Man Mode

   

     For a long time women have had a saying that beauty is pain, suggesting that all the work to be desirable is a gruesome process that constantly must be maintained and upkept. But in a culture where media and pressure to be beautiful are at its highest, has it knocked down the great barrier of masculine thought? I'd say that the answer is definitely. Most products you find for women, have a male version as well.
     I believe that the pressure of Hollywood has seeped into our daily lives.  When looks are set up on such a high pedestal, we cannot ignore them without repercussions.  However chasing the definition of masculinity is a fruitless one as well as a hopeless one.
     Ultimately it is important to keep up appearances for the chase of finding one you love, while your appearance may get you a decent first impression, it doesn't speak much for your character and will not carry you further into a relationship. In my experience, It is the women who take appearances too seriously who are missing out, and I see as undesirable myself.
     That being said, If a man wants to look good I think he is entitled to it, but to be pressured to have to do it I think is wrong. Ostracizing a man for wavering too far on either side I believe is a mistake.

the new age of casting

     A new phenomenon to hit youtube is casting personal gameplay of various games. Certain personalities have arison from this new form of entertainment one of which are the game grumps. Their for of entertainment is to play videogames and do commentary at the same time. allowing the viewers to join in on the fun. From their success they have become fully sufficient by simply continuing to play video games as a living because their subscriptions have become so high and youtube pays them for continued support of their site.
     they play games from game boy games to, atari, to n64, to even the most elusive of indie games. Their archive of titles played has reached over 50 different games, often giving multiple casts per game.
     I'm not sure how things like this have come to popularity. I for one enjoy learning about various games before I purchase them, as well as how fun they can be multiplayer, just as well It is enjoyable to watch someone laugh and respond to experiences that you are familiar with as well. All the while the casters are having so much fun and inputing hilarious commentary to fill the gaps and double the fun. Many casters work solo, joining friends from time to time, but these "game grumps" have been approaching this as a duo from the start. allowing them to play off of one another wit.
    I do not know where this genre of entertainment came from but I doubt it is going anywhere. With home media growing, and the videogame industry booming, there is much room for this form of entertainment to flourish. Some of these casters are truly lovable, I suggest looking them up

Hi Ma!

     I absolutely love Heima! From the pastoral scenes of planes to the time lapse of clouds floating above the mountains, to fog arising from the canopy. Every shot of this is absolutely beautiful.  it takes a whole new look at the world we live in. Allowing us to experience it in a whole new way, along with their music.
     This transcendental experience is one worth seeing. It follows a band of four traveling from one locale to another performing full concerts for free. Often times set up in breathe-taking landscapes. Their music amplifies the wonder and beauty of the world we live in.
     The movie is entitled "Heima" which translates to "Home." Their message gives us a calling to experience our home our world in a whole new fashion, seeing the trees and rushing water as living and full as ourselves, connecting one being to another. The videography of this meets the balance of telling their story, advertising their music, and glorifying the beauty of the world we live in, all while serving each community with song and service. I am So glad I got to see this before graduating.
     This movie is beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

Bros and Does

     Seven Brides to seven brothers was released in 1954, and oh boy does it show it. From the quality of film, to the voice overs and folley, to the type of humor, and genre of music they sing even the type of camera angles they utilize. Although I enjoyed the movie all in all. It isn't one that I would have sought out on my own, but I am glad I got to see it.
     The movie centers around a couple getting married and coming to live together they must lie with his six uncouth brothers. Convinced to civilize them She teaches them how to court a woman, and we follow them along this path as they get into all sorts of trouble. After their little effort has been shot down they turn to a history book. That teaches of how the roman soldiers stole women from far nations and brought them home to wed. Against their better judgement they decide to utilize the same tactic. Once they have six women captive they attempt to court them resulting in much laughter.
     The amount of physical comedy was kind of refreshing, it reminded me of the three stooges. Which I have not seen for a long tine. Even though they come across as foolish, there is something sincere about this type of humor. The external struggle is something we can easily see and relate to. All together seven brides was a good movie, but you do have to understand the context of when it came out to enjoy the movie.

Too cool to school

     School of Rock just screams Jack Black. I'm certain whatever director hires Jack Black to act in his film, he knows that the writer will have to make room for Jack's improvisation. Personally, he is one of my favorite actors. Sure he is over the top and he can be a bit crude, but its his energy and devotion that puts him at the top of my list. That and I truly enjoy the music the envelopes much of his films, from Tenacious D to School of Rock.
    I love the lesson that School of Rock teaches, and I agree that there should be a greater push for arts in our education system. I understand the need for core curriculum, but the weight of these topics compared to others is far out of balance. Sometimes for the sake of greater good we need to bend the rules a bit. After it is those who think outside of the box that progress our kind forward. Then again isn't that the contribution of all creativity in our culture?
     This is perfectly embodied by this film. Taking a group of talented individuals with the direction of a deviant, magnificent production comes to fruition. Through a bit of wiggling through the system and pulling a few strings Jack Black gets to just a position to do this, but near the end it begins to fall down upon him. The fear of the parents, and the structure of the school comes to bring judgement upon the class. At the last moment, the parents come to see their children perform that which they have been working on for so long, and they leave the audience amazed.
     It is sad that we are often scared to take a chance and put ourselves out there, when it can result in awesomeness.

Pony Spotlight: Fluttershy

     Lastly, Fluttershy. Fluttershy is a pegasus pony with an affinity for nature. Often times she will be communing with nature, or tending to the many creatures of the forest. her home is absolutely brimming with all sorts of wild animals who have an affection for Fluttershy.  Although when it comes to having so communicate with her fellow ponies she is quite meek. as it says in her name she is very shy, her voice is always carried softly. Her low self esteem creates many obstacles for her that she is reluctant to face, but with the strength and support of her friends she is carried forward, yet is a valuable asset when you least expect it. When it comes to defending her friends she sets her concerns aside and confronts the problem head on.
     personally this is my favorite pony of the main six ponies. Her concern for others, and patience is never-ending even though it is rarely rewarded she persists. Her shyness may seem over the top at times, it gives her a flaw making her both realistic and lovable. there are even episodes focused on her overcoming her internal demons, facing her shyness and overcoming it, but the writers still maintain that development while keeping her shy nature still in tact which is central to her personality as a character of the show.
    I think that this persistant unconditional kindness often goes unnoticed and is vital in maintaining a friendship. for this reason Fluttershy is my favorite as she embodies the element of friendship: Kindness.

Pony Spotlight: Pinkie Pie

     Number five on the list is Pinkie Pie. The absolute insanity of the show wrapped into one character. She is a nutcase. She is known in the town for hosting parties, some for the most trivial reasons. With an extremely outgoing personality, smiles are all that matter to her. Working in a party shop making cakes, and selling party goods, she is never short handed when it comes to prop gags or random jokes. She is a bit on the loony side, constantly living in her own world. Although that doesn't keep her from being kind, and nothing keeps her from being happy as long as her friends are around.
     The writers utilize her as the comic relief all the time, often breaking the fourth wall, and at times breaking physics for a giggle. While she is as loved and dynamic as any character in the show, she is often utilized as a wildcard to keep the story lighthearted. She fits into a very small spot that teeters between, the comic relief, a realistic character, a developing personality, and having motives, flaws, and an appeal.
    When it comes to this group of friends she is definitely a catalyst that keeps things moving, as well as keeps the humor flowing. As a key part of friendship, her element of friendship is laughter. Because who wants to be friends without a few laughs.

Pony Spotlight: Pinkie Pie

     Number five on the list is Pinkie Pie. The absolute insanity of the show wrapped into one character. She is a nutcase. She is known in the town for hosting parties, some for the most trivial reasons. With an extremely outgoing personality, smiles are all that matter to her. Working in a party shop making cakes, and selling party goods, she is never short handed when it comes to prop gags or random jokes. She is a bit on the loony side, constantly living in her own world. Although that doesn't keep her from being kind, and nothing keeps her from being happy as long as her friends are around.
     The writers utilize her as the comic relief all the time, often breaking the fourth wall, and at times breaking physics for a giggle. While she is as loved and dynamic as any character in the show, she is often utilized as a wildcard to keep the story lighthearted. She fits into a very small spot that teeters between, the comic relief, a realistic character, a developing personality, and having motives, flaws, and an appeal.
    When it comes to this group of friends she is definitely a catalyst that keeps things moving, as well as keeps the humor flowing. As a key part of friendship, her element of friendship is laughter. Because who wants to be friends without a few laughs.

Pony Spotlight: Rarity

     The fourth pony in line is none other than Rarity! She is a unicorn with an interest in all things regal. obsessed with the finer things in life, she aspires to be a diva in the spotlight. Her claim to fame is her eye for fashion. She lives and works is a design firm working on her masterpieces. She may come off as a bit prissy and high maintenance, which really made her an annoyance for me. Although she definitely has earned her place in the main cast.
      She tends to be over dramatic in any situation possible. One moment she would complain about the rain ruining her hair, and the next moment she would be giving a stranger her umbrella. Her Element of friendship is Generosity, which she does exhibit. but her tendencies to nag and complain confuse me when combined with her generous nature. The writers of the show have played up her diva-ness for humor is some episodes, but have yet to brake her character in the process. she has butted heads with both Rainbowdash with her brashness, and Applejack with her down and dirty work ethic.
     in the first season I could not stand her presence on screen, and thought she was a major input for the female viewership. As the show progressed she became more pivotal to the show, and her nature became fun to explore, and her character more relatable than annoying. While she isn't my favorite character I'm glad she is a part of the show. because every good group of friends needs some generosity.

Pony Spotlight: Applejack

     Number three in the line up is Applejack. She is an earthpony, meaning she isn't a unicorn or a Pegasus, just a regular ole pony. She is one of the residents of Ponyville. Living on the farm with her many relatives in the apple family, she works to run the family farm: Sweet Apple Acres. In the show she is depicted as a workhorse. She is often out bucking apples out of trees and collecting them to produce tasty pies, apple cider, and other apple products. The creators really drove this apple thing home with this character.
    She is a mature pony that is often the voice of reason. With a hint of superstition, she often gives good advice and will give an honest effort to help her friends. Unfortunately, the writers have not explored Applejack's character near as much as the others in the main 6. there have been some episodes in the series that have focused on her, but they result in others learning a lesson. This lack of development in her character leaves her very static and unrelatable. As a result, Applejack is one of the least favorite ponies within the fan-base. That's not at all to say she isn't liked.
     Between her friends, she is the solid base that keeps everyone together. Always tried and true friend, she will always be there to help with an honest effort. She is a pony that lives up to her element of friendship: Honesty. Even though it may be hard to hear at times.

Pony Spotlight: Rainbow Dash

      The second of the 6 main characters in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is Rainbow Dash. She is a Pegasus with dreams of being a great athlete. Tasked with controlling the weather she flies to the height of the clouds and wrangles them as she sees fit, and stomping on them to make rain and thunder. A ploy she uses to play pranks and scare her friends for fun. Often times you will find her relaxing upon a cloud nonchalantly floating about. Although, when she is called to action or disagrees with someone she will burst into flight racing through the skies to the aid of her friends.  She is a bit of a hothead eager to rush into any conflict to face it head on. With a bit of an ego she isn't afraid to puff up her chest and call someone out on their misbehavior. She has great ambitions to strive to new heights, always pushing herself to be her very best, hoping to join a crew of professional flyers, constantly showing off to gain respect of others, but when push comes to shove, and her time to shine has come she is often struck with stage freight. Throughout the series she has been known to be foolhardy in her attempts to maintain her reputation, Taking action or boasting without forethought. often getting her into sticky situations that easily could have been avoided. Her character was very well explored during the second season of the show, gaining much popularity as well. The audience loves a character that they can relate to, both in triumphs as well as shortcomings. In the second season she would sew her own mistakes and grow to learn from them. Something that we as an audience love to see, and grow closer to her through her endeavors, because nobody wants to see a static character that is always predictable, and never grows from their experiences. It simply doesn't keep our attention. After all who couldn't relate to a character with great ambitions, strong morals, and a bit of stage freight. A true dependable rock for her friends, her Element of Friendship is Loyalty. Symbolizing her devotion to her friends and the willingness to be there whenever she is needed. Being as fast as she is, she could be everywhere at the same time. Its no wonder why she is so dependable.

Pony Spotlight: Twilight Sparkle

     In My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, you begin by following the character named Twilight Sparkle (bear with me). She is an intelligent unicorn tasked with moving to a new town to study "friendship" by her personal mentor, who is the princess/deity of the world. she sees little value in socializing, instead spending her efforts by herself studying. Once she reaches her new hometown she reluctantly greets the residents to return home and continue her studies. she reads of a terror that will befall the town, and a relic of magical power that can combat it. Rushing out of town to find this relic, she is reluctantly joined by 5 of her neighbors. together they face perilous obstacles, surmounting them with the aid of each follower. Once they reach the relic they are faced with the terror that was to come. Together they defeat it with the Strong positive qualities of each character. Gaining respect for her new friends, she finally sees the value in friendship, and devotes herself to the study of it.
      Twilight Sparkle is a great introduction to the series, both for children and for "haters" of the show. she takes on the same resistant view that her audience may have and gradually finds value in her task, as that audience does the same. She is very much a bookworm, with an unwavering work ethic. Placing unrealistically high standards upon herself. Being very analytical and left brained, she doesn't easily grasp social norms and interactions. but will work tirelessly until she does. I think there is something we can all learn from this pony. We can achieve great things with a proper work ethic, raising ourselves to new heights of happiness and success, but we must be careful of not overbearing ourselves, chaining ourselves to isolation, and incontestability. A fantastic resource as a friend, her element of friendship is Magic. Reflecting the amazing achievements accomplished with her personality. not to mention she can use magic. did I say she could Use magic? That's what she was studying with the princess... magic...

Their Little Ponies

      Magic? Mythology? Friendship? Yes. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the fourth generation of the My Little Pony TV show. Originally, like many tv shows, Hasbro created it to support the sales through advertising for their line of toys, but something unexpected happened. The content of the show, in addition to the ingenious directing of lead writer and illustrator Lauren Faust, the target audience grew to new heights. No longer did the show reach out only to girls age 4-8, but to both boys and girls, ranging in age from 4 all the way to 60. How did the fourth generation break the strong connotation of being a children's show, and touch the hearts of so many viewers?
      When I first heard of it from a friend, I as just a skeptical, and humored by the thought of him watching it. after a few weeks of him mentioning it, I humored him and sat down to watch a few. In this bright and colorful world, the characters seem very applicable to personalities you might find in the real world. Each episode plays these characters off of each other, in a very fun, insightful, and progressive way that lends itself to the development of the plot. Often times they are sent on an adventure to settle matters in haunted forests, or dragon's caves, or deep into a bog, climbing mountains and running from a number of mythological beasts. the adventurous aspect draws the interest of more of the male viewers, while still maintaining the social tension that is present in many chick flicks in the end it is the strengths and support of one another that helps everyone through the task, leaving an optimistic, but not childish, feeling to each episode. A direction that most tv shows have long forgotten.
      This show is something unique, and not to be held to all the childish connotations it holds. All with fantastic animation and appealing design. If you're interested, I would suggest watching the first three or four episodes to get a good feel for the show. you may be surprised what you find.

So Purdy

Wizards of the Coast has created a card game that has been on the top 5 list for the past decade and has no intention of losing its throne. The card game is entitled “Magic: the Gathering.”  A collectable card game like this requires users to purchase individual cards and combine them to create the decks they will play with. This customizability allows for endless variations of games. While solid game mechanics sustains any collectable card game, magic has gone a step above and beyond. They search out and commission many artists from across the globe to create artwork for each printed card. Yet even with such variety, Wizards has been capable of keeping certain design aesthetics between the varying categories of card types. Every four months they endeavor to create another set of cards to fuel the players, truly a difficult feat. They have been a great supporter of continued creating of amazing digital artwork.

            My desire is to go into the field of 3d character animation, but if that were to fall through my second dream job would be commissioned to create pieces for Magic. While Most of the artwork is made using Photoshop, Paintings are also permitted as long as they stay within the parameters. I know that there is a large gap between my skill and theirs, but it’s all so inspiring.  If you are tight on funds, I would not suggest getting into this game, but at the very least you must admire its artwork.

The Great MMO Migration

            Recently I have stumbled upon a campaign funded by Battlenet, which is the video game company responsible for man hits. They are attempting to revitalize the player-base in their MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) Guild Wars 2.

Utilizing media from all genres they put the ball in the hands of the consumers to liven up the campaign. Under the guise of ‘The Great MMO Migration” Battlenet asked consumers to record themselves performing in front of the camera. They are to recite an oath that they create Madlibs style allowing each person to create a unique oath. Once the recording is done they need to submit it to Youtube for all to see in order to win a copy of the game for free.

As far as advertising goes for a video game, this is a step forward. As a guy who enjoys watching others on Youtube, this has motivated me to submit my first video to Youtube.  I love this type of advertising. Instead of spoon-feeding consumers as they sit on their bums, it urges them to get out of their chairs and create. Its got video, scripting, acting, beautiful artwork, wonderful audio, and video games all wrapped into a ball. Best of all, it’s created by the gaming community, allowing the players to become acquainted with the guilds they are a part of.

Late to the party

             On the special day with visiting professor Ballinger, we saw some amazing music videos. I believe that music videos speak more truly to an era, a snapshot of the culture in a certain day in age. The day began with the first music video aired on mtv. The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” was an iconic song that ushered the era of video entertainment. It set the framework for many music videos to come.  It consisted of shots with dressed up musicians playing their instruments accompanied by artistic, interpretive dancing shots. Giving the video a feel of a long montage.

Another memorable piece was Carpark North’s “Human.” This video was still pieced together much like a montage although there was more of a narrative aspect to it. Even though the shots seem entirely disparate, as the video progresses we are able to piece together their character and their struggles to truly understand what it means to be Human.

Lastly, “Sometimes the Stars” by Adelaide is a wonderful song that is accompanied by an animation as its music video. It follows a girl in a fantasy world as she travels on a trolley. It is very much a narrative. Without dialogue we understand the girl through the song. Even though this genre of music is not my favorite, the music video brought it up to the top of my favorites list. Definitely one of the most memorable days of DM 101.

Finally, 3D CG!!

Finally Leeper shows some good animations! Thursdays class was full of great quality, appealing 3d animation. 3d being my personal prefferance it was exciting to see some professional pieces. As great as pffffirate was I actually find the music education short more memorable. Its simplicity in story telling and interesting render style served it very well. Also the curiosity of the context held your attention until all came clear at the end. A very difficult task to accomplish in a short commercial. The award winning short with the two characters and a doorway was another memorable one for me. It was just as entertaining, and the characters' personalities were very well defined through expression and body language. This is a sign of fantastic animation, where no dialogue is needed to support the character's persona, and the progression of the plot. As I go to consider my options for senior project I wil be keeping this in mind. In my portfolio I wish for my same basic character model to come through with entirely different personalities in each clip. As for the style of 3d I agree with Leeper, there are few boundaries wih 3d animation software, and It can easily aid in many different media, but it sure is easy to get lost in trying to capture realism in every step of 3d production.

Sid Meier's Civilization V is a fantastic game with insightful texts, historically accurate scenarios, and animated rulers from various cultures such as Attila the Huns and Oda Nabunaga. Your kingship is put to the test as you compete with other civilizations, militarily, culturally, scientifically, religiously, and economically. You Rule the ages turn by turn, progressing you people toward global power, achieved through many different means. I have played through a few rounds enjoying the intellectual nature of the game. My favorite thing is the historic quotes you get once you reach a certain point in history, or once you build one of the world wonders. They are large architectural accomplishments through out the ages. for example the Statue of Liberty, or the Pyramids. I mentioned that religion was a portion of the game. You gain faith from religious structures or resources that you can spend to create missionaries. these missionaries can travel to other cities to influence them with your nation's religion. Personally I think this is a very simplified view of religion. It disregards the influence of wars, and morale of the people, as well as the influence of natural disasters, or the values of a religion.
    I suppose this isn't a game entirely centered on religion. Given its shortcomings its still a very enjoyable game. Who doesn't wish to influence the stream of history? Weather you are a military general at heart or a diplomat, this game has got something in store for you. Currently I'm in a game as Queen Theodora of Spain in the industrial era, building my nation to be the cultural center of the world, fending off Ramkhamhaeng's armies allied with the Ottoman empire. Its fun to think of all the different ways history could have unraveled, as well as how we are so greatly influenced by the land we live on.

SuSuSurya

Tonight I watched Blood Brothers, a documentary about a man’s connection with India and a community of HIV infected children. This stunning documentary, take you on a journey through the trenches alongside a young man named Rocky. He shows us the life these kids experience daily. As the film progresses, we witness tragedies that surround their lives.

            Rocky is a very down to earth young man who takes these children under his wing as they refer to him as big brother.  At first we are introduced to these children as though they are regular children, so we can love them without bias. Later on we are shown the true horror of their disease.

            Personally I could not picture myself doing the things he has done. While I don’t see myself as callous or uncaring, I’m not sure I’d have the guts to live in these conditions. To take the risk of subjecting myself to the disease would be crazy.

            What particularly touched me was the story of Surya. He succumbed to HIV, having his flesh fall from his face and organs riddled with sores. The doctors claimed he had less than 10% chance of surviving. Rocky took it upon himself to stay by Surya and serve his in whatever way he could. Days and nights passed and Surya slowly came out of it. Rocky praises God for Saving Surya, but the Doctors claim it was Rocky that saved his life. The bible tells us to reflect God’s love into the earth. This is all I could think about during the closing minutes of the Documentary.