Agenda:: M Mar 29 (day 18)

Photo by Carmen Li

writing warm-up

the selling of a president: respond to the following two quotes…

1) “The idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal is the ultimate indignity to the democratic process.”
– Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson, 1956

2) “Television is no gimmick, and nobody will ever be elected to major office again without presenting themselves well on it.”
– Television producer and Nixon campaign consultant Roger Ailes, 1968

screening:: The Living Room Candidate ::

with the sound off, consider:

• What colors are used?
• How many cuts are made from one scene to the next?
• What is inside the frame of the camera (is it mostly close-ups or far away shots)?
• What types of people are in the commercial?
• Is it fast paced, or do the images move slowly from one to the next?

with the sound on, consider:

• What words stand out in the text and audio?
• Whose voices do you hear
• What type of music is used
• What is the pacing of the audio?
• Do the images and sound correlate or are they separate?

Commercials for comparison:

• 1952:: Eisenhower’s “Ike for President” to Stevenson’s “I love the Gov”. This was the first time commercials were used as part of an election.
• 1988 :: Bush’s “Tank Ride” with Dukasis’s “Counter Punch”
• 2000 :: Bush Jr.’s ” Really MD” to Gore’s “Question”
• 2008:: Obama’s “Country I love” to McCain’s “Special”

screening:: voting and democracy

• choose to choose, ironweed 35 DVD, (democracy and the importance of voting) 11:45
• long division, ironweed 35 DVD, (democracy and the importance of voting), 7 min

advertising exercise

• 1) Think about three purchases you’ve made recently.  These should range from larger ticket items like electronics, to trivial daily purchases like gum, coffee etc.
• 2) Go online and look for advertisements for the items, or to the product website.
• 3) For each item write a response to the following questions:
  - Why did you choose to buy this specific product?
  - Does the advertisement resonate with your own personal aesthetic?  How?
  - Does the way the product is marketed appeal to your beliefs?

advertising discussion

• How does advertising effect our personal choices?
• What strategies do advertisers use to entice purchase of their product?
• Is advertising manipulative in adverse and/or positive ways?
 How so?
• What ethical standards do you think advertising should adhere to?

screening :: student examples of “this I believe” videos

• Jarred  Meyers :: The “real” “Fight Club”
• Ryan Grillaert :: Polyphasic sleep
• Avery Kechter :: Parrotheads (Buffett fans) (Part 2  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpvi0_ZDrf8)

homework:

1) review the “this I believe” project description

2) journal: come to next class with 3-5 tentative ideas/topics (social issues) you would like to potentially pursue for your final project. jot these down in your journal, and why each interests you.

3) Reading: electronic reserves: Andrea Lunsford, “Everything is an Argument”

• Skim the entire document, and focus on your group’s designated pages. You will present your section as a group next class (and will have some class time to convene as a group to prepare for your presentation)
  • Purposes (pp 7-15) (group 1: Charles, Carolyn, Christina, Jason, Katie B.)
  • Occasions (pp 15-20) (group 2: Joy, Jordan Stein, Carmen)
  • Kinds (pp 20-32) (group 3: Dustin, Roy, Esther, Marty, Janelle)
  • Audiences (pp 32-41) (group 4: Jami, Kate Hazen, Brittanie, Jordan Feffer, Reina)

Agenda:: W Mar 17 (day 17)

Photo by Jordan Stein

reminder of critiquing process

• affirmation—strengths
• artist poses questions to viewers, focusing on specific areas in which you desire suggestions
• viewers ask questions
• viewers share opinions/suggestions (“I have an opinion about X, do you want to hear it?)
• justify ideas by pointing to examples/actual elements within the video being reviewed… how do visuals, audio, editing contribute to enhancing communication and generating viewer interest

THE BIG SHOW part 2! all class screening of final versions of art of the real (project 3)

homework:

• journal1: Return to your videographer’s manifesto (written for project 2). How has your manifesto been manifested in your art of the real video, if at all? What remained the same and what changed, how, and why?
• journal2: How has your final video been modified from your rough cut? How has feedback from your peers been incorporated into your final cut–what feedback did you incorporate, what did you choose not to incorporate, and why?
• journal3: Students who showed their work today should post a “presentation and distribution” entry (see video production template) on their blog journals.
• Note: These journal entries will not be due until midnight Friday (3/19). This is the last part of Module 2.

Agenda:: M Mar 15 (day 16)

Photo by Esther Liu

reminder of critiquing process

• affirmation—strengths
• artist poses questions to viewers, focusing on specific areas in which you desire suggestions
• viewers ask questions
• viewers share opinions/suggestions (“I have an opinion about X, do you want to hear it?)
• justify ideas by pointing to examples/actual elements within the video being reviewed… how do visuals, audio, editing contribute to enhancing communication and generating viewer interest

THE BIG SHOW part 1! all class screening of final versions of art of the real (project 3)

homework:

• students who showed their work today should post a “presentation and distribution” entry (see video production template) on their blog journals. Note: these will not be due until midnight Friday (3/19).

Agenda:: W Mar 10 (day 15)

Photo by Janelle Hampton

small group discussion warm-up

• discuss any progress you have made (since last class) incorporating feedback from your teammates’/class’s comments into the modification or planned modification of your Art of the Real video
• artists: if you have made changes since last class, share these with your team and gather further feedback

reminder of critiquing process

• affirmation—strengths
• artist poses questions to viewers, focusing on specific areas in which you desire suggestions
• viewers ask questions
• viewers share opinions/suggestions (“I have an opinion about X, do you want to hear it?)
• justify ideas by pointing to examples/actual elements within the video being reviewed… how do visuals, audio, editing contribute to enhancing communication and generating viewer interest

all class screening of selected projects

• artist’s team’s summary of their discussion about piece
• critique by the entire class

homework:

• finished Art of the Real video projects due by the beginning of next class. all finished projects should be exported as .mov files. also post to youtube and embed in your wordpress blog.

Agenda:: M Mar 8 (day 14)

Photo by Kate Leifeit

writing warm-up

shooting vs. editing: How does it feel now that you’ve started to edit your raw footage? How is editing different from shooting? How are the two stages relating to and informing one another in your project?

editing exercise (30 min)

1) go back and review the footage you shot last week of the 10-question interview you did with a classmate.

2) create a quick 1-2 minute rough cut in which you completely MISREPRESENT the statements of that person.

screening/discussion of “misrepresentation” interviews

volunteers to share your interview rough cuts with the entire class?

• Results? Impressions?
• How easy or difficult is it to misrepresent someone in this medium?
• What did you learn?
• What does it tell you about the editing process?
• What are the implications for you as an author?
• What are the implications of this exercise for you as a consumer of media?

critiquing suggestions

Drawing on the Liz Lerman method of critique:

• affirmation—strengths
• artist poses questions to viewers, focusing on specific areas in which you desire suggestions
• viewers ask questions
• viewers share opinions/suggestions (“I have an opinion about X, do you want to hear it?)

for all of the above, responses can be more constructive if you justify ideas by pointing to examples/actual elements within the video being reviewed… how do visuals, audio, editing contribute to enhancing communication and generating viewer interest

critiquing of rough cuts for art of the real (proj 3) in small groups ::

Small groups:

Group 1: Reina, Carmen, Esther, Roy

Group 2: Ellie, Janelle, Jami, Dustin

Group 3: Joy, Kate Hazen, Charles

Group 4:

Group 5: Christina, Jordan Stein, Jordan Feffer

Group 6:

Group 7: Marty, Brittanie, Jason, Carolyn

1) each artist: show your rough cut

2) team: critique the rough cut

3) after your team has completed 1 & 2 for each artist in your group, choose one project to be viewed by the entire class.

Note: we will not have time to view everyone’s rough cuts during class time. Please offer every artist in your group as much constructive feedback as possible, as some students will not have the opportunity for the entire class to give them feedback.

posting videos to wordpress

see instructions under “helpful hints” and “Post Video to WordPress” under “helpful links”

all class screening of selected projects

• artist’s team’s summary of their discussion about piece
• critique by the entire class

homework:

1) continue refining your Art of the Real rough cut for next class – we will continue reviewing rough cuts during next class… if your rough cut has already been viewed by the entire class today, use the feedback to begin creating your final version of Art of the Real.

2) post your rough cut to youtube, and embed it in your wordpress blog (under your area for Art of the Real)

Agenda:: W Mar 3 (day 13)

Photo by Jason Kozin

writing warm-up

how do you see form and content interacting in your piece thus far?

discussion

• form and content in your pieces
• steps 7 (reflection) and 8 (improvisation) in the ‘production’ stage:
  • pay attention to what you are learning and be open to new discoveries.
  • your ideas may change and evolve – and that this can be a legitimate aspect of the creative process.

Group discussions of works-in-progress (45 min):

Small groups:

Group 1: Reina, Carmen, Esther

Group 2: Ellie, Janelle, Jami

Group 3: Joy, Kate Hazen, Charles

Group 4: Roy, Katie Bailey

Group 5: Christina, Jordan Stein, Jordan Feffer

Group 6: Kate Leifheit, Carolyn, Dustin

Group 7: Marty, Brittanie, Jason

• Re-convene your discussion groups from the last class meeting.
• Authors/artists should present and discuss their ‘production stage’ posting from their journal, and share raw footage with teammates.
• As usual, you should use the group to help facilitate the development of your own project, and to assist your teammates in the same fashion.
• Team members should work to help clarify an author’s idea, ask questions, and offer suggestions for improvement.
  • For example: Why are certain is audio/visual shot (and pulled together… if some editing has occurred) in certain ways—what does it help to convey to you as viewers?
  • What did you mean to convey as the author?
  • How might shots/audio/editing be modified or utilized to further enhance this communication?
  • Discussion could extend to further research ideas, shot lists, editing suggestions, etc.

screening

• small town secrets, fullFrame DVD, 7:36 (growing up with gay, closeted parents)
• al gore documentary by spike jonze, wholphin 1 DVD, 13:13
• uncommon heroes: ann cotton, ironweed 36 DVD, (social entrepreneurship + educating girls in africa), 7:00.

homework:

• 1) Video::Rough version of Proj3-Art of the Real (this means you’ve begun editing in iMovie, organizing clips into a coherent reel for your classmates to respond to… the more complete your piece is, the more constructive the feedback can be).
• 2) Journal: complete a ‘post-production’ journal entry for Art of the Real by next class (see the video production template)
• 3) Be sure and have raw footage in iMovie of 10-question peer interviews (from earlier in the week) on your laptop for next class.