Ok I need to start off by admitting that I missed this class so I am teaching myself memes and winging this here. If this is bad, please don’t hold it against me; I am really trying here !

Memes without a doubt are part of a fan culture.  Similar to the Harry Potter media in “We are Wizards” memes are alternate forms of media, and can be based on any particular like or dislike. (i.e… fan or sooooo not a fan!) For example, here is one of my favorite memes since I am a New York Giant fan.

 

I will admit, to me this is more interesting because I am a Giant’s fan and they are the Super Bowl champions. Oh yeah and because ELI IS ELITE!! It also is a nice little play on words. It’s a simple meme and doesn’t cause much of a stir as some others. Like my next favorite. I’m a huge Ranger mark (mark is another name for fan for those who don’t know) and I am pretty sure this is Sean Avery holding the head and spine of Washington Capitals, Alex Ovechkin and Mike Greene

 

* No Washington Capitol was hurt or mistreated in the production of this image !

 This on is a bit more fun because it uses photos and other graphics and not just text.  While not kid friendly…oh why would a kid be  reading a Strategic Presentation blog any way !! And my third favorite meme is ……..

Memes are virally transmitted social idea. The creation of a meme may cause a person to look up more about a subject  and  in turn learn more about it. For example, take my last meme. There are many people who may not  know  what Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh are talking about, so they may look up Lebron james, or the Miami heat and learn more about  what the meme may be referring to. Those of us who know  ( and are not Lebron James fans) find this hilarious.

This could be incorporated into the final project as a stimulus for getting people to do more reasearch on teen dating violence or as a way to make your project engaging.

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MEDIA CONSUMPTION

Today the net is where most of us go for media consumption.  Regardless of whether you’re looking for scores to the Ranges game, Yankees game, Knicks game, seeing or the weather you can find it on the internet.  What makes the internet even more convenient and accessible are smartphones. Now you don’t have to be home to get that score or find that movie time, you can do it right from your phone. Not only does the eruption of technology allow the consumption of media, but also the production and dissemination of it as well.

In “We Are Wizards” fans create their own Harry Potter based media and Warner Brothers obviously didn’t like it.   But shouldn’t they be happy that these artists are spreading the Harry Potter word? I know myself personally have discovered many a song while watching unrelated videos or as background music to a site.  By the same token I have discovered many movies by the same circumstance.  In my opinion these different forms of media bring Harry Potter to a new fan base.  I would bet that there are people who may have never given Harry Potter a chance (ok so maybe not A LOT) if not for this alternate media. As far as the “ potter franchise” wanting to be kid friendly and some of this media compromising that, well I have this to say, ” anything not kid friendly should be monitored by parents. Kids should be restricted from seeing it.”  But I suppose that’s another post for another time.

Lights, cameras, ACTION !!

image borrowed from Clifton partnership.org

This project has been a lot of fun so far. Our first milestone was finding a place to shoot the opening scenes to our video.  Due to the complication of the shots we needed our location to have a few key characteristics.  First,  the place needed to be dark and second it needed to be large enough to maneuver a camera dolly ( or whatever we come up with to replicate one).  We decided it would be most convenient  to find a place on campus.  We also thought it would be the easiest !  Now all we had to do was find a place that was dark  but during the day.

The first place I thought of was one of  the writing rooms in Murray Hall.  So I contacted the writing department and we were in luck they had room 003 available Friday but was booked solid the next two weeks.  However, it was only available for an hour and a half and we would need at least three hours. So, we decided to go ahead and book it for the hour and a half; after all it was better than nothing. So today I called to reserve it and it ended up opening up for two more periods . giving us three hours and twenty minutes.

Our second milestone will happen tomorrow when we finally begin shooting footage for our project.  that is where I suspect we will run into our first or a few hurdles. Since some of the shots we are attempting are a bit complicated and need more technical editing, I anticipate them being a bit of a challenge.  Also, I am wrestling with the thought of trying to do some things with Adobe After Effects which will be more like The Great Wall of China  as opposed to a hurdle.

All in all I am excited about our project and feel it will all fall into place.

Although at the time I am writing this our first two milestones have not officially happened yet

Creative Commons

Later that night, after class, I began browsing the content on the Creative Commons website. At first it seemed a little daunting. After all, these artists are unknown, what could I possibly find here ? Right? Wrong, I began listening to the various artists, and while most of them are unknowns you will be surprised at what you find.  For example I found an album from the Beastie Boys.  That aside, there are so many good artists. I ended up downloading more for my iPod than I did for the project.  One Song I found could really set the tone for the  more heavy vibe we are attempting to achieve.

At first I really had trouble finding videos that would fit the direction we are going. Most video’s I found were funny, light PSA’s, not exactly where we are going. I finally found a Video that would fit nicely.  It’s a story that speaks to how little is known by parents in regards to digital abuse.   As far as videos go, I have also found a few parts of videos that could possibly fit into the project a well.

One of the ways to stop on-line stalking is to unfriend an abusive partner on Facebook. this brings me to the Photo  I came across. I really didn’t think I was going to find much in terms of pictures, and for the most part I was right. I had to start thinking outside the box. When I started going over ways in which teens can escape and protect themselves, the unfriending suggestion was put forth.  So, that’s the way I went with the picture.

In doing this blog assignment I am really tempted to suggest our group try to get all or most of our material from Creative Commons. It does take a bit of time to search through stuff, but there is a wealth of material available. Especially in those works where you can alter and build upon them.

Putting Your Story on the Board

Image Borrowed From Amazon.com

After starting our storyboard I think our creative process remained constant. However, as I anticipated it was a bit more difficult doing it over a chat window than in person. Again, it wasn’t impossible just a bit more challenging.  We are still consistently throwing out ideas and more often than not, they fit right into the project.  Our biggest challenge is finding a time when we are all available to meet up on Google. Everyone is extremely busy so it sometimes has to be late at night.

The only thing that has really changed for us during the storyboarding step is the refinement of some of our ideas. Also, we are tying things together into a cohesive unit as opposed to a bunch of unattached ideas on a bunch of slides.  The one element I think we really need to nail is an appropriate soundtrack. We found a perfect song, and we reached out for permission to sample from it and we are still waiting. In the meantime we are searching for other options.

All in all, I am having fun with the storyboarding step. It really does give your project a vision. You can vision what it will look like on film. Our ultimate vision hasn’t changed. We want to put forward a project that is more serious than “campy”.

Brainstorm: Pre Storyboard

Image Borrowed From Wikimedia.com

The creative process in our group really took off. We started a bit in the hole because two of us missed the day the assignment was given. This put us a little behind, but we had no trouble catching up. Brainstorming over Google is a bit tricky and time-consuming, but not impossible. We are all on the same page in terms of our creative vision for the project and are throwing out some great ideas.  I like the direction in which we are going.

For our Day One project we are trying to go a little heavier.  I think the seriousness of the issue deserves the tone to convey just how serious it is.  However, we are not going too heavy since the target audience is teens. In watching the two example videos posted on E College; it seems they attempted to be a bit lighter in the delivery of their message. The real trick is transferring this onto a storyboard and really portray the project in the light we intend it.  To be honest I’m really not sure how I am going to reflect it in the storyboard, at this point.

Google Docs

 

I have had the opportunity to use Google Docs several occasions. However, most of the time I have used a Google Doc it was between a group of people who were not online at the same time. I think this is the best use for the application. That is not to say the way it was used here was not appropriate, I just didn’t think it wasn’t optimal. For me it was being on-line at the same time. I think in an optimal situation “passing” the doc back and forth makes better use of the app.

I find explaining ideas and concepts in any chat forum are difficult at times. So, going back and forth in such a manner would not be my first choice. I prefer face to face brainstorming, such as in class. Sometimes I feel if you are not a strong writer, you spend more time trying to get a point across than getting things done.

In using the program itself, I really like it. I love the way it automatically saves your work for you. Google has added several new features since I last used it, such as drag and drop photo placement and of course there is the smart phone app.

It’s nice to be able to make additions, corrections or whatever else needs to be done, without having to physically have the document in hand. You can literally go back to it an infinite number of times, any time. This saves a lot of time and if you use it appropriately you can reap many benefits. And defiantly finish a doc in little time. Just create the doc and invite who you want to be able to access it. You can also give as much or as little access and editing power as you want. As far as the writing portion of a project I think this is a beneficial tool.

TOP 5 BLOGS

Here are my picks for top 5 blogs.  I really think all the blogs were great, so I tried picking five that I thought were good but all different .

• The New and Unfamiliar  

I really thought this blog was great. The idea was so different.  Being someone who loves new experiences I think a blog that presents different ideas of things to do is great.

She made great use of the pages.  I like the idea of submitting an idea to try. This is especially great if the author actually goes out and tries them. This could bring the blog to a whole other level.

Everything here was simple to navigate and the colors were easy on the eyes. Not to mention I also agree with the idea that trying new things is important.

• Good Picks 

This is really one of my favorites. I am also an English major and love to read, so a place where I can go and talk about books is great. But not only is this about books, one can talk about anything. It seems like a place anyone can go to talk about anything.

I really think the blog is very easy to navigate and is not filled with a lot of clutter.  One of my favorite parts of the blog is the header. I think esthetically and conceptually it fits perfect.

• Sportsbyford 

Being a sports fan I can read sports blogs, news, web sites, etc., all day long.  I am partial to New York sports teams (Yankees, Rangers, Knicks, and Giants) but really take interest in all sports pro or college.

I love the simplicity of this blog. The colors and header make me feel like I’m in a sports bar.   The side bar has links to all the major sports sites, NCAA to ESPN. Everything you need is assessable through the front page.

• One Stop Shop 

Ok, this blog is cool on so many levels. Sneakers are such a big deal, so big a deal in fact; people actually get violent for some of these shoes.   I think blogging about sneakers is great. I may be dating myself but I remember growing up the canvas Nike and suede Pony’s and Pumas were all the rage. As a matter of fact that’s all that was out there, not like today with so many types and choices. A blog like this certainly clears things up a bit.

I really like the background. As a matter of fact it reminded me of the Larry “Grandmamma” Johnson and “Lil Penny “commercials of the past. I thought I would share

• itstimeformovies

This blog is so practical. Everyone is always looking for suggestions and opinions on different movies. Most people, at least I know I do, look at several different sites for movie reviews.  I like the top 5 best and worst, that’s usually what I look for in movie review sites.

This blog is very easy to read in terms of clear font and no competing colors. The only thing missing is the blog roll. It would be great if there were links to other review sites and perhaps a link to buy movie tickets. Otherwise I really like this blog

Midterm Creative Process

 

Creating our blog for the midterm was a lot of fun. I just wish we had a bit more time to mess around with them before submission. Let’s look at some of the highs and lows.
One thing that was hard, at least for me, was picking a theme. I must have tried each theme at least twice. Back and forth, back and forth, I constantly was changing it. Just when I thought I found one I liked I changed my mind. One thing that made choosing my theme a bit difficult was finding one where I could get the header exactly how I wanted it. I just happened to stumble into the header that I eventually went with. The picture I used was originally just a picture to put in my intro video.

I think creatively, using a premium theme would have made putting the blog together as far as the little intricacies. There are fun things I saw in other web sites and blogs I would have liked to include, but the limitations of the free theme didn’t allow for such. Although, I did check out other blogging sites and it seemed as though word press had the best themes. (I admit I didn’t look all that hard, so there may have been things in other blogging sites I missed.)

One other thing I had a slightly tough time with, was choosing a subject. There are many things I find interesting that I think would make good blogging subject, so choosing one was hard. However, I may after the semester, is launch a blog or two more. That is if time permits of course.

The best thing about this blog we created is it is reflective of us. We are able to blog about something we are passionate about. It was fun applying the things we have done so far here in our class blog and using these in a blog about something that reflects our individual interests.

“MAN LAWS”

Since this is an extra credit assignment, I figured I would have some fun with it.   I was browsing You Tube and accidently stumbled across this video.  These bring back many memories for me. Man Laws (Men of the Square Table) are a series of beer commercials for Miller Lite, inspired by the supposed unwritten codes by which men live. In the commercials, the panel discusses a given issue until it decides upon a “Man Law”. The “Men of the Square Table” are a parody of King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table, the “Square Table” So, for my favorite You Tube video I selected a compilation of the Miller Light “Man Law” commercials.  When I saw these commercials on You Tube I immediately thought of the name of the class “Strategic Presentation”.  The panel is composed of important, macho, and famous men.  These commercials were mainly shown during football games. Men were the obvious targets for the commercial.

The Members of the Square Table are as follows: Jerome Bettis (Mr. Bus), Oscar De La Hoya (Mr. De La Hoya), and WWE’s Triple H (Mr. H). Jim Kelley (Mr. Kelley), Jimmy Johnson (Mr. Johnson), Cary Hart (Mr. Hart) and Burt Reynolds (Mr. Reynolds) to name a few.  In the commercials, it is their job to judge what is manly and what not manly in common male situations are.  Among the topics discussed are the proper etiquette for courting a friend’s ex-girlfriend, and deciding who rightfully owns Miller Lite brought to parties.

I thought the use of the secret, conference like atmosphere inside of that “cage” was great.  The location of the “square table meetings” seemed to be in a top secret location. Also, some of the “Laws” themselves were genius. Here are some of my favorites.  When toasting with beer, should you clink with the top or the bottom of the bottle?  Man Law: The Bottom, because clinking the top would swap saliva and thus qualify as kissing.  Can a man ever get a manicure or a pedicure? Man Law: Um…Duh! Any man that does this, even if quilted by their women, has to surrender their man card immediately. So silly but yet so funny.

What make these “Man Laws” genius are not so much the laws, but who makes them. The “round table” consists of the men of all men (or who are by some circles perceived as such).  I guess it’s designed to make you feel manly if you drink Miller Light.  Just listening to the discussions at the table make me laugh so hard.

As far as the video/ commercials themselves go; the genius is how simple they are. You have a bunch of men sitting around a table, inside a “cage” with a completely dark background.  There is no flashy backdrop, no elaborate computer generated characters or backgrounds, just a simple video.  Also, there is no major musical score; this seems to me to be a very simple concept. I’m not saying the commercial was “simple” in terms of ease of production, but in terms of, well, let’s say use of props. The compilation that makes the You Tube video is not the greatest, but it’s not the worst either. I think the content in some ways excuses the very simple video editing.  While the editor could have used better transitioning, I still found the video to be very enjoyable.