Blog assignment 6

Storyboard

In this scene, from The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the action takes place at a market on the street, where the camera follows the action of Don Corleone getting shot.  It does not strictly follow the 180 Degree Rule, as the camera is on the side facing the gunmen at some shots, while in others it is facing Fredo, who is opposite the gunmen.  It also uses overhead shots that show the whole scene, which is not following the rule, as the camera moves more that 180 degrees around the action.  The scene does not follow the rule of thirds either, as the camera often puts the gunmen, or Don Corleone himself, right in the middle of the frame.  He is seen running from them, and he is right in the middle of the frame, and also in the overhead shot of the shooting, the gunmen who doing the shooting, therefore the principle part of the action, are right in the middle of the frame.  The 30 Rule is followed for the most part in the scene, except for when it cuts to the overhead shot, as this is obviously more than a 30 degree change.  In most of the scene however it is followed and their are no choppy jump cuts, despite the 180 degree Rule being broken at times.
    I think the director chose to break these rules so that all of the action could be seen in this scene.  He wanted the audience to see how the shooting took place, as well as the reactions of Don Corleone and his son Fredo, and breaking the 180 Degree Rule and the Rule of Thirds made this easier to present.  The scene still looks smoothly shot and there are jump cuts that ruin the fluidity of the scene, so breaking these rules slightly does not stop it from being a great scene.

imovie practice video

Blog assignment 5

Song Description: "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan and The Byrds

Bob Dylan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8d-XUknADY

The Byrds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06rGW0AQGiY

Bob Dylan Version 

Phase 1: Rhythm

Tempo: Moderate tempo

Source: The rhythm is driven by the acoustic guitar, as well as by the vocals a little bit.

Groove: It is an easy flowing, relaxed groove that stays steady the entire song, also folky.

Phase 2: Arrangement

Instrumentation: The song is made up mostly of the acoustic guitar, with some lead electric guitar complimenting it.  The vocals are also a prominent part of the arrangement, as they are put in the front of the arrangement.  A harmonica is also included in certain sections, and although it does not drive the song, it compliments and breaks up the verses.  

Structure/Organization: The song is structured in a fairly standard format, with verses and a chorus going on throughout, with a harmonica solo making a break in them.  It is also structured so that the acoustic guitar plays throughout, with the electric lead playing during the verses and choruses, while dying down a bit for the harmonica into the background.  The song is focuses on Dylan's lyrics, so they are a main part of the structure.  

Emotional Architecture: The song has a fairly steady emotional architecture throughout, although it does build up at the end of each verse for the chorus, and then goes back down for the next verse.  This emotional feeling is prominent throughout the song, although it is not drastic.  

Phase 3: Sound Quality

Height: This song does not use height too strongly, although the electric guitar that plays the complimenting lead lines is higher in pitch than Dylan's voice and the acoustic guitar, as is the harmonica, and this does add some height to the song that keeps it from being at the same level, as the acoustic guitar and the vocals are.  

Width: The song uses width very well.  It has the vocals in both sides, but only puts the electric guitar on one side, giving the song significant width, by spreading out the instruments in the speaker, which works very well.

Depth: The song has significant depth as well.  Similar to how the the electric guitar is used for width, it is also put slightly lower in the mix, so that is not a driving force in the song, but merely compliments the acoustic and the vocals, and adds some depth with another instrument using a higher pitch.  

Byrds Version

Phase 1: Rhythm

Tempo: The tempo is moderately fast.

Source: The rhythm is coming from the drums mostly, with the bass and electric guitars also supplying some rhythmic elements as well.  

Groove: The groove of this song can be described as laid back, as it is not too driving, and also as slightly psychedelic, as the guitars have a very 1960s sound, when that term was often used to describe the feel of rock songs.   

Phase 2: Arrangement

Instrumentation: The guitar is the instrument that is most prominent in the song, as it has a very different sounding tone that most guitars, and plays lead lines several times during that song that are catchy.  The drums are however, while not as memorable a part, what drive the song more, along with the bass.  The vocals are mixed in fairly deep, so they are not as much a driving force. 

Structure/Organization: The song is organized very simply, with the intro, verses and choruses and then an outro.  The guitar is organized to be a part of all this, and the drums come in after the intro, and then stop for the similar outro.  The guitars follow a similar pattern for the whole song, with a ringing, jangling tone, playing the same parts during the whole song.  

Emotional Architecture: The song builds up from the start, then at the end of each verse it builds up again for the chorus, following a very common emotional architecture that is seen in many songs.  This is seen in the drums, vocals and guitars in this song, as they all build for the end of each verse, and into the chorus.  

Phase 3: Sound Quality

Height: The song is on the high end in terms of height, as the vocals and guitars are fairly high pitched.  The drums and bass give the song more balance though, as they are lower.  

Width: The song has lots of width, with the guitars only on one side, while the bass is in the other, and the vocals and rums spread out, giving the song lots of width.  

Depth:  The song also has a lot of depth, with guitars very high in the mix, along with the vocals, and the bass much lower, and the drums are high enough to drive the song, creating a very deep sound with the instruments and vocals mixed together to create the sound.  

   These two songs, the original by Bob Dylan, and the Byrd's cover of his song, are different in their approach to the piece.  Bob Dylan, who is known for his lyrics, uses a simpler arrangement, with the acoustic guitar driving the rhythm, and a less prominent, more mixed in electric guitar.  This puts more focus on the words he is singing, as there are no drums or bass, or loud guitar parts to distract, just a brief harmonica solo.  The song has a simple, folksy feel to it, with the sound quality also being more simple, although it does have some width, especially with the electric guitar in the background.  Dylan's voice is very unique, and his helps make the vocals the part of the song that grabs you, along with the visual imagery, and simple melody he is singing.  

     The Byrds version is much more layered and complex in the arrangement, with drums and bass now added in, and a more prominent, unique sounding electric guitar.  This puts less emphasis on the lyrics, which is made even more apparent as they edit out several verses, so as to make the song short enough to be a hit single.  This does not take away though from the overall song quality however, as the arrangement is very well constructed, and the lead guitar in this song gives it a whole new feel, one that is very grooving and laid back.  The vocals are slightly more mixed in, and as it is not Dylan's instantly recognizable voice singing, they do not stick out as much in this version.  

     I am a big fan of both versions of this song, as I think it is a classic song, but I like Bob Dylan's original version slightly more.  I feel that the simple feel is slightly better for this song, with the acoustic guitar, and I also like the larger emphasis on the lyrics, as they are very well written.  Also, it was the version I first heard, and although I do like Byrds' cover of it, the original will always be my favorite.  

Stykx animation

Blog assignment 4

Scene from The Godfather: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AapO3KSb2Wk

Script of the Scene:

   This scene from The Godfather uses sound very effectively.  It first puts the audience into the scene through using space.  The sound of the running feet at the beginning uses direction to make it sound like the gunmen are running towards you, to add to the tension of the scene. The stumbling movement of Don Corleone is mirrored by the sound used, with the loud crash of the barrel and the footsteps from both him and the assassins.  The gun shots that happen next are at a high volume, but do not last for a long amount of time.  This helps make them the center of the scene, by it being the loudest part.  Most of this scene used diagetic noises to make it seem real, such as the dog barking and the street noises.  This makes for a casual listening mode, as they are natural sounds.  This changes though at the end, as the theme from the film fades into the scene, as this is non-diagetic, and not part of the casual listening mode, but is there to emphasize the somber tone of the scene, as it is a sad sounding piece, as the audience does not know if Don Corleone is alive or dead, and the sound of this music adds to that.   

blog assignment 3

Go to http://changethis.com/ and read Seth Godin's "Brainwashed"
  Godin talks about seven layers of reinventing yourself in this article. One of the layers he talks about is generosity.  Godin says that generosity rewards people go out of their way to be generous, giving examples in his essay, and that we should all give even if we don't immediately get anything in return.  Another layer he talks about is that everyone should make art, since it is something everyone can do, doesn't have rules or guidelines, and taking the risk of doing it can lead to rewards.  A third layer he discuses is the ability to ship things.  He says that the person who can get things out the door and deliver goods on demand, you not only beat the competitor, but you also become a commodity that is needed.
 
     I think the layers discussed above are very relevant to this blog assignment.  For example, we are putting out art in this class and through this blog, so that is already taking advantage of one layer that Godin mentions.  The fact that we are putting ourselves out there by posting on this blog is a bold step, and although we are not getting anything immediately from doing this, we have no idea where what we learn from this blog and this class will take us.  As he writes in his essay, "art doesn't follow instructions or a manual," which applies to this class.  Although we are graded on whether we completed the assignments to the assigned requirements, there are no rules on what is art and what is not.  For our first blog assignment, on characters, there is no way to say that someone's character they created is not artistic, as it is their own creation.  This just proves that Godin's points about art are true, and how important it is.  
     Which leads into another of his layers, generosity.  We as students are not getting anything back from doing these blog entries, besides a grade, but that it is still important to do so, as it spreads our creativity.  Godin talks about the "economy of generosity," where rather than always getting something back for being generous, people learn to support one another.  I feel that this specifically applies to this class, as our group projects are a great example of everyone being generous with ideas, and people supporting each other, just as Godin says should happen in order for reinvention.  I do think it makes us better artists and creative thinkers, just by simply putting our ideas out there.  Concerning his layer of shipping, we are also learning how important it is to get things done, such as our creative assignments,  and although it is not in a real world setting, it still teaches us the importance of sending work in, and as Godin says, that can make you a valuable asset in life.  I feel that his ideas of layers of reinvention are relevant to our class and by practicing them we become more creative and forward thinking people, with little restraint on the layers of making art and generosity in particular, as these apply to our blogs and creative assignments quite well.  

Blog assignment 2

Go to this link to read Jonathon Flaun's Finding Your Howl .  www.changethis.com 
      One of the stories that Flaun tells in this piece is about a wolf, Mumon, who needs to find his "howl" in order for his pack to survive in the wild.  He goes on to kill a deer, but initially feels sadness for doing so.  A raven tells him there is no shame in what he did, and that he must embrace it in order to live.  Mumon begins to feel the power from killing the deer, and it carries him on for weeks, until he himself is shot by a hunter.  The hunters in turn celebrate this killing with a fire, and it is within this fire that Mumon discovers his howl, and he discovers that "freedom is the real existence, which is the main point the author is trying to make.  The howl is returned by his pack, and he in turn becomes their howl, and their freedom.


 My own Howl: The song "Tin Cup Chalice" by Jimmy Buffett- Lyrics:
I wanna go back to the island
Where the shrimp boats tie up to the pilin
Gimme oysters and beer
For dinner every day of the year and I'll feel fine
Ill feel fine

I wanna be there
Wanna go back down and lie beside the sea there
With a tin cup for a chalice, fill it up with good red wine
And Im a chewin on a honeysuckle vine

Yeah now, the sun goes slidin cross the water
Sailboats they go searchin for the breeze
Salt air it aint thin
It can stick right to your skin and make you feel fine
Makes you feel fine

I wanna be there
Wanna go back down and a get high by the sea there
With a tin cup for a chalice, fill it up with good red wine
And Im a chewin on a honeysuckle vine

Yes and now you heard my strange proposal
So get that packard up and lets move
I wanna be there before the day
Tries to steal away and leave us behind
Ive made up my mind

And I wanna be there
I wanna go back down and die beside the sea there
With a tin cup for a chalice, fill it up with good red wine
And Im a chewin on a honeysuckle vine

Yeah with a tin cup for a chalice, fill it up with good red wine
And Im a chewin on a honeysuckle vine


This is a piece that speaks to me for several reasons.  I have always found Jimmy Buffett to be, although simple, a fantastic lyricist who can express life's issues, problems, and desires in easy flowing songs.  This particular song talks about Buffett's wish to be be down by the ocean and enjoy all the benefits that come from this lifestyle, something he often talks about in his songs.
  This appeals to me because I feel a similar way.  I think it would be great to be able to live a simple life by the beach, and enjoy all the surroundings, and all the freedom that comes with it.  While this is obviously not a very realistic goal, that is partly why it speaks to me as a creative person.  The way he writes of his yearning to be there makes the listener of the song, or in this case simply the reader of the lyrics, share a similar feeling.  This kind of writing inspires me to make creative work that also inspires the same kind of yearning for a certain place as Buffett does in "Tin Cup Chalice." 
    One of the main things that helps him pull this off is how specific he is in his imagery.  His mentions of "shrimp boats" and "a honeysuckle vine" let the listener see exactly what Buffett is yearning for.  The more detail that is included, the more the listener or reader can feel where the creativity is coming from.  I feel this is important, and something that i hope to integrate into my own work.  
    Buffett also lets some fun into his work.  The refrain of the song is about drinking wine on the beach, not a very serious topic, and it reminds me that creative work does not always need to be deep and serious to be successful.  If fun loving, relaxing topics are what you know best, this howl says that that is what you should write about.  Buffett let's his fun loving demeanor come across in his lyrics and sound, and this is something that inspires me in my own creative work, to not always be extremely serious, as light, fun art is successful too.   
  Another thing about this piece that inspires me as a creative person is that Buffett is writing about what he knows.  He truly loves the beach and the many joys of living there, and this comes across in his song.  he does not change his creative style for wider popularity, he simply continues to talk about and write about things he knows.  This inspires me to make creative works based around things that I truly love and enjoy, be it a place, person or thing.  I think Jimmy Buffett, and this song in particular, with it's imagery, and subject matter, are a good personal howl for me, as they inspire me to create art and media about things that i love and care about, and to use details that apply specifically to the situation, and let the audience see and feel what I am trying to put across.