The End

MEDP 150, we finally come to a close. I don't know why I say "finally," because this semester went quickly-- probably too quickly. In the beginning of the semester, as an ignorant newcomer to the whole media-studies-thing, I saw this class as a great way to get into production, and learn the basics of the field I was stepping into. With promises of movie-making, technical photographing, and an understanding of several computer programs, I thought this class was going to be awesome. However, soon it became quite apparent that having the lab one time a week made it really impossible for one to really hone his or her skills.

The labs were fun for the most part, but they just couldn't quite live up to what they were advertised as. Sometimes it would move too fast, other times too slow. Other than the photoshop-oriented classes, we never spent more than the 1 hour and 15 minutes working on anything else. I honestly completely forget all the nuances of the film camera already. Not that it matters; I am not a film major, but we spent so little time focused on it that it just won't resonate with anyone who doesn't have a burning passion for film. That being said, it is great to actually have hands-on experience

What about the lectures, you ask? Well, unfortunately the lectures were far worse. Professors Lucas and Mercado both clearly know their stuff, but it is definitely hard to pay attention (see: stay awake). There is little connection to the students as a whole, and it does make it quite hard really take in everything the professors are talking about. The movies that were shown were actually quite interesting, though. It's cool seeing all of those heavy weight directors of today looking back and talking about these old black and white movies, and how the directors pay homage to their cinematography today. And one thing I can take away from this class is the importance of lighting and overall composition of different shots, whether they be still or video.

This interest in composition sparked up my curiosity in Photoshop. The final labs that focused on photoshop really taught me a lot about the program. It really seemed fun, so much so that I got it for my own computer at home.

Well...off to the final lecture!

Cursive's Domestica

For this assignment, we were told to dissect almost all forms of still visual advertisement of art, from book covers to movie posters. Of course the one thing missing is the one thing I'm well versed in: album covers. While this isn't on the list, album covers are sometimes just as important as the music itself in stirring up attention and creating a buzz. It also helps put a face on the music, which is why the artists carefully craft album covers that reflect exactly the direction the music will head the listener towards.

Cursive's Domestica, while being one of my favorite albums of all time, features some of my favorite album art. It is a concept album about a fictional relationship's trials and tribulations. and the artwork captures the music's pained and ominous tone perfectly. The cover has a jet black background. It features a guy and a girl (presumably the the couple which the album is focused on). They are placed from the left to the middle of the cover. They guy is wearing black, and his body blends in exactly with the scenery. You cannot tell where his body ends, but you can assume he's skinny because his face is slim. His hair is brown, but at the shadows he it too blends in with the black of the background. His dreary face is looking off into the distance, and it looks like he is not hugging back the person who is hugging him. The girl has her head nestled on the shoulder of the guy, with her eyes closed. The girl has short hair, and like the guy she is hugging intently, it is dark and blends into the background. she is wearing a red turtleneck with short sleeves. The red is ridiculously bright and there is a stark contrast between her sweater and the rest of the cover. It's fiery in a bleak scene. Just like there seems to be a great contrast with the deeply emotional output of the girl and the guy's apathy. Both character's heads, while being the focus, are the neutral colors of the piece.

Below the girl's head is the title of the album. "Cursive's" is written in a small. white font. "Domestica" is written in a much bigger font directly underneath. It has casts a red shadow. Below that, written in a minuscule white font, are the lyrics for the first track in the album "The Casualty." It's read across the entire piece and spans 5 lines.

To the right of the couple are four tiny pictures. All four are heavily red-based photos. They are seemingly taken of scenes of a day in the life of the fictional couple. With each photo becoming more and more red with every photo, until the last, which looks like a close-up of the guy with a completely red filter.

The album art is perfectly crafted. When you see it, you know what you're in for when you listen to the album...at least with the mood, if not musically.

FIRST: Museum Visit.

About 5 years ago, with my media class I had visited the Museum Of The Moving Image. I don't remember it that well; I just remember the traffic on the way back (it took almost two hours for what should be a half hour drive). 3 days ago I ventured back to that same museum, driving in from Long Island. I gave the guy at the desk my 7 bucks, and walked down the narrow hallway, up the stairs, and through a relatively small door. As soon as I passed through that door I remembered why I couldn't remember the museum that well: it's tiny. With only two floors (each with a respectably sized room), it doesn't take up too much space. Walking through, I gazed at all the make-up and costumes. This surely jogged some memories, because I remember being just as freaked out if not more when I saw (probably) the creepiest Gumby costume of all time. Seriously, that thing will give me nightmares. Some other things that freaked me out is the "cocoon" from the movie Cocoon. It didn't look very realistic or anything, just ridicously weird. It really is amazing how they get things to look so different on camera. All the makeup to the left of the cocoon was also pretty cool to see. Other than that, I think it would have probably been better to see everything if I was on a tour. Whatevz, everything was interesting enough.