Notes from Class

Paper #2: Topics

(Jesus Camp, Devil’s Playground, Plastic Planet, An Inconvenient Truth, Koyaanisqatsi, Naqoyqatsi, Inside Job, Manufactured Landscapes)

Abstract or concrete?

Abstract: talk about things seen/effects/scene order; implied

1. ·       difficult things ex; figure ground relationship (Naqoyqatsi)($$$$)
2. ·       implicit message/comments (that Reggio might have given us about violence in the media…could argue that it is “heavy handed”)
3. ·       Soundtrack / music and how it is effective (is the music deliberately distracting the viewer? Strong emotional response? Compliment or detract?) (party background music) rhythms
4. ·       Produced in the aftermath of 9/11 – how do we see it post 9/11?
5. ·       Claim of value: no plot
6. ·       No stated purpose?
7. ·       Purpose of minimalist music (no appealing patterns, too rote and repetitious)
8. ·       Contrast between beauty of music and chaotic, artificial characteristic of the imagery
9. ·       Movement in its literal form; how different movement affect… pace, direction, repetition (LSIC?)
10. ·       Interaction between the chaos in the images in conjunction with the chaos in the music

Concrete: easily explained & pictured, easily touched

1. ·       commentary on technology (the digital age in which we dwell) (Naqoyqatsi)
2. ·       Use of special effects to portray the depersonalization of technology (blacking out of faces etc.)
3. ·       compare/contrast: organic, biological life (DNA)(human) vs. artificial/digital life (0 & 1)(human created)(artificial, edited images)
4. ·       special effects: use of and different times
5. ·       message overshadowed by emotional response to music
6. ·       analyzing how a documentary tries to appeal to different types of learners (visual, auditory, tactile)
7. ·       visual learning and the Qatsi series (we are becoming more and more visually oriented… but many people do not have great vision)

·        

What did OR didn’t you like about the film?

1. Overuse of special effects
2. Lack of plot/ground
3. Frustrated by the message Reggio attempted to portray (message was too explicit)
4. Annoying music you wish to turn off... message was overshadowed because of intense emotional response (however, correlated to the picture – agitated and aggressive and angry)
5. Distracting but beautiful music (fit the mood, wasn’t too repetitive)
6. Strong opinions – political figures & government, industry, advertisement, modern media, human and non-human interaction between all these things
7. Put me to sleep… very boring
8. Hard to focus on both music and images
9. Agitated by minimalist music

Developing a topic/ideas for a paper

1. ·       Write and outline
2. ·       Graphic organizers
3. ·       Venn Diagram
4. ·       Word vomit / get words and ideas down
5. ·       Re-watch documentary and take notes
6. ·       Talk to a friend who can take down your thoughts (what do you talk most about?)
7. ·       Have someone ask you a bunch of questions (for verbal learners)
8. ·       Record yourself speaking to someone, hold a conversation
9. ·       Go play some music (sometimes you need a little bit of distraction)
10. ·       Take a shower
11. ·       Let ideas gestate 

       For Friday

1. ·       Come with an idea
2. ·       Prepare to write 30 minutes on chosen topic
3. ·       Open to any documentary (other than grizzly man)