Adam's Blog

Media Integration

2006-12-13T12:16:00.000-08:00

One way I would like to integrate media into my instruction is by analyzing the news. I would like to bring in various news broadcasts and analyze what is being shown, who is delivering the news, and who can we trust. I would figure out what type of news students are viewing and then tackle the issue of who owns the news and information. After introducing various news outlets we would discuss the problems with the media and then try and then discuss how we as citizens can try and solve the problems. I would bring in the issue of ownership, money, and politics. I would like to give them the feeling that they have some power and they can make changes.

Music

2006-12-13T11:16:00.000-08:00

Since I’ve been in high school, my friends and I have enjoyed seeing live music. I have enjoyed mostly rock concerts. I have had the opportunity to see many great bands and artists such as Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Sting, Guns N’ Roses, and many others. Different things attract me to different concerts. I love when crowds get fired up and are only interested in getting crazy and having a good time (AC/DC, Pearl Jam). I love seeing and hearing good songs by good musicians (Johnny Lang, Norah Jones). I love the music that reminds me of being a kid (Poison, Aerosmith). Of all the concerts I’ve ever been to, the ones that were the most fun were the ones that I’ve traveled to see with my friends. During my college years, my friends and I have seen the Dave Matthews Band around fifteen times. Some of us have been to more shows than others but at least once a summer we would all be together. The DMB seem to captured all of us the same at the same time. We all loved the music and loved being together and having a good time. Some of us still travel, others have moved on but it was something that we all looked forward to and something that will always have. The one song that represents these times is the song, “Ants Marching.” This was the signature song that the DMB would end their shows with and the song that everyone new the words to. It’s pretty cool to see 40 thousand people all singing the same song. The music was all about love, living for today, and having fun. The theme of the music seemed to fit perfectly for us and many like us.

Ants Marching Lyrics

He wakes up in the morning
Does his teeth bite to eat and he's rolling
Never changes a thing
The week ends the week begins
She thinks, we look at each other
Wondering what the other is thinking
But we never say a thing
These crimes between us grow deeper

Goes to visit his mommy
She feeds him well his concerns
He forgets them
And remembers being small
Playing under the table and dreaming

Take these chances
Place them in a box until a quieter time
Lights down, you up and die

Driving in on this highway
All these cars and upon the sidewalk
People in every direction
No words exchanged
No time to exchange

And all the little ants are marching
Red and black antennas waving
They all do it the same
They all do it the same way

Candyman tempting the thoughts of a
Sweet tooth tortured by the weight loss
Program cutting the corners
Loose end, loose end, cut, cut
On the fence, could not to offend
Cut, cut, cut, cut

Take these chances
Place them in a box until a quieter time
Lights down, you up and die

Documentary

2006-12-13T10:53:00.000-08:00

I would make a documentary about money, status, and lottery winners. I would want to show the impact that sudden wealth would have on a low/average income family.
The message being brought by this film would be the power of money. This documentary would look at the issue of trust and friendship. It would also analyze position in society and how people cope with being swept from one position to another.

This documentary would follow the winning family and document the changes that all family members have gone through. I would interview all members of their immediate family, other relatives, friends, members of the community, teachers, and anyone else in contact with the family. It would be interesting to see how the family is perceived by those around them. I would want to track relationships and see how that relationship changes over time. I would also want to track the family’s overall happiness and ask them to describe the changes, advantages, and disadvantages to winning the lottery. I would show how they chose to spend their money. How much money do they give to whom? What types of gifts do they give out? Who is trying to get in contact with them? Do they feel unsafe? It may be difficult to get authentic feelings out of people around them and the families would probably think it’s an invasion of privacy.

The News

2006-11-09T13:21:00.001-08:00

News: KARE 11 – 5:00
Date: 11/8/06

Story/ Time/ Type of News

1. Rumsfeld Resigns 1:30 Political
2. Pawlenty Wins 1:15 Political
3. Hatch Loses 1:15 Political
4. Democrats take House :45 Political
5. Firsts 2:00 Political
(Ellison/Klobuchar/Bachman)
6. Voter Turnout :10 Political
7. Senate Races (National) :30 Political
8. New Speaker (Pelosi) :20 Political
9. Lieberman :10 Politcal
10. Local Election 1:00 Political
(Referendums, Sherifs)
11. Gay Marriage/Abortion 1:00 Political
12. Spring weather 2:00 Weather
13. Weather report 2:40 Weather
14. Flu Vaccine 1:00 Health
15. Bra/Bag invention 1:00 Misc.

There were many commercial breaks and a lot of time spent previewing what was ahead. Since it was the day after the election most coverage was focused on the results. People want to know who was elected. The broadcast is meant to catch people getting home from work and focused on mainly political stories. There was not a sports story. Most sporting events are covered in other broadcasts. I felt like the coverage did an adequate job of covering the headlines in the news. They had interviews with people of both political parties. They gave like time to Bauchman and Klobuchar. Local news is short but sweet with a lot of commercial interuptions.

The News

2006-11-09T13:21:00.000-08:00

News: KARE 11 – 5:00
Date: 11/8/06

Story Time Type of News

1. Rumsfeld Resigns 1:30 Political
2. Pawlenty Wins 1:15 Political
3. Hatch Loses 1:15 Political
4. Democrats take House :45 Political
5. Firsts 2:00 Political
(Ellison/Klobuchar/Bachman)
6. Voter Turnout :10 Political
7. Senate Races (National) :30 Political
8. New Speaker (Pelosi) :20 Political
9. Lieberman :10 Politcal
10. Local Election 1:00 Political
(Referendums, Sherifs)
11. Gay Marriage/Abortion 1:00 Political
12. Spring weather 2:00 Weather
13. Weather report 2:40 Weather
14. Flu Vaccine 1:00 Health
15. Bra/Bag invention 1:00 Misc.

There were many commercial breaks and a lot of time spent previewing what was ahead. Since it was the day after the election most coverage was focused on the results. People want to know who was elected. The broadcast is meant to catch people getting home from work and focused on mainly political stories. There was not a sports story. Most sporting events are covered in other broadcasts. I felt like the coverage did an adequate job of covering the headlines in the news. They had interviews with people of both political parties. They gave like time to Bauchman and Klobuchar. Local news is short but sweet with a lot of commercial interuptions.

Advertising

2006-11-08T11:51:00.000-08:00

I looked at various tobacco ads in men’s magazines. The target audience for these ads are men, specifically young men. The magazines that feature smokeless tobacco ads are geared towards men (Gentlemen’s magazines, sports magazines). Most of the men depicted in these ads look to be between the ages of 18 and 30 years old. The ads often feature men playing golf or participating in a recreational activity. The ads often will come across very masculine. In a copenhagen ad, the slogan reads, “Real Men Cope.”

The Skoal company has new flavors of chew such as apple, wild berry, and peach. They also sell their product in pouches that make it easier to chew. The pouches prevent grains from moving around your mouth and going down your throat. One ad states, “Who says you can’t chew at work.” I believe the flavors and pouches are starter products that make it easier for a new chewer to easily consume their products.

Advertising fuels addiction. No matter how you became addicted or why you started, the companies are happy because they got you. I’ve faced a number of addictions in my day and have felt the full power of the advertising media. No matter what your addiction, the advertisements are hard to hide from. McDonalds always looks so good, smoking always looks so cool, and drinking always looks so fun. I believe that you can know something is wrong and you can even know a product will kill you but when it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter. The ability for companies to mass produce things like sugar allows people to indulge in whatever may make them happy. The advertisers job is to keep people hooked and they are doing a good job.

Teen Movie Genre

2006-11-02T11:59:00.000-08:00

Genre: Teen Movies/Comedy

Movie: Dazed and Confused

This movie is appealing because it captures the fun we remember from our own high school days. This movie is fun for me because I know people who were remind me of the charaters in the movie. The dialog between characters is appealing because they deal with having a good time, the next party, and who’s doing what with who. It’s a movie with not much going on but that is what we can all kind of relate to.

Typcial Roles/Characters:

The Quarterback
The Quarerback’s girlfriend
The Mean girl
The Jerk
The older guy who still hangs with high school kids.
The Stoner
The “dorky” kid
The quiet girl

The Setting: This movie (like other teen movies) takes place at their high school and around their town.

The storyline: This story is about kids doing what kids do (partying, drinking, drugs). It’s about freedom, youth rebellion, having fun,and growing up.

There is also a message of groups and being cool. The cool kids are the one’s who play football, drink, smoke grass, and have sex. The cool kids dress in a certain way, talk a certain way, hang out in certain places, and behave in certain ways. The problem for the younger kids is to be cool and accepted by the older kids. The younger kids are pressured to join the “in” crowd and engage in similar behaviors. The characters in the film are into having fun and enjoying being free.

Media Ethnography

2006-10-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

Every Thursday as I roll into the lunchroom I will no doubt hear the words, “I’m so excited, my show’s on tonight.” It may not be the same person but it will be said. It’s funny that so many people call the same show, “my show” but it makes sense. The show in question is Grey’s Anatomy and the female dominated lunchroom will spend their entire half hour lunch talking with one another about Dr. McDreamy’s hair. As I talked with some people who claim to have a television show that is “their” show, I found some interesting things.

Those that I spoke with said that the reason that attracted them to the shows are the characters. They were drawn to the shows because they needed to know what happened next. It seems to be more about who the character’s were involved with and less about what was going on at the hospital. Some said that the show was interesting because you could root for one character and then argue with your friends over who was better and who would end up with the girl (Grey). Most of those I spoke to watched the show by themselves and would make that the priority of their evening.

Some said that having their shows in college was different than now. In college it was more of a social thing. During that time, friends would gather to watch Friends. “It was a social thing. It’s a time when we would put down our studies and just be together. We knew that no matter what was going on at 7:00 on Thursday, we would be in Derek’s dorm room together to have fun and watch friends.” For them it was a time to be together and escape the stress of being a student. One recalls that they would do the same thing in high school with Beverly Hills 90210 and Melrose Place.

I also spoke with a few gamers and they played for different reasons. Those who played sports games (Madden, NHLPA, Tiger Woods, etc.) did so for competition with friends. This allowed time for them to get together and hang out. There is also incentive for bragging rights for the winners. Other gamers played in the comfort of their own private spaces and said they liked to see what the game was going to do next. It gave them satisfaction and a sense of achievement when they conquered the game. Most people also said that their friends play similar games and will often talk about the games. Those who played online said it was exciting meet new people and test their skills against people they didn’t even know.

Media Representations of men and Masculinity

2006-10-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

What makes up a real man? Being bravery? Toughness? Dominance? Well, how about fashion, jewlery, or sex appeal? The media represents men in a variety of ways. Now men are portrayed as being more than just rugged and tough. Men are portrayed as also being fashionable and maybe even pretty. Men are showed to be well groomed, "blinged out," and in shape. The media has taken masculinity to mean a variety of different things. The representations of men are also mostly concentrated on the upper-class when focusing on clothing and jewlery.

Critical Analysis

2006-10-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

Movie Clip: Fight Club
Subject: Tyler Durden

Semiotic Analysis

The character of Tyler Durden would be labeled with the cultural code of "Cool." He is a made up character that is everything Jack wishes he could be. The scenes that shoot Tyler use images that convey the message of "cool." The actor Brad Pitt is associated with "cool." For the past decade he has been looked at as being cool. He has been sexiest man alive (twice) and even subject of an article entitled, "Tyler Durden Saved My Life." Most males in the target age range of this movie know of Brad Pitt and recongnize him as someone probably better looking than themselves. The images of Pitt, his hair, clothing, and build all contribute to the code of "cool" and are signs of doing what they want to do and an overall sense of freedom.

Poststructualist Analysis

The oppositions opperating in this film are Restrained/Free and cool/uncool. Being restrained is equated with an office job, "condo life," and aquiring "stuff." Being free is equated with letting go of possessions and norms. Cool is equted with smoking, a good physical build, a nice head of hair, toughness, and confidence. Uncool is equated with a tie, expensive possessions, and following somebody else's rules.

Film Editing

2006-09-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

Movie: 7
Scene: 22

This scene is cut to give the audience a feeling of mystery and suspense. The shots jump from point of view, to close-ups, to tracking shots. The scenes are put together in a very fast, jumpy, hectic manner which gives the viewer an uneasy feeling. It is meant to keep the viewer on the edge of their chair. This was used in conjunction with the building music to make the scene suspensions. This movie was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Film Editing. The film editor also used a technique called "bleach bypass" which gives the film more contrast. This added with the lighting also adds to the movie's mystery about what could be around the next corner.

Film Techniques

2006-09-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

MOVIE: Seven
SCENE: 22 - John Doe

CAMERA SHOTS

A variety of camera shots were used to create the larger purpose of mystery and surprise.

This scene was first shot with a medium shot to capture the dialogue between the characters. As the scene progressed, the camera shots changed to create a feeling of suspense throughout the scene. The scene included a long shot that captured the stranger (villain) from a distance. It was intended to show the viewer what the detectives were seeing, which was a strange person who may or may not be potentially harmful. This was intended to keep the viewer in suspense. As the scene moved forward, the close up shots are used to bring the viewer closer to the scene and almost as if they are involved. The chase involved tracking shots which allowed the viewer to move along with the character and show how chaotic the chase is. The camera shots go back and forth between the tracking shots and point of view shots. The point of view shots are intended to show what the characters are seeing in order to add to the mystery of what's around that next corner. The close up shots are used not only to show the emotion on the character's faces but also bring you into the scene and wonder what may be off scene.

LIGHTING

Low Key Lighting was used to create shadows and contrasts. This lighting technique is used to create mystery and suspense.
Back Lighting was used to frame the heroes and villains in order to create shadows over the characters and add to the confusion and suspense.

SOUND

Sound is used to build suspense and hit the audience with surprise.

Media Studies

2006-09-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

Curriculum Summary:

Our students are required to fulfill a minimum of 8 social studies credits in required fields in order for graduation. My school (Burnsville Area Learning Center) offers these courses and six to eight other elective classes within the social studies department. The language arts department offers a computer communications elective that teaches various forms of media. The BALC curriculum is based on a layered technique which is intended to offer students choice. The teacher will choose various assignments options which include text, film, research, projects, writing, and reading. Teachers and students have access to PC computer labs equipped with limited programs.

We need to keep up with the times.

As technology moves along so does the interests of young people. As we continue to see the media advance through the internet, chat rooms, blogs, and television it is important that we keep up rather than be left behind. I believe the key to success in our schools are the relationships between teacher and student. As we instruct and try to make knowledge relevant to their lives we must first understand their lives. If the gap continues to grow, it becomes a much harder job to reach our goals as teachers to educate our students and prepare them for life. Media studies may close that gap, improve instruction, and enrich the learning process.

Let’s use technology and not fight it.

If students have an interest in media we should embrace and use it rather than fight it. We have a unique opportunity to use these technological tools to our advantage. Presentations can now take on more creative, individualized spins with the use of art, music, and pictures that can be put into programs with ease. Students may be more interested in reading if you handed them an e-book rather than a textbook.

Technology and media can be used to further understanding and connect a student to the world in a way that has never been done before. Students can now interact with one another through blogs and online journals. Students can participate and contribute in a new way that may make some more comfortable with sharing their ideas.

The idea is to expand and prepare.

Media studies will allow students to be more creative, expand opportunities, and prepare them for the future. If the world is now connected through the internet, we must understand it. Media studies will teach students skills that will be valuable in life. If we start to teach them these skills now they will not be a step behind later.