Here is the work that I did over the summer, So that you can see where the ideas came from!
So i started in the summer by looking at things that inspire me. I also thought about things that I could relate to the topics of Power, Spectacle and Memory. I started by looking up the dictionary definitions of each word
Spectacle
spec⋅ta⋅cle [spek-tuh-kuhl]
–noun 1. anything presented to the sight or view, esp. something of a striking or impressive kind: The stars make a fine spectacle tonight.
2. a public show or display, esp. on a large scale: The coronation was a lavish spectacle.
3. spectacles. eyeglasses, esp. with pieces passing over or around the ears for holding them in place.
4. Often, spectacles. a. something resembling spectacles in shape or function.
b. any of various devices suggesting spectacles, as one attached to a semaphore to display lights or different colors by colored glass.
5. Obsolete. a spyglass.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Spectacle ( Website viewed:28th November 2008)
Memory
mem⋅o⋅ry [mem-uh-ree]
–noun, plural -ries. 1. the mental capacity or faculty of retaining and reviving facts, events, impressions, etc., or of recalling or recognizing previous experiences.
2. this faculty as possessed by a particular individual: to have a good memory.
3. the act or fact of retaining and recalling impressions, facts, etc.; remembrance; recollection: to draw from memory.
4. the length of time over which recollection extends: a time within the memory of living persons.
5. a mental impression retained; a recollection: one’s earliest memories.
6. the reputation of a person or thing, esp. after death; fame: a ruler of beloved memory.
7. the state or fact of being remembered.
8. a person, thing, event, fact, etc., remembered.
9. commemorative remembrance; commemoration: a monument in memory of Columbus.
10. the ability of certain materials to return to an original shape after deformation.
11. Also called computer memory, storage. Computers. a. the capacity of a computer to store information subject to recall.
b. the components of the computer in which such information is stored.
12. Rhetoric. the step in the classical preparation of a speech in which the wording is memorized.
13. Cards. concentration (def. 7).
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Memory (website viewed: 28th November 2008)
Power
pow⋅er [pou-er]
–noun 1. ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something.
2. political or national strength: the balance of power in Europe.
3. great or marked ability to do or act; strength; might; force.
4. the possession of control or command over others; authority; ascendancy: power over men’s minds.
5. political ascendancy or control in the government of a country, state, etc.: They attained power by overthrowing the legal government.
6. legal ability, capacity, or authority: the power of attorney.
7. delegated authority; authority granted to a person or persons in a particular office or capacity: the powers of the president.
8. a document or written statement conferring legal authority.
9. a person or thing that possesses or exercises authority or influence.
10. a state or nation having international authority or influence: The great powers held an international conference.
11. a military or naval force: The Spanish Armada was a mighty power.
12. Often, powers. a deity; divinity: the heavenly powers.
13. powers, Theology. an order of angels. Compare angel (def. 1).
14. Dialect. a large number or amount: There’s a power of good eatin’ at the church social.
15. Physics. a. work done or energy transferred per unit of time. Symbol: P
b. the time rate of doing work.
16. mechanical energy as distinguished from hand labor: a loom driven by power.
17. a particular form of mechanical or physical energy: hydroelectric power.
18. energy, force, or momentum: The door slammed shut, seemingly under its own power.
19. Mathematics. a. the product obtained by multiplying a quantity by itself one or more times: The third power of 2 is 8.
b. (of a number x) a number whose logarithm is a times the logarithm of x (and is called the ath power of x). Symbolically, y =xa is a number that satisfies the equation log y = a log x.
c. the exponent of an expression, as a in xa.
d. cardinal number (def. 2).
20. Optics. a. the magnifying capacity of a microscope, telescope, etc., expressed as the ratio of the diameter of the image to the diameter of the object. Compare magnification (def. 2).
b. the reciprocal of the focal length of a lens.
–verb (used with object) 21. to supply with electricity or other means of power: Atomic energy powers the new submarines.
22. to give power to; make powerful: An outstanding quarterback powered the team in its upset victory.
23. to inspire; spur; sustain: A strong faith in divine goodness powers his life.
24. (of a fuel, engine, or any source able to do work) to supply force to operate (a machine): An electric motor powers this drill.
25. to drive or push by applying power: She powered the car expertly up the winding mountain road.
–adjective 26. operated or driven by a motor or electricity: a power mower; power tools.
27. power-assisted: His new car has power brakes and power windows.
28. conducting electricity: a power cable.
29. Informal. expressing or exerting power; characteristic of those having authority or influence: to host a power lunch.
—Verb phrases30. power down, Computers. to shut off.
31. power up, Computers. to turn on.
—Idiom32. the powers that be, those in supreme command; the authorities: The decision is in the hands of the powers that be.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Power (Wesite Viewed: 28th November 2008)
Brainstroming
I then moved on to doing some brain storming into each of the topics to see if I could come up with any ideas as to what I could do in my final project.
This is the mind map that I did for Memory. I origianally did all these mind maps in my work book but used a software called inspiration to put them in my blog. To enlarge any of these pictures just click on them.
This is my brainstorm for power.
This is the Brainstorm that I did for my spectacle work.
Spectacle and Memory
Phantom of the opera
When I think about the word spectacle and what it means for me, I think about 1 scene from the film version of the Phantom of the opera. It also looks at the idea of memory and how you represnent memory if films. This particular film use a zoom shot where it zooms into a picture of the young madem Giry. It is about a memeory that is not a happy for her.
The scene is where Madame Giry is talking Roaul about how she hid the Phantom of the Opera in the basement of the Opera House in Paris. The scene involves a flashback of her remembering things that happened that day. The colours are a lot darker then they are in the rest of the film. The camera pans through a traveling fair, it is a smooth pan shot but shakes from side to side to represent the idea that the camera is following her like another person. This reminds me of the spectacle of the fair and the way that this particular film represnts memory.
This film is generally an interesting one as the majority of film is a flashback and yet the things that is the closest to our time is in black and white and the past is in colour. The film is made out of memories of the opera house before it got burned down by the Phantom of the Opera . I think that this is an interesting way of doing it and it is almost like the things that are in the present are black and white because of the things that have happened in the past.
The clip that I was talking about to start with can be seen below:
(video added: 28th March 2007)
Article
I then decided to go onto Academic Search Complete, which is a site that host articles about all kinds of things. I found an article about sleep and how sleep affects memory.
Wozny, Nancy, Sleep Secrets, Dance magazine (June 2008) Issue 6, P g 30
This article contains several interesting statement about sleep and how if you dont get any sleep you will slose your ability to retain short term memory and convert into long term memory. I then picked my favourite quotes out of the article to demonstrate how relevant the article is to memory.
“One of sleeps major functions is consolidating short term memory into long term memory” Dr Aparajitha Verma
“It’s as if the brain doea a little invertory of what it learned during the day and decides what to store and what to throw away” Both these quotes are from the above article.
From this article I came up with an idea that I could use for my final project. You can see this idea by clicking here.
Shattered
I also wanted to look at a programme that reminded me of this article. A programme called Shattered that was shown on Channel 4 when they took people and put them in a house for 7 days and who ever could stay awake the longest would win £100,000.
http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/S/shattered/index.html
(Website viewed 28th Novemeber 2008)
The programme was run almost a bit like big brother, a reality TV show. Each day they would all have to do tasks and they would be rewarded according to how well they do each task. The task would test there mental ability and reactions after being awake for a certain amount of time. The one that had the quickest reactions and mental ability would win a prize at the end of each day.
The experiment only went on for a week as it is not known that anyone can stay awake for longer then that. i thought that the effects that the lack of sleep had on those people doing the experiment was really interesting and as they got more and more sleep deprived they had less and less memory of things that were going on around them.
The power of Media
I read the book studying the media in the summer holidays and there were some really good quotes in there about the power of the media, so I thought that I would add these quote to my summer research.
“Implicit in this kind of claiim is the idea tht the media act as powerful agencies capable of shaping and directing public and private understandings of the world and awareness of its social, economic, moral, technological and political affairs”
“In historical terms, the various media have often operated both to condense and to relay anxieties and fears about the nature of change ina rapidily changing world.”
O’Sullivan, Dutton , Rayner, Tim, Brian, Philip, Studying the media (2003) 3rd edition, Oxford University press
Article
http://www.westkentymca.org.uk/Courier_DVD.htm
Kent and Sussex Courier (Article published 20th June 2008)
I found this article in the kent and sussex courier which is my local newspaper. I wanted to put this in because it made me think about what you can do when you have a reason to create a film. It also shows that coming from people that have experianced it going to the people that need it most can be alot more effective then people that haven’t experianced it.
Alot of drugs affect your ability to memorize things. It also made me think about the affects of alcohol on you memory. I think that I could fit this into my film somewhere. From seeing this article I came up with another idea which you can see here.
The Science behind Memory
To the left is a picture of the brain and it shows where the memory is stored. When the frontal lobe gets damaged patients can suffer sever memory loss. The reason that people who have brain injurys so regularly suffer memory loss is because the part of the brain that contains memory is at the front and is therefor most likely to get damaged.
Memory’s are a series of electrical impulses and chemical responses that happen in the cerebellum. These chemical reactions and eletrical impulses trigger feelings in us that make us remeber things. It can happen if you see something that reminds you of something else or a visual stimulant that you see. Smells and sounds can also trigger memories.
Memory Quotes
“Memory requires the brain to be physically altered by experiance and it is this remarkable property that makes thought, consciousness and language possible.”
“Importantly working memory has a crucial role in comprehending spoken and written language. It allows you to keep track of meaning in the flow of words, as they are being heard and read.”
GELLALTY, Angus, ZARATE, Oscar , Mind and Brain, A graphic guide to the science of your grey matter. (2005) 5th edition Icon books Ltd.
From this quotes and the research into the science behind memory I came up with another Idea which can be seen here.
Programmes that inspire me
Some of the programmes that I have watched and listened to over the summer, I have watched to gain a better understanding of that type of programme.
Here are some examples:
Saturday Kitchen
I really don’t usually enjoy TV programmes like this but I really enjoyed watching this. I like the way they mix celebrities and ordinary peole.
Camera angles and shots
They use alot of close ups and head shots of the presenter, he always address the camera. No one else address the camera in the way that the presenter does. When he’s talking to the people on the show he always address them directly. They don’t have a live studio audience only 2 members of the public on stage.
Personal Oppnion
I really enjoyed watching saturday kitchen. I think that the way it mixes it up a bit makes it more interesting. I like the way it also uses ordinary people. I also like the way that it juggles using VT and also broadcasting from the live studio.
Armando Iannucci’s Charm Offensive
I recently discovered the joys of BBC radio 4. Usually some sor of panel show or disscussion show. I really love there comedy shows. (both sketches and quiz panel shows)
Programme Overview
This programme is a panel show where they discuss things that can cause some offence. The blurb says “Armando Iannucci offers a heady mix of topical comedy chat and outragous fibs.” The show lasts half an hour and involves Armando Iannucci disscussing things with guests. It is recorded infront of a live studio audience.
Personal Oppinion
I really enjoy listening to any comedy, and I particularly love topical comedy. I feel like it is amost a radio version of Have I Got News For You. Without the quiz element. I really enjoy the people just discussing things without having to answer questions.
Music
When I’m listening to certain music I can see and hear it. I find that music usually gives me ideas for video’s or film’s. I wan to write down some of the songs that have inspired me and why.
Sigur Rós
Hoppipolla
This one of the first songs when I listned to it and started to picture idea’s and scene’s from a film. I usually just put the music on and listen to it and let my mind wander.
When i listen to this particular song i imagiend a grand entrance into a large room and the person looking around in a amazement. I wondered how I could fit what I wanted into one of my ideas.
Coldplay
Yellow
I really like this song. When I’m feeling tired or emotional this is the song I put on. I really makes me think of good times. This is strange as it is a depressing song if you listen to the lyrics. I love the lyrics about the stars and this makes me think of someone standing on a beach looking at the stars.
I listen to the music to give me idea’s and inspiration and then I come up with the rest of the story.
Radio 4
I’m sorry I haven’t a clue
I really enjoy any radio 4 comedy. I’m sorry I haven’t a clue and just a minitue are some of my favourites. I recently watched I m sorry I havent a clue on BBC IPlayer. It is filmed infront of a live studio audience. I found it interesting to watch a radio session being record.
- They used the multi-coloured microphones like we have in our studio. They have 4 coloured microphones that each panelist used and a black one that the presenter uses.
- The show was presented by Humprey Littletonuntil he died just after easter this year.
Programmes like that really make me think about doing a panel show for my final project I think I could kink a panel show into memory.
From looking at this kind of programme I came up with Idea 4.
Inspiring things
At this point I had a brain freeze and decided to look at things that inspire me. To help me know what to do research on. I did a spider diagram to show what I came up with.
From this diagram I came up with ideas 5 and 6 Which can be seen here.
Looking at the quote “Religion is the Opiate of the Masses” Karl Marx 1843
This is to look at the way that religion has power over people. And how particularly in Karl Marx time it was the ultimate power.
- I wanted to look at how religion has changed between now and then.
- It would mean looking into generations and the different ways we percieve religion
- I would want to look back at the past to see how percepctives of religion have changed.
- Preception of religion would be the focus.
- I would also want to look back at the time when religion was the main power in western civilisations and how this changed over time.
Out of this came Idea 7 which can be seen here.
Credit Crunch
Someone suggested to me that the credit crunch might be a bit of a spectacle. So i decdied to take a closer look…
I wanted to look into the Credit crunch. I went to put the credit crunch into lexus nexus and everytime I put it in it came in as more the 3000 results. I ended up having to limit it to one newspaper. So I limited it to The Times. I think that this is a good indication of how much fuss that is being made of the whole thing.
I havent really felt the effect of the credit crunch but I wanted to know how much other people really felt ‘the pinch.’
