Response to Freak Factor

You can find the article that I am talking about here

The article starts out talking about our weaknesses.  We are all well aware of our weaknesses people in our lives point them out all the time bosses, teachers, parents ect.  The point is we are all-aware of our weaknesses and try to fix them, but its not working this article offers suggestions on fixing our weaknesses, and overcoming our problems.  The article is about using your weaknesses to your advantage. 

#2 What’s My Problem?

The first idea that I want to talk about is number two what’s my problem.  This idea talks about how a persons flaws can be a clue to their strengths like if a person loves talking they would be a good public speaker.  I think this is a very interesting way of looking at your weaknesses.  I have never thought about it this way, but it makes sense.  You don’t have to overcome or conquer your weaknesses, but instead use them to find your strengths.  The article goes on to say that you find success when you find the right fit, and that your weaknesses make you different, and different is good.  This idea will be very hard for me to apply to my life because I have very few weaknesses.  The only ones that I can think of are that I’m to caring, I work to hard, and I am to good looking.  That last one should probably go under strength.  I need to identify my strengths and weaknesses in my creative life and try to exploit them.

#4 Don’t Try to Fix Your Weakness

The second idea that I want to talk about is number four don’t try to fix your weakness.  This one means exactly what it says.  The article talks about a survey that says that 59% of the people surveyed think that fixing your weaknesses is an essential part of personal development.  The problem with this approach is that it is slow, painful, distracts, and doesn’t actually work.  This is a very good observation.  Why waste time trying to fix your problems when you can concentrate on your strengths.    The article talks about how if you remedy a weakness that still doesn’t make it a strength.  If we are focusing on our weaknesses there is no time for activities where we could make significant progress.  I could use this idea in my creative life by trying to focus on things that I am good at like filming, editing, and directing, and leave things like set design, and storyboarding to the people who are good at that.

#6 Focus: You Can’t do Both

The last idea that I am going to talk about is number six focus: you can’t do both.  This idea is basically saying that most people believe that they can fix their weakness, and improve on their strengths, and this is not true.  Most people have two much to do already (like a bunch of blog post), and don’t have time for both.  Focusing on both limits the amount of progress that can be made.  It prevents us from becoming exceptional in one area, and since weaknesses and strengths are linked, attempting to fix a weakness can actually diminish strength.  I can use this in my creative live by not trying to do things that I can’t.  I can’t do animation, or make a video game (even though Girth would be a smash hit) so I’m not going to try to do those things.  I’ll leave that to the experts.

I feel like I have a lot of strengths as far as the creative process goes.  I work great in groups and love it.  I would much rather do creative things with other people.  I also feel like I am a pretty good leader (that could be due to the good looks).  My main weakness as far as the creative process goes is that I can’t draw.  This is a major set back when you are trying to convey thoughts and ideas to other people .

Audio Response to Collapsus

You can find the game that I am talking about here.

Audio Reflection on the Gaming Presentation

Written Reflection on the Hero/Villain assignment

The first Hero/Villain I will be talking about is by Jessica Rovniak.  Her superhero was PsychoElectric.  Lets start out by talking about color.  She used two different hues green and blue, which go together because they are next to each other on the color wheel.  It is a more saturated green, which makes it more intense, and a less saturated blue, which gives a little contrast.  The colors that were used are very bright and stand out on the screen.  She used contrast and affinity through the colors of the two characters.  The colors that were chosen are on different ends of the color wheel.  This gives them contrast, but also affinity because opposites go together.  There was also some tension and release in the animation.  The tension comes in the beginning when PsychoElectric was zapping all those nice people with his eyes.  The release comes when the hero pulls up and saves the day. 

The second Hero/Villain I will be talking about is by Peter Fumosa.  For Peter’s assignment I will be talking about lighting.  Peter used very little shadow on his hero Mr. Doctor to make him seem more inviting to the audience.  In the animation the hero is blue and the villain is red.  This is a great example of symbolism.  The blue symbolizes good, and the red symbolizes evil.  The mood for the two characters is very different.  The hero gives off a very happy mood and makes it seem like everything is ok.  The villain gives off a very angry mood and makes it feel like something’s not right.  Peter also uses contrast and affinity in his animation.  The contrast comes when Larry the Lawyer tries to make an appeal for Charles Manson and Mr. Doctor and Larry the Lawyer start fighting.  The affinity comes when Mr. Doctor eventually wins.  There is also contrast and affinity in the colors of the two characters.  There is also irony in the animation.  The irony is that a doctor is fighting a lawyer.

Hero and Villain

Hero

Has the ability to make money trees instantaneously.

Strategically places the trees in places of high poverty.

Has a “magic stick” that can become whatever he wishes.

Wishes all to be as stylish and smooth as he.

Villain

Has super-human abilities of calculation & taxation.

Wields the Axe of Justice to battle Moneybag$ and chop 

down his money trees.  Takes exceptional pride in 

taxing the poor and poverty stricken.

Audio response to This American Life

You can find a link for what I am talking about here

Reflection on Joke Video Assignment

The videos that I will be reflecting on come from Chris Rushes blog “Rush Delivery.”  I thought this groups videos were the best in the class other then my own groups videos of curse but that should go without saying.  As soon as Big Blonde Women and Blondes and Puppets hit the film festivals we are going to clean up, but as much as it pains me we are not hear to talk about me we are hear to talk about Rushes groups videos.  The first joke video, that will from here on be known as the star wars video because it had no title, was one of my favorites in the class.  I liked the way they used space.  In the scene where they are sitting up against the fence drinking it was very flat space, which focused the audiences attention on the interaction.  In that same scene they use the lines of the fence to point towards the subjects on the screen, which directed the audiences attention towards the action.  The star wars video also made use of tension and release.  They did this by making you think that the guy is going to get in trouble for the wreck when it wasn’t his fault.  The release comes when he sticks the girl in the car with the alcohol and pins the whole thing on her.  The second joke video The Bicycle Accident makes great use of irony.  The whole movie is ironic in a way because it is a bicycle accident and they play it out like it was a car accident.  Although I enjoyed all of the videos from class I thought Rushes group did the best job besides my group of course but I already said that.