This really isn't class related...
So, I've been running around the city today - waiting for stores to open, waiting in lines, asking around, trying to find a copy of Wii Fit. I couldn't get it. Nintendoworld (the happiest place on earth) sold out while I was in line (in a half hour) I know, silly, but hey - I want it. Why? Because somewhere in my mind I feel that buying an 80 dollar video-game will lead me to the path of healthy living. I might lose a few pounds, feel a little more confident about myself, maybe have some motivation to keep a "Wii Work Out" regimen. But really, I want it because it looks fun! Yay consumerism! Looks like I'll be waking up early to wait a couple hours in line again tomorrow. Fun times.
To cheer me up a bit, because Parker Posey never fails to make my heart happy, I'll post a video. If you haven't seen "Waiting for Guffman," I suggest you rent/buy/borrow/illegally download it NOW. This is a deleted scene...and the greatest monologue EVER. Enjoy!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
One True Authentic Swing
So - in listening to the soundscape, here's a play by play of what I was hearing:
From the start to about 0:32:
Hooting, rustling of clothes, feet on grass, crickets chirping, older man's voice, young boy's voice, old narrative voice. (Story telling time).
From 0:32-1:02:
More voice, tick of the golf-ball being hit with club, chirping of birds/crickets - low noise on cue with the "grass growing" line. The noise is almost the voice of nature in a sense - a low whisper that soon becomes a moan (not a human moan - but a moan of the earth and air).
The air-moan becomes more mystical at 1:25 and a higher pitch like that of frogs croaking seems to come in.
At 1:42 the music begins to trickle into the breath of nature - creating a magical quality. Here we start to see how epic this moment is through the tones filtered into the soundscape. The music continues through the voices and the noises of the night, and the voice of Will Smith becomes that of a wise old man. The music swells at 2:46 and at 2:55 it sounds like a double layering of voices over Smith's voice - the wise old man becomes a sage/shaman/wizard almost. The encouragement/mystical quality ends at 3:25 when the boy makes that One True Authentic Swing and sinks the ball. It all seems to blow away with the night air. And the two head back home.
From the start to about 0:32:
Hooting, rustling of clothes, feet on grass, crickets chirping, older man's voice, young boy's voice, old narrative voice. (Story telling time).
From 0:32-1:02:
More voice, tick of the golf-ball being hit with club, chirping of birds/crickets - low noise on cue with the "grass growing" line. The noise is almost the voice of nature in a sense - a low whisper that soon becomes a moan (not a human moan - but a moan of the earth and air).
The air-moan becomes more mystical at 1:25 and a higher pitch like that of frogs croaking seems to come in.
At 1:42 the music begins to trickle into the breath of nature - creating a magical quality. Here we start to see how epic this moment is through the tones filtered into the soundscape. The music continues through the voices and the noises of the night, and the voice of Will Smith becomes that of a wise old man. The music swells at 2:46 and at 2:55 it sounds like a double layering of voices over Smith's voice - the wise old man becomes a sage/shaman/wizard almost. The encouragement/mystical quality ends at 3:25 when the boy makes that One True Authentic Swing and sinks the ball. It all seems to blow away with the night air. And the two head back home.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Orson Welles and Baz Luhrmann Walk into a Bar...
I find it interesting how we as artists become all too focused on "honing our craft." We forget how exciting the sound of clouds can be. There are many visionaries in each of our respective fields, but what seems to inspire the innovation that seems to pour from their minds? An all black Macbeth, a highly stylized ballroom version of Romeo and Juliet - these artistic visions succeed whereas some other...less informed choices fail. Why do these heightened productions work, but something like the Japanese Kabuki version of Angels in America leaves the viewer with a stale after-taste?
The text matters, being truthful to that while maintaining a level of excitement, respecting a playwright's vision - not wearing blinders that scholars so often wear when dealing with form and syntax, or placing a veil of style on-top of a piece but instead working within the piece to explore these innovative ideas. These works become exciting for everyone involved - the viewer and those performing. That pure excitement and sense of wonder, the "Ah" moments give these pieces power and a sense of magic. Leaving pretense behind, and going just far enough to blow the socks off the traditions held by the play - this is what a great director does. Informed, artistic choices yield powerful, lasting performances.
Baz Luhrmann's vision:
Orson Welles' vision:
The text matters, being truthful to that while maintaining a level of excitement, respecting a playwright's vision - not wearing blinders that scholars so often wear when dealing with form and syntax, or placing a veil of style on-top of a piece but instead working within the piece to explore these innovative ideas. These works become exciting for everyone involved - the viewer and those performing. That pure excitement and sense of wonder, the "Ah" moments give these pieces power and a sense of magic. Leaving pretense behind, and going just far enough to blow the socks off the traditions held by the play - this is what a great director does. Informed, artistic choices yield powerful, lasting performances.
Baz Luhrmann's vision:
Orson Welles' vision:
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
It Begins
Alright. Here we go.
I have a hard time with blogs. I do enjoy them, but usually blogs and I have moments in time when we're madly, madly in love - usually when I'm madly, madly in love...or when I'm just...mad. I had a live journal and a xanga (both back in high school, xanga was junior high...very angsty) and while it's fun to relive memories - I have a hard time keeping up with any blog.
This should be different - I'll be able to reflect in an informal fashion or just post things I find interesting/quirky/fun (the quirky fun part may come after this course has finished, as I plan on keeping this blog for a while).
Some ideas that we've touched upon in class keep swimming around in my brain - and I figure I might as well get them out. The notion of the internet as the great equalizer - the constant bridging of ideas and information, is very truthful. But along with the neutralization of distance and time as factors in information sharing and communicating, we have fractured ourselves into many identities. There are web-communities for any and all walks of life. Any identity/hobby/activity/fetish you can think of - I'm sure there's a message board somewhere exploring that. Does this create a rift in our "connectedness?" I would say no, but there are many who would actively disengage or discriminate if they knew all the identities the internet has enabled us to take on. It's about sharing information, sharing opinion, and sharing a way of life - and that is what makes the internet so exciting!
I have a hard time with blogs. I do enjoy them, but usually blogs and I have moments in time when we're madly, madly in love - usually when I'm madly, madly in love...or when I'm just...mad. I had a live journal and a xanga (both back in high school, xanga was junior high...very angsty) and while it's fun to relive memories - I have a hard time keeping up with any blog.
This should be different - I'll be able to reflect in an informal fashion or just post things I find interesting/quirky/fun (the quirky fun part may come after this course has finished, as I plan on keeping this blog for a while).
Some ideas that we've touched upon in class keep swimming around in my brain - and I figure I might as well get them out. The notion of the internet as the great equalizer - the constant bridging of ideas and information, is very truthful. But along with the neutralization of distance and time as factors in information sharing and communicating, we have fractured ourselves into many identities. There are web-communities for any and all walks of life. Any identity/hobby/activity/fetish you can think of - I'm sure there's a message board somewhere exploring that. Does this create a rift in our "connectedness?" I would say no, but there are many who would actively disengage or discriminate if they knew all the identities the internet has enabled us to take on. It's about sharing information, sharing opinion, and sharing a way of life - and that is what makes the internet so exciting!
Speaking of sharing (smooth, I know) I figured I'd end now before I ramble on too much (too late) - but before I go, here's some Leslie Feist to wrap your brain around (I wanted to post more than one video - but I don't know how to create a "behind the cut" link so it wouldn't crowd the page). Anywho - I'm already thinking ahead about what work I want to focus on for my first analysis - this is option one (p.s. I've always wanted to dance on a moving sidewalk):
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