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Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Freak Factor
The article Freak Factor discusses the ideas behind weakness, and the fallacies and facts in the nine points he makes discussing this topic. I think that weakness has different meanings for different people, or is subjective. For instance males often feel that if they don't act like an alpha male, or appear to be physically strong, they are literally weak, where as some people think if you're not especially smart you're really weak, and that both of those things are huge weaknesses. The idea of weakness, in my opinion, is very subjective, even though Rendall brings up very good points about it.
There were a couple of his points that I didn't one hundred percent agree with, but a lot of them that I think are entirely true. The one that I especially disagreed with was number four, "Don't try to fix your weaknesses." He states that some people just have their limitations, and they cannot do anything to change that. I disagree with this, and I think the majority of people would too. We are taught in movies and television shows everyday that this statement is false, because it's detrimental to ones chances of bettering themselves. How many times are we constantly told "Nothing is impossible?" I truly believe a weakness can be turned into a strength with enough attention given to making it better. You're not overcoming weakness by saying you have weaknesses, and then not trying to make them better.
The one point that I really agreed with was number five, expanding on your strengths. If one never built on what they were already good at, they have limited themselves to what they can achieve, especially in a creative world. Rendall states "You have the greatest potential in your areas of strength.These are your natural gifts and provide you with your best chances for success." This statement solidifies why some of the greats are so great. Steven Spielberg didn't make his first great movie, and then quit. He kept expanding on his strength of being a great director, working on more projects, helping others produce their projects, and kept getting better and better. If one just gave up, and didn't pursue making their strengths better, they would limit themselves creatively.
The last one "Focus. Don't try to do both" I also disagreed with. I think it's limiting especially in our area or industry to not be as literate in every aspect of the creative world as we can. If we have a strength, we should keep up with it, but we should also try to expand on our weaknesses so we can be as well rounded as possible. I think this is very possible, with enough time spent trying to do both. Get rid of wasteful time, and focus on building your strengths, and expanding on your weaknesses.
I have found that in my experiences so far trying to be creative that my strengths have become camera work, and writing. I think very visually, so when I come up with a shot idea, it inherently helps me come up with a story. When I have a shot, I think, well how did this happen, why is this character doing this, why is it framed like this, etc? It helps me come up with defining those reasons, and inherently coming up with a story idea. I really enjoy this technique, and although it might not work for some people, I have found it works for me. My biggest weakness at the moment, is editing. I do not know anything about editing, but I wish to expand on this weakness and get good at it one day. I think with enough time spent, and enough reading and practice, I can turn this weakness into a strength.
There were a couple of his points that I didn't one hundred percent agree with, but a lot of them that I think are entirely true. The one that I especially disagreed with was number four, "Don't try to fix your weaknesses." He states that some people just have their limitations, and they cannot do anything to change that. I disagree with this, and I think the majority of people would too. We are taught in movies and television shows everyday that this statement is false, because it's detrimental to ones chances of bettering themselves. How many times are we constantly told "Nothing is impossible?" I truly believe a weakness can be turned into a strength with enough attention given to making it better. You're not overcoming weakness by saying you have weaknesses, and then not trying to make them better.
The one point that I really agreed with was number five, expanding on your strengths. If one never built on what they were already good at, they have limited themselves to what they can achieve, especially in a creative world. Rendall states "You have the greatest potential in your areas of strength.These are your natural gifts and provide you with your best chances for success." This statement solidifies why some of the greats are so great. Steven Spielberg didn't make his first great movie, and then quit. He kept expanding on his strength of being a great director, working on more projects, helping others produce their projects, and kept getting better and better. If one just gave up, and didn't pursue making their strengths better, they would limit themselves creatively.
The last one "Focus. Don't try to do both" I also disagreed with. I think it's limiting especially in our area or industry to not be as literate in every aspect of the creative world as we can. If we have a strength, we should keep up with it, but we should also try to expand on our weaknesses so we can be as well rounded as possible. I think this is very possible, with enough time spent trying to do both. Get rid of wasteful time, and focus on building your strengths, and expanding on your weaknesses.
I have found that in my experiences so far trying to be creative that my strengths have become camera work, and writing. I think very visually, so when I come up with a shot idea, it inherently helps me come up with a story. When I have a shot, I think, well how did this happen, why is this character doing this, why is it framed like this, etc? It helps me come up with defining those reasons, and inherently coming up with a story idea. I really enjoy this technique, and although it might not work for some people, I have found it works for me. My biggest weakness at the moment, is editing. I do not know anything about editing, but I wish to expand on this weakness and get good at it one day. I think with enough time spent, and enough reading and practice, I can turn this weakness into a strength.
Brainwashed
The article Brainwashed discusses the hardships of being a creative person in our world today. He discusses "7 layers" we can use to make ourselves become more creative innovative people. The layer "Acknowledging the Lizard" which he describes the part of our brain that wants to play things safe, meaning do what is comfortable for us, rather than risking a lifestyle trying to make art for a living, when it's not guaranteed we will make it. Godin says by being aware of this, we can acknowledge this part of our brain, and learn how to drive it away and ignore it. By ignoring it, we can literally bypass notions of what societal norms have established for us, and do what we truly want without "playing it safe." Two of the layers he also discussed that spoke to me were Make Art and Shipping.
Make Art spoke to me because human being can do this, and it betters all of us. As Godin says "art is the very human act of creating the uncreated, of connecting with another person at a human level. What we’ve seen is that more and more markets will reward art handsomely, and hand out the compliant work to the lowest bidder." I think this statement is so important because this is how we get closer to connection, furthering knowledge, and bettering our lives. The second Shipping spoke to me because if we dont 'get our ideas or our creative endeavors out there, then what's the point? We have to be able to bypass our insecurities, and what we're "afraid" of, and ship what we have. If nothing is shared, it's useless.
I think in relation to the blog assignments, this article furthers my belief that the blog assignments do not really help me in my creative life. This is more of an assignment that requires little to no creative thought. I'm not producing anything of originality or really learning more about anything that I didn't already know while writing these. It's more a regurgitation of things I have already learned, to prove that I know what I am talking about. I think it would be better to have the blogs involve more creativity. For instance, forcing us to create something like we did with our extra credit projects, then uploading them to the internet, and having our peers have to write a critique about what they think we could improve on, what was good, and so on. I think this would help us become more fluent in technical language, more aware of what we might have done wrong, and more conscious of shared ideas between classmates.
Make Art spoke to me because human being can do this, and it betters all of us. As Godin says "art is the very human act of creating the uncreated, of connecting with another person at a human level. What we’ve seen is that more and more markets will reward art handsomely, and hand out the compliant work to the lowest bidder." I think this statement is so important because this is how we get closer to connection, furthering knowledge, and bettering our lives. The second Shipping spoke to me because if we dont 'get our ideas or our creative endeavors out there, then what's the point? We have to be able to bypass our insecurities, and what we're "afraid" of, and ship what we have. If nothing is shared, it's useless.
I think in relation to the blog assignments, this article furthers my belief that the blog assignments do not really help me in my creative life. This is more of an assignment that requires little to no creative thought. I'm not producing anything of originality or really learning more about anything that I didn't already know while writing these. It's more a regurgitation of things I have already learned, to prove that I know what I am talking about. I think it would be better to have the blogs involve more creativity. For instance, forcing us to create something like we did with our extra credit projects, then uploading them to the internet, and having our peers have to write a critique about what they think we could improve on, what was good, and so on. I think this would help us become more fluent in technical language, more aware of what we might have done wrong, and more conscious of shared ideas between classmates.
Scene Deconstruction - The Shawshank Redemption
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_lp4_Jfz7U&feature=related
In my opinion the theme of this film, which is exemplified in this scene, is a message of holding onto hope in a hopeless situation. It can also be seen as an allegory on maintaining one's innocence. This scene is active because the information given in the scene is up to interpretation.
The opening of the scene expresses this message when Andy finds out donations are being made to his library, and that they have finally answer his several letters he has been sending. This whole scene furthers the message through an emotional rhythm by taking us through a cause and effect instances of hopeful messages. The rhythm takes us from him finding out his library is coming together, which causes him to celebrate by using the vinyl record player and sharing the music with everyone on the yard. Through editing, and emotional rhythm, that message is repeated. They also use the space to exemplify this. In the shots when nothing is hopeful the space is confined, but when the record player starts playing they use wide shots, and jib shots to show the size of the prison yard and the office, manipulating the space as a physical metaphor for freedom and hope.
The scene also uses tension and release. This scene uses text and sub-text as well. The text of the scene is what literally is happening, Tim Robbins is playing a record player to all the prisoners, and openly defying them. The sub-text is that he finally feels free again, and for a brief moment, everyone in the prison does too.
In my opinion the theme of this film, which is exemplified in this scene, is a message of holding onto hope in a hopeless situation. It can also be seen as an allegory on maintaining one's innocence. This scene is active because the information given in the scene is up to interpretation.
The opening of the scene expresses this message when Andy finds out donations are being made to his library, and that they have finally answer his several letters he has been sending. This whole scene furthers the message through an emotional rhythm by taking us through a cause and effect instances of hopeful messages. The rhythm takes us from him finding out his library is coming together, which causes him to celebrate by using the vinyl record player and sharing the music with everyone on the yard. Through editing, and emotional rhythm, that message is repeated. They also use the space to exemplify this. In the shots when nothing is hopeful the space is confined, but when the record player starts playing they use wide shots, and jib shots to show the size of the prison yard and the office, manipulating the space as a physical metaphor for freedom and hope.
The scene also uses tension and release. This scene uses text and sub-text as well. The text of the scene is what literally is happening, Tim Robbins is playing a record player to all the prisoners, and openly defying them. The sub-text is that he finally feels free again, and for a brief moment, everyone in the prison does too.
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