Extra Credit

- What were the positive aspects of using the blogs in the course?

Being able to use a type of media while doing homework. I gained knowledge on blogging, and it was interesting to see how our coursework interloped with the media we were using to post our homework.

- What difficulties did you encounter in using the blogs? (both technical and conceptual)

I didn't really have any difficulty using the blog itself; however, it was easy to forget that the assignment was due because it required no printing out or physical turning in. Using the internet is very quick and easy, but it is also easy to overlook assignments.

- What types of blog prompts were more or less interesting or difficult? (provide an example and rationale)
I liked how we were asked to provide an example in everyday media to exemplify the concepts we were talking about in class. For example, I really enjoyed thinking of a favorite movie of mine and then putting into detail how the different shots told different things about the characters and the movie.

- Would you recommend using a blog in future course, either in RTF 305 and other undergraduate courses at UT-Austin? (explain why..)

I definitely think it is an eco-friendly way to do homework; also, it's much simpler to do everything via technology. Like I said, the only drawback is how easy it is to forget that something is due, especially on a Sunday.

- What would you suggest to change or improve the blogging experience in the future?

I would've preferred the assignment due on a different day, or at least at midnight on a Sunday. Having assignments due on a "weekend" makes them easy to overlook. 

Blog Post #7

The repeated patterns of sitcoms has always fascinated me. Growing up, I always noticed that the TV shows I watched always had the same basic plot with different twists. For example, for TV shows that take place in a high school, there is always an episode where the characters are given an egg to take care of to learn what it's like to take care of a child. It happens in Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Saved By the Bell, Boy Meets World, and Lizzie McGuire. And so each of these sitcoms have episodes that are very similar in plot, but are still interesting to to watch because we get to see our favorite characters in each of these shows and see their reactions to similar situations.

It's really funny to watch shows that are very similar in structure, albeit with very different premises, experiencing very similar plot lines within their own universe. We get to watch Buffy, Xander, and Willow in Buffy while we watch Gordo, Lizzie, and Miranda in Lizzie McGuire. Three friends, two girls and one boy, boy is in love with the main girl, and they both take place in high school. While Buffy fights vampires and demons and Lizzie worries about her bra size and Ethan Craft, the egg plot line works for both shows in similar and different ways at the same time.

Blog Post #6

One of my favorite movies is Shakespeare in Love; it's pretty damn fantastic all around, including the cinematography. In the scene where Viola and Will are at the same ball and Will sees her for the first time, director John Madden uses a variety of different shots to create his effect. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uzGGGb-_vU

In terms of a long shot, he zooms out several times during the scene to show the beauty of the dancing altogether.

In terms of a medium shot, he uses this a great deal in this scene to show the interactions of Will and Viola and the other dancers. He shows them from mid-torso up for the larger portion of the scene.

In terms of a close-up, he uses this to show how awestruck Will is at Viola's beauty when she tells him that she hears he is a poet.

And just to throw something in here - I also really love the Secret Garden, and I think its end credits has one of the most beautiful long shots I've ever seen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2c4KZAYkmQ

Blog Post #5

The studio system in the Classical Hollywood era revolved around the "big eight" studios, where most films were made, produced, and shown at theatres which were shared between these particular eight studios. They controlled most of the movie business during Hollywood's peak.

Studio systems, including those of producing and market control, explain how the "big eight" studios controlled all aspects of the market and held a monopoly over the market. Most importantly, the star system, an aspect of the studio system, controlled the types of movies the studios made.

Stars were used to represent the genres of movies made; for example, Judy Garland very often played the same type of character, particularly in musicals. While the characters in Meet Me in St. Louis and The Wizard of Oz are different, they share the same characteristics and the overall feel of the movies are similar. Therefore, Judy Garland, while talented, was very purposefully typecasted to appeal to a certain audience.

Journal Entry #3

Social Learning has an immeasurable impact on our society. The way that concepts and topics and issues are presented in a movie or TV show can either dilute or inflate their importance. For example, does the way a young girl wears her hair in middle school really have any true importance? Well, if Hannah Montana cares, then of course it matters. If a character on a popular show cheats on a test and it ends up not being a big deal, if the character gets a slap on the wrist or explains somehow that the cheating was necessary, then kids watching that will think that cheating is not really that big of a deal. Characters that are looked up to in TV and cinema have a huge impact on people - children and adults alike.

I started watching Sex and the City when I was in the eighth grade. My parents really have never cared what I watch, regardless of rating, so I've been watching material with adult content since a pretty young age. As a blanket statement, I love Sex and the City. I think it's hilarious, witty, charming, and is empowering. That being said, it's not exactly the most realistic portrayal of life at times. Namely, Samantha Jones. Samantha is very strong, catty, and extremely promiscuous. She treats having sex like taking a shower; it's something she needs to every other day, if not daily. And a good portion of the show's comedy comes from Samantha's experiences - I would have the show no other way. However, her treatment of something that can result in some serious consequences puts it in a very casual light. An impressionable teenager or even an adult who isn't thinking things through watching this show could easily say, "Hey, I want to be like Samantha!" Because she's cool and strong and together. But media portrayals of the "real world" and the real world are two very different things sometimes.

There is one particular episode of Sex and the City that sticks out in my mind. I believe it was when Miranda first learned she was pregnant and she didn't know whether she wanted to have the baby. Samantha says something along the lines of, "Well, I've had two abortions already." Regardless of a person's stance on the abortion debate, it's something that should not be taken lightly whatsoever. And the way that Samantha delivers that line makes it seem like having an abortion is like buying a pair of Jimmy Choos. TV shows that present serious issues without delving into the actual consequences of the situation for comedic reasons leave out huge chunks of important information for the viewer.

So, now that I've completely ripped one of my favorite shows apart, here's something a little more lighthearted:

Second Blog Post

Framing is a fairly basic concept that deals with how the media portrays things for the public eye. The framer chooses what the public sees, who they see, and how they see it. For example, a documentary maker could very easily frame a documentary on the fashion industry, portraying the industry as a fun and exciting thing to be apart of and how interesting fashion in itself is. That documentary maker, through her framing, could very easily leave out how bad people are potentially treated, how models starve themselves for a job, etc. But to the public's eye, the fashion industry rocks because of how she framed it.

I found a commercial that was recently produced for the New York State Department of Health's new campaign for breastfeeding (http://bit.ly/a0YYJn). Is it just me, or is does this commercial give you the heebie jeebies when you watch it? The framers of this commercial combine a money-saver (don't have to buy formula if you breastfeed) and a weight-loss technique. Who wouldn't want to do that? Maybe someone who shouldn't be breastfeeding. Maybe someone who shouldn't be going on a crash diet right after they've given birth. But to a young woman who has just given birth and is ready to lose the baby weight, this seems like the perfect option.

First Blog Post

I got my first taste of film culture at this past year's SXSW. I actually snuck into the world premiere of Cyrus, and, yes, Edward Norton was sitting three rows in front of me. Watching the absolute brilliance of the movie, how simplistic and funny and heartwarming and real it was, made me wake up to something that had been stewing in the back of my mind for a while. I started to think about movies, and how I felt about movies. And I realized that reality in itself disappoints me so much that somehow, someway, I wanted to work with and in movies for, well, ever.

So here I am. A sophomore in college, an ex-Theatre and Dance major, hoping to find some meaning to this need of mine. I'm hoping for the best.

As for a blog, I'm a big fan of a feminist (run for the hills, I know) blog called Jezebel. It's actually just a bunch of really sarcastic women (and sometimes men) getting together and commenting on really hilarious and occasionally serious topics in the news. Check it out: http://jezebel.com.