Favorite Directior

This assignment is interesting. In class, I spoke of a very deep personal attachment to the film, Black Hawk Down. I'm predisposed to not share this information and usually do not associate myself with it or indicate in any way that I'm connected. What I mean to say is it's not ever been on my list of favorites, partly because I have a stigma of being a military child so people kind of assume, oh duh, of course that's her favorite movie, when there is so much more behind it. I mean, I only wear a silver chain donning a charm with the insignia of this particular unit around my neck everyday no matter what. Of course, there is also the fact that one of the most powerful scenes displayed in the film is a framed mural waiting to be hung in my living room. I have a very quiet fondness of the film and am ever grateful for the work and beauty behind the final product. My dad once told me, back when I was way too young to be watching an R-rated film that this movie should be seen by every American. The extra features, you can see my carrot top bad ass neighbor in, just a glimpse but he's showing the actors how it's done. His Panamanian wife just became a U.S. citizen. I don't know how to talk about directors but I do know how to talk about the appreciation of a beautiful work, and that's what it is, the film is a beautiful work. The production had to be right, because it had to, and not because of backlash from the military community, but because it had to. The story was something much bigger. There's something about seeing a glimpse of your life onscreen that just paralyzes you.

You know, my dad has another saying, and I feel dirty even typing this and I will probably delete this post some day down the road...
"People say that America doesn't have royalty? Well, they have never met a Delta widow.."
That's the point here, movies and directors are suppose to make parallels that speak to you, that open a door into your life or your imagination for an hour and forty minutes, well this movie opens every door and window and basically knocks the whole foundation of my wheelhouse, it is an all the way full blown vulnerability that reminds me who I am in every frame.
I run a blog about military brat culture/ lifestyle, and I have a post sitting in my drafts, it was one of the first posts I wrote, its about how if someone ever wanted to know me, my future husband, my cousins, my best friend, they would need to watch this movie. In fact, I described it as a criteria of my future husband: must have seen Black Hawk Down. I never posted it and I battled with the idea of what I could share and not share on the blog, one of the conclusions I made was that very few would understand and then my boyfriend saw Black Hawk Down and told me that he didn't care for it, there was too much fighting and those scenes kind of took over the whole movie. I wanted to give him the silent treatment for a year, but then I remembered that some people really won't get it and I couldn't get angry about it. Instead, I would keep it to myself, burrow it in one of the safest softest strongest parts of my heart.


"On the last day of their week-long Army Ranger orientation at Fort Benning, the actors who played the Rangers received a letter that had been anonymously slipped under their door. The letter thanked them for all their hard work, and asked them to "tell our story true", signed with the names of the Rangers who died in the Mogadishu firefight."
(IMDb)

"The sequence of events near the end of the movie, where some of the US Rangers were forced to run, unprotected, behind the rescue convoy, did indeed happen. This unfortunate turn of events was named by the soldiers after the battle as "The Mogadishu Mile". (IMDb)

"The film features soldiers wearing helmets with their last names on them. Although this was an inaccuracy, Ridley Scott felt it was necessary to have the helmets to help the audience to distinguish between the characters because they all look the same once the uniforms are on." (IMDb)



"Some of the scenes on the monitors behind Maj. Gen. Garrison are actual satellite images of the battle." (IMDb)

"None of the film was made in Somalia but in the similar looking cities of Rabat and Sale in Morocco. No Somali actors are included in the cast. Somalia was at the time, as it is today, a dangerous and unstable country. " (IMDb)

"Forty of the actors who were playing Rangers were sent to Fort Benning, GA, to attend a two-week crash course in becoming Rangers. Fifteen actors playing Delta Force members were sent to Ft. Bragg, NC, and were given a two-week Commando Course by members of the 1st Special Warfare Training Group. Ron Eldard went to Fort Campbell, KY, and was given a lecture by several Little Bird and Black Hawk pilots, including Mike Durant, about flying and the battle." (IMDb)

"All Black Hawks and Little Birds used during the filming were from the 160th SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment) and most of the pilots were involved in the actual battle on 3-4 October 1993. A lot of the Army Rangers in the film were actual Rangers, serving with the 3/75 Ranger Regiment." (IMDb)

"In order to keep the film at a manageable length, 100 key characters in the book were condensed down to 39." (IMDb)

"There was no effort made to cast actors who looked like their real-life counterparts." (IMDb)

"According to American Sniper Chris Kyle this film is shown to US Navy special forces recruits to inspire them before they begin the 'Hell Week' stage of their SEAL training." (IMDb)


"One of the favorite films of George W. Bush." (IMDb)



....my closing remarks are...
That is how you make a movie, Ridley Scott. Take notes everybody.

Compose Your Frame

I procrastinated this assignment because I eagerly combed through photos and could not decide on a subject to use to analyze. The rule of thirds is fascinating and the message can transform the message and mood from picture to picture, I scanned my photo feed on my phone and noticed the completely different emotions that were evoked from pictures of the same subject. I had too many to choose from, I'm going to post two, but analyze one. I'll leave the second for reader interpretation.

 

 

This picture's focal point lies in the rectangle iron box that features "ARBEIT" , the significance of the power behind the words was something I wanted to capture because of what I was feeling. I did not want to forget what it felt like to stand at that open gate, that gate should always be left ajar like that in my opinion. But back to the analysis. The arbeit stands out because of the triangle pointing right at it from the left side, and then the light of the white/blue sky that is framed within the blue. This focal point rests in a slightly off-set sense, the mid-top right quadrant in the tic tac toe square. The framing of the words happens on a larger scale, with the iron fence boarding the scene even more that directly/touching the words. There's an index vector streaming from the boldness of the black iron detailed, rods, and the underlining of the albeit is also a broken vector that just floats underneath the phrasing. There is a closure component with the viewers eye finishing completing the lines to make sense, and seeing the words embedded within the fencing. You do see the entire fence door but you know that it reaches the ground, the ground with broken curved lines, and the horizontal lines of the iron intersecting the frame. The white fence by the building even points to the black iron, and the edge of the roof has a dark shadow that brings your eyes to that general area.

 

 

Quilt Design Patch & Optimized Logo

 

Business objectives:

The goals of the advertising is to promote interest, one of the main goals was to create some way to associate the brand, the initiative, the creators of the goods, and the audience that participates (donations, receivers of the goods) all in under one image. Awareness was achieved by incorporating identifiers within the logo, like the camouflage to associate and incorporate the military aspect of the (soon to be) charity. The small more casual font used on the little warriors is intended to have people associate the branding with children, and spark interest. The logos standing alone is supposed to impart knowledge, we made addition features like a banner, a website, a business card, and a patch to promote knowledge and encourage interest and outreach. The imperative is donations, and support, mostly support, this project would continue on with or without donations, but the creators are giving people an opportunity to be included and a part of it all. This shapes a positive attitude and sense of care and concern for people other than ourselves, it makes us aware of our fellow mankind.

 

 

Patch Paraphernalia :

The patch would serve as the living branding, it would be attached to all the goods. The main objective used was continuity, we wanted to continue the effect of the quilts but also have it brandished and let people know who made it. The creators put patches on the quilts and so we decided that the children battling cancer should be recognized on the quilt as well, they took have earned recognition for facing a difficult journey. Continuity was important, as well as similarity, we grouped alike items in order to create an effect of a decorated effort, our military initiative and the people at home who face indescribable hardships. We fashioned the patch to have the insignia/logo, and also be small enough to fit on the squares.

 

Style Guide

The Colors used were brown, tan, blue, green, yellow, and gray.

Yellow was meant to tie in the Meet the warriors, or meet the children. Yellow is light and playful, and represents fun and youth, while that might not mimic the lifestyle of the warriors, it shows them in a different light and makes them more approachable, often time people shy away from people that are different. The light blue is meant to tie in the blue used in the camouflage uniform representing the Navy uniform. The darker blue is meant to tie in the variations of blue within the uniform as well. The green is to reference, the remaining uniforms, the Air Force, the Army, the Marines, etc.

The gray is intended to remain neutral and as a non loud color in order to not compete with the array of colors and help tie in the gray in the photograph in black and white. Overall, the colors are meant to instill military connections and associate them with children in order to create an understanding of our objective and most importantly, the message.

 

Sandlot

Sandlot  - Carnival Scene



Narrator 10:40



Director: David M. Evans (iMDb)
He describes himself as a "baseball fanatic" if you can not already guess from his photo.
He co-wrote Sandlot.
His niche is working with child actors.

Theme (interview)
Friendship

"Hollywood being what it is, you get pigeon-holed. It’s a blessing and a curse. For me more of a blessing, but every family oriented screenplay comes across my desk. I’m thankful."

"As a director, you have to be a number of things, a cajoler, a convincer, a big brother, a dad, a psychologist. all of those things."

"I am more an actor’s director than a technocrat. Emotion is the big deal with me. That’s what movies are, a single thing – emotion. If you get the emotions right and it strikes people honestly, you don’t lie to your audience. You employ all those things I just said to get the best performances out of your actors."

12:40 Freedom as a director. No one was barking orders at him or hanging things over his head.


"......but to me it’s not a baseball movie. It’s a movie about friendship."




Leslie Ann Anderson - hair stylist

Production Designer: Jeremy Alderman

Carnival Throw-Up Scene:

Production Designer: Chester Kaczenski (Kah-zin-ski)

1. Other works include The Final Season, Soul of the Game, Teen Wolf series (1985), Beethoven’s’ 3rd, 4th

2. Familiar with baseball themed film as well as family oriented films, similar to The Sandlot

Principles from the scene:

1. Set:

State Street, American Fork, Utah

2. Location:

Carnival, Fair

3. Props/Lighting

Lights from the carnival create the atmosphere for the scene

The spinning ride is used as the major prop, as well as the tobacco shown in the beginning of the scene

4. Camera angles:

Back and forth between characters and the a whole picture of the ride itself

Zooms in on characters to show their progression of sickness until they throw-up

Final angle shows Ham up close stepping off the ride with puke on his shirt, really sets the “cherry on top” of the entire scene

Director : David M Evans http://m.imdb.com/name/nm0262693/?ref_=m_ttfcd_dr1

Sandlot 

OCD

Good Design Vs. Bad Design

Burt's Bees-
Simple. Small, compact enough to fit into your pocket. Yellow, gender neutral. However, some may suggest it leans more towards the feminine side. It's not fancy, it has a reputation of being natural and high quality because it is priced higher than a similar tube of Blistex. Peppermint flavored, showcases the ingredient list, it is covered in information and insignia, like the recycling emblem, the rabbit emblem to display that they are against animal testing, and then the Natural Products Association Label, their branding and design is the product, they advertise by showing the eco-friendliness of the product. Burt's is really easy to say, it rolls of the tongue and can be shortened, like "Hey have you seen my burt's?" And it's produced in North Carolina so that's a huge plus.








Bad- I have washed about 65 of these in my pants pocket each year, destroying clothes in the dryer. It is so compact that I don't notice it in my pants pockets. The cap can be difficult to take off if I have lotion on my hands. Very hard to spot if left in my purse, I have to dig around for it because it can get nestled underneath things and hidden because of it's size.




































Eos-
Pragnanz, we appreciate the simple sphere shape. It is designed for a comfortable grip. Easier to spot in a purse or backpack. Pastel colors. Very feminine. Outside of the packing, the sphere simply says, Eos on the top and bottom of the lip. Wouldn't look right in a pants pocket so the risk of washing and drying this product is lessoned, and the colors make it easier to spot and it is larger than a regular tube of chapstick. It is organic as well, and this particular one is sweet mint flavored. Hard to lose the cap, because it has a grippy material, and it is molded to fit the hand and fingers.








Bad- It doesn't fit in my pocket, and I don't always carry a purse or bag, so it defeats the purpose having it when I need it. It's bulky, and takes up more space in my bags, it uses more plastic to produce. My brother refuses to use it because of it's shape and has compared it to genitalia. So it is possibly geared more towards females. Takes both hands to use.

Gestalt- Pragnanz

Simply put, it means “good form”, it demonstrates that humans tend to organize shapes to simple forms. This means figures are seen as their simple elements instead of complicated shapes. 

This means images that are ambiguous and complex, are interpreted as simple shapes by humans. 

Pragnanz:

is symmetrical 
contains the simplest shapes possible
contains the fewest number of shapes

An example of this is, emoticons.

8)   :] :-O 

We simplify these shapes and it is only with the other elements of Gestalt that we are able to recognize the face that is made from these simple shapes. 

Contrast Balance Harmony

Preface: The preface is the whole picture in this case. This evening I told my parents that I'm literally battling writer's block, horribly, and not because I don't have ideas. I don't have words yet. Then, they asked me what I'm supposed to blog about right now. I said, "a picture...with harmony and balance" and my dad said something like, "that's interesting you said those two words, that's exactly what they use to describe something something of a car, "the harmonic balancer is connected to the crankshaft to balance the engine to keep it running true". His version made sense, but I died, I was like oh my heck, my professor is enamored with cars so.. I was overjoyed at the connection. And then, my Momma started up. Oh Bette, I have the perfect picture for you to use. I kid you not she recommended a watercolor painting of HERSELF. My gracious, my jaw dropped. The gall of this woman, I was like Mom......
Okay, but we really do have a watercolor painting of her, and it is currently leaned up against the wall, but she has every intention to hang it in the entryway of our home. The entryway, it might as well be on our front door, or above the fireplace. It's the Mona Lisa of Santa Clara....
Lemme back up though, my Mom traveled to Paris last year. In the Bohemian district, Montmartre to be exact, on a street about a Kilometer from the Moulin Rouge, she had a street painter approach her. Peddling in Europe is constant, but in this particular area of Paris these 'starving artists' aren't starving artists, they have the right to set up where they are based on heritage and prestige and it's an honor for them to spend the day on the street painting. Local law enforcement doesn't try to shoo these painters away, and they don't haggle them for work/street permits. An artist touched my Mom's cheek and said, I have never seen this color before. My mom is Native American, this wasn't a line, he probably really never had seen her skin color before. He sat her down and started painting her, a crowd formed and everyone broke out in applause when he finished. He then took a photo of the painting, and said I have to make another one of these, I will replicate it best I can. He told her she had to have it framed in a black simple frame with white matting so it wouldn't take away from the portrait. Luckily, my dad frames photos in his spare time as a hobby, this man must of just known. After this discussion, my Mom tried to pay him for the painting and he kept refusing. Finally, my mom got him to accept forty euros and told him to go have a drink. He then painted my Mom's travel companion's son for one hundred euros.
I want brownie points so I'm choosing to appease my Momma and write about harmony on her face.

The curve of every line is so constant, and steady even. I love all the areas that are white, because my mind completes the portrait. Varying thin lines with thick bold strokes somehow look fluid. The watermark imperfections are my favorite element because they add to the balance by throwing it off, like the artist didn't try too hard, he just felt. His hand guided him, or his heart, instead of his brain trying to be precise. I really appreciate the imperfections because my Mom is flawless, it is incredible to see this portrayal of her face. Bottom line, my Mom is a vision through and through, exotic, ethnic, and regal. The blend of colors is so soft, and purposeful. I think you tell this artist is not American, there's something different in his craft and I'm envious of his skill. His dimension is unique, he captured where light falls genuinely. The law of closure helps my mind complete this portrait, I even knew what scarf my Mom was wearing before I saw all the behind the scene photos. The visual distinction in hue and contrast are stunning because of how well it all worked, and the knowledge that he did this in a short timeframe, on the street. Pretty special. And no worries, I'm going to like get some humble pie to my Mom ASAP or stat whichever you prefer.