Hello All,
Here's the Soundscape me and group partner, Andrew Kellogg, put together. Our emotion was "Quiet Rage." To capture that feeling, we wanted to depict a man reflecting on past abuse, something he couldn't express to others, something that ate at him from the inside.
Here's our final product, I hope you enjoy (or at least feel what we were trying to capture):
Quiet Rage - A Soundscape
(I followed my instructor's directions for embedding the video to my blog, but it didn't work. See below.)
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Friday, January 21, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
My Howl
Finding Your Howl - Johnathan Flaum
Summary of Part 1:
“There were only 14 remaining red wolves in the wild in the 1970s.”
The story in part one follows a red wolf by the name of Mumon, and the spiritual journey in which he partakes to find his “howl.”
Back in the 1970’s, inn an effort to protect the few, wild red wolves from the brink of extinction, the remaining population was placed into captivity. Years later, the pack was released. While captivity had kept the wolves safe, and their return to the wild seemed seamless, in reality there still existed one major flaw. The wolves had forgotten how to howl. As a result, their pack had no leader, no guidance, and organized direction.
Because of all this, Mumon decides to go off and find his howl in the hopes of saving his pack. Searching throw the dark, shrouded woods, he hoped to find what he yearned for. While he did not know exactly the sound in which he sought, he knew that once he heard his howl he would recognize it.
Suddenly, Mumon comes across a deer. In his hunger, he begins to chase the deer, only to be stopped when he hears the deer begin to speak. The deer asks how the wolf knew to hunt him, to which Mumon responded that he didn’t know why or how, but just that he knew it was what he was supposed to do. After talking Mumon chases the deer again, eventually catching up to the deer and devouring.
As time passes, a crow approaches to Mumon and notices the shame in his appearance. Though Mumon is both sad and ashamed over what he’s done, the crow tells him not to be ashamed. While he may feel sorrow for the deer’s death, there should be no shame in his actions as they were natural to him.
Upon ending his conversation with the crow, Mumon stands alone. Suddenly, with the energy and spirit of the deer coursing through him , Mumon began to run.
As he ran, he eventually came upon a farmer, gun poised. Staring down the barrel, Mumon hears the howl of the gun blast before dying, just as the deer.
Upon death, Mumon fell deep into the center of the earth, drawn by the burning fire, drum beats, and chanting of a red wolf costumed tribe. Passing into the flames, he came back into himself, and realized that the tribe he had seen dancing and playing music around the flame were, in fact, his own pack. Mumon began to howl, as did the other members of his pack, in full force. The red wolf had taken back its howl.
In my opinion, this story is all about finding your true self, your true voice. Like the red wolves, most of us are raised in “captivity.” Whether you apply this term to our lives at home, the way our educational system is structured, or simply how we grow up, the childhood of the average individual in modern society is fairly protected. As children, we’re far too often told what to think, how to think, and even where to think. Only by finally leaving the nest do we every truly discover who we are.
Mumon goes through a few trials in his pursuit of finding his voice. He travels out on his own, he takes actions that seem natural to him, but he later regrets, overcomes self-deprecation, faces destruction, and eventually comes out of his trial triumphant, secure in his howl. By making these sacrifices, he finds out who he naturally is, and is able to achieve the goal he set out to accomplish by bringing the howl back to his pack.
Below is the selection I made for my “Howl,” and the explanation for why I chose it to represent my “voice” and who I am.
Quote:
First Corinthians
Explanation:
Explanation 1
Explanation 2
*Note: I apologize if this is not the ideal way to imbed audio, but I see no tabs above, and this was the best I could do. It said to read the quote aloud and that this was an Audio assignment, but there weren't any instructions outside of that. Please let me know if there's any way I can fix this, and the proper way to do so.
Summary of Part 1:
“There were only 14 remaining red wolves in the wild in the 1970s.”
The story in part one follows a red wolf by the name of Mumon, and the spiritual journey in which he partakes to find his “howl.”
Back in the 1970’s, inn an effort to protect the few, wild red wolves from the brink of extinction, the remaining population was placed into captivity. Years later, the pack was released. While captivity had kept the wolves safe, and their return to the wild seemed seamless, in reality there still existed one major flaw. The wolves had forgotten how to howl. As a result, their pack had no leader, no guidance, and organized direction.
Because of all this, Mumon decides to go off and find his howl in the hopes of saving his pack. Searching throw the dark, shrouded woods, he hoped to find what he yearned for. While he did not know exactly the sound in which he sought, he knew that once he heard his howl he would recognize it.
Suddenly, Mumon comes across a deer. In his hunger, he begins to chase the deer, only to be stopped when he hears the deer begin to speak. The deer asks how the wolf knew to hunt him, to which Mumon responded that he didn’t know why or how, but just that he knew it was what he was supposed to do. After talking Mumon chases the deer again, eventually catching up to the deer and devouring.
As time passes, a crow approaches to Mumon and notices the shame in his appearance. Though Mumon is both sad and ashamed over what he’s done, the crow tells him not to be ashamed. While he may feel sorrow for the deer’s death, there should be no shame in his actions as they were natural to him.
Upon ending his conversation with the crow, Mumon stands alone. Suddenly, with the energy and spirit of the deer coursing through him , Mumon began to run.
As he ran, he eventually came upon a farmer, gun poised. Staring down the barrel, Mumon hears the howl of the gun blast before dying, just as the deer.
Upon death, Mumon fell deep into the center of the earth, drawn by the burning fire, drum beats, and chanting of a red wolf costumed tribe. Passing into the flames, he came back into himself, and realized that the tribe he had seen dancing and playing music around the flame were, in fact, his own pack. Mumon began to howl, as did the other members of his pack, in full force. The red wolf had taken back its howl.
In my opinion, this story is all about finding your true self, your true voice. Like the red wolves, most of us are raised in “captivity.” Whether you apply this term to our lives at home, the way our educational system is structured, or simply how we grow up, the childhood of the average individual in modern society is fairly protected. As children, we’re far too often told what to think, how to think, and even where to think. Only by finally leaving the nest do we every truly discover who we are.
Mumon goes through a few trials in his pursuit of finding his voice. He travels out on his own, he takes actions that seem natural to him, but he later regrets, overcomes self-deprecation, faces destruction, and eventually comes out of his trial triumphant, secure in his howl. By making these sacrifices, he finds out who he naturally is, and is able to achieve the goal he set out to accomplish by bringing the howl back to his pack.
Below is the selection I made for my “Howl,” and the explanation for why I chose it to represent my “voice” and who I am.
Quote:
First Corinthians
Explanation:
Explanation 1
Explanation 2
*Note: I apologize if this is not the ideal way to imbed audio, but I see no tabs above, and this was the best I could do. It said to read the quote aloud and that this was an Audio assignment, but there weren't any instructions outside of that. Please let me know if there's any way I can fix this, and the proper way to do so.
Week 1 B
14 Ways to Get Breakthrough Ideas - Mitch Ditkoff
In the article, “14 Ways to get Breakthrough Ideas,” author Mitch Ditkoff offers up a series of methods in which an individual can activate their mind, think outside the box, and increase their capacity for creativity in the pursuit of uncovering the next great idea.
The article begins by suggesting two separate schools of thought on the subject of innovative thinking. The first concept gives full attributes full credit to the inventor, having given their time and effort to the idea, and making their idea(s) a reality. The second attributes all ideas to a transcendent force, or “Collective Unconscious.” Through this collective, one does not create an idea, but simply accesses the idea from a realm of possible, existing ideas. While the article does not discern which way of thinking is best, it does offer fourteen methods that can be used to further boost your mind, and put you in the proper state to let ideas flow.
These suggestions include, Following your passion, Immersing yourself [into your idea], tolerating ambiguity, making new connections, fantasizing, defining the right challenge, listening to your subconscious, taking a break [from your idea / work], noticing and challenging existing patterns and trends, hanging out with diverse groups of people, brainstorming, looking for happy accidents, using creative thinking techniques, and suspending logic.
Though I found most of the suggestions to me insightful, amongst the listed prompts, three stood out to me as particularly good ideas. The first being, “take a break.”
The article talks about famous computer designer, Seymour Cray and his unusual quirks in his style of work. While he works, according to the article, Cray will often step away from his project and go outside to dig an underground tunnel below his Chippewa Falls house. While this may seem like strange behavior, the act helps Cray to relax his mind, and prepare for the task ahead.
When reading this portion, I could absolutely relate to the advice Ditkoff presented. I cannot even list off the number of times taking a break has helped me in my creative process. Something about letting the brain relax, clear, and switch direction, it somehow brings a greater focus when one returns to the question at hand.
I for one find this method extremely helpful in real life. With the shows in which I participate, school work I maintain, stand-up show I operate, and student organizations I attend meetings for, I sometimes feel as though I barely have time to breathe. However, when I wake up in the morning, and begin my daily regiment, there’s consistently one time frame where my mind truly comes alive; when I’m in the shower. I don’t know if it’s just the sound-cancelling setting, or the rhythmic pattern of water splashing around me, but my mind clears. From this clearing, new ideas seem to flow. I get some of my best thinking done in the shower.
Additionally, when working on a paper or project, especially on the computer, I’ll often stop to check Facebook or something else of little to no consequence. Even when I haven’t received an update, or the distraction only last for a minute, the switch often reactivates my attention and allows me to finish what I started.
Another exceptional suggestion was to “Define the Right Challenge.” The basic idea being that by defining the issue one tries to solve too hastily, one might miss out on the real problem at hand. I know that, many times, I’ll find myself writing a paper or working on a project, and I’ll realize the point I wound up making strayed drastically from the original thesis. While I often try to connect the two and change my original point, I know that process could be much less of an ordeal if I had simply figured out my true point in the first place.
My last of the three examples, Ditkoff listed as number ten in the article, the ability to “Hang Out With Diverse Groups of People.” By hanging out with the same people every day, we limit the experiences and relationships we can have in our lives. In regards to “breakthrough ideas,” the basic notion is that by diversifying your experiences with others, you diversify your thoughts, and open your mind to a wider variety of possibilities.
In my opinion, this is one of the better ideas suggested, not only for coming up with the next “breakthrough idea,” but also to simply enrich one’s life. I know how much having a diverse cast of individuals has influenced my life for the better and worse. I would not be the same without them.
Prompt:
#10: Hang Out With Diverse Groups of People
I know I listed off this suggestion in my critique, but I honestly think it’s one of the better ones listed, and I know plenty of people in my life that I’d really like to get to know better.
*Amanda Schreckengost: A girl who lived in my dorm last year. We’ve been talking about working out a time when we could meet up to discuss stand-up and some of her jokes. We could potentially meet for lunch sometime in the upcoming week.
*Laura Hyde: Another girl who lived in my dorm last year, Laura and I often talked about political matters as well as the personal. We haven’t done anything in a long while, though. Perhaps I could go to one of her STARS meetings within the month, as she’s the president of the organization
*Carolyn Williamson: A fellow comedian in Athens who I don’t know as well as I should. She seems like a very kind individual. We often mention getting a group of people together to make fun of the awful movie, “The Room.” Later on this month, that can be organized.
*Andrew Kellogg: A very talented new member to the Fridays Live crew. We started working together on the sound-scape project for MDIA 203. We can always get to know each other better through that.
*Max Cothrell: A new comedian in Kamikaze Comedy. Maybe by joking around with him more at our bi-weekly meetings, a better discourse can grow between us.
*Maria Badillo: One of the main two people I wish I had gotten to know better in High School. I could try and develop a better connection and dialogue with her through simple Facebook comments and posts.
*Charlie Hughes: The second person I wish I had gotten to know better in High School. Charlie’s a great guy, and we’re friends for the most part. However, we could keep in contact with each other more regularly. I could see how he’s doing sometime this week.
*Tayler Showalter: An old neighbor from back home who now attends OU. A lunch sometime next week could work, and I could catch up with her in regards to her time at OU.
*Brian Peacock: A very funny, new member of our student stand-up group, Kamikaze Comedy. At the meetings, if he attends, I can try the same methods with him as I would with Max.
*Ryan Zymler: Another member of FL that I simply haven’t gotten to know as well as I should. We usually have fun around each other, so it’d probably be fun if we found some way to hang out in the upcoming weeks.
In the article, “14 Ways to get Breakthrough Ideas,” author Mitch Ditkoff offers up a series of methods in which an individual can activate their mind, think outside the box, and increase their capacity for creativity in the pursuit of uncovering the next great idea.
The article begins by suggesting two separate schools of thought on the subject of innovative thinking. The first concept gives full attributes full credit to the inventor, having given their time and effort to the idea, and making their idea(s) a reality. The second attributes all ideas to a transcendent force, or “Collective Unconscious.” Through this collective, one does not create an idea, but simply accesses the idea from a realm of possible, existing ideas. While the article does not discern which way of thinking is best, it does offer fourteen methods that can be used to further boost your mind, and put you in the proper state to let ideas flow.
These suggestions include, Following your passion, Immersing yourself [into your idea], tolerating ambiguity, making new connections, fantasizing, defining the right challenge, listening to your subconscious, taking a break [from your idea / work], noticing and challenging existing patterns and trends, hanging out with diverse groups of people, brainstorming, looking for happy accidents, using creative thinking techniques, and suspending logic.
Though I found most of the suggestions to me insightful, amongst the listed prompts, three stood out to me as particularly good ideas. The first being, “take a break.”
The article talks about famous computer designer, Seymour Cray and his unusual quirks in his style of work. While he works, according to the article, Cray will often step away from his project and go outside to dig an underground tunnel below his Chippewa Falls house. While this may seem like strange behavior, the act helps Cray to relax his mind, and prepare for the task ahead.
When reading this portion, I could absolutely relate to the advice Ditkoff presented. I cannot even list off the number of times taking a break has helped me in my creative process. Something about letting the brain relax, clear, and switch direction, it somehow brings a greater focus when one returns to the question at hand.
I for one find this method extremely helpful in real life. With the shows in which I participate, school work I maintain, stand-up show I operate, and student organizations I attend meetings for, I sometimes feel as though I barely have time to breathe. However, when I wake up in the morning, and begin my daily regiment, there’s consistently one time frame where my mind truly comes alive; when I’m in the shower. I don’t know if it’s just the sound-cancelling setting, or the rhythmic pattern of water splashing around me, but my mind clears. From this clearing, new ideas seem to flow. I get some of my best thinking done in the shower.
Additionally, when working on a paper or project, especially on the computer, I’ll often stop to check Facebook or something else of little to no consequence. Even when I haven’t received an update, or the distraction only last for a minute, the switch often reactivates my attention and allows me to finish what I started.
Another exceptional suggestion was to “Define the Right Challenge.” The basic idea being that by defining the issue one tries to solve too hastily, one might miss out on the real problem at hand. I know that, many times, I’ll find myself writing a paper or working on a project, and I’ll realize the point I wound up making strayed drastically from the original thesis. While I often try to connect the two and change my original point, I know that process could be much less of an ordeal if I had simply figured out my true point in the first place.
My last of the three examples, Ditkoff listed as number ten in the article, the ability to “Hang Out With Diverse Groups of People.” By hanging out with the same people every day, we limit the experiences and relationships we can have in our lives. In regards to “breakthrough ideas,” the basic notion is that by diversifying your experiences with others, you diversify your thoughts, and open your mind to a wider variety of possibilities.
In my opinion, this is one of the better ideas suggested, not only for coming up with the next “breakthrough idea,” but also to simply enrich one’s life. I know how much having a diverse cast of individuals has influenced my life for the better and worse. I would not be the same without them.
Prompt:
#10: Hang Out With Diverse Groups of People
I know I listed off this suggestion in my critique, but I honestly think it’s one of the better ones listed, and I know plenty of people in my life that I’d really like to get to know better.
*Amanda Schreckengost: A girl who lived in my dorm last year. We’ve been talking about working out a time when we could meet up to discuss stand-up and some of her jokes. We could potentially meet for lunch sometime in the upcoming week.
*Laura Hyde: Another girl who lived in my dorm last year, Laura and I often talked about political matters as well as the personal. We haven’t done anything in a long while, though. Perhaps I could go to one of her STARS meetings within the month, as she’s the president of the organization
*Carolyn Williamson: A fellow comedian in Athens who I don’t know as well as I should. She seems like a very kind individual. We often mention getting a group of people together to make fun of the awful movie, “The Room.” Later on this month, that can be organized.
*Andrew Kellogg: A very talented new member to the Fridays Live crew. We started working together on the sound-scape project for MDIA 203. We can always get to know each other better through that.
*Max Cothrell: A new comedian in Kamikaze Comedy. Maybe by joking around with him more at our bi-weekly meetings, a better discourse can grow between us.
*Maria Badillo: One of the main two people I wish I had gotten to know better in High School. I could try and develop a better connection and dialogue with her through simple Facebook comments and posts.
*Charlie Hughes: The second person I wish I had gotten to know better in High School. Charlie’s a great guy, and we’re friends for the most part. However, we could keep in contact with each other more regularly. I could see how he’s doing sometime this week.
*Tayler Showalter: An old neighbor from back home who now attends OU. A lunch sometime next week could work, and I could catch up with her in regards to her time at OU.
*Brian Peacock: A very funny, new member of our student stand-up group, Kamikaze Comedy. At the meetings, if he attends, I can try the same methods with him as I would with Max.
*Ryan Zymler: Another member of FL that I simply haven’t gotten to know as well as I should. We usually have fun around each other, so it’d probably be fun if we found some way to hang out in the upcoming weeks.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Week 1 A
(Note: I wrote the intro to this before I realized how long the description of the links had to be. I didn't feel like deleting it after how much time I had spent writing.)
Someone who has always inspired me in my strive for success is writer, director, actor, author, professional story-teller, and comedian, Kevin Smith. Raised in a Catholic home in New Jersey, Kevin Smith is an individual who comes from humble beginnings, which I respect, and is very much a self-made man, which I admire. When I reflect on those individuals who have “made it” in the industry, there’s not a man, in who’s footsteps I would rather follow, than Kevin Smith’s.
Like Kevin Smith, I come from fairly humble beginnings, especially in regards to my creative process. Though I hate to toot my own horn, I’ve always been a fairly creative person. One example can be found in my long-lasting love for drawing. I’ve been drawing since I can remember. Though I fluctuated at times, over the years, in how often I sketch, I almost always have my book handy. My sketches have never been something I’ve went out of my way to share, either. While others would flaunt their work in art class, I usually tried to keep to myself and let my art do the talking. I think that mentality towards my work has heavily influenced the way I write and my relatively recent aspirations since coming to Ohio University.
When I first came to OU, I had one goal in mind for my Freshman year: find out if I had what it takes to be a writer. I had always done well in English classes back in high school, and near the end I had even started writing for the school newspaper, the Ravine. With a few friends of mine, I also put out a fairly regular, comedic comic strip, that we’d usually post online or pass about the school. However, even with my accumulated experience with writing, I realized I was comparatively untested. After all, how far could my limited writing experiences really take me?
Within the first quarter, I started immediately looking into the various clubs and organizations around campus. After a bit of trial and error, I found a home in AVW’s Fridays Live. There I received the support I needed, and found the true passion I held for comedic writing. Since then, I’ve gone on to try stand-up, and found relative success in founding Ohio University’s most popular stand-up show, “Athens Open Mic.” Additionally, I’m currently being trained to take over as co-head writer of Fridays Live. As a result of my work with both shows, I feel as though my creativity has only grown, alongside my career aspirations.
Kevin Smith’s origins have a very similar story to my own, which factors heavily into why he’s an inspiration to me. In addition to this, I’m also, quite simply, a huge fan of his work.
One of the things I find appealing about Kevin Smith’s writing is his overall attention to detail. Often times, his stories and critiques will revolve around a very simple, central idea. One great example of this can be found in the following scene from Clerks, his debut film.
In this scene, the two main characters, Dante and Randall, discuss the ethics of the second Death Star explosion from Star Wars. Personally, I love the dialogue in this scene. Not only because of my love for nerd humor, but also because of how intelligent, and yet seemingly simple, crafts his words.
By examining a new point of view on the matter, Kevin Smith reveals an underlying misdirection in the Star Wars films. Though Luke and the Rebels are commonly viewed as the heroes of the film, by adding a new subtext to the film / original text, the meaning of the major climax of the film is altered, leaving Luke and his buddies looking like a rag-tag gang of terrorists. This all adds to the overall irony of the scene. As previously stated, the conversation implies that the heroes are villains, or at least not as pure as they seem, for what they did. Because of the crew members inside the Death Star, obviously a good amount of innocent civilians were involved, including contractors. Unexpectedly, though, a customer overhears the conversation, and he so happens to be a contractor. Through his unexpected, ironic story, the position becomes flipped, yet again, so that the viewer now views the Rebels less harshly.
These seemingly meaningless or mundane conversations, with hidden undertones and philosophies, are a common theme in Kevin Smith movies, and a huge factor in why I’m such a fan.
________________________________________________________
This next clip is from the movie, Dogma. Another film by Kevin Smith.
Another one Kevin Smith’s earlier films, Dogma explores the different political and emotional aspects of Catholic church. The story follows a couple of angles in their attempt to re-enter heaven, as a group of “chosen” individuals and religious deities try to stop them.
This particular stands as a perfect example of Tension and Release. We open on the scene of a board room. Completely new characters, all well dressed and clean cut, sitting atop a corporate tower. We know the characters are looking to smote some sinners before their return to heaven, though we know nothing about them.
As Ben Affleck’s character walks around the room, he grows increasingly intimate with the board members, setting up the scene. Though Matt Damon’s lines are humorously written, the drama in his words increase the tension of the scene. When Affleck returns to his speech, the music is added, and the list of sins is read aloud, the tension only continues to rise as we anticipate the oncoming scene. With the release of tension after the voodoo gag (especially with the tension-building music), and the two of them leaving the room, the audience falls into a false sense of safety. Then, with the following massacre, the playful music, and the waiting room cut-scene, the audience gets taken for a second ride. By far my favorite scene of the movie
_________________________________________________
This next clip comes from Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy.
I couldn’t find the exact clip from this movie that I wanted, but I will do my best to describe the Active and Didactic methods of delivering information, as shown in this film.
The basic plot of this movie follows Holden McNeal (Affleck), and his romantic pursuit of Alyssa, the female lead character. However, what Holden doesn’t realize is that the character Alyssa is, in fact, a lesbian. Or so it would seem.
Before this scene, Alyssa invites Holden out to a bar with her and a couple friends. Upon entering, she becomes very flirty with Holden, before going up on stage and singing a song, seemingly directed at him. As the song progresses, attentive audience members will notice that the couples swaying together to her melodic voice are not coupled man and woman, but that this setting is in fact a gay bar. However, this detail is hard to see at first, as the focus remains on Holden and Alyssa’s longing glances atone another. To get the message, before Alyssa didactically kisses her girlfriend on-stage, followed by a cut to the above scene, the viewer must actively take on the information
Later on, though, the plot reveals that Alyssa is indeed bisexual, another bit of information that can be actively pieced together by the viewer, but is also flat out said and explored later on in the film
Someone who has always inspired me in my strive for success is writer, director, actor, author, professional story-teller, and comedian, Kevin Smith. Raised in a Catholic home in New Jersey, Kevin Smith is an individual who comes from humble beginnings, which I respect, and is very much a self-made man, which I admire. When I reflect on those individuals who have “made it” in the industry, there’s not a man, in who’s footsteps I would rather follow, than Kevin Smith’s.
Like Kevin Smith, I come from fairly humble beginnings, especially in regards to my creative process. Though I hate to toot my own horn, I’ve always been a fairly creative person. One example can be found in my long-lasting love for drawing. I’ve been drawing since I can remember. Though I fluctuated at times, over the years, in how often I sketch, I almost always have my book handy. My sketches have never been something I’ve went out of my way to share, either. While others would flaunt their work in art class, I usually tried to keep to myself and let my art do the talking. I think that mentality towards my work has heavily influenced the way I write and my relatively recent aspirations since coming to Ohio University.
When I first came to OU, I had one goal in mind for my Freshman year: find out if I had what it takes to be a writer. I had always done well in English classes back in high school, and near the end I had even started writing for the school newspaper, the Ravine. With a few friends of mine, I also put out a fairly regular, comedic comic strip, that we’d usually post online or pass about the school. However, even with my accumulated experience with writing, I realized I was comparatively untested. After all, how far could my limited writing experiences really take me?
Within the first quarter, I started immediately looking into the various clubs and organizations around campus. After a bit of trial and error, I found a home in AVW’s Fridays Live. There I received the support I needed, and found the true passion I held for comedic writing. Since then, I’ve gone on to try stand-up, and found relative success in founding Ohio University’s most popular stand-up show, “Athens Open Mic.” Additionally, I’m currently being trained to take over as co-head writer of Fridays Live. As a result of my work with both shows, I feel as though my creativity has only grown, alongside my career aspirations.
Kevin Smith’s origins have a very similar story to my own, which factors heavily into why he’s an inspiration to me. In addition to this, I’m also, quite simply, a huge fan of his work.
One of the things I find appealing about Kevin Smith’s writing is his overall attention to detail. Often times, his stories and critiques will revolve around a very simple, central idea. One great example of this can be found in the following scene from Clerks, his debut film.
In this scene, the two main characters, Dante and Randall, discuss the ethics of the second Death Star explosion from Star Wars. Personally, I love the dialogue in this scene. Not only because of my love for nerd humor, but also because of how intelligent, and yet seemingly simple, crafts his words.
By examining a new point of view on the matter, Kevin Smith reveals an underlying misdirection in the Star Wars films. Though Luke and the Rebels are commonly viewed as the heroes of the film, by adding a new subtext to the film / original text, the meaning of the major climax of the film is altered, leaving Luke and his buddies looking like a rag-tag gang of terrorists. This all adds to the overall irony of the scene. As previously stated, the conversation implies that the heroes are villains, or at least not as pure as they seem, for what they did. Because of the crew members inside the Death Star, obviously a good amount of innocent civilians were involved, including contractors. Unexpectedly, though, a customer overhears the conversation, and he so happens to be a contractor. Through his unexpected, ironic story, the position becomes flipped, yet again, so that the viewer now views the Rebels less harshly.
These seemingly meaningless or mundane conversations, with hidden undertones and philosophies, are a common theme in Kevin Smith movies, and a huge factor in why I’m such a fan.
________________________________________________________
This next clip is from the movie, Dogma. Another film by Kevin Smith.
Another one Kevin Smith’s earlier films, Dogma explores the different political and emotional aspects of Catholic church. The story follows a couple of angles in their attempt to re-enter heaven, as a group of “chosen” individuals and religious deities try to stop them.
This particular stands as a perfect example of Tension and Release. We open on the scene of a board room. Completely new characters, all well dressed and clean cut, sitting atop a corporate tower. We know the characters are looking to smote some sinners before their return to heaven, though we know nothing about them.
As Ben Affleck’s character walks around the room, he grows increasingly intimate with the board members, setting up the scene. Though Matt Damon’s lines are humorously written, the drama in his words increase the tension of the scene. When Affleck returns to his speech, the music is added, and the list of sins is read aloud, the tension only continues to rise as we anticipate the oncoming scene. With the release of tension after the voodoo gag (especially with the tension-building music), and the two of them leaving the room, the audience falls into a false sense of safety. Then, with the following massacre, the playful music, and the waiting room cut-scene, the audience gets taken for a second ride. By far my favorite scene of the movie
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This next clip comes from Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy.
I couldn’t find the exact clip from this movie that I wanted, but I will do my best to describe the Active and Didactic methods of delivering information, as shown in this film.
The basic plot of this movie follows Holden McNeal (Affleck), and his romantic pursuit of Alyssa, the female lead character. However, what Holden doesn’t realize is that the character Alyssa is, in fact, a lesbian. Or so it would seem.
Before this scene, Alyssa invites Holden out to a bar with her and a couple friends. Upon entering, she becomes very flirty with Holden, before going up on stage and singing a song, seemingly directed at him. As the song progresses, attentive audience members will notice that the couples swaying together to her melodic voice are not coupled man and woman, but that this setting is in fact a gay bar. However, this detail is hard to see at first, as the focus remains on Holden and Alyssa’s longing glances atone another. To get the message, before Alyssa didactically kisses her girlfriend on-stage, followed by a cut to the above scene, the viewer must actively take on the information
Later on, though, the plot reveals that Alyssa is indeed bisexual, another bit of information that can be actively pieced together by the viewer, but is also flat out said and explored later on in the film
Friday, January 7, 2011
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