I watched a ESPN production called Benji. It is the story of a high school star basketball player, Benjamin Wilson, in Chicago who was shot and killed during his senior year at the high school. The documentary was great in all aspects of film and I really learned a lot from watching it.
The literary aspect of this film was amazing. The film went in a chronological order. For example, it described Benji's childhood and how he got his love of basketball. Then it described his early high school life. Next, it focused on when he became a superstar basketball player. Finally, it described his death, and the people who committed the crimes, both of whom were under 17 years old. The mood at the start of the documentary is upbeat, but it slowly begins to change throughout, and finally comes to the point where it is a sad mood. The people interview in the film were those who knew Benji well, or those who knew Chicago basketball well. For example, Benji's brother Curtis was a main contributor to the film, as well as some of Benji's old high school teammates. Many reporters from Chicago were also interviewed for the film. The filmed had a narrator describe all the events that took place throughout the film. I think that I can use some of the literary aspects used in this documentary in mine. We should tell our film chronologically, have a narrator, and a variety of interviewees.
In the film there weren't a whole lot of dramatic aspects involved. This was a documentary meaning that it is telling a real life event. Although there was drama in the film, that doesn't mean that the documentary conveyed dramatic aspects. There weren't any actors, sets, or costumes in the film.
The cinematic aspects were unique to this film. Many scenes that told stories of Benji's life were created using drawings, it was like a comic book. This was weird at first but by the end it became something that the audience was use to and enjoyed. Along with the drawings the film contained interview, a-roll shots, and b-roll footage of Benji and other basketball players, and newspaper headlines. The b-roll footage was incredible because although it was very old and grainy it gave the audience a sense of how good Benji and other Chicago-area basketball players were. The editing of the film seemed very basic, but that was fine because the film didn't need flashy editing to get its message across. The music, in addition, wasn't a main part of the film, but it did enhance the film by conveying the mood that the audience was suppose to feel at certain moments. For my documentary I don't think I am going to include comic book drawings to tell parts of the plot, but I will try to have many types of b-roll shots like this film did.
This film is great. It told an amazing story and the way it told it kept the audience engaged and excited for what was coming next. I think that young documentary film makers could learn a lot from this, even if they aren't going to use the same style of documenting that this film did. This film is part of ESPN's 30 for 30, a critically acclaimed documentary series. I have seen many other documentaries in the series, but this one stood out to me because of how is displayed the three aspects of film.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Sunday, December 9, 2012
My Week of High School Hoops
This weekend I went to the National High School Hoops Festival at Dematha Catholic High School and the Gonzaga DC Classic tournament at Gonzaga College High School. I saw some pretty incredible individual performances and some disappointing ones. Here are my individual awards for the weekend.
Best Performance:
This goes to Villanova recruit Josh Hart. Hart is a senior at Sidwell Friends High School in DC. Sidwell took on Gonzaga, the number one team in the DC area Saturday night. Hart and the rest of Sidwell dominated Gonzaga from the tip. Hart was a dominant force offensively hitting three pointers, attacking the bucket, and drawing fouls. Hart also contributed defensively and rebounded well. He was the leader of his team, and finished the night with a tournament high 34 points.
Biggest Suprise:
This goes to Kameron Williams of Mount Joseph High School in Baltimore. Going in to Mount Joseph's game versus Bullis I had no idea who Kameron Williams was. Turns out he is going to Ohio State University next fall to play basketball. Williams shot incredibly well in the game I watched and also got in transition and dunked twice. He only missed one shot the whole night, yet still scored at least 25 points. It was a nice suprise to learn about this kid.
Most Exciting Player to Watch:
This award is an easy one to give out because this man is the most exciting basketball player in the country, his name is Aquille Carr. Carr is a senior at Princeton Day and will be going to Seton Hall next year. He is only five foot seven inches tall, but still has a huge impact on a game. You never know what Carr will do next, and this is a good and bad statement because Carr sometimes makes horrible plays. He is so fast and so confident in his game that he is guaranteed to bring excitement to any game. I loved watching him play.
Most Disappointing Player:
Before I go in depth on this one just look at Andrew Wiggins's mixtape. Wiggins is considered by most to be the number one high school basketball player in the country.
That mixtape is impressive and Wiggins is suppose to be amazing. When I watched him in his game versus Princeton Day Wiggins did nothing to stand out. He looked like he didn't care about the game. I was shocked and outraged to see a man with so much talent not do anything with it. If I was Andrew Wiggins and I played that poorly I would be extremely embarrassed. Watching Wiggins play disgusted me. He rarely looked to attack the basketball and just was content to hang around on the perimeter and pass the ball around. The fans came to see a superstar and Wiggins failed to live up to the expectations.
Best Performance:
This goes to Villanova recruit Josh Hart. Hart is a senior at Sidwell Friends High School in DC. Sidwell took on Gonzaga, the number one team in the DC area Saturday night. Hart and the rest of Sidwell dominated Gonzaga from the tip. Hart was a dominant force offensively hitting three pointers, attacking the bucket, and drawing fouls. Hart also contributed defensively and rebounded well. He was the leader of his team, and finished the night with a tournament high 34 points.
Biggest Suprise:
This goes to Kameron Williams of Mount Joseph High School in Baltimore. Going in to Mount Joseph's game versus Bullis I had no idea who Kameron Williams was. Turns out he is going to Ohio State University next fall to play basketball. Williams shot incredibly well in the game I watched and also got in transition and dunked twice. He only missed one shot the whole night, yet still scored at least 25 points. It was a nice suprise to learn about this kid.
Most Exciting Player to Watch:
This award is an easy one to give out because this man is the most exciting basketball player in the country, his name is Aquille Carr. Carr is a senior at Princeton Day and will be going to Seton Hall next year. He is only five foot seven inches tall, but still has a huge impact on a game. You never know what Carr will do next, and this is a good and bad statement because Carr sometimes makes horrible plays. He is so fast and so confident in his game that he is guaranteed to bring excitement to any game. I loved watching him play.
Most Disappointing Player:
Before I go in depth on this one just look at Andrew Wiggins's mixtape. Wiggins is considered by most to be the number one high school basketball player in the country.
That mixtape is impressive and Wiggins is suppose to be amazing. When I watched him in his game versus Princeton Day Wiggins did nothing to stand out. He looked like he didn't care about the game. I was shocked and outraged to see a man with so much talent not do anything with it. If I was Andrew Wiggins and I played that poorly I would be extremely embarrassed. Watching Wiggins play disgusted me. He rarely looked to attack the basketball and just was content to hang around on the perimeter and pass the ball around. The fans came to see a superstar and Wiggins failed to live up to the expectations.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Documentary Topics
For our film class we have a new documentary topic. The documentary process is a long one, and it contains many steps. The first step, which is also the most important one, is choosing a topic. I don't know what my topic is going to be yet, but I have narrowed it down to two choices.
The first chose is a documentary about a band called The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. I have listened to the band for the last couple years and seen them play twice. They are an incredible band that probably has some interesting stories to tell. I am actually friends with most of the band members on facebook, so I could use that connection to try and establish an interview with the band. The band resides in New York City, so the interview might possibly have to be conducted on Skype. If everything worked out with this topic, then I think it would be an enjoyable experience. Here's my favorite song of the bands.
My other topic is also somewhat complicated, but could be awesome if everything worked out. I want to do a profile about Emanuel Charles, the JV basketball coach at Blair. Coach Charles attended Blair in the early 90s, and played for the basketball team. The team at that time was a lot different then the one now. The players were all huge, in fact Charles has told me that he was one of the smallest kids on the team, and he is 6 foot 2. The team nowadays is a lot smaller and for the past couple years hasn't been successful. In the 90s the team was very successful and former NBA star Steve Francis even played for the team for a year. I think that I could create a documentary from Charles's perspective on how Blair basketball and public high school in the county has changed. Also I would want to take his input on how and if future teams could achieve more success, like the teams of the early 90s did. To create this documentary I would have to find videos of the Blair basketball team from the 90s. It could be a challenge, but it's one that I am ready to accept. Here are some Steve Francis highlights, a former Blair student.
Both of these ideas are interesting to me, both pose their own set of problems, but it will be fun to do one of these two topics.
The first chose is a documentary about a band called The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. I have listened to the band for the last couple years and seen them play twice. They are an incredible band that probably has some interesting stories to tell. I am actually friends with most of the band members on facebook, so I could use that connection to try and establish an interview with the band. The band resides in New York City, so the interview might possibly have to be conducted on Skype. If everything worked out with this topic, then I think it would be an enjoyable experience. Here's my favorite song of the bands.
My other topic is also somewhat complicated, but could be awesome if everything worked out. I want to do a profile about Emanuel Charles, the JV basketball coach at Blair. Coach Charles attended Blair in the early 90s, and played for the basketball team. The team at that time was a lot different then the one now. The players were all huge, in fact Charles has told me that he was one of the smallest kids on the team, and he is 6 foot 2. The team nowadays is a lot smaller and for the past couple years hasn't been successful. In the 90s the team was very successful and former NBA star Steve Francis even played for the team for a year. I think that I could create a documentary from Charles's perspective on how Blair basketball and public high school in the county has changed. Also I would want to take his input on how and if future teams could achieve more success, like the teams of the early 90s did. To create this documentary I would have to find videos of the Blair basketball team from the 90s. It could be a challenge, but it's one that I am ready to accept. Here are some Steve Francis highlights, a former Blair student.
Both of these ideas are interesting to me, both pose their own set of problems, but it will be fun to do one of these two topics.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
What Did I Just Watch?
After the last couple weeks I swore that I wouldn't watch another Mountaineer football game this year, I lied. Not only did I watch last night's game, but I also fell in love with WVU again because of the play of one little man, Tavon Austin.
Austin, a senior, played running back for the first time since high school, and he was wondrous. The man had 574 all purpose yards, that combines his receiving, rushing, and kick returning yards. That is a new Big 12 record. 344 of those 574 yards came on the ground. Austin had 21 carries for 344 yards, that's 16.4 yards a carry. That is ridiculous for someone who has never played running back at this level. Every time Austin touched the ball something magical happened, I was in awe.Just look at some of his many highlights.
Throughout most of the game it was Oklahoma, one of the most prized college football programs, versus Tavon Austin. Austin is only five foot nine and one hundred seventy four pounds. He played his heart out on every play and embodied the Mountaineer belief back into me. It would have been easy for Austin to quit on this season that has gone awry, but he didn't. It was a truly inspiring effort.
Austin single-handily brought his team and his fans to life last night. I am usually never proud after a loss, but I am proud with the preformance last night. I can't wait to watch Tavon and this team play again, and I promise, thanks to Tavon Austin, that I will never ever give up on my team again. Let's go Mountaineers!
Austin, a senior, played running back for the first time since high school, and he was wondrous. The man had 574 all purpose yards, that combines his receiving, rushing, and kick returning yards. That is a new Big 12 record. 344 of those 574 yards came on the ground. Austin had 21 carries for 344 yards, that's 16.4 yards a carry. That is ridiculous for someone who has never played running back at this level. Every time Austin touched the ball something magical happened, I was in awe.Just look at some of his many highlights.
Throughout most of the game it was Oklahoma, one of the most prized college football programs, versus Tavon Austin. Austin is only five foot nine and one hundred seventy four pounds. He played his heart out on every play and embodied the Mountaineer belief back into me. It would have been easy for Austin to quit on this season that has gone awry, but he didn't. It was a truly inspiring effort.
Austin single-handily brought his team and his fans to life last night. I am usually never proud after a loss, but I am proud with the preformance last night. I can't wait to watch Tavon and this team play again, and I promise, thanks to Tavon Austin, that I will never ever give up on my team again. Let's go Mountaineers!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Fall Video Project
This was our second video project, and I have mixed feelings about it. I didn't really have enough time to plan out and shoot a great video, but I had fun doing this project. The fall, for me, signifies basketball and friends. Almost on every Friday and weekends my friends and I am hanging out on a basketball court or in my basement. In this video I was able to incorporate both places. The video was shot using my IPhone 3gs.
Shot List
1. Hooligans making leaf angels
2. Andreas missing a jumper and Landon chasing down the board
3. Me getting an and-one
4. Ian Donaldson getting buckets
5. The skyline on the walk back to my house
6. Chilling in the basement
7. Ian Kiefhaber and Andreas playing 2k13 with my dog watching attentively
8. Andres throwing an oop in 2k13
9. The various Gatorade bottle left by us
10. Me hanging on a 10 foot rim with two hands
This project was fun, but next time I think we should be able to do it during school. Youtube's video editor is nothing compared to Final Cut Pro. I think that we could use class time to plan out different shots, and then actually create really cool videos with out ideas.
Social Distortion is Still Alive and Kicking
I saw Social Distortion play last Wednesday at the 9:30 Club in DC. It was amazing. Social Distortion formed in 1978. Mike Ness, the lead singer and guitarist, and Dennis Danell, a guitarist, fronted the band for many years, until Danell's death in 2000. From 1978-2000 the band was constantly off and on due to Ness's various drug addictions. The band's first four albums, Mommy's Little Monster, Prison Bound, Social Distortion, and Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell are masterpieces that gained the band a lot of popularity. Even though Danell died in 2000 the band has continued to tour and put out new music. Mike Ness is the only current member of the band who has been a member since the start in 1978.
I saw Social Distortion when I was in 7th grade in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The show that I saw on Wednesday blow the Allentown show out of my mind. Ness was the center of the sell-out crowd's attention, and he delivered everything that anyone could want. He was jumping around the stage and interacting with the crowd. He chatted the crowd up about the election, and told them that he was glad Obama won. He said that everyone should take the next day off, and that if their boss had a problem with it, that he should talk to Mike Ness because Ness would tell him where to put that problem. Ness showed his experience on stage and was an absolute pleasure to watch.
The only problem I had with the show was the setlist. The band played great, but they didn't play all the songs that I wanted to hear, but after the show I realized that I was okay with that. The band played great music and I got to hear some new songs that I had never heard before. The one song I was extremely glad to hear was the last song of their set, Story of My Life. When they started playing it I began jumping up and down and screaming the lyrics out.
After they played that song the band went off the stage. The crowd cheered and eventually the band came back on for an encore set. Again, the first couple songs they played in this set I wasn't familiar with, but it was all good. Before their last song, Ness had his last conversation with the audience. He started naming the various influences of the band, such as The Rolling Stones, The Ramones, The Clash, and other bands. After naming those bands Ness said that all those bands were incredibly influential, but that nobody should ever forget Johnny Cash. With that the band played Ring of Fire and I found myself jumping up and down again and screaming the lyrics out.
The night was awesome. Social Distortion and Mike Ness showed no signs of getting old, they would have played all night if they were allowed to. I hope that they come to DC again because I know that I will be there.
I saw Social Distortion when I was in 7th grade in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The show that I saw on Wednesday blow the Allentown show out of my mind. Ness was the center of the sell-out crowd's attention, and he delivered everything that anyone could want. He was jumping around the stage and interacting with the crowd. He chatted the crowd up about the election, and told them that he was glad Obama won. He said that everyone should take the next day off, and that if their boss had a problem with it, that he should talk to Mike Ness because Ness would tell him where to put that problem. Ness showed his experience on stage and was an absolute pleasure to watch.
The only problem I had with the show was the setlist. The band played great, but they didn't play all the songs that I wanted to hear, but after the show I realized that I was okay with that. The band played great music and I got to hear some new songs that I had never heard before. The one song I was extremely glad to hear was the last song of their set, Story of My Life. When they started playing it I began jumping up and down and screaming the lyrics out.
After they played that song the band went off the stage. The crowd cheered and eventually the band came back on for an encore set. Again, the first couple songs they played in this set I wasn't familiar with, but it was all good. Before their last song, Ness had his last conversation with the audience. He started naming the various influences of the band, such as The Rolling Stones, The Ramones, The Clash, and other bands. After naming those bands Ness said that all those bands were incredibly influential, but that nobody should ever forget Johnny Cash. With that the band played Ring of Fire and I found myself jumping up and down again and screaming the lyrics out.
The night was awesome. Social Distortion and Mike Ness showed no signs of getting old, they would have played all night if they were allowed to. I hope that they come to DC again because I know that I will be there.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
The Japandroids Are Amazing
Recently I started listening to the Japandroids's new album Celebration Rock, and I would just like the say that this album is amazing. It came out in June, but I neglected to listen to it until now. The album has a mixture of punk and classic rock infused in it. Listen to the first track on the album, and you can immediately see the influences in it.
It's pretty incredible that a Canadian duo could put something like that out. The album has reached 37th on the Billboard 200, which is rare for a band that produces music like this. The second song on the album is my favorite.
The band is touring right now, and in December they will come to the Black Cat, a local DC night club. Unfortunately the show has sold out, and I won't be able to see them live.
In my opinion, this band represents hope for musicians like me. The band is just a drummer and a guitarist. I play guitar, so if I could ever find a drummer, I could emulate the Japandroids. Of course writing music would present quite a big challenge, and I never in my wildest dreams would expect to be a member of a successful band, but hey anything can happen.
This band is unique, and I've never heard anything like it. It is exciting for me to listen to, and hopefully the band becomes more popular because this album needs to get heard. Whenever I feel down because West Virginia lost, I just play the record, and things get better.
I'll leave you with the band's most popular song off the new album. I can't wait to see what the Japandroids come out with next.
It's pretty incredible that a Canadian duo could put something like that out. The album has reached 37th on the Billboard 200, which is rare for a band that produces music like this. The second song on the album is my favorite.
The band is touring right now, and in December they will come to the Black Cat, a local DC night club. Unfortunately the show has sold out, and I won't be able to see them live.
In my opinion, this band represents hope for musicians like me. The band is just a drummer and a guitarist. I play guitar, so if I could ever find a drummer, I could emulate the Japandroids. Of course writing music would present quite a big challenge, and I never in my wildest dreams would expect to be a member of a successful band, but hey anything can happen.
This band is unique, and I've never heard anything like it. It is exciting for me to listen to, and hopefully the band becomes more popular because this album needs to get heard. Whenever I feel down because West Virginia lost, I just play the record, and things get better.
I'll leave you with the band's most popular song off the new album. I can't wait to see what the Japandroids come out with next.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
WVU Basketball, It's Almost Back!
Mountaineer fans, I know that it has been a tough couple of weeks. Our once top five football team has gotten crushed in its last two games, and our Heisman-lock quarterback has faltered, but it will all be okay. Basketball starts in a week and a half.
The Roster
The Mountaineers bring back a lot of talent and experience, led by Deniz Kilicli. Kilicli, a Turkish player with a nice hook shot, will have to lead this team. Kilicli has been steadily improving even since he came to WVU. This year the team will revolve around him, and I think we will make the most of it. Last year, Kilicli averaged 10 points a game, and he was the third scoring option on the team. This year he will be the first option. Coach, Bob Huggins, recently stated that Kilicli is in the best basketball shape of his life. I am looking for big things out of the "Istan-Bull."
The Mountaineers also return three key members of their backcourt, Jabarie Hinds, Aaron Brown, and Gary Brown. All three players were freshman last year, and each had their own share of good and bad moments. This year all three players have gained experience, and should help lead this team, along with Kilicli. Check out some of Hinds's highlights from last year.
There are some other key role players returning, such as lock-down defender Keaton Miles, and big men Kevin Noreen and Dominique Rutledge. Also three men will get more playing time this year, and will get the opportunity to make key contributions. Rutledge could be a breakout player this year.
Rounding out the roster are role players and freshman. One player to watch in this group is freshman Terry Henderson. Henderson is an athletic guard with a good upside. Here's his highschool mixtape.
New Conference
WVU moved to the Big 12 Conference this year. This move was made for the football team. The Big East, WVU's old conference, was the best basketball conference in the country. Now WVU will play in a weaker conference, but they will still face stiff competition. One school that will be a major obstacle for WVU this year, and years to come, is Kansas. Kansas has one of the most storied histories in college basketball. They get some of the best recruits and they have an electric fanbase. They have dominated the Big 12 in years past and look to continue their domination. Baylor, Kansas State, Texas, and some other teams also have very solid basketball programs, but Kansas is at the top.
Season Expectations
This year is going to be hard for the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers lost their best player in Kevin Jones, and a dynamic scoring point guard in Darryl "Truck" Bryant. The majority of the team is underclassmen, and even though some of this underclassmen played last year, they will still make mistakes.
WVU got no love from the USA Today or Coaches Poll and didn't even receive a single vote from anyone to make it into the top 25. To put it into perspective, Marshall University even got one vote.
Even though the country doesn't believe in the Mountaineers, coach Bob Huggins does, and I believe in him. Huggins always seems to make something out of nothing. His teams always make the NCAA Tournament and preform well.
Last year was a let down, after a blowout loss to Gonzaga ended the Mountaineers season. This year the Mountaineers get to start the season off against Gonzaga, in a new conference, under new player leadership, but one thing remains the same, and it is that Bob Huggins is leading the team. Huggins will teach his players how to play the game the right way. Maybe WVU won't be so good this year, but in one or two years, this team could be formidable. Let's go Mountaineers!
The Roster
The Mountaineers bring back a lot of talent and experience, led by Deniz Kilicli. Kilicli, a Turkish player with a nice hook shot, will have to lead this team. Kilicli has been steadily improving even since he came to WVU. This year the team will revolve around him, and I think we will make the most of it. Last year, Kilicli averaged 10 points a game, and he was the third scoring option on the team. This year he will be the first option. Coach, Bob Huggins, recently stated that Kilicli is in the best basketball shape of his life. I am looking for big things out of the "Istan-Bull."
The Mountaineers also return three key members of their backcourt, Jabarie Hinds, Aaron Brown, and Gary Brown. All three players were freshman last year, and each had their own share of good and bad moments. This year all three players have gained experience, and should help lead this team, along with Kilicli. Check out some of Hinds's highlights from last year.
There are some other key role players returning, such as lock-down defender Keaton Miles, and big men Kevin Noreen and Dominique Rutledge. Also three men will get more playing time this year, and will get the opportunity to make key contributions. Rutledge could be a breakout player this year.
Rounding out the roster are role players and freshman. One player to watch in this group is freshman Terry Henderson. Henderson is an athletic guard with a good upside. Here's his highschool mixtape.
New Conference
WVU moved to the Big 12 Conference this year. This move was made for the football team. The Big East, WVU's old conference, was the best basketball conference in the country. Now WVU will play in a weaker conference, but they will still face stiff competition. One school that will be a major obstacle for WVU this year, and years to come, is Kansas. Kansas has one of the most storied histories in college basketball. They get some of the best recruits and they have an electric fanbase. They have dominated the Big 12 in years past and look to continue their domination. Baylor, Kansas State, Texas, and some other teams also have very solid basketball programs, but Kansas is at the top.
Season Expectations
This year is going to be hard for the Mountaineers. The Mountaineers lost their best player in Kevin Jones, and a dynamic scoring point guard in Darryl "Truck" Bryant. The majority of the team is underclassmen, and even though some of this underclassmen played last year, they will still make mistakes.
WVU got no love from the USA Today or Coaches Poll and didn't even receive a single vote from anyone to make it into the top 25. To put it into perspective, Marshall University even got one vote.
Even though the country doesn't believe in the Mountaineers, coach Bob Huggins does, and I believe in him. Huggins always seems to make something out of nothing. His teams always make the NCAA Tournament and preform well.
Last year was a let down, after a blowout loss to Gonzaga ended the Mountaineers season. This year the Mountaineers get to start the season off against Gonzaga, in a new conference, under new player leadership, but one thing remains the same, and it is that Bob Huggins is leading the team. Huggins will teach his players how to play the game the right way. Maybe WVU won't be so good this year, but in one or two years, this team could be formidable. Let's go Mountaineers!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
The Lemonheads Are Back!
Finally, the Lemonheads albums are getting remastered. I can't wait to hear a remastered version of "It's a Shame About Ray," just listen to wait it sounds like already.
The Lemonheads formed in 1986, but really hit it big in 1992. that was when the band released the album It's a Shame About Ray. After that album the band slowly began to become less popular, but still put out great songs, like "Into Your Arms."
I have seen The Lemonheads twice, but really all I saw was their lead singer and songwritter, Evan Dando, preform. Don't get me wrong I love Evan Dando, but the band was at it best with some other members. One of these members is the lovely backup vocalist, Juliana Hatfield. Listen to the way her and Dando mesh on this song.
Juliana Hatfield has decided to preform with Dando and the band in their upcoming tour in 2013. Another important member that has decided to also preform with the band is Ben Deily. Deily played on the first couple records with the band. He wrote songs and played guitar, just like Dando, but his songs are much more punk.
With Deily and Hatfield back, The Lemonheads are going to be a must see band in 2013. The tour should appeal to multiple audiences, such as the more punk or poppy crowds. The band is also working on a new album produced by Ryan Adams, an established musician in his own right.
I can't wait until 2013. The Lemonhead's albums will be remastered, the band will go on tour with its most important members, and there will be a new Lemonhead's album! 2013 can't come quick enough.
The Lemonheads formed in 1986, but really hit it big in 1992. that was when the band released the album It's a Shame About Ray. After that album the band slowly began to become less popular, but still put out great songs, like "Into Your Arms."
I have seen The Lemonheads twice, but really all I saw was their lead singer and songwritter, Evan Dando, preform. Don't get me wrong I love Evan Dando, but the band was at it best with some other members. One of these members is the lovely backup vocalist, Juliana Hatfield. Listen to the way her and Dando mesh on this song.
Juliana Hatfield has decided to preform with Dando and the band in their upcoming tour in 2013. Another important member that has decided to also preform with the band is Ben Deily. Deily played on the first couple records with the band. He wrote songs and played guitar, just like Dando, but his songs are much more punk.
With Deily and Hatfield back, The Lemonheads are going to be a must see band in 2013. The tour should appeal to multiple audiences, such as the more punk or poppy crowds. The band is also working on a new album produced by Ryan Adams, an established musician in his own right.
I can't wait until 2013. The Lemonhead's albums will be remastered, the band will go on tour with its most important members, and there will be a new Lemonhead's album! 2013 can't come quick enough.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
JD Woods, The Forgotten Wide Receiver
This has been one of the greatest starts in West Virginia University football history. The team has one of the most explosive offenses in the country, a top five ranking, a win at Texas in front of the largest crowd ever assembled at Darrell K Royal Stadium, two flashy receivers in Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, and the Heisman frontrunner Geno Smith. West Virginia fans can't ask for much more. Hopefully over the upcoming weeks the wins keep piling up, and come January the Mountaineers will be playing in the National Championship game. If this is going to happen, then the Mountaineers are going to need steady production by their unknown receiver, who probably has the best hands of all of the WVU wide outs, senior JD Woods.
JD Woods is a senior from Naples, Florida. He played football for Golden Gate High School. Woods was only a two-star recruit when he signed with West Virginia. He has been overshadowed throughout his time at West Virginia, but now it's time for Woods to leave his mark on WVU.
West Virginia has two of the most talked about wide receivers in the country in the explosive Tavon Austin, and the touchdown producing machine Stedman Bailey. The Mountaineers also have the nation's top quarterback in Geno Smith. Woods is the third string wide receiver on the team. His stats so far this year aren't overwhelming, but are still positive nonetheless. According to ESPN, Woods has 29 catches for 284 yards and two touchdowns. He had a career game two weeks ago against Baylor when he had 13 catches for 114 yards. Wood's numbers aren't going to be great this year because he is the third option for Geno Smith, but he will still impact the game.
Woods has the best hands on the team. Just look at this catch against Baylor.
Woods is going to make his touches count. The catch above saved the game for West Virginia, as they were able to keep their drive alive and run out the clock. Geno Smith constantly looks for Woods on third down and long plays, and Woods usually delivers. This is a trend that must continue.
Last week versus Texas Woods played a little flat. He dropped a couple passes, and struggled to get open all night. This is bound to happen to a player who rarely got playing time until this season and has to play in an atmosphere like Darrell K Royal Stadium. There aren't any worries in my mind about whether Woods will bounce back from that rough outing. He has a monstrous quarterback, who when given time gives his receivers many opportunities to catch the ball. I am looking for Woods to have an amazing game next Saturday against the Red Raiders of Texas Tech.
The Mountaineers have a chance to make something special out of this season, and their stars players will be the ones' who get all the attention, but let's not forget about JD Woods and his hands that can catch anything. When it comes down to third and long and Geno Smith drops back to pass, Woods could easily find himself open across the middle of the field ready for that first down catch. This man has waited four years to get his chance, and he surely won't blow it.
JD Woods is a senior from Naples, Florida. He played football for Golden Gate High School. Woods was only a two-star recruit when he signed with West Virginia. He has been overshadowed throughout his time at West Virginia, but now it's time for Woods to leave his mark on WVU.
West Virginia has two of the most talked about wide receivers in the country in the explosive Tavon Austin, and the touchdown producing machine Stedman Bailey. The Mountaineers also have the nation's top quarterback in Geno Smith. Woods is the third string wide receiver on the team. His stats so far this year aren't overwhelming, but are still positive nonetheless. According to ESPN, Woods has 29 catches for 284 yards and two touchdowns. He had a career game two weeks ago against Baylor when he had 13 catches for 114 yards. Wood's numbers aren't going to be great this year because he is the third option for Geno Smith, but he will still impact the game.
Woods has the best hands on the team. Just look at this catch against Baylor.
Woods is going to make his touches count. The catch above saved the game for West Virginia, as they were able to keep their drive alive and run out the clock. Geno Smith constantly looks for Woods on third down and long plays, and Woods usually delivers. This is a trend that must continue.
Last week versus Texas Woods played a little flat. He dropped a couple passes, and struggled to get open all night. This is bound to happen to a player who rarely got playing time until this season and has to play in an atmosphere like Darrell K Royal Stadium. There aren't any worries in my mind about whether Woods will bounce back from that rough outing. He has a monstrous quarterback, who when given time gives his receivers many opportunities to catch the ball. I am looking for Woods to have an amazing game next Saturday against the Red Raiders of Texas Tech.
The Mountaineers have a chance to make something special out of this season, and their stars players will be the ones' who get all the attention, but let's not forget about JD Woods and his hands that can catch anything. When it comes down to third and long and Geno Smith drops back to pass, Woods could easily find himself open across the middle of the field ready for that first down catch. This man has waited four years to get his chance, and he surely won't blow it.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Archival Footage for Dystopian Trailer
Footage (Sorry don't know how to embed it from the Internet Archives)
This clip shows citizens rioting, and the police coming in to intervene. The clip will be very useful for our group because we need scenes of riots and the police stopping them. Our trailer starts with an explanation to why the country is in its current state. We need to show that citizens revolted against the government, what better way than with this clip.
We will also need other clips too. Another clip that could be useful would be one with citizens bowing do to some sort of dictator. Also we could use some clips of people walking around like mindless zombies, and a couple more clips that show police brutality.
This clip shows citizens rioting, and the police coming in to intervene. The clip will be very useful for our group because we need scenes of riots and the police stopping them. Our trailer starts with an explanation to why the country is in its current state. We need to show that citizens revolted against the government, what better way than with this clip.
We will also need other clips too. Another clip that could be useful would be one with citizens bowing do to some sort of dictator. Also we could use some clips of people walking around like mindless zombies, and a couple more clips that show police brutality.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Dystopian Trailer Critique
Serenity . Josh Whedon . PG-13 . 2005
In the future, a captain (Nathan Fillion) and his crew harbor wanted citizens on their ship. They must keep the citizens safe, and also fight off the ruthless alliance.
Serenity Trailer
The trailer shows what kind of dystopian society the characters live in, the true colors of the protagonist, and the premise of the movie. The movie is set in the future. In a time of spaceships and a world in which a bureaucracy has control, a group of rebels sets out to defy the alliance. This alliance is ruthless and gutless, an example the trailer uses to show this is byy having the assassain hired by the alliance say, "if you don't give me the girl, then more will die" . The protagionist is the narrator in the trailer. He has a deep hatred for the alliance. He says, "I aim to misbehave." The movie is based off a T.V. show so the protagionist's hatred for the alliance doesn't need to be explained, but by watching the trailer the audience can understand that something is wrong with the alliance. The premise of the movie is set forth in the trailer. The characters live under a harsh government that is welling to do anything to get what it wants. The director develops the premise through shots that contain dialogue from both alliance members and the rebels. The main goal for the rebels in the movie is to protect a girl who has strange abilities, while the alliance wants to capture her. The trailer shows this premise, as well as, the dystopian society the characters live in, and their resistance to it.
This trailer provides new ideas that can be used in our trailers. To give brief insight into the characters and their problems, text appears and then is followed by a short scene that shows the characters or problems. Another thing that the trailer provides is a lot of short action scenes with music. I don't know if I would want to use as many as the trailer used in my own trailer, but I could have a couple action scenes with dramatic music. The final thing was could be used in my trailer is clips that contain lots of dialogue. The dialogue gives the audience an idea of what the characters think. Also the dialogue can show humore or drama. In the trailer the last scene is incredibly funny and makes its viewers want to watch the movie to see if there are any other funny parts.
In the future, a captain (Nathan Fillion) and his crew harbor wanted citizens on their ship. They must keep the citizens safe, and also fight off the ruthless alliance.
Serenity Trailer
The trailer shows what kind of dystopian society the characters live in, the true colors of the protagonist, and the premise of the movie. The movie is set in the future. In a time of spaceships and a world in which a bureaucracy has control, a group of rebels sets out to defy the alliance. This alliance is ruthless and gutless, an example the trailer uses to show this is byy having the assassain hired by the alliance say, "if you don't give me the girl, then more will die" . The protagionist is the narrator in the trailer. He has a deep hatred for the alliance. He says, "I aim to misbehave." The movie is based off a T.V. show so the protagionist's hatred for the alliance doesn't need to be explained, but by watching the trailer the audience can understand that something is wrong with the alliance. The premise of the movie is set forth in the trailer. The characters live under a harsh government that is welling to do anything to get what it wants. The director develops the premise through shots that contain dialogue from both alliance members and the rebels. The main goal for the rebels in the movie is to protect a girl who has strange abilities, while the alliance wants to capture her. The trailer shows this premise, as well as, the dystopian society the characters live in, and their resistance to it.
This trailer provides new ideas that can be used in our trailers. To give brief insight into the characters and their problems, text appears and then is followed by a short scene that shows the characters or problems. Another thing that the trailer provides is a lot of short action scenes with music. I don't know if I would want to use as many as the trailer used in my own trailer, but I could have a couple action scenes with dramatic music. The final thing was could be used in my trailer is clips that contain lots of dialogue. The dialogue gives the audience an idea of what the characters think. Also the dialogue can show humore or drama. In the trailer the last scene is incredibly funny and makes its viewers want to watch the movie to see if there are any other funny parts.
Five by Five Video Challenge
1. Clip of the scoreboard before the game
2. West Virginia University's offense coming onto the field
3. West Virginia University's band playing
4. West Virginia University scoring the first touchdown of the game
5. Players shake hands on on the field after the game
I used my I-phone 3gs to shoot the video. At first I used we-video to edit my clips, but my dad exited it out and I couldn't log back in for some reason. I then used youtube's video editor, and found that I liked it more than we-video anyway. The youtube editor was just easier for me.
I like the five by five concept. I am pleased with mine too. The five by five allows viewers to really understand what the atmosphere of the place being filmed was like. During our next assignment I think we should allow the video to have effects and extra audio, that way we could see the difference in the basic five by five and the more advanced one.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
What Do You Want to Learn About More
The article "World Without Walls: Learning Well With Others" focused on the idea of collaboration. Collaboration is when people and share ideas about events online, and as a result learn more about the events. The article stressed the idea that students should be collaborating with others. The author argued that this would be a way for the students to expand their knowledge, while enjoying it. Also the author stated that many schools are afraid to collaborate with other people because it breaks the traditional school structure, but the author believes that collaboration would benefit students. Thus, according to the writer, collaboration should be done in all schools.
The writer wrote, "I believe their best, most memorable, and most effective teachers will be the ones they discover, not the ones they are given." This point to me is incredibly controversial. I have be a fan of about 75% of my teachers. They have taught me well, and also allowed me to have a good time in their class. I have discovered a teacher outside of school, but I believe if I did that I would still prefer my teachers in school to that person. I find the quote interesting, because although I have never discovered a teacher, I feel like I have be given awesome ones.
A thing I found suprising was that many schools don't share their work publicly. At every school I have attended there has almost always been a chance for students to share their work with the community and even beyond that. In 7th grade I was able to go to a state-wide competition called National History Day and present a web-site that I had created. I guess that I have been lucky because the schools that I have gone to have allowed me to present my work publicly. I think that all schools should do that.
I find the process of collaboration to be interesting, but I am not a fan of it. I think that it is hard to be able to constantly keep up with the people that I will be collaborating with, while trying to do homeowork and play sports. It makes there be a lot of work for something that could turn out to be a bust. I think that there is a good chance that it would be hard to find someone who has good ideas about a topic that want to learn and share information about. I have never tried collaborating, and I will try it once we start doing it, but I am not excited about it right now.
I would like to learn more about where to find good music that I could use in my videos without breaking copyright laws. Today in class my group tried to find some dramatic music on the web-site given to us, but it was impossible to find anything that sounded like what we wanted. I want to see if there are other places out there, where I could get better music.
World Without Walls
A thing I found suprising was that many schools don't share their work publicly. At every school I have attended there has almost always been a chance for students to share their work with the community and even beyond that. In 7th grade I was able to go to a state-wide competition called National History Day and present a web-site that I had created. I guess that I have been lucky because the schools that I have gone to have allowed me to present my work publicly. I think that all schools should do that.
I find the process of collaboration to be interesting, but I am not a fan of it. I think that it is hard to be able to constantly keep up with the people that I will be collaborating with, while trying to do homeowork and play sports. It makes there be a lot of work for something that could turn out to be a bust. I think that there is a good chance that it would be hard to find someone who has good ideas about a topic that want to learn and share information about. I have never tried collaborating, and I will try it once we start doing it, but I am not excited about it right now.
I would like to learn more about where to find good music that I could use in my videos without breaking copyright laws. Today in class my group tried to find some dramatic music on the web-site given to us, but it was impossible to find anything that sounded like what we wanted. I want to see if there are other places out there, where I could get better music.
World Without Walls
Monday, September 10, 2012
Memento Movie Review
The author of the movie review was A.O. Scott, and the movie being reviewed was the movie Momento. The organization that published it was the New York Times. The writer starts out by giving a brief opinion on the movie. Then he describes the plot of the movie, and periodically sprinkles in his opinion. He also briefly touches on the acting. He does dicuss literary aspects, at great length, as well as dramatic aspects, but he barely touches on cinematic aspects. The review is written in a serious tone. The reviewer wants to let people know about the movie, and that's it. The reviewer doesn't give away the ending, and finishes it without being clear on whether he recommends it or not, although he praises the movie a lot, making one believe that he recommends it.
I think that us CAP students should get a lot of freedom when writing the movie reviews. This would allow us to be creative, while also being informative. There should be a required checklist of things that we need to touch on, but when and how we touch on them should be left to ourselves.
Annotated Review
I think that us CAP students should get a lot of freedom when writing the movie reviews. This would allow us to be creative, while also being informative. There should be a required checklist of things that we need to touch on, but when and how we touch on them should be left to ourselves.
Annotated Review
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)