Metropolis

First of all, Holy Shit!
I had only heard about this movie but seeing it is a completely different experience of a movie than I have ever had. The whole idea of the film is so beyond strange to me and yet relevant.

The first thing I noticed about about the movie is the vaguely pre-Nazi-ism references throughout the film. Immediately when I saw the workers marching in and out at the changing of the shift I thought Nazi. The men were marching in ranks, mindless slaves to the wage and to advancing technology. In the historical context it was strangely disturbing to see the men marching toward what seemed to be their daily hell.

I was struck by the whole idea of the technology in the aftermath and still barely recovering Germany in the time that this film was made. It looked like a statement, that things will get better, especially because the ending suggests the necessity of compassion for the working man and respect for those you employ, much like the metaphor used directly in the movie of the Tower of Babel.

The acting wasn't, to me the best acting ever, I felt that a lot of it was overacted and exaggerated but it made sense for the time and it played up the drama, which I did like. You really can't look at this film and say that this is not socially what happened in the years to come.

Probably the best thing about this movie was the understanding of coexistence that comes as a product. After rebellion, after fighting for difference and after uprising by mob, after abuse of workers rights and neglect we see the truth of coexistence come through and really show that people need to work together and respect each other.

I got a lot out of this symbolically, like that technology will both unite and divide us, such as the machine man. I wish I could watch this again with more time to analyze though

Male Swans Abundant!

Wow, what a trip.

I don't know if I can even describe how truly great this trip was, not only for the content but for branching out and getting to know people a little bit better despite the near mutiny that spurred during the creating of the groups. To be quite honest I really didn't care who I went with so long as I had someone to talk to.

When we walked up into alphabet city I was pleasantly surprised. I had thought I hadn't been there but once entering recalled being taken there by my father when I was much younger to play with our dog.

The workshop was fun and really helpful, I love photography and had not been able to really do it this year because of scheduling problems. I wasn't too happy that I was limited to digital photographs but I feel that I snapped a few really nice shots especially as we walked through the community gardens. That was something surprising for me too. I usually hate gardens due to my bee phobia, but in the cold there were not pests busing around, this let me actually appreciate the foliage and the art of the garden. I might have taken a few of my best pictures in the one garden we managed to infiltrate.

Next, came walking.
I was warm from hot chocolate and making bad jokes with Mairead as Leah and I tried to find a place to eat. Leah suggested Pomme's Frites which I hadn't had in what feels like at least six years. Everyone loved it! The fries and dipping sauces were great, especially because the joint was warm and the food was hot, I think we all wanted a break from the cold.

After that we decided to check out some shops. Trash and Vaudeville was awesome! No one bought anything due to the outrageous prices, but it was fun trying things on and seeing Jon G. swim in a matrix style leather coat. Next was a comic shop. SABRINA AND MEGAN HAD NEVER BEEN IN A COMIC SHOP BEFORE THAT HOLY CRAP! My apologies for the excessive capitalization, I feel it was necessary. I enjoyed flipping through Frank Miller's Sin City while Sabrina scoured the place for The Peanuts.

From here on the trip got silly, at least for us. We decided to rest at Starbucks for a few minutes to regain some of our stamina and warm our bodies again. Mairead and I didn't care for Starbucks coffee so we went across the street to Walgreens for Monster. Everyone in the group tried a sip which lead to everyone but Leah buying one of their own. Megan, Sabrina and Jon danced through the trip for the next few hours as we documented their first time having monster via Leah's iPod's video recordings. Washington Square, Union Square (In which we visited Forbidden Planet) and our trip to the Pratt Gallery were punctuated with videos and skipping underclassmen.

When we got to the Pratt Gallery I was amazed at some things and underwhelmed by others. The missed connections piece was brilliant but I felt that the thing about bodegas should not have been included. The Jelly city was cool, but I wish I could have touched it. I think that the most successful psycho-geography piece was the one where you would smell the vials and put up what you felt it smelled like. It was interactive, interesting and successful. I kind of wish there had been more than one small room that was landmarked with vocal air passages opening and closing which, at least for me, kind of ruined the aesthetics of the displays.

For me there was not much to say about Eataly. It was large, it was crowded, it was expensive, and I think, over-hyped. It was probably the least memorable part of my trip, which is sad because I was looking forward to it.

SWAN LAKE:

I don't know if I can accurately sum up my feeling about this show. The dancers were phenomenal. Not being a dancer myself, I am wowed by people who can so adeptly and agilely move their bodies in such form and pattern. I don't think words were necessary and am glad that the original idea of speechless story was preserved, I understood the basic storyline which was simple enough yet left much to the imagination. The one thing I didn't get was what everyone was laughing at. I saw some of the wit in the pampered bitch that the prince was leashed to but other than that I think I simply missed references or didn't understand them.

I liked the second part (post intermission) far better than I liked the opening. I felt that there was more motion, more to keep me entertained and a bit more of a cynical feeling to the show which really made the ending so brilliant. When the swan and boy are pecked to death by the other swans and show up like souls, together in the background I wanted to cry although for unknown reason, could not. There was something so beautiful about it and after seeing such amazing work with shadows in act 4, shadows being like projections of the self, and the physical self with the characters we see the true self in the soul representation, we see the beauty of the prince and the swan just finally finding their place with one another albeit after death. I wish I had time to see it again. I want to fully analyze and understand the amazing piece.

Be Kind, Rewind: Take 2

Rock me, Rock me, Rock Me Sexy Mordachai, you're all that I want and now that you're all mine, rock me rock me rock me sexy Mordachai all night long, all night long, yeah yeah yeah, all night long!

This really was a good experience concerning movie making and working as a team in STAC. This movie, Cries if Christ and Conspiracy: The Cronicle of Mordachai Christ really felt like we were working in collaboration toward the ultimate product: a decent movie that was shot in about an hour. Some shots turned out to be a lot better than we thought they would be, expecially the ketchup scene. We actually wanted that scene to look pretty terrible. We wanted the ketchup bottle to stick out and Caitlin's arms to show but it would up being one of the best shot scenes. The shooting of the last scene was also an impromptu shot. We didn't initially plan to have me crucified so visibly and so well. Overall we seemed to work well together and could get the tasks done despite having to wait until 8th period to use Mrs. Morales' room. Mairead's filming was fairly decent because of her experience and I was surprised how amusing Ellen and Caitlin came off with this being their first experiences in STAC films.

I rather enjoyed watchin these as well. Most of them were well shot and had ppt lines that were not hard to follow. Specifically I liked the movie that starred Ilana Bobby and Kalli. That had a very well written plot line and thr Moustsche movie made me laugh quite a few times. I did wish that the movie about men's rights was just repeated scenes of whipping Doug. It's cruel but laregely hysterical. I'm excited for the next time we do movies and begin editing because that's when the movies get really ood, just imagine what this year's Dusty Trail will be.

To STAC, With Love

With all of the visual art in STAC art 'To Sir, With Love' was a nice, aesthetic way to wrap up the week. Personally I loved the movie, but didn't know what to say at first. I think the movie really sparked a sense of reality in me. I felt as if I was brought back to what real life is from the haze of just floating through. When Mr. Thackery began teaching the kids through life lessons rather than lessons pertaining to curriculum the kids instantly began to change and, personally wanting to be a teacher, found this really inspiring. I want to stir that kind of interest in learning within my students in the future, and I want to be stirred like that. I would love to work with a teacher so dedicated to just the subject of getting kids prepared to go out into the world. I'm worried for college and am hoping to find teachers that want to prepare me for life rather than grade some papers and forget about me after the semester. It was an eye opening experience to see that movie and hope it will continue to stay with me throughout my preparations for real life.

I think I am gaining a little bit of skill in STAC art as well. When we started working on the Busby Berkely works it felt like I had an idea for what to do almost instantly and so far am rather happy with what has come out of it. I do though need to ask for more help with the blending tool and ebony pencil. I would love to learn how to use it but for now do not think I have the skill. Hopefully someone in STAC can help me work it out. I actually want to produce good projects in STAC Art this year. I felt that last year was a little lackluster. I need to try to improve my work as an artist in all fields

Meeting the Newbies: STAC 2010/2011's First Trip

So, Friday to me felt like the real 'First day of STAC'. I feel like STAC doesn't start until we become a whole class rather than a collective students that take STAC as an elective. The way the group wound up was rather interesting. There were 9 of us: 3 Oldies, 6 Newbies. That was a 1:2 ratio, which I felt was good. It was a way for Newbies to find social connections in STAC and for oldies to find ways to make the year prosper.

I feel like I really got to know the new people in STAC, at least, the ones in my group.

It consisted of

Oldies:
Myself
Leah
Mairead

Newbies:
Jared
Julie
Ellen
Sarah
Febia
Shiana

Before the trip I had known Jared and Febia but not the freshmen. It was interesting to discover how much we had in common during the trip. Shiana, Mariead and I spent at least an hour in the Matisse exhibit together, pointing out the subtle differences in paintings and trying to understand what he was doing. One thing in particular I noticed was Matisse's placement of hips in his work. They always seem to be distorted into a different perspective. We also took notice of how Matisse progressed towards less and less detail, especially in the charcoals where the drawings were erased and then redone in blocky shapes. It was rather interesting to see this progression.

Words almost fail me to describe La Cage though. There were cross-dressers abundant, plenty of gay jokes. My kinda show, and what a wonderful way to end the STAC trip, almost symbolic. We had all been separate and off on our own before the trip similarly to the characters in La Cage and we all came together in the end like a happy family.

This was a wonderful trip. I can't wait until the 22nd.

Paranoia

Last week really was a whirlwind.

With each day I could feel the tension growing, not knowing who I could trust because of the game. I would hold my backpack close to me, eyes darting all over the place and not talk to anyone who didn't talk to me first. School itself became a scary place. It was almost like putting ourselves inside the mindset of #6. All of a sudden we were in a place where everyone was out to get us and where we had to rely on our own prowess to get us through the day. I remember seeing STACies in the hallway and instead of greeting them I would flash them a dirty look, hold my backpack tighter and run for my life. It was all I could think about, during classes I would plan, during STAC I would plan, at home I would plan, I sometimes didn't sleep because I knew that other STACies knew where I lived.

It's bittersweet that the game is over. I was alive, and still really wanted to win, but at the same time, I'm glad I can go back to enjoying the day with my friends instead of worried they were out to get me.

I guess it all comes down to this: We really all are evil people.

Given the chance to we all betray each other for fame and glory of winning the game and become enveloping in "the kill" to the point where we become a disgusting creature, one that does nothing but feed and rot. People aren't nice by nature but rather they are nice because of it being socially correct. In the end it really is primal, carnal, and evil intent, which is not something we would expect from the teenage mind.

Psychogeography: Behind Closed Doors

Life behind closed doors is something I often examine. Here is a collection of the images I look at on a daily basis, the base of the door, the sliver of light that persists through the cracks, the taste of the outside while still being in. Not necesarily a bad connotation either, but also a good one. A closed door to me can also be a symbol of security, protection and safety. These are all taken from behind the doors, not in front of them, the encased side of the door, focusing on that bit of light, that opening just at the bottom of the door that lets us know that there is something on the other side. People mainly focus on the knobs or designs or even the glass panes in certain ones, but I would rather the bottom of the door.

STAC 2010/2011 (The first full week)

I came into this year quite skeptical about how STAC would turn out, although that's not to say it was without excitement. This year I was not going to be a newbie. I was officially an oldie and that in itself brought a bit a new perspective on the year from the start. When we opened the year up with 'The Prisoner' I was immediately drawn in by what seemed like nothing short of genius.

Immediately I felt like the title was going to give us something in an actual prison or prison camp, but instead, while remaining a 'prisoner' the character is brought into this village with it's own strange ambiance. An independently functioning village run by big brother and guarded by a giant balloon (The Rover). I loved the idea that the show's title created a bait and switch that in itself was not really a bait and switch.

The camera angles were something else that I found to be astonishing. The shots were all meant to create a sense of paranoia and to render the viewer inept of forming full concept of what the village actually is. There is no sense of depth, or distance or even relative conciseness. The camera is frantic in order to not only convey the paranoia of the characters but to create that state within the viewer so that the viewer becomes on par with the character for a new way of relation, yet a reframing and a dissonance because the viewer is indeed what the title suggests, a viewer, a voyeur, the "bad guys" while trying to relate to the "Good Guy" (Number 6).

There's really something to say about that, it feels like some of the stuff we did last year with Brechtian Technique. I feel like I am seeing it more and more in this show. Refreaming things so that the are not actually what we see and feel.

I feel like the camera angles and the shots that were taken are so strong that I would like to use some of the techniques in the next film I make in STAC, maybe even the Be Kind Rewind Protocol movie that it was hinted to that we were going to do.

I really hope this gets down. I'm excited for this year.