"Wind reel and print"

Well, it has come to that time of the semester here at Ithaca College when things start to get a little hectic with finals, finding a ride home, re-shoots, laundry, Kendall day, figuring out textbook rental return dates etc. Living in the college world, these stressors are supposed to be taking over my life, However, while working on my Fiction Field Production class short movie assignment, I quickly found out that "Manage Your Time 101" should be offered and be a requirement for all Parkies, if not every student in college.My experience working with my crew was one I will never forget. It was my first time writing for this type of assignment, and also taking on the job of Script Supervisor, never did I ever think that I would be in the local supermarket passed midnight on a school night. I wasn't expecting the amount of time I was about to spend with my classmates outside of out normal classroom setting. I wasn't sure how well we would all get along, if our ideas would even work well together, or if I even felt comfortable sharing my ideas aloud.

 I quickly had a reality check at our first shoot when it was 2:30am on a Monday night, cigarette smoke clouded the living room from our countless takes of cigarette puffs, and I realized that at that moment, this was what I came to college for. This is what I am meant to be doing. I then didn't even want to imagine where else I would be if i weren't in that clogged up smoky living room.

It always amazes me when its the end of the semester and in some of my classes, I maybe know the persons name who is is sitting next to me, the professors name, and thats about it. In others, I know everyone, everyone knows me, I am invested, and overall enjoy my time spent in the classroom. In this class, on the first day I knew about half of everyones names solely from being in classes with them in a previous semester. Once our "teams" were made for our movies, I had two ways of approaching the situation. One, I let my position be assigned to me, don't put too much opinion, and just flow. Or two, speak my mind, let my personality make its way out, and genuinely enjoy my time working with these 7 other people until the semesters over. Im happy that I chose the second route, because what came out of working with those 7 other people, was so freaking cool. I had no idea the amount of talent I was surrounded by, and if I was just open to it, I could learn a lot from these kids. Not only were we able to work together, share our ideas, and produce an amazing short film. We were able to have fun, and work as friends We created awesome memories together, and some pretty amazing friendships that I will forever be grateful for.

The One-Take Music Video

The idea of a one-take music video fascinates me. The amount of time, planning, and skill that must go into the production and direction of such a video is astounding. In some videos, the camera may not move at all. If that is the case, the set and choreography are very important. If you are producing a one-take music video, there should be a reason for this creative choice. The movement on camera should be planned and it should be interesting. OK Go produced a one-take music video for their hit song, "Here It Goes Again," in 2006, and it gained over 50 million views in four years. The promotion of the video on YouTube was both somewhat revolutionary at the time and beneficial for the popularity of the band, the song, and the video in particular.

In other cases, the camera moves throughout the entire video. In these videos, the set design and the placement of every object and person in the space is critical. If the camera is moving, there needs to be a specific path for it, and everything needs to be exactly where it belongs and timed to perfection so that things happen when they are in the shot. OK Go produced another one-take music video for their song, "This Too Shall Pass." In this video, they used a Rube Goldberg Machine, and the video followed the machine throughout the warehouse they filmed in. The video also employed the use of bright colors on a background of white and off white. The colors were found throughout the machine and they added to the interest level of the video. While the previous video is interesting to watch because of the detailed choreography, this video is more appealing to me because of the level of skill and planning that had to go into it.

Music videos are one of my favorite types of video to watch and to produce, so the concept of the one-take music video is incredible. I hope other bands follow in OK Go's footsteps, and I hope I can be a part of that in my career.

Scandal

     Scandal is in its third season on ABC, but I only started watching this show this week. I have seen friends post on social media about the show, particularly about the main character, Olivia Pope, and their posts and the commercials I've seem have grabbed my interest.
     I can't decide if it's the characters, the quick, witty dialogue, or the editing that draws me into the show most. The characters each have very intriguing personalities, and when they come together it makes for a very interesting character dynamic. Their relationships can be both professional and personal at the same time, and you're drawn into both stories without missing a beat of either one. The dialogue can be incredibly quick and witty, which is a characteristic I appreciate in television and film. I love the fast pace. It keeps my attention the whole way through.
     The types of shots and editing also fascinate be because editing is what interests me most about this field of work. There are a lot of really quick cuts and really mind-blowing shots. The directors, cinematographers, and editors get very creative with how they show you things, rather than just blatantly showing you the obvious. Instead of getting a shot of a security camera to let you know that a character is being watched, they show you a shot through the security camera. When a character is looking at something on a computer screen, the shot appears to be taken from behind or inside the computer, showing you what's on the screen as well as the character's face. This is not only a fascinating method, but it also allows you to see the character's reaction to what they're seeing on the screen.
     In just one episode, the show has grabbed by interest and made me want to watch more. Shonda Rhimes has definitely created a successful show. I cannot wait to see more.