.  The ticking ends right before the final bell of class, signifying her success in this race against time.

Well That Explains Everything!: "Bernie" Explains Texas

I am still sad Bernie never made it to the big screens. I honestly feel it was one of the best movies I saw so far this year. It is not only Jack Black's career best performance (no seriously, he's actually acting this time), but it is a terrific addition to director Richard Linklater's filmography. It manages to cover a whole gamut of emotions effectively, from being very funny to very sad to surprisingly thought provoking. And of course you have to point out the terrific supporting turns by Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey.

One of its best achievements, however,  is the integration of the real life townspeople involved in the event the film is based on. While a few of them are actors, the majority of them were genuine people who personally knew the real Bernie Tiede. I am not sure how Linklater directed them, but he managed to show them in a humorous and sympathetic light. It added a whole other layer of interest to the film.

Here is one of my favorite clips from the film, where an older man explains how Texas is not just one singular state. Very funny:

Thick Description

The soft ripple of water rubs onto my body as I enter from the side. The electrical lights hum around me as night falls upon my apartment complex. The distinct but mild scent of the chlorine tickles my nose as my body adjusts from the initial shock of the cold. Though seemingly unspectacular, these are all things that capitalize my enjoyment of being in a pool. Why you ask? I feel it is because you do not need to be actually doing something to enjoy a pool. Sometimes just savoring the experience is more meaningful than continued activity.

            The water envelops my body, creating an underwater suit for my mostly exposed body. It is an increasingly warm embrace as my body adjusts to its temperature. My cares and burdens are suspended in its weightless form. My mind has been soothed and my muscles are at ease. I feel one with the water, almost as if it is an extension of my body. In here, I am not tall or short, fat or skinny, smart or dumb. I feel just like everyone else.

            The pool’s appearance only enhances this feeling. Nothing about this pool distinguishes it as standing out from the crowd. The floor surrounding it is a sturdy gray concrete, clearly planned for strength than aesthetics. A skinny black fence seals of the pool from the world, its cold and metallic surface as an intimidation to those not allowed inside. Empty space surrounds on each side of the pool, emphasizing it as the most visible and viable thing beyond the gates. Steam from the hot tub simmers and rises above its water, encased by a coarse red wall of bricks. Standard. That is the word I think of when looking at this pool.

            And yet it is truly what is below the surface that makes the pool enjoyable. Beneath the plainness of the exterior, there is life in this pool. What kind of life? Every kind of life. Every human beings have their existence tied to water for far more reasons than just quenching thirst. It could be a birthday party, swimming laps for a race, their first swimming lesson, finding a spot to bath or any number of moments. No matter how you do or do not dress its exterior, everyone can find something to savor from any pool. Pondering this, memories of family, friends and acquaintances arise in my mind. Their smiles, their laughs, their energy and their personalities shed light on moments long since past. Some of these people I have not seen in years, but it is our experiences with the pool that keeps them in my mind. There is something comfortably universal about pools of water.

            A creaking is heard as the front gate opens. Indistinct chatter and clopping sandals are heard as people from my complex come to enjoy the pool. The quiet of my thoughts has dispelled for a moment. Towels are plopped onto the cold metallic table on the side with a dull thud. Uncovered feet now clap against the slight wet surface around the pool. Jubilant laughs echo across the empty spaces as an explosion of water erupts from their forceful entrance into the water. Large ripples slap my face, their coldness causing my skin to tingle.

            My quiet time in the pool has come to an end. The cold air brushes against my body as the rapid splashing of water coming off my body is heard in the pool. My towel glides across my skin, trying to be a replacement to the warm embrace of the water. Drips of water dot the concrete beneath my feet. The burdens of the world rest upon my shoulders again. I will have to plan for another quiet time soon.

Artistic Statement

Pondering about spots that are significant to me, I had to come to a conclusion that there really was no one spot I would say is distinctly significant. I could not say that one store is better than the rest. I could not say this one tree is more interesting than another. I could not say this one table meant more than any other. I had to think of something that could be more…universal. Something that could be reflected upon not only for its literal traits, but also for the way it affected me personally. And then I remembered the pool outside of my complex. I had been in there several times and each time was a joyful moment. It reminded me of many pools in the past and many positive memories associated with them. It became my topic.

One thing I tried to emphasize was having a point that I cared about. As I soaked in the location, I thought about everything I could that involved a pool. This became part of the narrative for this description. I have had many experiences where I would take time to think while in a pool, a bath or any number of bodies of water. Being surrounded by water was connected to moments of introspection just as much as being entertained with other people. I focused on this and it led to my concept about the universal nature of water.

I didn’t want to just list my memories or just list the description of the pool. I wanted my thoughts to go in whatever tangent they could take me. Sometimes it meant just looking at the objects around me and sometimes it meant pondering deeper concepts. This became a concept for the structure my paper. The style would reflect my thoughts and impressions as the time progressed. The descriptions of the water affecting me, the physical description of the pool, the deeper thoughts I had and then the literal events of the people coming in. An experience is not just one single moment of constant literal thought or introspection. It encompasses a lot more range than that and I attempted to write my paper with that in mind.

Are You Darkly Dreaming Dexter?: Dexter Intro Video

 I love clips. I love sharing clips. I love learning about new clips to share. So I hope in between my posts for class, I can also share some videos of scenes, trailers, tv intros or whatever it may be to highlight great moments of film making or just cool things.

This one is the intro from the hit show Dexter. I remember catching this my first year at BYU and being absolutely blown away by it. The editing, camerawork, music (from an underrated favorite of mine Rolfe Kent) and tone effectively communicate the conflict of Dexter's serial killer impulses versus his continued struggle to appear normal on the outside. He may want to not use those scary faces from this video though....

Check it out.

Music Mosaic

The Slayer

The accompanying music piece from American Horror Story, composed by César Dávila-Irizarry and Charlie Clouser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY_htwAmBOQ

Horror is not a consistent release of shock. It is the seemingly mundane drenched in mystery, waiting to unleash the shock upon you. While the title sequence of American Horor Story sells this effectively, listening to the music without the images evokes this idea further. Something about listening to the soft instrumental tune struggling against the chaos of the white noise sparked my imagination on what horror really is. I visualized my apartment at night, seemingly safe in my own confines. Then I considered the sudden contrast of the out of place and unknown horrors that can appear. This became the motif for my music mosaic, with the mundane drenched in a soft mysterious lighting and the unknown distinctly standing out.

            To support this idea of the unexpected, I decided to not arrange the images in a particular narrative order. Why tell the viewer what the progression of images is supposed to be when they are capable of deciding themselves? That is for them to piece together themselves. When does the unknown interrupt the mundane? Which is the mundane and which is the unknown? Do the images tell stories themselves or does going from one to the other tell a clearer picture? Does specific parts of the music influence how to perceive the images? They are free to test all of these thoughts and more.

To paraphrase Peter Forbes from our reading, anything new we present will be challenged and change constantly until it is our own story. A narrative can be tweaked and changed until it is something completely unlike the artist’s original conceit. I simply decided to eliminate the middleman and invite the change immediately. I present them the parts and they in turn participate in creating art with me rather than presenting my view of art alone.

             We have seen this done before. Godfrey Reggio's 1982 film Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance was a film compiled of a variety of slow motion and time-lapse footage of cities and scenery. There was no dialogue, narration or pointed direction to stick with. All that was present was images and music. We could take the film as a straightforward narrative. We could dissect specific sequences to determine a story. We could watch sequences out of order to make our own story. It was left to us. The themes of relationships between humans, nature and technology were still intact either way. Likewise, both the themes and arrangement of my mosaic are meant to express a similar goal.