"Life is all about perseverance... the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable becomes available, the unattainable... attainable." (Inspired by Stacey Charter)
PTS(D)
Post Traumatic Stress is a terrible illness that can dominate one's life without the proper care, support, and control. Many people do not seek out the proper care for this illness or tend to play down the severity of it. Although most never forget the haunting memories, a healthy and happy life is achievable. Strength and openness through rough times can help you accept and move forward from any tragedy. This illness is often present in soldiers that have returned home from the war but can also be caused by other traumas. Focusing on suffering soldiers here is some more detail. "People who suffer from PTSD often suffer from nightmares, flashbacks, difficulty sleeping, and feeling emotionally numb. It often has symptoms like depression, substance abuse, problems of memory and cognition, and other physical and mental health problems. The disorder is also associated with difficulties in social or family life, including occupational instability, marital problems, family discord, and difficulties in parenting." (http://www.military.com/benefits/veterans-health-care/posttraumatic-stress-disorder-overview.html) Obviously Post Traumatic Stress is extremely life altering and can really put you in a place of darkness. It would take someone who is truly strong and open to having their family's support and getting care. In the novel Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko, the main character, Tayo, suffers from PTS(D). He fought for the United States in Vietnam. "Jungle rain lay suspended in the air, choking their lungs as they marched; it soaked into their boots until the skin on their toes peeled away dead and wounds turned green." (Silko 10) This is a great depiction of how vivid the memories are. In Tayo's mind, he still feels this and he still feels it so vividly that the reader has the ability to feel it too. Tayo really struggled with these vivid flashbacks and haunting memories but eventually he got the help he needed and his numbness wore off. He had the strength to push through the illness and move on. Even though reading about PTS(D) is interesting, nothing is more moving than hearing about it first hand. After watching the presentation done by Navy Seal, Clay, everything really set in. He describe stories of the war that were heartbreaking and he described what it was like to experience Post Traumatic Stress from those experiences. One story he described was about a girl that was in a dress and crossing a really busy road. He said she looked about twelve, the same age as his daughter. Her face was emotionless and it didn't really add up. Clay made the quick decision to end her life. She ended up having a bomb strapped to her and she was coming to sacrifice herself in order to kill everyone in the area where they were. He said that he learned to cope with his PTS(D) by recognizing that what he has done has been for his country. He says there are some really bad people out there and for this country's safety a price must be paid and unfortunately that is it. (Clay) One can only imagine how horrifying this would be. Clay says he still wakes up and the girl is standing in his room, or when he goes shopping she is there too, and even when he was standing there talking she was in the back of the room. He has found the strength to deal with these memories. Clearly, it still haunts him everyday and all the time but he is able to work with his illness to still live a good life. Traumas are tragedies but they are also a part of life. Not everyone has the ability to move forward from horrendous experiences because they are so vivid in their minds. It takes people with true strength to push through those times when PTS(D) is at its most vivid stage. It also takes people who can have an open mind and get the help and support they need. Not everyone has these capabilities but it is possible.
Seven Pounds
The film Seven Pounds portrays the beauty that lies in both life and death and how you cannot have one without the other. The movie can enlighten the viewer of that because it puts a new perspective on death. It doesn't not portray it in such a negative light as most films do. There is beauty in life and beauty in death, don't forget to recognize either. First off, there is a quote that describes the life and death throughout the film and how they are separate while still being intertwined. "Life is poured into death and death is poured into life without a drop being spilled." (Inspired by http://www.quotegarden.com/death.html) The entire film, these two concepts are displayed together in the same scenes. Much of this is done through the two main characters Ben Thomas and Emily Posa. Ben represents death and Emily represents life. The story shows the beauty in how they are connected. There is a scene where Ben feeds Duke, Emily's dog a piece of meat and Emily hears them and comes running out. She is surrounded by light, trees, and plants which are all symbols of life. (Seven Pounds) Throughout the movie, she is constantly surrounded by these things. That is what is beautiful about her, is she is so alive even though she is dying. In her personality, setting, and hobbies she conveys life. On the other hand, the whole movie Ben is placed in dark settings with dust and clutter. A lot of the time his face shows sadness and depression. He has a lot of flashbacks to the accident and his wife. (Seven Pounds) Ben is death. Ben died in the accident when his fiancé died but his body is still here on Earth, he just isn't living. The beauty in Ben's metaphorical death is that with death he is giving so much life to so many people. He makes Emily feel happy and special and gives so much to so many. When he actually dies, he gives literal life to seven people or makes their lives worth living again which is such a unique and beautiful thing. Also, when his heart stops beating he can release all the pain, sadness, and guilt that he carries with him everyday. This is a lesson to be learned. There is sadness in death but also in life. Death isn't all sadness and grief, but relief and sometimes it is lovely to realize that it is such a wonderful cycle the world goes through.
Press Pause Play
Press Pause Play captures so many capabilities and different aspects of the world's media scene today. The media allows people to reach their goals with hard work and determination. With passion comes success. A great example of this is Olafur Arnalds, one of the Musicians interviewed in Press Pause Play. He talks about the unique kind of music he is sharing with the world. Olafur says, "I play... crossover classical music into pop music. Trying to make classical music popular." (Press Pause Play) Classical music has never been a chart topper. He describes his challenge here, that he is trying to reach the world with his musical idea. Adding on to that, Olafur says, "I do think I love the classical scene. It's very divided from the rest of the world and I would like to see this divide broken down. I would like to see classical music as just another genre." (Press Pause Play) He touches on the fact that although classical music is technically just another genre but it isn't really in reality. It doesn't stand out and most people do not seek out classical music. It is a hidden genre. He was determined and passionate about reaching these goals so he just kept doing what he loved. He kept making music, he kept trying to make classical music reachable by the general population and he found success. Olafur says, "I started making the music... early 2006. I recorded my first album... then I think only three, four months after I actually put some of the music online. I was playing the first shows and they were already sold out." (Press Pause Play) He found success by committing to his passion and to his goal. He kept making music and stayed true to his dream of making classical pop music. Now he is known around the world and touring. Through technology this world has the ability to share and find so many different ideas. This shows that everyone should share their passions and strive to achieve them because now more people have the ability to reach success.
Media
Being passionate about something is one of the most lovely things about human life. The drive of Sir Ken Robinson is truly inspiring. He has committed his life to bringing about educational reform not only in the United States but around the world. Dedicate your life to making the world a better place. Go where no one has gone before. Point out flaws, but never forget to provide solutions. On his website Robinson explains his goal. Robinson says, "There’s a consistent mission in all of this and if I were to sum it up in a sentence, this is it: 'to transform the culture of education and organizations with a richer conception of human creativity and intelligence.'" (http://sirkenrobinson.com) He displays amazing dedication and speaks out for, not himself, but for the bettering of entire countries. This is an incredible confidence and drive to have. His work has cause an epiphany for so many, some not even realizing how behind education systems are. Also on his website is a quote about the impact his work has had. “If there was a moment when our crisis in education hit critical mass it may well have been the date Sir Ken Robinson’s TED talk went up on YouTube. In just 19 minutes his wry but eviscerating presentation gave voice to what so many of us are living through: our schools are failing to recognize creativity; we’re failing to prepare the next generation for the challenges that lie ahead.” (Vanity Fair, http://sirkenrobinson.com) Like stated, his accusations pointed out so many problems at once. Things no one so diligently pointed out before. Only such a drive as his can bring about real awareness and real change. The problems are all suggested in his Ted talk, titled Changing Paradigms. He paints a clear picture of the real issues with the system and explains why things should not be this way. Robinson says,"We still educate children by batches; we put them through the system by age group - why do we do that? Why is there this assumption that the most important thing kids have in common is how old they are. It's like the most important thing about them is their date of manufacture. Well I know kids who are much better than other kids at the same age in different disciplines, or at different times of the day, or better in smaller groups than in large groups, or sometimes they want to be on their own. If you're interested in the model of learning you don't start from this production line mentality." (Changing Paradigms) Everyone is so used to the education system, it has been virtually the same for so long. He points things out that most never think about on their own. The system puts every child in a box. Every of one age has to be in the same grade, take the same classes, and learn the same way. One must wonder if the education system can really be productive and worthwhile. Ultimately, Robinson is the type of guy to stand alone if he is standing for something he believes in. Everyone should strive to be this way and be as committed to fixing the issues as he is. The world would be an incredible place if everyone was this dedicated.
Craigslist Joe
In a world where technology runs our daily lives it is easy to feel lost and disconnected. Some wonder what the culture misses out on while letting technology be a distraction. Interaction and community is still here, it is just harder to find. If you seek out connection, connection will seek out you. In Craigslist Joe, Joseph Garner tests whether or not community still exists in the modern world. This is an introduction to his project. "Many were skeptical that today’s self-involved society would be able to weather the storm without its traditional social supports... Could he survive with nothing, apart from the goodwill of others?" (http://www.craigslistjoe.com/project/about-craigslist-joe/) By leaving everything he knew and everyone he loved he was taking a risk. He was consumed with finding people who would selflessly give with no reward and not knowing him at all to begin with. Garner knows what people say, that with the standards and norms in technology is cannot be done. The community just isn't structured the way it used to be. Garner says, "As a country we're wealthy, diverse, and technologically sophisticated yet some say we have lost the sense of community that used to carry us through tough times. Today it is every person for themselves. Some say technology and social media fuel this isolation." (Craigslist Joe) Despite considering the possibility that no one would help him he still set out to find the generosity and draw out the community. It was tough but as a result he was so touched and so amazed by what the world still has to offer. Reflecting on his experience, Garner says, "By far and away the most inspiring... experience of my life... the generosity of people... the stories they share and the connection I've made in one month was so deep... We can take care of each other." (Craigslist Joe) He receives the most spectacular outcome. Everyone is generous and he meets so many people that are each special and have something of their own to give. Technology can be a positive thing that promotes the sense of community and relationships in society. It just has to be used correctly. If individuals can find a balance between the real world and the technological world, the sense of community will be stronger than ever. It is just a matter of taking the time to seek out others and enjoy the company of the people in this world.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Seven Pounds
Film creators today use many different tactics and effects to suck people in and draw out their emotions. Colors, shots, framing, sequences, scene set up and many other things play a huge role in persuading the viewers thoughts, emotions, and understanding of them film. Without studying film, one may not realize that almost every small detail is not by chance but completely intentional. As the viewer, most don't even realize how much effect the little things are having on their feelings throughout the movie and overall view of each character. The brain tends to subconsciously notice these things and incorporate them into the viewer's general emotion about each scene, character and the film as a whole. An amazing film to explore these ideas with is Seven Pounds. The main character, Ben Thomas, is in a very dark place as he was the cause of a car accident that killed seven people including his fiancé, Sarah. He sets an elaborate plan into motion to save seven different lives with different parts of his body, the last one being his heart and thus causing his own death. As he is "investigating" the people he is ultimately giving his life to, he falls in love with Emily. Emily is the woman he leaves his heart to. By examining Ben throughout the film the viewer is touched with deep feelings of death, guilt, sadness, conflict, and unbelievable selflessness that Ben radiates throughout the film. Despite his heroic actions, Ben never accepts forgiveness for what he did and he dies still punishing himself down to his last breath.
There are endless signs throughout the film that prove how Ben is feeling, the viewer can see them externally on Ben through body language and can decipher the film to find them internally through framing, color, and mise-en-scene. The viewer sees both these aspects in every shot of Ben from start to finish. At the beginning of the movie, Ben is at the IRS looking at different profiles of people for an unknown reasons. This is one of the first few scenes. Ben pulls up the profile of Emily Posa and then it flashes to a shot of him. It is a medium close up shot of Ben looking at the computer. The viewer sees his nose and up but his mouth down is covered. His brow is furrowed and he looks like he is on the verge of tears. The background is half pitch black and half low-key lighting. The side with low-key lighting is cluttered with stacks of papers and folders on a shelf (Seven Pounds). This shot tells the viewer so many things right away. Externally, sadness and fear are displayed on Ben's face. This creates a curiosity in the viewer. The viewer is completely baffled, they don't know why he is at the IRS, who Emily is, and why he looks so upset. But, this starts building Ben's character and obviously is essential to the story. By analyzing the shot, the viewer can uncover even more about Ben. The fact that half the shot is dark and half the shot is lit has multiple dual meanings. It displays the concept of life and death. Ben is dead on the inside but alive on the outside. It also foreshadows. The darkness he has faced in his past versus the light he will bring in his future and the viewer does not yet know what those are for him. The contrast also shows conflicting thoughts within him, thinking about his plan and if anything can truly redeem him. Lastly the clutter that is in the lit side of the shot displays the unorganized ruins his life is in. Later in the film, Emily calls Ben from her hospital bed and asks him to tell her a story. As he talks to her he walks to the hospital to be with her while she sleeps. He walks to her room and looks from the outside, through the wired glass window into the room at her sleeping. The scene is very dark and has a greenish tint to it. Looking at Ben through the window provokes the feeling that the viewer is not supposed to be watching Ben as he watches Emily, the viewer is placed on the outside looking in (Seven Pounds). The fact that the glass is wired shows that Ben is caged in. He is trapped in his own devastation and guilt. The dark, sickly green portrays the decay of Ben's life. He is falling for a girl while loving another and he is falling for a girl that he can never truly share a life with. This realization strikes him severely with guilt. Near the climax of the film, after Ben and Emily sleep together and say "I love you" there is a shot that pans up from Emily to Ben. Emily has light shining on her face and the shot gets darker as it moves up to Ben's dark face that is showing so much emotion. Sadness, worry, fear, guilt, and love are all clear in his face (Seven Pounds). Ben is looking as Emily, the light in his world now, and recognizing that they cannot be in this world together. He knows he has to leave her side, but more importantly leave her in this life. She is lit up because she is the light in two ways. One being she is the light that guides Ben through his darkness and the other being she is the life, she is the one that is going to live. Ben is dark because he cannot escape his guilt and he is death, he has been death continuously and now he knows for sure that he is going to die in just a short amount of time. Ben suffers so much depression from the car crash forward. He feels the only way to be forgiven for what he caused is to save seven kind people. Yet, throughout the film the viewer always sees him returning to the same emotions, never coming close to breaking away from them.
The acts Ben choses to do are acts to receive redemption and to make things right although Ben knows from the start that he will never feel redemption for his actions. He never even imagines forgiving himself for what happened the night of the accident but he still creates an incredibly selfless plan. The viewer wonders throughout the film, if he will die, if Emily will, what exactly happened that night, and if he will ever be happy and move forward from the tragedy. The fact of the matter is, he will never feel like he has done enough to be forgiven. He will harness guilt until the second he dies. Ben donates his kidney to a hockey coach that helps underprivileged kids play hockey. The day he is donating his kidney in the film, there is a seen that shows the doctor, the hockey coach and Ben in a hospital room. It is a medium shot of Ben looking at the doctor, a medium close up of the hockey coach also looking at the doctor, and the doctor has his back turned to the camera looking at them. Ben and the hockey coach are smiling up at the doctor. The room is lit up but everything around Ben is dark (Seven Pounds). This demonstrates that even in the moments where Ben is doing a chivalrous act and saving a life he is still in the dark. On the outside he can show happiness but inside his guilt still haunts him and nothing will ever be enough for what he did. He can never cure himself of his wrong doings. Later on in the film, after Ben fixes "The Beast", Emily's printing machine, he gets back to the motel and lays down on the bed. He has a flashback of his bride-to-be in her purple dress and then it cuts to him laying flat on his back with his arms spread out wide, in the Christ pose on his bed. The room is very dark, empty, and once again has a greenish tint (Seven Pounds). The first thing to notice here is that directly after doing something loving for Emily, he flashes back to his fiancé on the night she died. She is in a purple dress which sets a loving and romantic mood. This sequence shows that he feels guilt for falling in love with Emily because he still loves his wife. Also, directly after doing something kind, once again the viewer finds hime in the dark, slipping away, empty and hollow. No matter how many good deeds he does, he is a man that cannot be forgiven. In the last twenty minutes of the film, Ben commits suicide. This is after he sleeps with Emily and then runs to the hospital to find out if there is any chance she will have a donor other than him. The chances are so slim, he knows they can never live long, prosperous lives with one another. He goes to the motel and puts his plan for death into action. Throughout the whole sequence of Ben getting into the ice bath, watching the time, knocking the jellyfish in, watching it swim up to sting him, him being stung, and the preparation for the heart transplant Ben is having flashbacks Sarah and the night of the crash. The bath tub is boxy and small. The ice resembles shattered glass. When he grabs the curtain, cringing in pain, the curtain almost looks like it could be the metal of a car (Seven Pounds). All the shots in the suicide scene draw parallels to the car accident. His memory is stuck on that night. Although he is dying now, this shows that he truly died in the car accident. It also shows that he has not let go of what happened. He still feels all the guilt he felt the day after the accident and even in his death, his last moments in this life, he could not redeem himself. There was hope throughout the movie than Ben would potentially find salvation through Emily. By the end, the viewer knows he can only find redemption through himself and he will never forgive himself for it.
The plan Ben sets in motion is his way of making things right from the devastation he caused to specifically seven people but so many others were effected too. He is seeking redemption but a part of him always knows that he will never achieve it. He always knows it is not for himself but for others. Even during his acts of kindness he is depressed, he feels guilt, and he cannot find any true or lasting happiness. Even in his brightest moments he is in the dark both metaphorically and literally. The deaths haunt him and he is already dead. The moment that car crashes and he loses his fiancé he loses himself too. No redemption comes to him. Even when he cringes in the ice bath, preparing to die, he cannot forgive himself. Seven Pounds tells a story that presents hope for a broken man. But Ben never has hope. The viewer contemplates the possibility of Ben leading a long, happy life of redemption, potentially with Emily but Ben never sees that. Ben never relieves himself. Ultimately Ben dies a good man but a sad man. A man that cannot overcome his past. Some people that find themselves as the cause of a tragic event whether it be an accident, like Ben, making a life changing mistake in an relationship, or blaming themselves for an unpredictable incident they cannot control can find salvation. Some through therapy, some through kind acts, and some through Christ. The moment Ben inflicted this pain, he knew he would never stop feeling the pain himself.
There are endless signs throughout the film that prove how Ben is feeling, the viewer can see them externally on Ben through body language and can decipher the film to find them internally through framing, color, and mise-en-scene. The viewer sees both these aspects in every shot of Ben from start to finish. At the beginning of the movie, Ben is at the IRS looking at different profiles of people for an unknown reasons. This is one of the first few scenes. Ben pulls up the profile of Emily Posa and then it flashes to a shot of him. It is a medium close up shot of Ben looking at the computer. The viewer sees his nose and up but his mouth down is covered. His brow is furrowed and he looks like he is on the verge of tears. The background is half pitch black and half low-key lighting. The side with low-key lighting is cluttered with stacks of papers and folders on a shelf (Seven Pounds). This shot tells the viewer so many things right away. Externally, sadness and fear are displayed on Ben's face. This creates a curiosity in the viewer. The viewer is completely baffled, they don't know why he is at the IRS, who Emily is, and why he looks so upset. But, this starts building Ben's character and obviously is essential to the story. By analyzing the shot, the viewer can uncover even more about Ben. The fact that half the shot is dark and half the shot is lit has multiple dual meanings. It displays the concept of life and death. Ben is dead on the inside but alive on the outside. It also foreshadows. The darkness he has faced in his past versus the light he will bring in his future and the viewer does not yet know what those are for him. The contrast also shows conflicting thoughts within him, thinking about his plan and if anything can truly redeem him. Lastly the clutter that is in the lit side of the shot displays the unorganized ruins his life is in. Later in the film, Emily calls Ben from her hospital bed and asks him to tell her a story. As he talks to her he walks to the hospital to be with her while she sleeps. He walks to her room and looks from the outside, through the wired glass window into the room at her sleeping. The scene is very dark and has a greenish tint to it. Looking at Ben through the window provokes the feeling that the viewer is not supposed to be watching Ben as he watches Emily, the viewer is placed on the outside looking in (Seven Pounds). The fact that the glass is wired shows that Ben is caged in. He is trapped in his own devastation and guilt. The dark, sickly green portrays the decay of Ben's life. He is falling for a girl while loving another and he is falling for a girl that he can never truly share a life with. This realization strikes him severely with guilt. Near the climax of the film, after Ben and Emily sleep together and say "I love you" there is a shot that pans up from Emily to Ben. Emily has light shining on her face and the shot gets darker as it moves up to Ben's dark face that is showing so much emotion. Sadness, worry, fear, guilt, and love are all clear in his face (Seven Pounds). Ben is looking as Emily, the light in his world now, and recognizing that they cannot be in this world together. He knows he has to leave her side, but more importantly leave her in this life. She is lit up because she is the light in two ways. One being she is the light that guides Ben through his darkness and the other being she is the life, she is the one that is going to live. Ben is dark because he cannot escape his guilt and he is death, he has been death continuously and now he knows for sure that he is going to die in just a short amount of time. Ben suffers so much depression from the car crash forward. He feels the only way to be forgiven for what he caused is to save seven kind people. Yet, throughout the film the viewer always sees him returning to the same emotions, never coming close to breaking away from them.
The acts Ben choses to do are acts to receive redemption and to make things right although Ben knows from the start that he will never feel redemption for his actions. He never even imagines forgiving himself for what happened the night of the accident but he still creates an incredibly selfless plan. The viewer wonders throughout the film, if he will die, if Emily will, what exactly happened that night, and if he will ever be happy and move forward from the tragedy. The fact of the matter is, he will never feel like he has done enough to be forgiven. He will harness guilt until the second he dies. Ben donates his kidney to a hockey coach that helps underprivileged kids play hockey. The day he is donating his kidney in the film, there is a seen that shows the doctor, the hockey coach and Ben in a hospital room. It is a medium shot of Ben looking at the doctor, a medium close up of the hockey coach also looking at the doctor, and the doctor has his back turned to the camera looking at them. Ben and the hockey coach are smiling up at the doctor. The room is lit up but everything around Ben is dark (Seven Pounds). This demonstrates that even in the moments where Ben is doing a chivalrous act and saving a life he is still in the dark. On the outside he can show happiness but inside his guilt still haunts him and nothing will ever be enough for what he did. He can never cure himself of his wrong doings. Later on in the film, after Ben fixes "The Beast", Emily's printing machine, he gets back to the motel and lays down on the bed. He has a flashback of his bride-to-be in her purple dress and then it cuts to him laying flat on his back with his arms spread out wide, in the Christ pose on his bed. The room is very dark, empty, and once again has a greenish tint (Seven Pounds). The first thing to notice here is that directly after doing something loving for Emily, he flashes back to his fiancé on the night she died. She is in a purple dress which sets a loving and romantic mood. This sequence shows that he feels guilt for falling in love with Emily because he still loves his wife. Also, directly after doing something kind, once again the viewer finds hime in the dark, slipping away, empty and hollow. No matter how many good deeds he does, he is a man that cannot be forgiven. In the last twenty minutes of the film, Ben commits suicide. This is after he sleeps with Emily and then runs to the hospital to find out if there is any chance she will have a donor other than him. The chances are so slim, he knows they can never live long, prosperous lives with one another. He goes to the motel and puts his plan for death into action. Throughout the whole sequence of Ben getting into the ice bath, watching the time, knocking the jellyfish in, watching it swim up to sting him, him being stung, and the preparation for the heart transplant Ben is having flashbacks Sarah and the night of the crash. The bath tub is boxy and small. The ice resembles shattered glass. When he grabs the curtain, cringing in pain, the curtain almost looks like it could be the metal of a car (Seven Pounds). All the shots in the suicide scene draw parallels to the car accident. His memory is stuck on that night. Although he is dying now, this shows that he truly died in the car accident. It also shows that he has not let go of what happened. He still feels all the guilt he felt the day after the accident and even in his death, his last moments in this life, he could not redeem himself. There was hope throughout the movie than Ben would potentially find salvation through Emily. By the end, the viewer knows he can only find redemption through himself and he will never forgive himself for it.
The plan Ben sets in motion is his way of making things right from the devastation he caused to specifically seven people but so many others were effected too. He is seeking redemption but a part of him always knows that he will never achieve it. He always knows it is not for himself but for others. Even during his acts of kindness he is depressed, he feels guilt, and he cannot find any true or lasting happiness. Even in his brightest moments he is in the dark both metaphorically and literally. The deaths haunt him and he is already dead. The moment that car crashes and he loses his fiancé he loses himself too. No redemption comes to him. Even when he cringes in the ice bath, preparing to die, he cannot forgive himself. Seven Pounds tells a story that presents hope for a broken man. But Ben never has hope. The viewer contemplates the possibility of Ben leading a long, happy life of redemption, potentially with Emily but Ben never sees that. Ben never relieves himself. Ultimately Ben dies a good man but a sad man. A man that cannot overcome his past. Some people that find themselves as the cause of a tragic event whether it be an accident, like Ben, making a life changing mistake in an relationship, or blaming themselves for an unpredictable incident they cannot control can find salvation. Some through therapy, some through kind acts, and some through Christ. The moment Ben inflicted this pain, he knew he would never stop feeling the pain himself.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
TV Analysis
This picture demonstrates low key lighting. It shows strong contrast between the light and dark parts. This represents the light and dark in the character, Ray's, life. He is looking out the window at his son and that is where the light is coming from. The darkness is coming from the inside, from within the prison, and within himself as he walks to receive the death penalty.
The color of this photo sets the mood for the whole scene. The deep blue truck conveys sadness. The character, Mitch, has spiraled into a deep depression after the murder of her daughter. She is also in the rain which in this scenario just represents her deep feelings of being upset. Her face is hollow, like she has now become an empty shell in her sad, destroyed world.
This is a photo of detective Sarah Linden and her son Jack. It is a good example of deep space. There is a lot of space between Sarah and her son, not only space, but a whole scene. Throughout the show, it is clear that Sarah's job comes first and this causes a lot of distance and tension in their relationship. The deep space in this shot shows that. Her son Jack looks at her, longing for her but she looks straight on, focusing on something else.
The decor in this photo is a good depiction of Sarah Linden's life. She is busy, as usual. She holds something in both of her hands while her expression appears to be distracted, like there is something else on her mind. In the background, there is the hustle and bustle of the city. There are a lot of cars, colors, and lights making the city feel busy just like her life.
Frontality is used in the photo below. The camera is looking at the shot head on. This allows the viewer to vividly see the emotion in both of the subjects faces. The boy looks like he is in pain and upset and Detective Holder looks angry. With the shallow focus, the viewer notices Detective Linden in the background calmly watching. The color of the seen is read which conveys a heated, fiery scene.
This photo represents shallow focus. The detective, Sarah Linden, is holding the gun and holding it at a man. Her face is the only thing in focus so the viewer focuses on that. There is a lot of emotion in her face. She looks scared, angry and upset. The whole photo has a greenish tint which represents the sickness she harbors. The sickness of threatening another human being's life.
This is a good example of deep focus. Shallow focus is represented as well as the hanging apparatus is blurry. The deep focus resides in the men's faces. All of their faces are very clear. This allows the viewer to see the pain the are suffering from this traumatic experience. The two officers are about to hang Ray, the inmate, and this is there final scene together. Though Ray has been convicted of murder and these officers have known this was coming the actual event is harder said than done. There is raw emotion on their faces about the whole situation and what is about to happen.
This photo shows very precise framing. The scene strictly follows the rule of thirds, both horizontally and vertically. The lines of the blinds come in from the top and lead down to the two characters. Detective Holder is on the edge of the first third and Detective Linden is on the edge of the second third. Their eyes fall in the top third of the picture and torsos fall in the bottom third. This picture also creates a strong emotional response. Sarah is in the dark as though she is the one who needs help, Holder is her light. That being said Holder is weeping and Sarah is trying to comfort him.
This is a close up shot. It is of Ray, a criminal from the show who is on death row. Close up shots allow the viewer to really see the character. There is a lot of detail in his face and his emotion is right there. It provokes the viewer to be emotional to, to see the character. He has a tear in his eye, something that would go unnoticed in a long or medium shot. Although the audience has seen him be a horrible man the viewer still feels a pang of pity for him. The viewer wants to comfort him, to save him and cry for him too.
This is a medium shot, showing most of the character's body as well as a good amount of the background. The viewer sees Detective Linden staring into a pond with something like red tarps floating in it. Each red tarp has a body wrapped inside of it. The red stands out so that the viewer is especially effected by the horrific scene. It also kind of gives the point of view of Sarah, as the camera is directly behind her.
The color of this photo sets the mood for the whole scene. The deep blue truck conveys sadness. The character, Mitch, has spiraled into a deep depression after the murder of her daughter. She is also in the rain which in this scenario just represents her deep feelings of being upset. Her face is hollow, like she has now become an empty shell in her sad, destroyed world.
This is a photo of detective Sarah Linden and her son Jack. It is a good example of deep space. There is a lot of space between Sarah and her son, not only space, but a whole scene. Throughout the show, it is clear that Sarah's job comes first and this causes a lot of distance and tension in their relationship. The deep space in this shot shows that. Her son Jack looks at her, longing for her but she looks straight on, focusing on something else.
The decor in this photo is a good depiction of Sarah Linden's life. She is busy, as usual. She holds something in both of her hands while her expression appears to be distracted, like there is something else on her mind. In the background, there is the hustle and bustle of the city. There are a lot of cars, colors, and lights making the city feel busy just like her life.
Frontality is used in the photo below. The camera is looking at the shot head on. This allows the viewer to vividly see the emotion in both of the subjects faces. The boy looks like he is in pain and upset and Detective Holder looks angry. With the shallow focus, the viewer notices Detective Linden in the background calmly watching. The color of the seen is read which conveys a heated, fiery scene.
This photo represents shallow focus. The detective, Sarah Linden, is holding the gun and holding it at a man. Her face is the only thing in focus so the viewer focuses on that. There is a lot of emotion in her face. She looks scared, angry and upset. The whole photo has a greenish tint which represents the sickness she harbors. The sickness of threatening another human being's life.
This is a good example of deep focus. Shallow focus is represented as well as the hanging apparatus is blurry. The deep focus resides in the men's faces. All of their faces are very clear. This allows the viewer to see the pain the are suffering from this traumatic experience. The two officers are about to hang Ray, the inmate, and this is there final scene together. Though Ray has been convicted of murder and these officers have known this was coming the actual event is harder said than done. There is raw emotion on their faces about the whole situation and what is about to happen.
This photo shows very precise framing. The scene strictly follows the rule of thirds, both horizontally and vertically. The lines of the blinds come in from the top and lead down to the two characters. Detective Holder is on the edge of the first third and Detective Linden is on the edge of the second third. Their eyes fall in the top third of the picture and torsos fall in the bottom third. This picture also creates a strong emotional response. Sarah is in the dark as though she is the one who needs help, Holder is her light. That being said Holder is weeping and Sarah is trying to comfort him.
This is a close up shot. It is of Ray, a criminal from the show who is on death row. Close up shots allow the viewer to really see the character. There is a lot of detail in his face and his emotion is right there. It provokes the viewer to be emotional to, to see the character. He has a tear in his eye, something that would go unnoticed in a long or medium shot. Although the audience has seen him be a horrible man the viewer still feels a pang of pity for him. The viewer wants to comfort him, to save him and cry for him too.
This is a medium shot, showing most of the character's body as well as a good amount of the background. The viewer sees Detective Linden staring into a pond with something like red tarps floating in it. Each red tarp has a body wrapped inside of it. The red stands out so that the viewer is especially effected by the horrific scene. It also kind of gives the point of view of Sarah, as the camera is directly behind her.
Monday, May 5, 2014
Reflection Week 4/28- Music Videos
There were a lot of interesting videos this week in class. There were a lot of videos that surprised me with their depth and meaning and that fit the terms very well. The music video Stan by Eminem beautifully exemplified a lot of the terms. Looking at Eminem as the auteur, he wrote the song about a true fan of his. It was based on real events that he experienced being a famous artist. For the diegesis, the viewer can infer that Eminem can see aspects of himself in Stan. At 5:50 the viewer sees Eminem as he is writing the letter to Stan and realizing what he has done. His reflection flashes in the window and we can interpret this as Eminem looking inside himself and recognizing the similarities between himself and Stan and how easily he could have wound up in the same situation. This video also has many flashbacks of Stan's life and his path to losing it.
The second video that stood out to me was I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift. The genre is narrative because it tells the story of her past relationship. The plot is that she always knew she was putting herself into a bad situation but she could't help herself. Despite knowing she would get hurt, she wanted to do it anyway. A good example of scene/sequence is throughout the video it flashes back and forth between her memories of her relationship and her current situation. It depicts how thrilling her life was when she was in a relationship versus how barren and lost her life is without it and allows the viewer to feel how intense those memories are for her.
The music video American Soldier by Toby Keith has great editing to convey meaning. A lot of the editing makes the viewer feel compassionate. The subject of the video is in the military for are country. The editing allows us to see his home life, his family and such and then will show us him putting on his game face to go to war and leave his family. A great shot in this video is at 2:37, when the soldiers are walking on to the plane. It shows them all as dark shadows meaning they are the faceless soldiers of the military. They are also walking into the darkness and the back is full of light, showing the darkness and horrors they are about to face.
The music video for Hey Brother by Avicii has a great example of Mise-en-Scene. At 9 seconds into the video, there is a medium shot of the front tire of a boy's bike. There is a picture in the spokes of the tire which is the focus of the shot. Also, the colors in the shot are red, white, and blue. This infers that there is longing for a someone who went into the war. It is patriotic and the photo is a way of representing the boy's longing for his family member in the war.
The second video that stood out to me was I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift. The genre is narrative because it tells the story of her past relationship. The plot is that she always knew she was putting herself into a bad situation but she could't help herself. Despite knowing she would get hurt, she wanted to do it anyway. A good example of scene/sequence is throughout the video it flashes back and forth between her memories of her relationship and her current situation. It depicts how thrilling her life was when she was in a relationship versus how barren and lost her life is without it and allows the viewer to feel how intense those memories are for her.
The music video American Soldier by Toby Keith has great editing to convey meaning. A lot of the editing makes the viewer feel compassionate. The subject of the video is in the military for are country. The editing allows us to see his home life, his family and such and then will show us him putting on his game face to go to war and leave his family. A great shot in this video is at 2:37, when the soldiers are walking on to the plane. It shows them all as dark shadows meaning they are the faceless soldiers of the military. They are also walking into the darkness and the back is full of light, showing the darkness and horrors they are about to face.
The music video for Hey Brother by Avicii has a great example of Mise-en-Scene. At 9 seconds into the video, there is a medium shot of the front tire of a boy's bike. There is a picture in the spokes of the tire which is the focus of the shot. Also, the colors in the shot are red, white, and blue. This infers that there is longing for a someone who went into the war. It is patriotic and the photo is a way of representing the boy's longing for his family member in the war.
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