Feedback

1. Did the class fulfill your expectations? Yes? No? Why?
Before taking this class, I thought we would just study forms of media production rather than actually experience them first hand. I was glad that the class covered different aspects of hands on media: introductions to graphic design, video production, and photography. The lab sessions leaned more towards the fun side of media production because we weren't simply a discussion group but were worked on creative projects as well. I liked that I was able to get a better grip on programs like Adobe Photoshop and Final Cut Pro. Though I've dealt with these programs on an extremely basic level, my understanding of the two is clearer! Overall the class went above my expectations and I wouldn't mind taking part two of the course if it didn't disrupt my other registered courses...

2. What were the highlights of the class? What were you excited about?
Not only did I enjoy compiling finished assignments, I enjoyed getting to know people through their own work. In lecture when we reviewed other photography and film projects from other sections, it was nice to see how people think. My excitement however came most from trying to build ideas for the stamp assignment. There i imagined we each had a blank canvas to work with; and that felt liberating.

3. What parts of the class did you find annoying, or frustrating?
The first quiz, which either had too general or too specific questions, was one frustrating thing. Also, I wished we had more in class time to work through our video projects.Trying to find an ideal time for my partner to meet to shoot and edit together was also nerve wrecking.

4. How can the class be improved? What are your ideas and suggestions?
I think that to broaden the time for the video project, we could have made it part of our final instead of making a cumulative exam. The other part of the final could have been to write a response about our inspiration for creating the film, and or write about experiencing the difficulties of pressing one's patience when editing for example; OR write about a film we've seen, how it's been influenced by first generation film makers, and what advantages that modern technology pose to the film industry today. I'm not sure if that was confusing, but I felt that writing responses presents a way for us to show a better understanding of media asides from producing it.
In terms strictly of our lab section, I have no complaints. I am just glad it wasn't all spaced out like a group discussion all the time. I also liked that we had a guest to make our section interesting!

5. What other comments do you have do add?
I appreciated how there were added visuals in lecture to enhance to course, like movie clips and other short animations to make the class more exciting. I also would have liked to go on another trip like the Paley Center for instance.

Short Film Project

I had partnered up with Crystal H. for this project. Originally we were going to play with the idea of motion of the city and somehow juxtapose how Hunter in itself also behaves and acts like a tiny city as well...But as we took our tiny hand cameras to the streets with a half-developed concept, we thought of something less generalized and more focused - the women's bathroom.

Every female knows this. There is always a long line forming at the most inopportune times..
Sometimes, there are just those girls you see waiting to use a mirror to fix up their hair or makeup.
It just made sense to make a tutorial out of something that has a unique process to it:
1. wait in line (usually with a friend)
2. enter bathroom stall, exit
3. wash hands
4. fix make-up...hair..
.....you get the point

Though since there was a pressure in time in creating this due when trying to figure out perfect meeting times between Crystal and I to finish this, we ended up with this short almost "music video" like film.

Musem of Moving Image

It's been 2 years since the last time I had encountered the Museum of Moving Image. There was no more scaffolding around the block of the museum like I remembered but there was still some construction going on from within the museum itself.

The first thing that my guide led me to was a special screen that showed a 3D view of the room you were in. You had to stand in front of the screen but it was a "one person at a time" kind of thing. If you stood in a certain spot, there was a motion sensor that immediately picked up your body movements (i'm guessing like the xbox kinect). The screen would then project the 3D view from your own perspective, when moving either left, right of, or behind the screen. If there was a line forming behind you during this demonstration, these people would also see your perspective shown on the screen.

Halfway into the tour, we were led to a stop motion station. In each individual station, there were these cute cutouts that a person could use to build their own short animation. Once completed, you had the option of even sending yourself a copy of the video via email. I chose a Dorothy (from the "Wizard of Oz") cut out from to star in my short animation :)




Shortly after, our tour guide concluded the day with another interactive exhibit.
This section boasted a number of vintage video game consoles that made way to our beloved Playstation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 of today. Not only were these ancient consoles were placed for display, but there were even some arcade games that allowed you to flash through the past by playing them! I was upset that it was just my luck that "Space Invaders" was out of service...

Afterwards, I ended up walking around any parts of the museum that our group may have just skipped or skimmed through. I felt lost at some point. But I managed to find my way out of the museum satisfied and wanting to visit again once their other installations are finished.

The Bigger War is Online

I know Wikipedia isn't the best go-to-guide for a definition but...:

"Anonymous is an Internet meme originating 2003 on the imageboard 4chan,
representing the concept of many online community users simultaneously existing
as an anarchic, digitized global brain."

Anonymous has also been known for being partly responsible
for WikiLeaks, an organization that strives to uncover or "leak"
seemingly important information that may not reach the public
due to the growing censorship found in mass media.

With this project, I wanted to keep the message simple with a chat box,
further emphasizing that Anonymous is purely an Internet based culture.
This group is often symbolized by a headless tux and the Guy Fawkes mask.
Ebay.com has also used thesymbol of the tux to represent internet fraud.
The mask was based on the actual Guy Fawkes who was part of a Catholic
group during the 1600's who plotted against the King of England's choice for
Protestant rule. Guy Fawkes attempted to murder the King and was later
caught, tried, and then executed. His legacy was brought to life in the movie
"V For Vendetta" which also made the Guy Fawkes masks more popular.

Veggie Head Project

So this took some effort as I tried to distort some of the fruit with
the elliptical marquee tool(<--coincidently my new favorite friend in photoshop).
I tried to make the slice of grape fruit beard blend with the color
of my veggie head's "facial fruit hair",
but it started to look like a bad case of fungus..

Nonetheless, I am satisfied with this rendition
especially after changing the poor guy's nose countless times!

Strolling down Hunter's halls...

More pictures, but from my dslr.

I also went "photoshop happy" and edited them as well.

Enjoy :)

Artist Statement

Growing up as a kid, I was never a big fan of words. It wasn't because in grade school there were spelling tests every Friday, or that there's just so many words to choose from. I just didn't know how to use them well. Though English is the only language I speak, explaining my thought processes has always been a kind of struggle for me. Tackled by an enormous dose of writer's block and perfectionism in terms of writing papers, it would take me sometimes, what seemed like hours, to formulate a sentence that I would finally be satisfied with.

In High school, I learned to channel this flaw into something more useful-film. I adopted a new language. I started to think in picture stills, advertisements and even in cartoons. I couldn't stop this side of me. I wanted to do more. So when I was 15 and started to embrace reading the news, I had an idea. And I made my first tiny film.

Fast forward 4 years later. I am less picky. I no longer feel that film is the only medium I can use to create a statement or form an expression. I've had a surge of ideas, some that deal with building installations about the homeless, the projections of our ever growing media on youth, sex, mannequins...And I do hope that this desire of wanting more never stops.