Assignment week 4

Jiexiong Zhang

Week 4 assignment

7/12/2012

Dave Grohl is one of my favorite celebrity. He is a American musician. I have listened many songs of his bands, Nirvana and Foo Fighters. I have became a fan of him since I listened one record, The Pretender of Foo Fighters.

Being a rock celebrity, Dave has changed in many different ways. The biggest change of him happened when Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of Nirvana, killed himself by a bullet. Being the drummer of Nirvana and a friend of Kurt, Dave felt hopelessness. Because Dave lost his best friend and his band at the same time, he hide from public view. He went back to his home, and he started to sort his old prototype records and composed some new experimental records in his basement. After about one year, Dave build a brand new band, call Foo Fighters. This is the first biggest change of Dave Grohl.

The second biggest change of Dave happened when Foo Fighter were making a album, called One by One. During that time, Dave and Taylor Hawkins, the drummer of Foo Fighters, had a contradiction. They both thought the each other lead the band's music style in a wrong direction. In the meantime, Dave kind of quited the Foo Fighters temporarily. He play drum in the Queen of Stone Age, which even made Taylor mad more on Dave because Taylor felt that Dave thought Taylor's drum skill was not good enough. The whole band thought that time may be the ending of the Foo Fighters. However, after Dave finished one of Queen of Stone Age's tour, he returned to Foo Fighters, and then whole band turned to work well. The new album, One by One, got really successful. Also, Dave became more kind. In my opinion, Dave may realize that how important Foo Fighters is to him, and he may not want to see Foo Fighter breaking, just like Nirvana.

I agree that social media make people more famous than the time when it did not exist. For my personal experience, I learn the information of almost all music bands form social media way. For instance, I know Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters from one of my friend on Facebook. I'm not a person who watch TV every day, so pick up news and knowledges via internet. Also, my biggest interest is gaming, so I don't really check musical website. Without social media site, I might not know who is Dave Grohl and who are Foo Fighters in my entire life. 

Also, in my opinion, it was hard to be famous for celebrities, especially for people who did not really show their imagine to audience. Back to 90s, or earlier, musicians were not able to sell as many record as nowadays. After social media was invented, celebrities became to be famous easily. People use Facebook, Twitter, etc. to share their artwork or musical work via their page, and audience are able to learn these works more easily than before. Audience may recommend some celebrities' works to their friends via write a status. This is also a free advertisement method for celebrities. Instead of the advertisements on TV or newspaper, this social media type advertisement is more acceptable for audiences. For instance, a boy may not interested in rock music; however, if a girl who the boy had a crush with write a status about some rock bands, he might try to reach their music.

Nowadays, the definition of celebrity is not only limited in specific catalogue, such as, actors, musicians, sports players, but some normal people could be also called celebrities. For instance, Some video gamers become famous because they play some specific video games well. Even some people become famous only because they upload some interesting story on their social media site termly. Nowadays, if a person are able to publish some thing interesting, such as a funny video, on the social media website, he or she could be a un-super famous celebrity. For example, I know a girl on Facebook, and she is a coser who dresses up as some movie and video characters. She put her photos of cosplaying on her Facebook, and she got many fans only because of her cosplaying photos. 

In my opinion, even many traditional celebrities become more and more close to audiences because of social media. Some actors and sports players have their official page on social media websites. For instance, I can find Dave Grohl on Twitter, which make me think that Dave Grohl is not very far from me.

Assignment for MDIA 384_Week2

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/122/1221070p1.html

This is a video game review for Ninja Gaiden 3, written by Mitch Dyer. Mr. Mitch Dyer is a critic who works for IGN.com. At first, I thought his worldview was interesting because he usually gave some famous video game titles really low score, and he also had prejudice of some Japanese game companies. For instance, Ninja Gaiden is one of most popular action games both the United States and Japan. It should gain a high score because its quality ought to be guaranteed as good as previous Ninja Gaiden game. However, Mr. Dyer only gave Ninja Gaiden 3 three of ten points. I felt it was unfair, so I tried to find other video games' reviews. Some of therm are written by negative way, and I don't agree with most of them. However, although I didn't like some reviews he wrote, I still find something he said is understandable and reasonable. For instance, He think Ninja Gaiden 3 was bad since the new producer of it shrink the multiple weapons system and super move system, which used to be extremely interesting selling points for the previous Ninja Gaiden games. For some his viewpoints like it, I agree with him; therefore, I'm kind of a audience of him since he say some truth about several video games that some other critics may afraid to announce.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/19/lego-batman-2-dc-super-heroes-review

This is a video game review for Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, written by Greg Miller. Mr. Greg Miller is also a critic working for IGN.com. Compared with Mr. Mitch Dyer, Mr. Mill's viewpoints are amiable. He usually review video games in a positive way. Compared to Mr. Mitch Dyer, his article is not as serious as Mr. Dyer, and his opinion is more acceptable. In addition, Mr. Greg is not only a critic, but he also participates in some jobs of host. When he hosts some video game program, I feel he is a humors person. Sometimes, he made some joke and funny cosplaying. He also uses his humors talking way in his video review of video games, which is a easy way to make audience believe in his viewpoints and worldview.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/14/diablo-iii-review-in-progress

This is a computer game review for Diablo 3, written by Anthony Gallegos. Mr. Gallegos is another critic from IGN.com. In fact, because my laptop is not a gaming computer, I don't really play big video game title on computer since 2010. Also, I was not planning to buy Diablo 3 because I could not afford both Max Payne 3 and Diablo 3 at same time. However, after I read though Mr. Gallegos' review, I felt that is the timing to pick up my mouse and keyboard to fight with the Diablo's journey again. In my opinion, Mr. Gallegos has a power of selling game. His article encouraged me to purchase Diablo 3 although I knew I could only play it without full special effect.

Assignment 3 of MDIA 384

(1) After I read this article, I learned that criticism is hard to be objective. Before I read it, I used to think if a critic use as many objective suppot as he/she can, his/her criticism would be more objective. However, I found that I was wrong. Although a critic can use a lot of "objective support", he/she still can not hide his/her opinion away. Because writing a criticism is not a job as same as writing a data, and most people do not want to read a data for judging or previewing a show or a movie, criticism is a subjective work, and it's necessary to be subjective because most of audiences still want to hear other people's opinion. (2) First, I click the link, called "pop-culture scholar". This link leaded me to a page of "Culture Learnings." After I read though it, I found it is like a television blog, which focus on previewing a new show in a new way to audiences. It tries to telling audiences the show's information without too much spoilers. Secondly, I clicked the line, "New York Time ethics policy." After I read it, I learned that it is a kind of goal and plan to collect and announce as many information and new as they can. Moreover, its scope include almost all field of media members.

Assignment 1 of MDIA 384

1. Shows I'm watching these days

A. Unforgettable

B. Friends

C. Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I'm a big fan of detective story, and Unforgettable is a wonderful TV show, so I'm watching it currently. Although this show has already been stopped, I still enjoy to watch it. Friends is one of my favorite show, and I have watched it for many times. I also watch Friends to improve my English skill. I watch it currently because I just love its story a lot. Buffy is a extremely famous fantasy show, I'm watching it because I like its genre and I'm a big fan of Sarah Michelle Gellar.

2. Peripheral show

A. True Blood

I know this show and I kind of watch it just because my roommate watches it.

3. Guilty No-Gos

A. Star Trek

B. Battlestar Galactica

I'm a big fan of Star Wars, so I should also be a big fan of Sci Fi shows; however, I have never watched Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica. In fact, I even don't know the reasons. I think I will watch them in future.

4. Guilty Pleasures

A. Firefly

B. Friends

C. Game of Throne

D. Castle

E. Cowboy Bebop

Firefly is my No.1 favorite show in my entire life. In my opinion, every single part of it was prefect, and I became to a big fan of Nathan Filion after I watched it. For Castle, I begin to love if only because it is a Nathan Filion show, and then I realized that it is also a wonderful detective show. Cowboy Bebop is a Japanese Anima show, which has a similar story and genre with Firefly, and it is a important reason that turns me to be a fan of it. For Game of Throne, the stroy of first two season is extremely interesting. When I watched it, I usually thought about the Lord of Rings, which is one of my favorite movie series. Currently, I was really excited when I saw Tyrion Lannister showing up on screen.

5. All time Favorites

A. Friends

B. Firefly

As you can see, I have already watched Friends for several times, but I've never felt tired of it. In addition, I watch Firefly at least once per year, and I'm also excited for every single time.

6. Shows I don't like anymore

A. Big Bang of Theory

B. Revenge

For Big Bang, Sheldon said something bad for Nathan Filion is the the only reason I don't like it anymore even though this character was a kind of Firefly fan. For Revenge, the first five episode was every exciting when Emily finish each of her revenging plan successfully; however, the story turns to a boring story currently. I have more than one month not watching it.

7. Shows I'm a big fan now

A. Nikita

At first, I thought this show was only a beauty spy show, but when I finished first three episode, I found the story of it was extremely dark and big-budget, which made me thinking about Mission impossible.

8. Shows even worth than eating Charcoal

A. Office

Sorry for every Office's fans. I tried to watch it for few times, but I just cannot figured out why audiences laughed at some plot.

9. Shows I would like to recommend to my friends

A. Walking Dead

I'm not a big fan of horrific genre, but I just can not refuse Walking Dead, the story of it was extremely fascinating!

Blog Assignment #9

http://changethis.com/manifesto/show/45.02.FreakFactor

Step1

            For FIT: FIND THE RIGHT SPOT, I agree the author’s idea. Not only the exciting Rudolph example, but his opinion has been proved for many times in actual world. First of all, even though the Rudolph’s example is a fairy tale, it still tells a truth, there must be a use for my talent. In my opinion, the fairy tales absolutely isn’t only the funny stories for children, they are the easy-understand version truth to give people correct senses when they are young. Therefore, the Rudolph’s story is a correct principle. People always feel helplessness in study, work, live. They fail the texts. They screw up their business. They feel their family is more like an arena, a prison. They probably complain they might be the worst one, the loser in the world. Just like the author’s talk, people who feel negative for themselves just didn’t find where they can use their talent. If they find where to use their talent, they might be successful in their field. At least, they probably can feel better than before. For instance, Bill Gates was not really good for university’s studies. If he has continued his negative condition, we probably can’t use computer with windows, I can not write down this paragraph with Microsoft Word, and we probably can not play the Halo and Gears of War because we can not own the X-Box 360. However, Bill Gates tried to find a way to use his super talent, and then he quitted his university live determinedly to build the most famous software company, Microsoft, and create the modern digital media industry. For me, I think I am really lucky because I believe painting is my correct spot and I am just doing everything about it.

            For FLAWLESS: THERE’S NOTING WRONG WITH YOU, I agree with the author’s idea. When we was children, seniorities usually tell us what types of personalities we should be, and at that time, we are not able to distinguish whether they were talking correct or wrong; therefore, we just followed the seniorities’ directions. We have been clean, organized, and other “good personalities”; however, in the meantime, we have lost a lot of “bad personalities”, containing creative ability. Can people imagine what a ridiculous that is? We just look like clean, but we are actually no different with walking dead. I would rather be a freak instead a zombie, and I am pretty sure no one wishing to be a zombie. I totally agree with the author on this issue since I had been told too much to be a person with “good personalities” Just four years before now, I almost forgot how to create a character when I paint. After I finished the art final test in China, I moved out of my home and try to do something I used to want to do. I watching movies and animations that I wasn’t allow doing before I took art final test every day, and I thought I find part of my creative ability back. Therefore, the limits always are not good for people’s progress. Just like the author’s thought, THERE’S NOTING WRONG WITH YO, we shouldn’t be confined to what kind of people we suppose to be. Nowadays, I am trying to shake my old mental yoke away, and I am pretty I will keep this way.

            For FORGET IT: DON'T’T TRY TO FIX YOUR WEAKNESSES, I agree with the author. It is difficult to avoid our weaknesses since all of our weaknesses are the parts of us. We can not fix it, and I think hiding them is only thing we can do about weaknesses. Also, even though we only try to hide weaknesses, it is still painful. People’s weaknesses are an important portion of human’s emotion area. If we want to take weaknesses away from ourselves, we must lose other elements of personalities because there is no any trait really being independent with others. For instance, the spies are usually trained to delete some personalities that hinder them doing the mission; therefore we can see most of them forget how to trust and love other people after they are trained to be more vigilant. Although we are not the spies and we do not take the serious training, we still endure the pain when we try to hide our weaknesses. For me, I am messy in my space. I put my comic books and video games on the floors, and sometime I can not find my cellphone, which just was under of one paper. Now, on my desk, I even can not find a piece of free space to put my laptop. Can you imagine how messy I am; however, I think the messy of my personality make me more creative and act on my painting job. At beginning of my paint, I always just draw some shape randomly, and during this process, I can find some good ideas commonly. Therefore, I don’t hide my weaknesses because they are useful for me.

Step2

            For me, I think I have not found all my strengths and weaknesses. Maybe I know some of them, but I just haven’t realized they are my strengths and weaknesses. Actually, I have found some of them currently. For some of my personalities, which were shared by both strengths and weaknesses. First of all, messy is the most obvious one. I got a lot of problems about it. When I studied in high school, I can not find my Chinese text book because both of my home and my back bag are chaos, so my Chinese teacher didn’t allow me into the classroom; however, I am also proud of my messy. After I decided to be a 2D artist, the messy help me a lot. Messy some times help me to dope out some good ideas. For instance, last quarter, I was thinking to draw a picture of Star Wars, and I was confused what character, environment, and situation I could draw. At that moment, I felt I was just live in a monster’s stomach because of my really messy room; however suddenly, I was think out a good idea because my room of monster’s stomach. I was thinking how about if Boba Fett has still alive in the sand monster’s stomach, what would happen? Then I sketch a concept picture and paint color for it on photoshop. Therefore, I believe messy cause me in troubles sometimes, but it also leads me being more creative. I don’t really see my weaknesses negative, and oppositely, I usually try to use their function in a correct way.



Blog Assignment #8

http://changethis.com/manifesto/show/66.01.Brainwashed

Step 1

            First of all, Acknowledging of Lizard is a serious resistance that stops people that force you to come back to the instructions. When people want to make a positive adventure or do something creative, the Acknowledging of Lizard will jump out to tell people that what they are willing to risk is really dangerous. In addition, making art is my favorite level in the article since art makes me happier in my life. Making art is a creative activity that doesn’t follow any direction, and give people a huge freedom in their mental world. Moreover, the connection is a new type of digital way to communicate with other people who might really know in actual world. The connection that the author mentioned is not the hypocritical way in some public moments, such as speeches and charity events. It is a direct way that connect people’s mental worlds.

Step2

            Have you imagined how awful the older education system is? Before reading this article, I still think I should follow the direction that older education system give me, such as being good on mathematic, always do something that our teacher ask us to do, and not doing extra work. After I read this article, I realized that my brain really have been washed for a long time, my first entire 21 years life. However, I think the media 203 is a different type of class. It teach us being more creative, and give us freedom to do the concept in our brain; also, the blog assignments give us lot of freedom that we can choose the audios, videos, senses, pictures that we like for homework. For me, this quarter I learn a lot from Media 203 and this blog, and I think our class contains some elements of seven layers. I personally prefer making art, acknowledge the lizard, and connection more.

           First of all, I am a 2D concept artist, so I have more sentiment of making art. When I studied sketch in China, I had no choice to draw what I want to draw. The only thing I have to draw is human’s head portrait since it is the only project that Chinese painting text for college offers. In that time I really hate the painting because I really don’t like draw human’s head portrait everyday, but now I feel happy since in Ohio University and media 203, I have enough freedom to draw what I want, what ever monster, naked girls, or Darth Vader; and also, painting and making art also make me more creative to do other things, such as our blog assignments. In addition, acknowledge the lizard is a new concept to make me being more creative. Before taking media 203, when I want to do something I had never tried, I felt afraid to do it, and I think that is the mental resistance. For instance, I had never tried 2D animation before because I felt afraid to waste time to do a new thing that maybe I would screw up; however, when I took the media 203, I had to do a small animation project, and then, I think I did it well. I also told myself that is not that hard I imagined. The class encourages me a lot and helps me take a part of mental resistance. Moreover, the digital connection also helps me a lot. For example, Facebook gives me more opportunities to contact with more people, and e-mail provides me more chances to touch game companies.

            Those are three levels that help me most in Media 203 and blog assignments. I appreciate it and I think I will keep them and carry on in future.

Blog Assignment #7

Step1

Step2

            I chose the sense from the movie, Scent of a Woman. In my opinion, the theme is romance, and this story is about how a blind wardroom rekindles the enthusiasm for life. Especially in the upper sense, this sense show to audiences that how a romantic feeling that the old wardroom can give to women even though he is a blind person. Moreover, this sense is active because the director gives the active personality to the blind wardroom; also, this sense is around a graceful dance that gives audiences a active emotion indirectly but also stronger.

Step3

           I choose a sense of Scent of a woman. For shape, both of Al Pacino and leading lady have the rounded heads. Being different than triangle head, rounded heads are not willing to have sex as soon as possible. In my opinion, the rounded heads always symbolize people are mature and modest, especially for Al Pacino, because he is a gentlemanly actor, he make the role’s mature personality deeper; therefore, audiences can find a feeling as grace when Al Pacino and leading lady played a vague dance instead the sexual hint. For movement, the director used more object movement than camera movement for this sense. I think the reason why the director did this is he wants to highlight the Al Pacino’s role’s positive emotion although he was a blind person.

            For the week one’s two of six binary, I choose the color and light. The Scent of a woman used bright light since I think the director want to give audiences an emotion that Al Pacino’s role is a positive person even though he was experiencing a horrible wound; also, the leading lady is a young and powerful maiden that set Al Pacino’s role brighter because he had a serious physiology defect. In addition to color, the director also makes a bright light environment. In the dancing floor, we can see the sunshine came from some big windows. Also, in the sense, the sunshine reflect on both Al Pacino and the leading lady’s face that make them look happy and pure even though they are a old blind wardroom and a beautiful young lady, which not looks like a normal couple. The movie, Scent of a woman, used the bright light to make audiences forgot every disharmonious elements to focus on the graceful dance.