Assignment 3

This is a scene from one of my favorite movies, Fight Club.

The following is a scene written in script format from between the times of :30 to :58 from the video above.

There are many different principles of sound utilized in this scene from Fight Club. It utilizes both Causal and Semantic listening modes. For instance, in the scene where it cuts to an inserted shot of a green forest, there are literally birds chirping in the background. This is causal because it is the literal sound. Then, when it shows the insert shot of his hand burning, there is a sizzling noise that sounds much like bacon frying on a griddle. This is semantic because the chemical burning would most likely not sound just like that, and is what represents what the audience expects to hear. There are also examples of Gestalt Principals and illusion in this scene. It seems like there is a cacophony of sounds going on as he is being burned, which heightens the audience awareness of the pain that must be going on, but in reality it is illusion and there is only the constant sirens playing with the occasional sound overlapped with it. Also figure and ground applies because what the audience picks up and perceives is based on the hearing one sound stand out amongst the others. For example, even though the siren is constantly blaring in the background, the audience hears the sizzling stand out when they watch his hand burning.

Assignment 2

Check out and read Finding Your Howl by Jonathon Flaum.

“Following Your Howl” by Jonathon Flaum is a story about a wolf who has been kept in captivity, and when released into the wild realizes that him and his fellow wolves need to discover how they were before they were in a captive environment; they must find their “howl” or their natural way of life. When reviewing the story, one finds the deeper meaning. Flaum is actually writing about finding who you are always meant to be and discovering what lies beneath the surface of your own apparent self image. He wishes to express to the reader that in order to find yourself you must be willing to give up anything and go through any trial to achieve success.

The following is the lyrics of the song "Let It Enfold You" by Senses fail; one of my favorite songs.

So the lie now is my weapon
Like a bush dried withered in the sun
With this spark I'll go up in flames.
I'd lay my guts out but they're too small to see
It's kinda cute how I pretend to be
Everything but the instrument I am.

Peace or happiness
So let it enfold you

A birth to life is what I'm after
My first name won't be my last one
Let the light just drip into your eyes.

So it's true my words are contrived
I tell lies just to get into your mind
I'm as fake as a widow's smile.
This mask of glass is what I choose to wear
So I won't ever have the need to bear
The total truth to anyone but me.

Peace or happiness
So let it enfold you

A birth to life is what I'm after
My first name won't be my last one
Let the light just drip into your eyes.
The light (the light) into (into) your eyes (your eyes) all night

I'm just a bad actor stuck with a shitty script
All of my lines are cheap and the cast is weak
There was no music for the first time I got kissed
There was no femme fatale, my mistress wasn't rich.
So I've been formatted to fit your TV screen
The film went straight to tape, I'll bow out quietly.
So quietly. So quietly.

Please do this now I beg
Duct tape my arms and legs
Throw me into the sea
(Please save me, please save me)

Now watch the waves eat me
Setting my cold heart free
I'll wash ashore in weeks
(You can't save me, can't save me)

Now watch the waves eat me
Setting my cold heart free
I'll wash ashore in weeks
(You can't save me, you can't save me now)

 The song “Let It Enfold You” by Senses Fail is definitely one of the top songs on my list of favorites. The title and much of the content of the lyrics are taken from Charles Bukowski’s poem “Let It Enfold You”. This song really speaks to me in a creative sense, and it is very easy for me to relate to. The main meaning of the song very closely mirrors that of Jonathon Flaum’s story “Following Your Howl”. It is about the speaker wanting to be who they really are, and an apparent inability to do so. The main difference is that the speaker in the song seems to realize what they could or should have been, but they have been lying, while in “Following Your Howl” it is more about discovering the self. The opening lines of the song declare that he is a liar, and that he is in denial of what he really is. This speaks to me personally because I am always on a constant and relentless journey to find who I truly want to be and where I fit in this world. It is so easy to deny to yourself what you are doing and to create your own standards of right and wrong in order to validate your actions. The problem is you can only kid yourself for so long before you realize that you hate who you have become. The song is very much about realizing that you have not been living life the way you should or that you originally intended to, and then feeling the very real pain of that realization.

The speaker knows what he has become and knows who he wants to be, but is unable to turn back; it’s too late. I can relate to these feelings. Sometimes you dig yourself so deep into a mindset or a way of living that it is virtually impossible to crawl back out. You push your opinions and you engrain it in your own head until you almost believe it; then you realize it’s not your true beliefs. It’s not the way you pictured.

My favorite and most heart-felt lines of the song are, “I’m just a bad actor stuck with a shitty script. All of my lines are cheap and the cast is weak. There was no music for the first time I got kissed. There was no femme fatale, my mistress wasn’t rich.” This speaks to me on such a level that I cannot even describe it through words. So many times I feel like life is just a scene that I am acting in, and that I don’t really agree or fit in with what’s happening. Often the people in the world around me are not a very good supporting cast and don’t fit in with what I expect for myself. Not everything in life is beautiful and perfect, and sometimes it just seems like the seemingly meaningful experiences are just passing me by. I don’t want to wake up one day and realize that my entire life has not been led to it’s fullest extent, and this song reminds me each and every day that things may not be the greatest, but as long as I realize that tiwill happen, I can move on and continue to follow my bliss.

Assignment 1

This photograph represents Nuclei Pig in several ways, most prominently in the close affinity of the colors. First, the green and yellow field contrasted against the rest of the grayscale represents his struggle between the colorful and good and what is dark and evil. The green and yellow is also symbolic of his colors he adorns as his costume. The yellow also represents the color of the nuclear waste he was in contact with. The person joyously leaping represents the freedom that he provides by protecting his city. The setting of the photograph in nature represents his humble beginnings as a normal farm pig, and his love of all things simple and good.

This photograph is a great representation of the pure goodness of Nuclei Pig and his honest intentions. The light shining upon the farmhouse is a clear representation of how he is looking out for what he loves. Once again, the green and yellow hues and the pink farmhouse represent his coloring. The dark and ominous surrounding the lighted area due to the clouds symbolizes the chaos that is lurking if Nuclei Pig’s enemies succeed. Also, once again the farmhouse is a great representation of Nuclei Pigs beginnings before the fateful day that he played in a puddle of nuclear-active mud.

This photograph represents several aspects of Nuclei Pig. First and foremost, it represents his circular shape, much like these pink bubbles. Circles often represent good, and eternity, and this pig is dedicated to being eternally good and bubbly. Throughout history circles have represented importance and prestige, and often appear in such places like Stonehenge. Nuclei Pig is clearly one of the most important figures in history, so naturally he would be cricular. His shape is also very flowing for the eye and easy to look at, which makes the character seem soft and likable. The hearts within the circles represent his love of the world and the people he has sworn to protect.

Nuclei Pig!!

The color of this interesting photograph represents the color of Alpha-Butcher extremely well. The black body of the dragon resembles the dark colors that make up the dress of the deadly butcher, and gives the character a certain importance. The black color also represents the possible death of those in the city. The purple wings are mirroring the purple accents of Alpha-Butcher’s costume and the background around him. The purple hue definitely represents a sense of incoming doom and despair. The dragons face also represents Alpha-Butcher well because it is very scary and unwavering. He is also angry and sinister in appearance.

This photograph represents Alpha-Butcher through its lack of light. The dark nature of this photograph represents the dark nature of the butcher himself and his murderous intentions. The shadows represent the impossibility of foreseeing what he is going to do next and the magnitude of the next disaster he will cause. The little light there is represents the watchful eye of Nuclei pig, and the bright light that is his justice slowly creeping in to all the dark corners and alleys of the city. The photograph’s extreme lack of light and abundance of shadow represent the pure evil of Alpha-Butcher.

This picture of a snake represents the slimy, slithery nature and shape of Alpha-Butcher. The snake is very long and squiggly, which typically represents a character type that is both clever and intuitive. At the same time, the shape of the serpent and the shape of Alpha-Butcher represent an inability to be trusted. Typically squiggly figures are unruly and uncountable, and are seen as evil in their nature. Also, the sharp shape of the curved fangs represent the sharp curved edges of the knives the butcher carries and the serious injury they can cause. Both the snake and the butchers squiggly shapes cannot be trusted and they will do whatever it takes to survive.

Alpha-Butcher!!!!

Christopher reeve Superman Tribute

Check Out Superman!

Basically I find Superman to be my favorite superhero because I don't really know too many others, and it seemed like a good choice at the time.