Written Response to Karim Rashid's Creative Manifesto

      Personally, Rashid's point that speaks most to me is “normal is not good.” Throughout my life, people have always told me I'm not normal, and have said it in a condescending manner, or a way in which implies that I am inferior to that person. However, my creative influences are anything but normal. They are eccentric people that stand out from the average person in the crowd. For example, Van Gogh cut his ear off as a gift for his girlfriend and he is known as one of the best artists of all-time. Therefore, I think being normal is actually a hindrance to creativity. I embrace my “weirdness,” and use to my advantage.

      If I had to make my own manifesto for creativity, it would be as follows:

1. Look for inspiration in the work of others. This doesn't mean you should copy your favorite artists, but figure out exactly what it is that you find so fascinating about their works.
2. If you are feeling hopeless about a project, take a break. When you get back to your workstation, you will be more level-headed and ready to take on the task.
3. Experiment with drugs (seriously).   Smoking a joint or two might be all you need to finish that project you're drawing blanks on.
4. Do mind exercises. Completing a sodoku or a crossword puzzle keeps your brain healthy and alert.
5. Take your time on each project. Hastiness is the cousin of an unsatisfying piece of work.
6. Keep PEACE OF MIND to finish your PIECE OF WORK. Being at one with yourself allows you to tap-in to your  creative side and delve deep into your creative psyche.
7. Listen to the constructive criticism of others. Most of the people who offer advice about a project are there to help you, not to bash you.
8. Write down your thoughts. A creative idea can come at any time and any place.
9. Listen to soothing music (without lyrics) at a low decibel when you're working. There's nothing like some Beethoven to get the job done.
10. Don't become unhopeful about a project if you don't like the direction it is going. Some of your best projects might be the projects you thought were your worst. Never lose hope!

Written Response to Reading: Freak Factor

      Freak Factor: Discovering Uniqueness by Flaunting Weakness, an article written by David Rendall, essentially states that your weaknesses do not necessarily hinder you as a creative person. Conversely, they can actually be your greatest strengths, like a double edged sword. In the section, "What's My Problem," Rendall talks about finding your weakness and capitalizing on them. Weaknesses, which make you different and unique, should not be given particular close attention when trying to better yourself. Although weaknesses make one feel inferior, they are actually important clues in finding your strengths. For example, a messy desk, something that is usually frowned upon, often means that a person is more creative. I agree with this section because I feel that too many people are trying to “fix” or “find” themselves when the answers to the questions they pose have been within themselves the whole time. The next section I would like to talk about is titled, "Flawless: There's Nothing Wrong With You." People always say that addiction is a bad personality trait because of drugs and and unsafe behaviors. Of course this is a problem, but addiction can also be a very good personality trait to have. You just need to apply to the right things. Rendall also talks about dyslexia in this section. Dyslexia is often labeled as a disability in our society because people with this "disability" get letters and words mixed up, which leads to major confusion in regards to reading and writing. However, a recent study showed that 35% of small business owners actually have some form of dyslexia. Additionally, another study found that people with dyslexia are more likely than those without the disability to become millionaires. This is a perfect example to illustrate how your weaknesses can also be your strengths. The last section of the article I would like to address is titled, "Forget it: Don't Try to Fix Your Weaknesses." Trying to fix your weakness, although it seems like it would make you a “better” person, actually puts you at a disadvantage. Finding your weaknesses is time consuming and disrupts you from working on other areas that you excel in. It can also be painful for people to try to improve their weaknesses, which I agree with completely. For example, if I were to devote all of my time trying to organize things, I would not have as much time to work on the things that I actually love. I think my weaknesses include being disorganized, shy, and indecisive. However, being disorganized can equate to a sign of creativity. Additionally, shyness can equate to a sign of a reflective personality. Lastly, indecisiveness can equate to a sign of patience. In my opinion, people need to capitalize on their strengths and live with their weaknesses, because weaknesses can actually amplify your strengths.     

Response to Collapsus

www.Collapsus.com

      Collapsus is an intriguing game that blends interactivity, animation, fiction and documentary. By blending real documentary footage with with smaller games and fragments of movies, Collapsus pushes the boundaries of gaming by blending multiple media formats into one comprehensive game. One of the things I really liked about Collapsus was the idea that it allows you to make your own decisions, like a role playing game, and even to choose your own perspectives in each scenario. The player has to interact with others to avoid further catastrophes, such as blackouts and energy-related problems, in the future. Also, the player has to listen to advice from experts before making these decisions, something we will have to do in real life as we obtain jobs in the media industry. I also liked how the game's trans-media concepts also apply to situations we might actually face in the near future. For example, the energy crisis is a topic we hear about in the media almost every day, and a solution to the problem is something many people have been searching for vigorously for years. Alternative energy is more popular than ever before, and therefore, the creators of the game did an excellent job of combining entertainment with real-life, relevant current issues. In my opinion, the game is very effective as a tool for trans-media concepts. As stated earlier, the game blends multiple formats of media in an innovative, entertaining way. Additionally, the concepts behind the game are relevant to real life and more specifically, relevant to real life right now, as solutions to the energy crisis and alternative forms of energy fill news headlines more than ever before.

Reflections on Gaming Presentations

      Although I believe our “Wheel Chair Rugby” video game was relatively simple to understand, I also think there are few aspects of the game we could have strengthened or explained more thoroughly. We could have explained exactly how multi-player would work and specific details about the multi-player option. For example, we didn't elaborate about which team each player is part of during multi-player. Would two players involved in multi-player be on the same team, working together, or opposing teams, working against each other? Specific controls about how to move, shoot, and pass also should have been included in our presentation, as they are very important aspects of the game. If we were to do another presentation on our video game, I would certainly include these factors in the new presentation. I think the strongest part of our presentation was the different game modes. They were both humorous and intriguing. I know as a video gamer I would enjoy having such a vast array of scenarios to choose from. That being said, our modes inlcude exhibition mode, career mode, dynasty mode, and also a set of bonus modes which include the moon and some of heroes' and villains' animation backgrounds from our hero/villain assignment.  

      In my opinion the goals of the game were the easiest to convey. Because the real-life wheelchair rugby goals are so easy to convey (cross a line with the volleyball in your hand), we decided to add a few new and innovative goals into the structure of the game. For example, in career mode, you start off as a beginner wheelchair rugby player. As you increase in skill, the player works his way up through the ranks of wheelchair rugby status. For example, players go from beginner player to high school player to college player to ameteur player and eventually, to professional player. Once you have played in professional player for a certain amount of years, the player has the option to retire and begin playing wheelchair rugby for fun, but with a significant amount of experience and skill.     

Reflection on Hero/Villain Assignment

      In Ryan Newell's animation, he uses movement to convey contrast between character motivation. While the skateboarder (the hero) uses parallel movements, riding smoothly through the screen from left to right, the jet pack man (the villain) moves freely and chaotically in the air, with the help of his jet pack. As the villain flies into the distance, he lands in front of a large moving building, creating overlapping movements. As the skateboarder attempts to ollie over the dog and lands on him, the viewer observes the weight of the dog as he moves across the screen. The video ends as the skateboarder performs a backflip over the jet pack man, who dies shortly thereafter. This creates tension and release as the hero prevails and the villain is destroyed.

      For Tony Hermane's animation, he and his partner create contrast between the hero and the villain utilzing color. The villain uses hues of predominantly black and grey, with a little bit of red. The black and grey are symbolic of the villain's evil qualities and his destructive motivation. The red may symbolize blood, because villains usually enjoy inflicting pain on others. This message is conveyed actively, because the viewer must interpret the meaning of the colors for this particular message to be conveyed. Conversely, the hero's hues consist of predominantly blue and yellow. These happier colors actively convey the heros positive, playful qualities and a more lighthearted motivation, which is most likely to deter the villain's motivation. There is also a contrast between the two characters using brightness; while the villain's colors are very dark, the hero's are very bright. Once again, this portrays the conflicting motivations of the characters (good vs. evil). In terms of saturation, the characters colors are about the same. However, this does not take away from the portrayal of contrast between the two characters.

      In Ashton Harrell's animation, he utilizes movement to send messages about the hero and the villain, as well as to introduce ancillary objects in the scene. The use of movement that stood out most to me occurred when a blue ball was shown on the screen. At this instance, Ashton uses obvious weight (specifically squash & stretch) as the ball's weight fluctuates, creating the appearance of squashing and stretching of the ball. At the beginning of the animation, the villain opens a door to a building and walks inside, creating overlapping movement between the hero and door. Much of the animation consists of a shootout scene between the hero and the villain. The bullets fired from their weapons move parallel to each other before they collide, portraying that the two character's motivations are in contrast. After their intense battle, the hero flies away which releases the tension that was created throughout their fight.   

This American Life

Visit http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/178/superpowers and read the First Act of This American Life.

     My Select Superpower

      If I had the opportunity to be a superhero and pick a particular superpower, I would be Captain Hindsight, with the ability to go back in time and change things that happened in the past. The creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, created an episode of South Park that alludes to this superhero/superpower. I feel like in the mainstream media, news pundits and experts are always talking about what we "should have done” or “could have done” after a catastrophe takes place. By having the uncanny superpower to go back in time and change aspects of certain events, we would be freed from the monotony and sheer aggravation of listening to old self-righteous douchebags like Bill O' Reilly telling the rest of the world what should have been done to prevent a crisis.

      Think about all the disasters that could be mitigated. As Captain Hindsight, I could travel to the past and ensure that the back up valve on the BP Oil Ship that destroyed the entire ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico was functioning properly. And if the first back-up value was working, I could have created a back-up, back-up valve to ensure the safety of the Gulf's ecosystem. Think of all the organisms that could still be thriving if I had Captain Hindsight's superhuman abilities. And think of all the pollution that could have been avoided as well. Our world would be a better place with Captain Hindsight.

      I could also go back in time and make sure that the Twin Towers were actually 

made of fire-proof steel and 100% able to withstand an attack from an airplane. Think of all the families that would be spared of grief and suffering, and who would still be spending time with their family members that were lost in that tragic accident.  Think of the tension that could have been avoided between Arab and American communities, and of an entire war that could never taken place, and so on and so forth.

      I could also go back to ancient times and discover which religions have validity and which are bogus. If everyone knew the truth about religions, there would be no religious wars, or bickering over which religion is right or wrong, or whose god is better. There would be no Arab-Israeli conflict, no jihadists flying planes into buildings, no disagreement over whether or not Jesus was the Abrahamic Messiah, no suicide bombers with religious causes, no Jehova's Witnesses bothering us going door-to-door trying to convert us, no Christian evangelists telling homosexuals that “god hates fags,” etc. In the words of John Lennon, “imagine.” Imagine a world with Captain Hindsight.   

Video Jokes

Paige's Video

Hyperlink to...Ryan's Video

Written Reflection on Video Joke Assignment

      For our Video Joke assignment, we were to create two different videos with the same joke, approached in different manners. Therefore, there is both affinity and contrast between the two videos. Both video is shot with primarily medium shots as we explore limited space. The domineering character (the interviewer in the case of our joke) was shot from a low angle to make him appear larger than the interviewees, who are in a less powerful position than the interviewer. We used the rule of the thirds in both videos, making sure that the subject of interest fell into a vertical or horizontal third of the screen. We also utilized shape, as the interviewer has a more square-shaped head than the interviewers, who have more circular-shaped heads. In doing so, the interviewer is again subconsciously given a position of importance in the videos.  Lastly, in both videos the background music created a source of rhythm that acted as a driving force for the jokes.

      Although there are many similarities between the videos, other aspects of the video are in contrast of each other as well. While Ryan's video displays dialogue by showing what each character is saying on the screen, Paige's video uses absolutely no dialogue, showing only the interviewer's math equation and the interviewee's subsequent answers.  Therefore, Paige's video sends messages actively (without explicitly telling the audience what the message is) while Ryan's video sends messages didactically (explicitly showing dialogue on the screen). We enhanced the intended reception of our messages by manipulating shape, using the rule of the thirds, and, of course, acting.  Although I think both videos succeeded in getting the main point across, I believe Ryan's video was easier to understand and contained a punchline that was more humorous and relevant to Ohio University students in particular with the "Ohio University Department of Athletics" sign)