Teaching Film & Media Literacy

As my final post, I will put up something I made when first playing around with Audacity. Though I wouldn’t call this a podcast, I would still call it the coolest thing I’ve made on Audacity. In my personal opinion.

This has been a fun class, and I believe I may be done with new posts, but you never know when I might get the urge to return to the scene of the crime and sift through all my technological treasures.

Without further ado… “Peter Ilten Reads Frost”

First of all, here is a link to my final project ning:

Documentary Methods

Please use the following Login and Password to access the page:

Login: johnnystudent5472@gmail.com // Password: rbeach

The Ning that we created is to be used for a 3-4 week project in which students will ultimately produce their own documentary podcast, audio or video. We give the video option to students who truly want to try their hands at it, but the majority of our modeling and assignments are geared towards an audio podcast. Acting under the assumption that there has been a little work done in studying documentaries, we break our unit into four separate assignments that build on one other as they work towards producing a final product.

A very quick summary: The first assignment is to explore, find, and review existing documentary podcasts. We provide access to some examples via our forum page, as well as rubrics and sample assignments. The second assignment is to research a topic of interest. The students will work either alone or in pairs to think of a good topic for an audio documentary, find and interview subjects for the topic, and in the end provide a statement of intent which details why this is a good topic. We provide rubrics and samples for this assignment, as well. Thirdly, the students will create a script for a podcast. The last assignment involves actually creating/producing the podcast. Videos are provided, as are samples on the main page. As a close to the unit, we have a “Podcast Faire” set up so that all student documentaries can be shared – parents are invited, too.

We set up our Ning as a tool not so much for us as teachers, but as a hub in which students can find all the information they need in regards to their own project. On the main page, we have sample podcasts available. This is also where students will put their own finished podcasts so that the whole class can have access to them in only a few clicks of the mouse. Students can set up their own groups on the Ning, create events, add events to their own calendars, chat with other classmates, and more. This is a great source of information for every facet of the unit and we would highly encourage students to refer to it and use it as much as possible. From a teaching standpoint, it is a great way to keep everything organized. Also, other teachers with other classes can collaborate and see publicly what you are doing with your class. Moreover, parents will have access to the unit plan, permission slips, and other event information. We have found that working directly with parents in regards to their child’s projects is very beneficial.

I had a great time working on this project. Playing with a new technology tool (Ning and Audacity) is always fun and engaging, and I think I have a new hobby in creating podcasts. Audacity is a great program and very easy to students to access and learn.

I foresee myself not only using a Ning for future units (even in student teaching next spring), but possibly even using this exact unit, with a few modifications. I think this is a great tool for both teachers and students alike. If I had fun making it, I think the students will have fun playing around with the assignment, too.

For my film adaptations, I would teach a unit that looked at multiple adaptations (film and otherwise) of a particular text. This would be a great way to learn all the multiple ways a text can be interpreted and reinvented, and what themes can be picked out due to what kind of audience is being targeted. For example, if the text I was teaching was Shakespeare’s Hamlet, I would first spend a week or two teaching the text, encouraging students to act it out as they read outside of class, so they understood that the text was about performance. (I am assuming some sort of introduction to Shakespeare before this unit begins, as well.) We then could use the following films/texts: Kenneth Branagh’s “Hamlet,” Zeferelli’s “Hamlet,” Ethan Hawke’s “Hamlet,” Tom Stoppard’s play (or film adaptation) ”Rozencratz and Guildenstern are Dead,” Mystery Science Theater 3000’s mockery of a 1960’s German version of “Hamlet,” and/or Lawrence Olivier’s “Hamlet.” These would be shown in class over a few periods, and possibly even rent out a theater or auditorium for one of the films. Students would need to keep a response journal in which they discuss each film, the overall tone conveyed, the different themes explored, what is left OUT of the adaptation, any ADDITIONS, and ultimately why they think the author/director interpreted the text as such and why they made the choices they did. As an end to the unit, the students would compare and contrast two of the adaptations, while referencing back to the original text. This lesson could be used with other plays or stories, too, but works best with Shakespeare as it highlights how his plays were everchanging.

In thinking about my entire music library, and the artists that I care about the most, my mind consistently refers back to Martin Sexton. Sexton’s genre is not easy to define. He is a guy with a guitar, and a voice that is more instrument than any thing he could pick up and play. At best description, he is a folk singer, but he scats, beatboxes, and creates a very unique variety of music that has inspired many artists. There are a NUMBER of songs I could select that would highlight his talent, but the song below captures one of his best moments:

“In the Journey” by Martin Sexton

 

I chose a live recording of the song because this is truly Sexton at his best – his studio albums are very good, but his live performances must be experienced. I have seen him in concert three times now, and realizing that his talent and musicality is so natural makes you appreciate his music even more. The song has some cliche lyrics, but the way he sings them makes the message hit home even harder – he has such a wide range to his voice, and such incredible control over it that it really is his best instrument.

Autobiographically, I first learned about Martin Sexton my first year of college, a year that my musical taste exploded. I started going to concerts around this time with much more frequency, as well. I look to Sexton’s music as the beginning of my ascent to a better appreciation of music at a critical time in my life. And I am thankful for it.

The King of Kong: Fistful of Quarters (2007)

The King of Kong is a 2007 documentary that, at its simplest, is a film about two men trying to best each other for the world record score on “Donkey Kong.” The actual story, however, goes much further and is far richer than that simple summary can convey. The record-holder, Billy Mitchell, is a self-proclaimed videogame demigod, comparing himself to every great conqueror imaginable, and outright claiming that he is amazing at everything he does. Steve Wiebe is his challenger, and he is a science teacher father that lives on the other side of the country. He is a humble but avid videogame player and sets out to break Billy’s record. Along the way, the audience meets a great cast of characters such as the video game junkies that worship Billy, and Steve’s family and friends that support him even if they do not quite understand the point of this quest.

This documentary sets up a David vs. Goliath recurring theme from the outset. We are first introduced to Billy and the pedestal that he is on towers far above anything manmade on this Earth. He speaks of himself in the third person. His friends laugh at the notion that anybody could even come close to his greatness. His attitude is, in a word, dismissive. Dismissive of anything that would ever hint to his flaws. The techniques used to paint this greatness are happy music, overlaid shots of his videogame statistics, archival footage of the first tournament Billy ever won and TV shows he appeared on, and shots of magazine covers with his face plastered all over them.

The documentary transitions then to Steve Wiebe. He is a humble family man and a science teacher at a local high school. He is good-natured and dedicated to his children. In an interview with his wife, she details how Steve has been runner-up at absolutely everything he has ever done in life, and how sensitive of a person he is because of it. With moving music and many shots of Steve’s tears, the audience feels sympathetic for him. In this set up, it is clear that we as an audience are to be rooting for Steve.

Finally, aside from great techniques used to show how characters are portrayed, the documentary itself tells a STORY. It has drama, action, and a definitive climax that hooks the viewer. If it were simply informational, we would not care as much. But because of the story aspect and the fact that we care about each character and are emotionally invested, the experience is far more involving.

Teaching activity:

I would want to use a documentary such as this one in a class to start a unit in which the students create their own video documentaries. I would highlight the aspects that make this more than a simple informational video. I would highlight the characters, the plot aspects, the tone evoked, and the authorial intent of the documentary. Then, the students would work in groups to select something they want to research and write a documentary about. They will need to highlight what makes the characters likable or unlikable, and write down key aspects about the characters to highlight while filming so that we as an audience understand how we’re supposed to feel about them. Laying out the documentary in a story format will also be part of the planning. Finally, a week or so will be dedicated to in-class computer lab time to produce their documentary.

NEWS TRENDS AND HABITS

For this post, I decided it would be interesting to compare a national news broadcast with a local news broadcast. I decided to focus on “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams” (5:30 CST) and “KARE-11 News” (also NBC, 6:00 CST). Below, I have listed the detailed viewing logs for each show:

1:00 – Intro/Promo (Top story, letterman, Alicia keys)

3:06 – Fort Hood Memorial (Top Story)

2:57 – Officer who attacked Fort Hood – investigation (justice correspondent)

1:26 – Afghanistan strategy – Obama – WH Correspondent

0:38 – Blackwater – secret cash payments

1:49 – United Airlines – drunk pilot (aviation correspondent)

0:26 – DC Sniper execution

COMMERCIAL

2:14 – David Letterman blackmail – legal/court thing

0:20 – Hurricane

COMMERCIAL

0:19 – Kareem Abdul Jabbar – fighting leukemia

0:22 – TV ratings across nation

0:37 – Historic brew – beer from Hindenburg

0:44 – Sesame Street 40^th anniversary

COMMERCIAL

3:59 – “Making a Difference” – Alicia Keys

 —————————————-

0:37 – Teenager w/ coach (St. Paul)

2:16 – Gunman on St. Paul school campus – school lockdown in September – lady changed story and is charged w/ false crime

0:24 – River Falls, WI home burglary – surveillance photos – please call if you can identify

0:25 – Sweat lodge ceremony deaths (MN deaths in new mexico)

0:46 – Fort Hood memorial (St. Paul man specifically – funeral announcement, too)

0:54 – Military family day in Dakota county

0:47 – Bankruptcy case – Irwin Jacobs

0:19 – Earsell Mackbee – former Viking death

0:28 – Unattended grills in warmer weather

COMMERCIAL

2:12 – Shoppers footage

0:12 – Banter

COMMERCIAL

3:41 – Banter into weather

3:36 – Sports (Joe Mauer, univ. football, Vikings, twolves, wild)

COMMERCIAL

0:53 – Mall of America Christmas decorating

0:21 – Leadout banter

———————————————————–

I then broke them down in terms of “News” and other categories:

NBC Nightly News:

NEWS:  11 min, 56 sec

SPORTS: 19 sec

HUMAN INTEREST: 4 min, 36 sec

ENTERTAINMENT: 1 min, 6 sec

TOTAL AIRTIME:  17 min, 57 sec (1 min+ promos/lead-ins)

COMMERCIAL: ~11 minutes

KARE-11 News:

NEWS:  ~9 MINUTES

WEATHER: 3 MIN, 41 SEC

SPORTS: 3 MIN, 36 SEC

HUMAN INTEREST/BANTER: ~1 MIN, 30 SEC

TOTAL AIRTIME: ~18 MIN

COMMERCIAL: ~12 MIN

————————————————————-

For the national news, even though roughly only 12 minutes fell under the “news” category, each piece was delivered with such an air of professionalism that it felt like news, even the human interest pieces. However, the actual “news” category consisted of stories that felt very politically driven (Obama, Fort Hood, war, etc.). The other news stories were ones that were of national concern, or could cause concern in people: a drunk airline pilot and the fate of the DC sniper. Finally, the piece about David Letterman could fall under entertainment, but since it was approached so seriously and took into account the meaning of the law, it finds itself under news. What I noticed more than anything else was that the “news” portion of the broadcast took place entirely in the first half of the episode, and anything human interest or sports/entertainment related sat on the back half of the broadcast.

This was true for the local news, too, whose “news” category was much more localized. There was only one 46-second segment on national news, and even that was tied back to St. Paul through a murdered soldier. Whereas the national news contains no weather or sports information, the local news dedicated nearly as much time to weather and local sports as they did to news coverage. The remainder of the airtime was dedicated to banter between the anchors, all part of the tactic to make the news feel “neighborly:” they talk about local things, they laugh and joke with each other and make the viewer feel comfortable, and they promise to be back again tomorrow, safe and secure. I must admit that I like this, and I actually feel a connection to the KARE-11 news anchors because of this.

It is clear that one tactic of the national news is to remain professional and deliver the news QUICKLY, so that many bases are covered. Clearly they cannot cover the entirety of the day’s news in 18 minutes of airtime, so they must pick and choose. Based on audience, they choose to focus on national news, and only go international if something is somehow related to America, or if it is so significant that it must be covered. With local news, it is still delivered extremely quickly (if not quicker due to the time needed for weather and sports), and it again keeps its audience in mind with a regional focus. The feel good stories for both don’t occur until the end because they want their viewers to come back for tomorrow’s news as well.

MY VIEWING/LISTENING HABITS

My most watched television stations are ESPN, ABC, and a number of cable channels that are owned by Viacom. I also listen to two radio stations: 93X and The Current. For the most part, it would appear that the majority of what I view and listen to is owned by Disney/ABC. (Also, given that a number of my favorite movies are Marvel Studios movies, these are now owned by Disney, too.) Given how wide my taste is, and how the span of sports to comic books to metal radio stretches, one could argue that there is no defined “audience” for the ABC/Disney/ESPN leviathan. It is MUCH easier to focus on the intended audience of my other listening pleasure, The Current. This is Minnesota Public Radio, and along with The Current and casual tuning to MPR 91.1, I also download a handful of podcasts that are NPR-based. Because of the listener-supported atmosphere of each one, it makes the audience feel special and privileged to be listening to it, and like they have a say in what gets played and what happens – something that can’t be claimed by a corporate entity.

TEACHING ACTIVITY

Much like this activity, I would ask students to keep a log of a week’s worth of news – just the local news. I would ask them to keep a log of SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT, NEWS, WEATHER, and COMMERCIALS. While they log the amount of time spent on each, I would also want them to keep notes on editing techniques, the severity/casualness of the news provided, and as a bonus, the number of jokes or laughs on each broadcast. At the end, they would get a feel for the average amount of time dedicated to each portion of the news, and how long each segment could be. Then their next project would be, with two or three other students, to write, film, and edit their own news broadcast. The length would only need to be as long as a normal broadcast WITHOUT commercials. However, for extra credit, they could create one commercial to throw into their broadcast. After they were filmed, we would have a presentation day in class for the broadcasts. The students, as a group, would submit a one-paragraph summary of their experience, listing both pros and cons, and what they would do differently if they had another chance to do the assignment.

This was for a project for a different class, but felt worthy enough to make it into the Metaphantastic canon. Enjoy.

There a number of different ads for online dating websites out there, but eHarmony probably has the most memorable and/or recognizable ad campaign currently running. Here is one such “personal story” advertisement:

It is eHarmony’s intention to tell a personal story, showing how successful their website can be for matching couples based on compatibility. The target audience for such a company is the group of people who are single, have been unable to find someone to date through “normal” means, and are realizing that perhaps there need to be different methods. The message of the ad also is targeting those single people who aren’t just looking for casual dating, but rather “the one” – the ultimate soulmate. By telling the story of a couple who is endlessly happy and actually ended up getting married to one another, eHarmony is showing that they SUCCESSFULLY match couples. There are no statistics, no “proof” of how well they work as a dating website because that is not the aim of this campaign. Whether it’s because those kinds of statistics are not good is not the issue – the purpose of this campaign is to tell a personal story, and to emote a feeling of LONGING in the audience, a sense of “Hey, I want that, too…”

Along with personal stories of staying up late, making artwork together, and saying that they feel completed, the ad also shows the couple CONSTANTLY smiling, and even displays some of their more intimate moments. It doesn’t hurt that they are an attractive couple, as well, and these happy images mixed with a couple that is easy on the eyes is sure to make viewers feel comfortable and at peace with what is being presented to them. (As well as the easy-listening music playing underneath the whole presentation.) And what IS being presented is the idea that to be the happiest you can be, you NEED to find that significant other with which you can spend a monogamous, lifetime relationship.

These commercials have been parodied for a while. The most recent (and perhaps the funniest in this blogger’s opinion) is the following advertisement for a particularly popular product:

This commercial for *spoiler warning* Miller Lite plays on all of the elements that make the eHarmony ad campaign memorable: an attractive couple, shots of them dancing and smiling, easygoing music underneath everything. Like the eHarmony ad, it lulls the viewer into a sense of comfort with such images and personal storytelling — and then it bangs home the comedic element by showing that the guy is actually talking about beer. This of course allows the eHarmony tactic of showing the importance of relationships to shift into the Miller Lite tactic of showing a man’s love for beer – even more than a female.

Going with this parody notion, I created my own parody of an eHarmony commercial, though not for any other product other than a dating website. I tried to implement the previously mentioned key elements of a dating website commercial, and I will let you judge if it was a success. Enjoy.

Again, I basically was trying to parody the music, smiling/kissing/dancing shots, personal closeup, and personal narrative moments that come with these advertisements. I actually believe that these eHarmony commercials are extremely well done and are a great ad campaign, so there is no ridicule in my parody. Simply an attempt to look at it through a different lens.

Below is the powerpoint presentation from Chris Baldridge and me:

The Post-Modern Romantic Comedy

Teaching Activity:

For teaching a lesson on film genre, I would actually want to use the “Bromance” as an example of “new” genres. Other “new” genres we could discuss in this genre lesson would be disaster movies (how far they have come since movies like “Earthquake,” and how they are frequent enough to get their own genre), graphic novel/comic book movies (again, newer than the old Superman/Batman films – actual frame-for-frame directing), and more. The post-modern romantic comedy could be paired with a lesson on deconstruction or post-structuralist  criticism. The class could show a “standard” romantic comedy followed by a “bromance,” and students would work in groups to create a post-structural critique of the latter as juxtaposed with the former. This would be a great application for a variety of critical lenses, as well.

I SWEAR I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM

I have never been a Trekkie. I have never been a Star Wars fanboy. I never thought that I would be one of those fans who dresses up for a movie or a convention of any kind (with one particular Matrix sequel the exception to the rule). I can, however, unabashedly and proudly state that I am a Lostie. “Losties” are fans that are completely and utterly obsessed with the show LOST. They come in all shapes and sizes, and there are many online communities out there for them to be a part of. I am very familiar with several of them myself. Perhaps it will be best to explain Lost fandom by actually going through my own day on the internet…

LOST fans, the truest diehard ones, are all about conversation. Given that the show is built on mystery and an overarching storyline from season 1 to season 6, there are MANY things to talk about. They discuss the show intensely after its weekly debut, and the conversation even continues during the 8-month offseason between season finale and season premiere. Whenever Wednesday morning hits, I know that I will either write or receive an email to/from a small group of people who are my “Lost Buddies.” This will be an email recapping the previous week’s episode, and then preparing the readers for that night’s upcoming episode with discussion questions and predictions. The emails continue for a day or two after the episode airs, with thoughts, criticism, and further predictions. My friends and I are not the only people in the world who follow it in such a manner, either – not by a long shot. Because the conversation and worldwide dialogue is never-ending, it was only a matter of time before fansites began popping up all over the place. These sites give Losties a chance to talk to one another, find out “spoiler” information for the upcoming season or episode, talk to the actors and creators of the show, and serve as an outlet for abounding creative juices. I will discuss a few below:

FAN WEBSITES:

LOSTPEDIA (http://www.lostpedia.com) – This is a fan-made wiki that pertains to everything in the LOST universe. I discovered this site right after season 2 and have been reading it ever since. It is a database for absolutely anything you can think of with the show lost. There are pages for characters, seasons, episodes, recurring themes, literary metaphors, images, videos – absolutely EVERYTHING you need to know if you want to catch up or refresh your memory on something. This works well when the show references something from an earlier season. You can head to Lostpedia and refresh your memory on what happened in season 1, episode 5, and who is connected to whom.

DARKUFO (http://darkufo.blogspot.com) – Another fan-made website that prides itself on spoilers. (Spoilers, in case you are unaware, are bits of information about upcoming episodes that could potentially spoil or ruin any surprises and thus your overall experience.) It can be VERY hard to resist clicking over to this site to feed your craving for LOST news. The website has gotten better about hiding its spoilers and giving the viewer the option to view them, rather than just splashing them on the front page as they used to do.

THE FUSELAGE (http://www.thefuselage.com) – This is a website created solely as a place to discuss anything about LOST. It has message boards for every episode, as well as for specific topics or themes of the show. In its earlier days, this website used to crash after each episode since so many people were logging on to talk about the show. Some of the shows actors (Jorge Garcia, Evangeline Lilly) have even been known to make appearances on the message boards. Now and then the website will do live chats, but their servers are not fast enough to make this a very enjoyable experience.

SL-LOST (http://www.sl-lost.com) – This is my personal favorite blog about Lost. The creators of the blog are special connections around Hollywood and usually are the first to break big stories. They do their best to avoid spoiler information, but if there ever is any, they give a very fair warning. This is the best website for LOST fans to really gather and express their love through creative means. They supply video podcasts with the blog creators, audio podcasts with the head writers of the show (Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse), as well as fan-made projects, which I discuss below.

PODCASTS – There are many podcasts available that discuss LOST, too. The most popular is Jay and Jack’s podcast on Audible.com. They tend to get a little too conversational between themselves and forget they have an audience listening, but the podcast is at its best during “Listener Feedback” when people phone in with theories. Some are stupid and make you wonder if they have ever seen an episode prior to season 4, and others point out things you never have considered.

FAN-MADE VIDEOS AND OTHER PRODUCTS

I can’t claim to have done anything like this myself, but I really enjoy seeing things like this on a daily basis online. These first few videos are all fan-made videos that serve to celebrate the popular themes/characters of seasons past, and prepare the viewer’s mindset for the upcoming season.

(This paragraph right here is an example of a SPOILER WARNING!! – If you have yet to see LOST, do not watch these clips. There are characters and events that occur through the end of Season 5 in these videos. I would hate for any LOST experience to be ruined by knowing too much. You have been warned – SPOILER warned.)

For more videos of this nature, follow this link to get to the Youtube playlist: http://tinyurl.com/ykwxwob

Here are some products made by LOST fans, some of which I would consider purchasing in a heartbeat.

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There are also action figures and other collectibles for fans that are sponsored by the show.

FAN RESPONSES – WHY THIS SHOW IS IMPORTANT

I could list many of my own reasons as to why this show is important to me, but some of my diehard LOST friends put it more eloquently than I ever could. To them, LOST is not just some show – it is closer to a religious experience, as evidenced by the continuous discussion of the show (which, at present, has not aired for just over 5 months, and won’t for another 3). It is something that can offer so many different options for enjoyment. As one friend put it, “LOST is so malleable that any thinking person can find something (many things) to enjoy.”

There is a heavy appreciation for characters and story, and not just from a “that is really intriguing and well-told” perspective, but rather one that requires active thinking. Another friend summed it up the best: “The show is written for smart people.  Sure, you can be a dumbass and still enjoy LOST, but the true beauty of the show is in the underlying references and hidden nuances that you have to really be an active viewer in order to appreciate.  I love a show that repays you for actually using your brain cells as you watch it.”

In terms of inspiration, it has inspired many people to appreciate smarter writing – to realize that a show driven at a large population will unapologetically be smart, and require its viewers to think. To reach a large audience, writing does not have to be dumbed down, but rather it needs to challenge the viewer/reader. Many fans discuss wanting to write themselves because they have seen how beautiful it can be – how complex, intriguing, mysterious, romantic, humorous and controversial it can be all at the same time. I asked the question “What is your favorite conflict on the show?” and received much hate for asking only for one. The issues are large, and the character connections run deep. As previously stated, the show is malleable, and there is much to like.

Fans have shown how much they love this show through their fan-made art and videos, their creation of websites, their dedication to message boards – even the emotion they give in responding to an interview question. There air, however, is lushly bittersweet right now. The show is approaching its final season, and while the payoff for the legions of dedicated fans promises to be worth all of this time spent worshipping the show, there will be nothing more to look forward to come next spring.