Unit 11 - Remix & Mash-ups

Remix- To combined or edit existing materials to produce something new.

Everything is a Remix: part one

Two summers ago my dad and I went to see Heart in concert. I grew up on 70's and 80's rock. Anything my dad listened to and liked, I liked. So when I found out that Heart was going back on tour my dad and I went to PNC Bank Arts center to see them. The opener that was touring with Heart was called the Jason Bonham experience. On the way there I asked my dad if he knew who that band was. My dad laughed and began to tell me the history of Led Zepplin. I learned that Jason was the son of John Bonham and he was also a kick ass drum player. Because he is a direct relative he has the rights to play Zepplin's music. He created a band that tours and plays original Led Zepplin songs. I was excited because I had never heard Stairway to Heaven live and I was already freaking out to hear music that was written before I was even born.

After watching Part 1 of the video series I was really surprised to find that Zepplin copied a lot of songs and made them their own. Over the years many other bands have followed suit and "remixed" other songs. The law says you have to give credit to the original songwriter when you copy a song and use it as your own. Not only did Led Zepplin not give credit the band was sued 40 years later.

Part three: The elements of creativity
Creativity comes from copying. Copying is the base of creativity. Creativity comes from three steps. Copy, Transform, and combine. The story of Apple and Xerox was very interesting. I can now see that it is true that everything is a remix.


Copyright: Disney Video

I enjoyed the irony of this video. Disney actually used Brother Grimm's stories for a lot of their movies. So it is funny that a movie about copyright was made with scenes from Disney movies.

Remix/Mashup Examples:

The Buffy vs. Edward video was really funny. I always loved Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but I hated Edward in the Twilight movies. He is so awkward and painful to watch. it was nice to see Buffy tell him off haha.

Scary Mary was awesome! Definitely the best remix video I have seen yet. The shining was good but everyone knows Mary Poppins and how happy Julie Andrews is in that movie so seeing it be made into a horror movie was super funny.

Popcorn assignment:

I tried using popcorn. I am not even sure what the assignment is. I don't like it. I found it annoying and difficult to use. After seeing others explain in class how to use it I found that it made more sense. I need to go back and try to do that movie again because I really didn't understand the assignment the first time.

Remix a DS106 assignment:

The assignment I got was Make a Storytelling Collage. My remix challenge was to make it a Yo Mama joke.

The joke "Yo mama is so fat, I took a picture of her last christmas and it's still printing."

Here is my collage:

I have to say I was uncomfortable googling "image of fat women in Christmas sweater." But I was also happy that this was the only picture that came up.



Mashup Assignments:

Mashing Friends and Emojis **

So basically I don't have anyone who wanted to help me with this assignment but then I remembered that Miley Cyrus is always sticking out her tongue so i knew I could find a picture of her that looked like an emoji. So here you go, Miley is practically an emoji.


Making a song ****

So long, I've been looking too hard, I've been waiting too long
Sometimes I don't know what I will find,
I only know it's a matter of time When you love someone,
when you love someone

Just a small town girl, livin in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin anywhere
Just a city boy, born and raised in south detroit
He took the midnight train goin anywhere

I've been waiting for a girl like you to come into my life
I've been waiting for a girl like you, a love that will survive
I've been waiting for someone new to make me feel alive
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you to come into my life

I don't need to be the king of the world
As long as I'm the hero of this little girl

Heaven isn't too far away
Closer to it every day
No matter what your friends say
I know we're gonna find a way

Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me
Cause I'd already know

More than words is all you have to do
to make it real
then you wouldn't have to say
Heaven isn't too far away

Was it something I said or something I did
Did my words not come out right
Though I tried not to hurt you
Though I tried
But I guess that’s why they say

Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn
Just like every cowboy sings his sad, sad song
Every rose has its thorn

Songs:

More than words by Extreme

Heaven by warrant

Waiting for a girl like you by Foreigner

Every rose has it’s thorn by Poison

Don’t stop believing by Journey

I decided to create a love song. Songs from the 70's and 80's are my favorite type of love songs so i used some pretty popular titles. I hope it makes sense.

Unit 10 - Making Movies

 Student made Alfred Hitchcock film:

I liked this short film. I guess its because I like Hitchcock. But I can see why others wouldn't like it. Its filled with Hitchcock jokes and references. You have to know his movies and about his life to find it funny. I think it was well done. I have no idea how to do animation like that.


Making Movie assignments

Keychain daily create ***

The keychain create was fun. I remember saying that I never wanted to take a video of myself and post it but I took a chance and made a video of myself anyway. The best part is I made this video at 1 am after I had been video editing for 3 hours. It honestly took me so long to do some of the other video assignments that filming this one was a lot easier. 



Highlight Reel *****




If there is one sport I will watch it is football. I grew up watching football every Sunday with my dad. As I got older I learned the game and like everyone else in my family I became a devoted Giants fan. So its easy to say that I love Victor Cruz! I made a highlight reel for him because I missed his salsa dance this year while he was injured.



That bleeping Censor *****

Click here


I will be honest, I don't know how well I did on this one. It took me so long to figure out how to isolate a part in the clip and mute it. I watched 3 youtube videos to try and figure it out. Finally I found the right youtube video that explain MovieMaker very well. I was finally able to create  my bleeping in the scene. I used the famous Marlon Brando scene from A Streetcar Named Desire. Instead of screaming Stella I have him mooing, hahaha. 



Where do you want to go? ***

Click here

Making a travel video was fun because I love to travel. After going to Europe for the first time last year I have had such wunderlust ever since. Its actually funny that I picked this assignment because just yesterday I booked a trip to Europe for next year. In January 2016 I will be visiting Amsterdam, Paris, and London. I am so excited about this trip! I started the video with Amsterdam, then London, and Paris. I have the most pictures of these cities in my video. I have been wanting to see some of these sites for years. I finished up the video with images of Dublin, Ireland and Athens, Greece because those places are on my wish list of places to see.


I am going to be honest I found this unit to be the most difficult. I spent 5 hours just doing this part of the unit. That's not including typing up the blog post and uploading the videos. That I did on a separate day and took about 30 minutes. This was a very time consuming unit for me.

Chaplin Video

The Charlie Chaplin assignment was really time consuming. I found that it took a while to pick out the clips I wanted to use. After choosing all of the clips I recorded them on my phone. Then I found music that wold be played in the background. I think it is too loud but I wasn't sure how to fix this. Then I added the audio to the movie in movie maker. After watching a few youtube videos I learned a lot about movie maker.

Creating Daily Creates

In the spirit of DS106 I have come up with my own daily creates! I have written descriptions and completed the assignment to use as an example.


Create your Own App:

Do you ever need help with something and say, "I wish there was an app for that?" Or someone brings up something in conversation and you say, "there should be an app for that." I find myself doing this a lot. With the emergence of technology in our everyday lives apps have become not only popular but very useful. If you could create an app what would it be? Create a logo for the app and a description of what that app will do.




Re-design Book Cover Art:

Do you have a favorite book that you feel the cover doesn't reflect the story? Or is there a cover that you think needs an update? Re-design a cover for a book you like. Describe why you chose that particular design and how it reflects the book and its story.








Create Your Own App:

My app is called SOS.

SOS is a GPS app that helps friends stay together. My design is really ugly but the idea behind it is good. I came up with the idea one night while I was out with friends. This is how it would work:

-Before heading out with a group everyone opens the SOS app.
-Once the app is open it keeps tabs on your GPS location.
-You can upload friends through your contacts. This way you can see their GPS location. on the "friends" screen.
-Once everyone starts drinking and friends wander off, you can find everyone at the end of the night.
-My favorite feature of the app would be the SOS button. This is a simple tap of the screen and all the friends open on your "friends" screen will get a notification that you need help. You can use this if you get lost, see someone you don't want to talk to, or you are getting hit on by a guy you don't know how to get away from.

I designed the app logo to target girls. At first I drew a bow on the top of the logo but it looked hideous, so I made polka dots. I don't think I have ever seen a pink app so thats why I went with that color.





Redesign a Book Cover daily Create:

Here is the Book cover I made:

Here is the original book cover: 

Although the original cover has a great design I don't believe that it follows the theme of the book. I love the handwriting style font and the fact that the yellow books glow in the dark but it doesn't speak to the story. I just started reading this book Friday. After reading a chapter before bed i turned out the lights and was surprised to see the book glowing on my nightstand, it was very funny. I made a cover that I felt spoke to the story. Mr Penumbra's bookstore in my mind looks just like the cover I made. It is said in the book to have super high shelves that a ladder is needed and that some of the books go unread creating a layer of dust older than some of the newer books.

Unit 9 - Movies

Look, Listen, Analyze.

I chose a scene from Fight Club. I love Fight Club, it is a great movie based on an even better book. I chose the scene that is titled on youtube as "Don't Fuck With Us."

Look- the scene goes back and forth between focus on the guy who is tied up and gagged and Brad Pitt and the gang. It is obvious that Brad Pitt is the only actor who speaks in this scene. Everyone behind him is intimidating and staring at the camera. They don't need to say anything for the viewer to see their allegiance to their leader and their loyalty. Some wear black ski masks while others don't. Towards the end of the scene Brad Pitt leans in and the shadows on his face look menacing. You can tell that what he is supposed to be saying must be serious and scary.

Listen- While listening to Brad Pitt I found it hard to picture the scene the way it is in the movie. I can't place where I think the scene would possibly take place but I don't hear the man so I don't imagine him being present. I also don't hear the rest of the gang so it is almost as if they aren't there. Their presence in the scene makes it that much more stronger because they are a silent presence. I know that Brad Pitt is talking to someone but it is hard to figure out who. He is also angry but firm. He has a slight echo to his voice so you can tell that he is in a room.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWVxI6XZAuE&list=PLAE4410DF71EC2BC2&index=14 


Fun facts from the filming of Fight Club:

-In the short scene when Brad Pitt and Edward Norton are drunk and hitting golf balls, they really are drunk, and the golf balls are sailing directly into the side of the catering truck.

-When the Narrator hits Tyler Durden in the ear, Edward Norton actually did hit Brad Pitt in the ear. He was originally going to fake hit him, but before the scene, David Fincher pulled Norton aside and told him to hit him in the ear. After Norton hit him in the scene, you can see him smiling and laughing while Pitt is in pain.

-Brad Pitt says he didn't want his parents to see the movie, but he couldn't convince them not to watch. They changed their minds after watching the chemical burn scene.

-To prepare for their roles, Edward Norton and Brad Pitt took basic lessons in boxing, taekwondo and grappling, and also studied hours of UFC programming. Prior to principal photography, Pitt also visited a dentist to have his front tooth chipped.

All of these facts were found on IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137523/trivia?ref_=tt_trv_trv

I found all of these facts fun to learn. Hearing behind the scenes stories from your favorite movies is always interesting.

Film Genres

AMC Filmsite http://www.filmsite.org/genres.html Describes the different genres in which movies are categorized.

I find that Fight Club doesn't quite have a genre. At first I'm like oh it must be action. All of the fight scenes and the gang retailiation at the end must make it an action movie. But then I think no, it must be a drama. All of the psychological stuff that the narrator goes through must make it a drama. But under the genre drama it says that the movie contains no action. So I am stuck between the two.


Youtube Genres

I am not on youtube that often, considering I don't have much time in my day so I am not that well versed in the genres. This is what I came up with.

Tutorials:
Anything from make up to DIY
https://www.youtube.com/user/MichellePhan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIdwS-xv5Ho

Music videos:
the real ones made by artists or creative ones made by fans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ORhEE9VVg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXsdlk0_HuQ

Movie Trailers:
Trailers released by movie studios and then there are the fan created.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUS_Q7FsfqU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZudV3om_8LQ

Lyric videos:
Song lyrics creatively made into a movie and mixed with moving objects.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhgJCO70yog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg92RrNhB8s

Home videos:
Videos made by average people. These are usually very funny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD9NgzLhbBM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPDYj3IMkRI

Clips from TV shows or movies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LguStmm8bRk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdDQsJdWqZA&list=PLg8A95kWOgK5qHmJ9RFG5C-hA9A-udqUi&index=5

Relaxation and meditation help:
music and guidance for relaxation and meditation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-llW_qCHzic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_SJfB0ihDQ

I'm sure that there are so many more genres, I just can't think of them.

Unit 8 - Stories Within the Web

Telling Stories Within the Web

Hacking the internet (& other illegal things DS106 is teaching us)

Hahaha, JK. DS106 isn't teaching us anything illegal. But technically hacking can be a crime.

To prevent any issues I only took screenshots of my work. I never published anything. The internet is a dangerous place I have learned. Coding and hacking are not things to mess around with. But I did have fun with messing up some well known websites. I also enjoyed learning a few of the sites out there that help people to hack.


First, I played a joke on Prof Lucci...

I then wanted to target a site I frequent very often...

I was only able to change two headlines on this one. X-ray goggles tends to freeze my browser and I have to start all over. That happened 3 times before I took a quick screenshot before it shut down. 

One more website just for fun...

We all love Serial and just changing one small thing (like the names of the episodes) I completely changed the theme of the site. Instead of it being objective like Sarah is, I used my opinion to make Adnan look innocent. 

Unit 8 Assignments

Take my Buzzfeed Quiz!!! ***

Which Orange is the New Black Character are you?

I had a lot of fun making this quiz. It challenged me to think out of the box. It was very time consuming but I was able to complete it and test it out. Now I know how hard these quizzes are to make.

Make a Pintrest Board ***

I had to make a Board based off of my dream vacation. I have three dream vacations, Greece, Tuscany, and Amsterdam. I pinned images from all three of these beautiful cities.

Here is my link

Make a Fakebook for a historical person ***

Grace Kelly is one of my all time favorite actresses. Her roles in Hitchcock films were perfect for her. She is one of the most famous Hollywood Starlets.

Fakebook page