Super Size Me

For my documentary analysis, I watched Super Size Me, which follows a guy named Morgan Spurlock around for 30 days as he eats nothing but McDonalds for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I chose this documentary because, first of all, there's the movie poster in the classroom. Also, I eat fast food, not a lot, but enough to be interested in the effects it has on you.

After watching the documentary, I was surprised at the effects eating McDonalds had on Spurlock. Of course the results are a bit exaggerated because, hopefully, no person eats McDonalds for all three meals every single day, but they were still worrying.

The documentary didn't have any fancy editing or lighting, which gives it a home movie style, which gave it a realistic, personal feel to it where everything seemed real. To transition from one topic to the next, Spurlock uses art picturing McDonalds in a very negative way.

Super Size Me was definitely both an expository and interactive documentary, as Spurlock is trying to inform us about the harms of McDonalds, but he is the main focus of the film. The main sounds are diegetic and narration. Spurlock is the narrator, and the diegetic sounds are used when he is in McDonalds or talking to the doctor.

At the end, Spurlock uses text tracks to tell the story of what happened after his documentary was released about how his health progressed and other useful information. In the text track, it says that McDonalds removed the SuperSize option after this was released, but denies that it was as a result of the documentary. Despite the denial, I still think the documentary had something to do with this decision which surprises me, because I wouldn't think a documentary would have that huge of an effect.

Spurlock uses fades to transition from one shot to the next, which worked because it was a subtle reminder of a shot change.

Spurlock sometimes used low-key lighting for a purpose. For instance, when he was not feeling very good, he would use darker places to shoot while when he was eating, it would usually be in high-key.

Overall, this documentary was very effective. Will I stop eating McDonalds? Ehh, probably not. Will it make me think twice about eating McDonalds often? Most definitely. 

Pressure

The stress that comes from school is always being talked about, and I have used it as a go to topic whenever one was needed, but now is when I'm really feeling it. This year has been a huge stressor, and I can see it in my friends as well. We are always tired, and always working. Me and Rachel were talking the other day about the amount of things we do, just to get the tiniest bit closer to being recognized in college. We both do sports year round, and we both take high level classes from CAP to Honors PreCalc to Honors Chem, as do a lot of people we know. The amount of time that these courses and activities take up are a lot, but we both hoped that it would all pay off in the future.

The problem is, we can't always guarantee that everything we do will pay off in the future, which is unfortunate. Sometimes, it just has to do with luck. 

Documentary Topics

Oh gosh, time for the picking of documentary topics. There were so many good ideas presented in class that I don't know which one I want to do yet. Maybe I should do a profile on my friend's dad who is a former NFL player and now owns an investment company. Or maybe I could do it on the conceptions of beauty, where I could go around and interview people in the school about what beauty means to them. Hmm, or maybe I could do it on the immense pressure that students feel to do well in school since that is accessible. OR I could do a documentary about how sports affect people's lives.

There are just so many things that I am interested in, that I can't decide on one topic. I can visualize what each of these would look like, but, unfortunately yet fortunately, I can't do all the topics. I guess I will have to decide sooner or later. But my top three are probably:

1. Profile on my friend's dad
2. Conceptions of Beauty
3. Pressure in School

Those aren't in any particular order.

Fallen Leaves

This is my Capture the Fall project. I had much more fun doing this project rather than the 5x5 independent film project since this one was more challenging and involved more creativity. This project gave me a chance to be artsy since it, to me, involved nature. I filmed it with a Canon T3 and I think it came out pretty nice. This is one of the first project/assignment that I haven't procrastinated on in a LONG time. I was actually excited to do this project since photography is a passion of mine, as is video editing. I also got the chance to play around with the video on my T3 which I haven't done much in the past.

The film spots ended up being random places I went throughout the time of the project. Since I take my camera practically everywhere, I was able to take it out whenever I saw an opportunity for a good shot. I filmed outside my house, at my mosque, at my cousins' house, and random places on the road. I had a lot of other shots that I felt were strong but I couldn't include them since they didn't have to do with leaves.

I used a video editor called VideoPad since I heard the YouTube editor was basic and I didn't like my past experience with wevideo. VideoPad was surprisingly user friendly and it gave me good results.

The ending of the project was a bit chaotic. I had started off using a song called New Soul, but then I realized I had to use Creative Commons. I hastily found a song to use and it actually ended up fitting in well with the video.

Overall this was a fun project, and I look forward to future video challenges.

End of Quarter Numero Uno

Quarter One is FINALLY over.



Many people have warned me about sophomore year and the stress that comes with it, but I never paid it much mind. Walking into it, however, was a completely different story.

The quarter has been extremely stressful, yet I could never pinpoint the actual cause of this stress. I did know, however, that school was definitely a part of it. No matter how hard I tried, I could never organize my schedule. I got home from practice at 6:30 but due to dinner and showering, I wouldn't be able to start my homework until 7:30, that being the earliest.

The end of the quarter was the most stressful. We had two days off due to the hurricane, and I only had three days to bring my grades up. In addition to improving my grades, I also needed to meet several deadlines, such as the Dystopian Trailer.

In addition to that, procrastination is also a problem I have. I tend to procrastinate more than I should, and this also added to the stress. Going into the second quarter, I need to learn how to better manage my time through Ms. Cullen's calendar technique and through to do lists.

I also need to find time to study and revise, as I find myself coming into tests without having had studied due to no time.

All in all, it was quite a quarter that I learned a few lessons from, that I will definitely apply going into second quarter... hopefully.

Eid

Friday was Eid-al-adha, a Muslim holiday. This is a day of celebration including food, friends, and family. My Eid turned out great, and it was definitely the best Eid I've experienced in a long time.

First, I had to wake up at 6:00 am to get ready to go to the mosque for the first prayer. This was a bit annoying since it was supposed to be my day off, but I was waking up early anyway. But,surprisingly, I felt very awake. At the mosque, I saw a couple of friends from school and spent some time talking to them after prayer.

After that, my dad and I went to get new tires for his car and get them aligned. Immediately after, we went to  my uncle's house to visit my cousins since their dad was in Saudi Arabia making the pilgrimage called Hajj. Once there, we had fun laughing and eating.

After a while, us kids got bored while the adults talked so we decided to go outside and roam around the playground since it was such a beautiful day. At the playground, I got some footage for the new independent film project about what fall means to me. I also took some pictures of my cousins acting crazy at the playground.

Later, after we left my cousins' house, I went to the last Varsity volleyball game at Northwood. Although we lost, it was such an interesting game. I was also able to see my fellow JV teammates at the game which was also fun. We all lost our voices from cheering too much.

After I left the game, I went to my other cousins' house. There were a bunch of us here, and the more cousins the better. We played computer games, we played Xbox games such as NBA 2K13 and dance central. We also had some cake, and I LOVE cake with all my heart.

By the end of the day, I was exhausted. I got home, changed, and passed out on my bed.

This day was just the break I needed. I've been so stressed lately that this was a nice breather. I also learned the value of friends and family. The reason my day turned out so great is because I was able to spend it with them. I also realized how much of a community the Muslim community is. I felt immediately at home once I reached the mosque as multiple "Assalaamu Alaikums" and "Eid Mubaraks" were thrown around.

Sports for a Gym Credit

Sports should count as a gym credit in high school. One season of a sport should count for one quarter of gym.

People work harder and put more effort into their sport than they do into gym anyway. Rachel and I take weight training just to complete our gym credit, but we're both on sports teams. We work out a little during weight training, but we most definitely do not push ourselves to the fullest since, "it's just gym." When it comes to practice, however, it's a completely different story. I push myself through all the drills and put forth my best effort.

Gym should still remain an option for those who truly enjoy the class and for those who don't participate on sports teams. But for athletes, gym should not be a mandatory class. This class takes up space for athletes who can, instead, take another class they enjoy.

Taking gym also adds to the soreness, and who likes that?

Hijab?

I am Muslim, but not many people know that about me because I don't where the headscarf (hijab) that Muslim women wear. Many people ask me why I don't wear it, but I never know how to respond, because I don't know the reason myself.

Some people think that it's because I'm too scared about what other people think, but that, in fact, is not the issue at all. Blair is one of the most diverse and accepting communities I have ever been a part of, and if I were to be concerned with other people's thoughts of me, I wouldn't be worried about it at Blair. Others believe it's because I don't like being defined as Muslim. This is quite the opposite, as I am very proud to be Muslim.

The hijab represents purity and modestly in Islam. Whenever I wear it, I feel just that, modest and pure. I would wear it to school, but I feel as if I'm not ready. Although it is just an article of clothing, while wearing it, I represent the whole Muslim community, and that is a big responsibility I'm not sure I'm ready for. I've decided to try to wear the hijab whenever I go out with my dad, since he is where I get my religion from. This will, hopefully, gradually grow to me wearing it full time. Wish me luck :)

Dystopian Trailer Homework

Our script for the dystopian trailer is going well. We have easily incorporated dystopian elements such as the use of propaganda and conformity into our script. The only element we have had trouble with is the illusion to the citizens that they live in a utopian society. All of our audio is dialogue and music, but we have text slides to better explain certain elements that the audience may not be able to understand from the trailer. Our trailer follows the basic beginning, middle, and end structure. Another problem we are having is the ending. We are not sure how to end the trailer.

I found two sound clips that we could use in our trailer. One of them is Scary Scapes, which we could use at the beginning of our trailer to introduce the hazy mood of the trailer. The other sound clip is Dronetail, which we could loop somewhere in the middle of the trailer when Matt, our protagonist, becomes flustered and helpless.

Here are two sound clips:

5x5 Independent Film Project: Getting Ready for School

1. Waking Up to the Alarm
2. Taking a Shower
3. Eating Breakfast
4. Putting Shoes On
5. Leaving the House

I used a Canon T3 to film and I used WeVideo to edit my clips. I found the process fairly easy, but the edits I could make were basic. I have been using Final Cut Pro as a video editor since middle school, so I felt limited as I was using this editor. I couldn't, for example, cut out parts within a clip. I was only able to trim an entire clip.

I believe my 5x5 is okay, but it could have been a lot better if I had thoroughly planned it through. I could have also done a lot more advanced editing if I had the patience to play around with WeVideo.

I don't really have a specific idea about what our next project should be, but it should be something that allows us to express ourselves through the film.

Dystopian Trailer Critique: Minority Report

Minority Report . Steven Spielberg . PG-13 . 2002

In the near future, the government is able to stop crimes before they happen and arrest those who are suspected of almost committing those crimes. John Anderton (Tom Cruise) believes in the system until the government predicts that he will murder someone in 36 hours, but he doesn't even know the victim's name. The movie follows Anderton as he attempts to prove his innocence.

Minority Report Trailer

This trailer incorporates both text and dialogue in order to give the audience information about the premise. From the trailer, the audience can learn that the government is constantly monitoring citizens and society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world. The music is dramatic, which keeps the watchers on edge and filled with suspense. The catalyst is clearly identified in the trailer and so is the protagonist. The supporting characters can be inferred, but one cannot be completely sure. Overall, the audience is able to get the gist of the plot and the dystopian characteristics featured in the trailer.

I can use several of these techniques in my trailer. I can use the text to explain parts of the premise that I may not be able to portray through dialogue and acting. I can also use music to ultimately control the way the audience feels about the trailer.

Preparing Students to Learn Without Us

I read the article, "Preparing Students to Learn Without Us." The writer discusses how it would be beneficial for students to chart their own course based on the school curriculum. To do this, they have to find their passion in order to participate in personal, not personalized, learning, Personal learning is "self-directed and self-selected according to the learner's own needs, preferences, and learning arrangements." Technology plays an important role in personal learning, as students are able to use blogs and social bookmarks such as Diigo. 

In the beginning of the article, the author describes how her son has a passion for basketball, and she learns that she can connect basketball with a listless amount of concepts such as slope, variables, bivarate data, and much more. This was surprising to me because most students, including myself, always wonder how we are ever going to use what we learn in our classes such as math and science in real life. 

I like the idea of personal learning, but it could either be a hit or miss. Some students might not put their hearts into it and take the full advantage out of it, while others could subscribe to endless blogs containing information about their interests and our class, learning everything they can. 

I am interested in journalism, so I could subscribe to blogs that feature articles, editorials, and information about journalism in order to learn more about it and become a better writer. \

Annotated Diigo Link: http://diigo.com/0syan

Diigo Movie Review Annotation

For this assignment, I read the movie review titled, "The Dark Night (Surp)rises," by Aanchal Johri, which was posted on Silver Chips Online. The review begins with an introductory statement setting the tone of the review and implying that the writer enjoyed the movie. The reviewer focuses on the plot throughout most of the review, then goes on to critique the character development. Johri then goes on to talk about the cinematographic aspects of the movie for a paragraph, discussing topics such as the soundtrack and car chase scenes. The opinions are focused on in the end of the review, but a few opinionated statements are thrown in throughout the entire movie review. Dramatic aspects of the movie were never discussed. The tone of the movie review is critical at times, but mostly takes a casual tone.

Regarding the quarterly movie review, I believe that we should have as much freedom as possible in order to make the assignment enjoyable. The only requirement should be that the three aspects of film should be included, critiqued, and portrayed in some way. Other than that, there should be freedom as to the way we would like to write it. Also, instead of always having a typed movie review, we could tie it the assignment in to what we are learning in class. We could make videos to persuade others to watch the video we watched, for instance, when we learn about persuasion in class.

Annotated Link: http://diigo.com/0suf3

First Blog Post

Hi, my name is Leila, pronounced Lay-luh. I'm Ethiopian and Muslim. I hate chocolate, but I love cake. I enjoy taking pictures, listening to music and writing. I love the Redskins. I play volleyball and I run track.

I like all aspects of film making, but mostly the actual filming of the project. I was in the Humanities program in middle school, so I've had a lot of experience with film. One of my favorite film projects was Personal Profiles from seventh grade. For this project, we had to find someone to interview about their profession, and make it into an interview show, including commercials. I enjoyed this project because everyone got a chance to perform each job from behind the scenes, such as technical director, cameras, and director. Another fun film project I have done is a NYC documentary about a person we interviewed. It was interesting to see everyone's different interpretations and methods of portraying the information the interviewee revealed.

There are several ways we can use this blog. One way is to keep group members and teachers updated on the progress of the group when doing group work. Also, we could post our projects online on our blog so that it's easier to grade and find. The blog can also be used to share helpful sources with others.

Image source: Washington Redskins Helmet