Media 150

Media 150 has been an interesting class. Because of this course, I now look at the different kinds of media that I consume with more knowledge. The lecture courses taught by Kelly Anderson and Martin Lucas were informative and increased by knowledge of different kinds of media that I previously had no experience with beforehand. For example, I love film, but I had little idea of the work behind making films. Because of their instruction on film techniques and tools, I now have a better idea of filmmaking. One of my favorite experiences in the course was the lighting assignment, which let the students have a hands-on idea of the all work it takes to set up lighting on set. I was surprised that it took so much time and so much care to set up lighting.

Another aspect of the course that I enjoyed was working with HTML and CSS to make our website. I had some experience with HTML when making personal websites many years ago, but I did not have the chance to use my capabilities for academic work before. Knowing some basic knowledge of HTML and CSS gave me a feeling of accomplishment, and I was able to give my Media 150 website a more personal touch.

I find it unfortunate that we had so little time to do much of the hands-on work in Media 150. However, the course is a great attempt at instructing film and media students in a variety of mediums, that will no doubt prove useful in our media-making in the future.

Design I Like

The design that I chose was the DVD cover art for the film "Dead Alive", a 1992 New Zealand film by Peter Jackson. Also known by the title "Brain Dead," it is a zombie horror film that falls under the "splatstick" sub-genre, which combines comedy and splatter special effects. The movie tells the story of Lionel Cosgrove, who lives with his domineering mother. Lionel's mother is bitten by a Sumatran rat-monkey, which turns her into a zombie. Lionel, though frightened, remains faithful to his mother and keeps her locked in the basement with a steady supply of townspeople. However, the zombie becomes ever more crazed, and Lionel is sent spiraling into a ghoulish nightmare. The special effects of the film are characterized by graphic portrayals of gore, which focuses on the vulnerability of the human body and the theatricality of its mutilation. In "Dead Alive", the gore is so excessively used that it becomes a comedic device.



The cover of the DVD depicts a close up of a young woman's face, her eyes open and horror-struck, with her hands pulling away at her lips to reveal the head of a skeletal zombie in her mouth. Because of the extreme close-up, the composition of the cover art feels direct and claustrophobic. The zombie is just seconds away from leaping out of the body. The combination of what appears to be a drawing and a picture of an actual figure is seamless and effective. The eyes of the zombie parallel the bulging eyes of the figure. There is a comedic tone to the cover art, and to me, is more funny than frightening.

The typography used for the title is a bright neon green, with purple shadowing. The type is angular. While the image on the cover art is pretty frightening, the color scheme of the type is more brings a more light-hearted and fun mood.

An American Werewolf in London

“An American Werewolf in London” is a 1981 film written and directed by John Landis. Prior to the film’s release, Landis directed the blockbuster comedies, “Animal House” and “The Blues Brothers.” Although Landis had written the first draft of “Werewolf” in 1969, he had shelved it for over a decade because financiers were worried that it treaded the line too ambiguously between comedy and horror. Despite the financiers’ doubts, the film would go on to achieve blockbuster commercial success and cult status.

The film centers around David Kessler, an American student traveling in Europe, who gets bit by a werewolf in Northern England. He wakes up in a London hospital days later, where he befriends a nurse with whom he shares a brief affair. He stays at her flat for the next couple of days while she works the night shift, and when the full moon finally arrives, he transforms.

The film’s most memorable scene is undoubtedly the transformation. Michael Jackson would later cite this scene as to why he hired John Landis to direct his legendary “Thriller” music video. What makes this film’s werewolf transformation special is that it is explicitly shown on-screen, instead of merely suggesting it using a series of cuts. Using time-lapse photography and close-up shots of particular body-parts, Landis was able to show the hair rapidly growing on David’s back, his hands and feet elongating, and his face morphing into that of a wolf’s.

To me, what is most striking, are the sound effects of this scene. A relaxing rendition of “Blue Moon” plays in the background. Juxtaposed against sound effects of crunching bones and David’s constant screaming, Landis’ odd choice of music and its soothing quality make the transformation seem all the more realistic.

The werewolf transformation in “An American Werewolf in London” is undoubtedly groundbreaking and influential.

Museum of the Moving Image

The trip to the Museum of the Moving Image was both informative and entertaining. Short attendance made the museum tour small and intimate, and our tour guide was able to give us lots of personal attention. We initially began the tour in chronological order, learning about the history and science of early film. As the tour progressed, we were able to learn about the different elements that go into film and television.

The most enjoyable part of the tour came early for me, when we first learned the science behind early film development and techniques. As we were explained the phenomenon of visual persistence, when the brain remembers pictures and connects them, we were able to actually interact and play with objects in the exhibit. We played with a zoetrope, and learned that breaks in between images allow the viewer to see movement. Using that same concept, Gregory Barsamian's art installation, "Feral Fount," used intervals of darkness at 13 frames per second to show an upward spiral of objects to transform into different objects. A faucet dripping a drop of water changed into a bomb, that morphed into a paper airplane, which ultimately changed into a broken plate.

Chronicling the advancements made in moving image technology, we were able to see how innovations have helped mediamakers tell more coherent and realistic stories. Three-strip technicolor technology, which was used for films such as "The Wizard of Oz" and "Gone with the Wind," was exhibited. Using three strips of film, in red, blue, and green, bright colors were used to tell stories and present different worlds in these movies.

The Museum of the Moving Image was enjoyable because one could interact with the many of its objects. The trip was an educational experience fundamental to the topics presented in class.