Goblet of Fire

The scene I chose to analyze this week was from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I chose this movie because it combines computer animation with traditional filming methods in attempts to create a seamless effect. The scene I analyzed is the beginning of an important competition that Harry competes in. To set the scene, we see a packed full stadium introduced by an establishing shot. The entrance is almost an aerial or flying-in shot. The MC announces the competition and the four athletes, one of which is Harry. We often see the camera snap back and forth from the MC to the crowd, each time zooming in on a different group of fans. This builds the suspense and tension by establishing the rivalry between the opponents. Throughout this whole scene, we see close ups of Harry's face. This establishes him as the main character, the one we want to route for. Each of the four competitors approaches a closed door. After the countdown and gunshot, they each enter their respective door. Following Harry into the door, the camera work gives the sense of tunnel vision, switching back and forth from a shot of Harry's face and a shot from over his shoulder. This creates a feeling of confusion and builds the suspense. Right in the middle of this confusion, the camera rises up and pans out broadly to reveal an aerial shot of miles of hedge mazes, and it becomes clear that the contest will involve finding the way out of the maze. After this establishing shot, the camera snaps back to Harry and follows him through the maze. The shot remains from behind his shoulder, allowing the viewer to experience the confusion of the maze with Harry. The camera work is done with a wide angle lens, allowing the viewer to see a very wide range of vision, which further allows the viewer to experience the maze with Harry. The camera work in this scene reveals the character's feelings and emotions. We are able to experience all the tension, nervousness, and excitement that Harry himself feels.

Arrested Development!

The scene that I reviewed was from the first episode of season three of Arrested Development-"The Cabin Show." In this scene, we see Michael eating a bowl of cereal watching TV in the living room. His mother enters the scene and they have a conversation about Michael's brother Buster moving in with Michael. In general, the camera work is slightly unsteady, which gives the whole scene a more casual, almost comedic, feel. It almost feels as if it were a home movie ( although not that distracting). This has the effect of positioning the viewer closer to the family. We feel as if we are actually viewing the family's life and not a TV show. We see much of the scene shot from over Michael's shoulder, which indicates that we see the scene from his point of view. This is appropriate as Michael is the narrator the entire show. We get one close up on the mother when she first enters the scene. In this scene, there is one flashback that describes the mother's relationship with Buster about fifteen years ago. The transition between real time and the flashback is a very quick, snap transition. In general, during the dialogue between Michael and his mother, the camera changes from an over the shoulder view of each character to focus on the speaker at the time. This creates a momentum in the scene that keeps the witty conversation rolling. Even when there is a moment of silence between the two characters, the camera keeps snapping back and forth from the two perspectives. When the mother leaves the scene through the front door, the camera zooms out and we watch the mother walk out the door and see Michael's back facing the door in the foreground. This shot helps the viewer situate themself better in the scene by viewing more of the setting of the house. Overall, this camera work moves very quickly and simply. This encourages and highlights the momentum of the dialogue in the show, which is very well written and comedic. The soundtrack is a very light and quick paced instrumental that adds to the light hearted tone of the scene as well.

The best pug ever

This is my pug Lucy!

Who Needs Media Studies Anyway?

To the School Board of Minneapolis Public Schools:

Recently, in many school districts we have seen a drive towards a "back to basics" curriculum. Regardless of your politics or views on high stakes testing, after No Child Left Behind, high stakes testing is a reality we have to deal with in the classroom and a focus on the "basics" is one way to approach this challenge. While there is definitely merit in striving to ensure that our students have a strong background in reading and writing skills, it is unfortunate that many school districts mistakenly think that a study of disciplines such as media studies distracts from improving student performance in reading and writing. Instead, educators and school board should integrate media studies into a well rounded curriculum.

Currently, media studies courses are offered as electives in some of the high schools in the district. While this is a great opportunity for students, media studies should be an integral component of every student's high school education. There is definitely interest in the community for this curriculum as well. The Kevin Garnett Foundation's recent pledge to donate fully equipped technology centers to each Minneapolis high school has already begun to be realized. This exciting resource offers the perfect opportunity to more comprehensively integrate media studies into the curriculum. Additionally, media studies can and must be easily integrated into a Language Arts curriculum to ensure that all students can take part in this important discipline. In the state, our districts are held to a standards based curriculum centered around the Minnesota Academic Standards. To begin with, an analysis of Speaking, Listening, and Viewing in the media compromise a full third of the state's academic standards in Language Arts. Furthermore, media studies can fulfill many of the other standards not directly related to media studies as well. For example, through a study of various forms of media, students will be able to meet many other Language Arts standards: "locate and use information in reference material," "determine the meaning of unfamiliar words and metaphors by using dictionaries, context clues, and reference books," "comprehend and evaluate the purpose, accuracy, comprehensiveness, and usefulness of informational materials," and many, many more. A study of media will only enhance a student's preparation for meeting Minnesota's academic standards in Language Arts.

Aside from its ability to meet state standards, media studies should be an integral component in the high school curriculum because it can provide much needed student engagement and will help prepare students for a world that is increasingly dependent upon media and technology. First, students are more connected with media in their lives outside of the classroom than ever before. The majority of students participate in many forms of media, ranging from instant messaging and social networking to cell phones and digital video recording. Students spend much of their free time engaged in media, so why not capitalize on that interest and bring it into the classroom as a valued discipline? Likewise, it is important to help students think logically and critically about the new media that they use everyday in order to help them make informed and responsible decisions about it.

Also, after graduation, today's high school students will live in a world that is more heavily reliant on media than ever before. In order to compete in either the academic or professional marketplace, students need to be savvy in this new media. If school districts really want to return "back to basics," they should consider what these basics really are. In order for students to succeed in life outside of high school, one basic skill will probably be a critically understanding of media studies.

Hi!

This is my first post!