My new favorite series...

My brother has Tivo and has decided to capture all of the season premieres of all of the new fall shows so that the rest of us only have to watch what he deems as "good." Now I know this leaves my viewing pleasure at his discretion, and that means I trust him a lot- which I do- but we have similar taste in shows and I think he is the perfect guinea pig for this sort of thing.

The show that he has recommended so far is called "Chuck." This show is a fun combination of what we decided has a similar feel to an Alias meets Scrubs or a 24 meets The Office. It is "intense" material that moves fast and has a lot of humor built in- some to make fun of the intensity itself. It is set up like a comedy, with funny characters that aren't all that amazing of people, and the plot is not difficult to understand, but it is definitely engaging. The characters are simple and not forced at all; I don't get the same annoyed feeling from some of the characters on 24 or some of those shows where they feel so over-directed or something. These are simple people and easy to relate to instantly.

What i think would be interesting to look at with a class is the fact that first, this is the introduction to this show- you could call it the exposition even. What do we learn about these characters from this opening show? What do we learn, and what do we think we know that wasn't directly said? How does the writers' choices about the characters' occupations help to strengthen this story and make it more interesting?

This is the link to watch the full episode online on NBC's site. Enjoy- it is quite fun.

http://www.nbc.com/Chuck/video/episodes.shtml

Dixie Chicks

I know we talked about this in class but it has stuck with me all day and I have been thinking a lot about the video and just the group themselves. First, I am interested in the dichotomy of a group that chooses to express themselves in such a public way and then be so violent about the public's reaction to it. I just think the video is proof that they are still being punished for their expression and views and yet it also shows the medium that they choose to express their views only helps to perpetuate others' negative feelings toward them.

I think the color and costuming in this video was intriguing to me though. I love how artistic and symbolic the ink on the hands and the white dresses was and how the theatrical part was in white, covered in the black ink, while as she sang about how she is now she was in all black. I loved how powerful that was in conveying her feelings about her opinion. She was stained by the things that were said and the reactions to it and yes it is permanent, but she embraces them and I appreciate that.

I think I could use this in class to talk about the messages that we send, and the implicit messages that are also sent through the other aspects that we have control over like color and lines and costuming.

Office Space - Old School Movie Review #1

This is a movie that I have seen before, but it had been a while. The friends that we watched it with had just watched it the night before, but it was the only movie that we could get 10 people to agree to watching and it was getting late!

This movie is so great to me because it is so subtle. The characters each have little quirks that make them memorable and the plot is so random. A guy hates his job and goes to a hypnotist. The hypnotist puts him in a trance and then has a heart attack before he can take him out of the trance. So, said guy goes home and sleeps and decides he is never going to go to work again. It is just so funny because again- we have all been there. Most people do not love their job...as the movie poster indicates. Most people are too afraid to do what they really want to because it might be against the social norm e.g. eat the first piece of cake instead of passing along, asking out your waitress...etc.

I have succomed

Up until this last week I had not watched a single episode of the Office. I decided it must be time, seeing as so many of my near acquaintances have incorporated this as part of their lives. Trying to catch up in time for the new season, I watched almost the entire first season and loved them all. I did have a problem getting into them though because I have seen the BBC version and I loved it so much more. I had a problem with the fact that the entire first episode was completely ripped off of the original version! How is that fair to the writers of the show? Nonetheless, I was interested to see them because, especially in my ward, the Office is more than just a show-- it is a lifestyle.

I think my favorite character is Dwight. He knows how to be so annoying and awkward looking at everything that he does. I think it makes us laugh because 1) we love the character itself-- that is just funny, but 2) I think we all have some deep connections to that show simple because we all have worked before and the scenarios are so close to home. We can watch the pranks or just the weird people and completely relate-- even if we haven't been in the exact situation.

I don't know how I would use this in class yet, but I know I would use it. Especially if kids are still so connected to it by the time I teach.

Only 100 Years

Again, I was at the gym and I was watching Ellen and music videos simultaneously. What stuck with me today was not the humor in Ellen like she normally does, but it was in a music video that I have seen many times that I watched during the commercial. I have always loved the song, but I guess I had never enjoyed the creation of this video until this time I watched it.

The video was Five for Fighting's "100 years," and I couldn't help but analyze it like a geek and think of all of the ways that it was filmed and how John Ondrasik just sits there at his piano most of the time. I thought of how his life is passing him by why he keeps doing what he is doing, but that in each of the phases of his life, something different is important to him. At 33, he is in the beginning of his family and worried about time getting the better of him. The song is about him telling his 15-year-old self to take the time he has and make good with it.

I just loved the message of the song, but the way it was filmed was so simple and powerful to me and above all-- genuine. I didn't feel like this one was produced, I felt like someone caught John in his element, creating his music and sharing his true feelings. That proves that it was well produced! I could use this in a directing unit, for inquiry about what kinds of choices were made visually to tell his story. I could use it to talk about each of the roles that his character plays- that a character will grow over time and make some changes.

Here is the link to the video if you wanted to watch it: http://sonybmg.com/musicbox/video/fiveforfighting/
(click on "100 Years")

What Not to Wear

I realize that the last two of these have been reality TV shows, but I think it proves to me which I enjoy watching more. I love the shows that help to improve people in some way. I remember when the very first reality show was on, "Survivor," and we watched every minute of it, riveted, wondering if something great was going to happen. They were just regular people like us, only they were doing something a little more extraordinary than we were. Now it is so normal to see "regular" people on TV in situations where they are trying to be like the entertainment and fashion world says we all should be. They are trying to be skinnier, they are wannabe models, wannabe musicians, and people that want to start a career out of thin air.

On the one hand, I think it is a great idea-- giving people with talent a chance to be seen, on the other, I love what this show (What not to Wear) does, because it proves to people that they can be themselves, and that they are beautiful. (Yes, Stacie and Clinton do teach them ways to look "in style" or "trendy" in some ways), but they usually are helping women to find themselves behind all of the facade that they are putting on.

The episode I watched the other day was of a woman in her twenties who dressed unlike anything I have ever seen. There would be no way to judge her if you saw her on the street because she doesn't seem to stick to any genre of style or to any rules at all. Normally, I would agree to what she said was an "I don't care what people think of me" attitude, but she was clueless. It was like watching her true character unfold as she honestly found out how beautiful she truly was underneath the fake crazy character she was playing for attention. She honestly chose to wear clothing each day because of the reaction that they would get- because they would be funny. Whatever her real personality was- we weren't getting it. She had no continuity at all.

This also may sound like a stretch, but I think I would show this to a class to discuss character. I think it is interesting how much clothes really do say about a person, and that could be a topic of conversation as well, but the great part was, that the clothing aspect of this episode was back seat to her wonderful discovery of who she really was. The show told a story of a crazy girl who thought she was living life normally, and someone came to prove her wrong. She fought for what she thought stood for her personality and eventually gave in, realizing that she had to make changes to project outwardly what she truly felt about herself. And that is what most good theatre does for me. Hopefully, a good film or show will help me to discover something new, usually by way of the characters' discoveries.

Again, what an uplifting piece of media that, though it forces people into the chic and trendy expensive shopping world, it also forces them to find out what they are about.

The Biggest Loser

I was at the gym. My gym is now souped up with flat screens everywhere and you can watch whatever you want on your own personal cable TV as you run. I know... think football...

I couldn't find anything that jumped out at me until I landed on "The Biggest Loser." This was the navy/military wives edition or something and they were battling for total percentage weight lost over the other women. They had a coach that told them what to eat and a basic diet plan, but they have to do most of it on their own. The point is that most of these women have even had surgeries done and couldn't keep the weight off. The women have to do everything on their own and have their own willpower and determination. This is where the fact that they are on a time limit and that it is a a competition really helps.

I decided that I love this show. I found myself so inspired and uplifted by it that I forgot I was running! When the coach would tell them positive things and shout "see look what you are made of" I would instinctively run faster- it was perfect to run to!

I couldn't help but compare this show and how I felt about it to all of the other "makeover" shows and "top model" shows. This one builds good habits and helps the individuals learn how to make life changes rather than attempting to let them be changed for them. It was almost emotional for me as each woman got off the scale and realized what she had accomplished with all of her own hard work. (I love the positiveness of everyone working as a team rather than the skinny Beotch teenagers all living in one house and constantly shouting at each other over nothing.)

I decided that I love this show. I found myself inspired and lifted by it that I forgot I was running. When the coach would tell them positive things and remind them what they are made of I would push a little harder myself-- it was perfect to run to! I watched all the way until it came to the end and the host had each team weigh in. I couldn't help but compare this show and how i felt about it to all of the other "makeover" shows and "top model" shows. This one builds good habits and helps the individuals learn how to make life changes rather than attempting to change it for them. It was almost emotional for me as each woman got off the scale and realized what she had accomplished with all of her own hard work. I loved that positive message. Then I noticed that half of why I felt that way was because of the music chosen. The music was sort of sappy and manipulative as each woman weight in. They built the suspense and then told me how to feel all in the choice of music. It was a bit like a Mormon movie when you get to the end and everyone is crying...yes- part of that is a spiritual moment, but the other part is the brilliance of audio editing. Nevertheless, I was still inspired and proud of the great idea to uplift so many people. Everyone leaves feeling beautiful--and I am all about that.

If I were to use this in the classroom I could use it for two things: 1) When teaching directing techniques, I could use it to show that the individual has to follow their own intuitions or it wont be natural...etc. or 2) I could use it to show how music is used to help tell a story or alter the mood of the piece. I found it to be very effective for me.

Women Reduction

I got into a discussion today at dinner about women's magazines. We were talking about a specific article in US where they were comparing two celebrities in the same gown and showing the poll of which one looked better. Our complaint was that in each of these cases the picture chosen was the woman who was slimmer. The conversation was about how these magazines are horrible for women's self-esteem because they degrade them and set the cultural standard for what beauty is. The average woman knows, while looking at one of those magazines, that she may never look like that girl on the page. Her conclusion: she must not be beautiful.


My brother thought it would be a kind gesture to remind us that most of the photos in the magazines we read are airbrushed and photoshopped...etc. to look that perfect. The point is, we are reduced to airbrushing. Women are not perfect by themselves--even those closest to perfect beauty are still unable to take a perfect photo. What do these magazines teach us then: women, you are simply not good enough. Period. It reminded me of a study I heard about that was apparently done at BYU that proved that these magazines do just that-- lower women's self-esteem.

My new favorite find

Welcome to my media blog. I thought this would be a great way to bring this to you because it is so much a part of how I find media lately. My family and friends recently decided to go blog crazy, and because it is now such a part of our culture to be that impersonal about how we update each other on our lives, I thought it would be an appropriate medium with which to bring you my latest media finds/encounters.

My latest find: I hope you enjoy it.



I love this so much. This video is a music video of a group from New Zealand that apparently now has their own show on HBO. The humor of the show is similar to what America is thriving on lately I think-- very similar to "The Office." It is so funny to watch someone mocking such a familiar situation and catch the true awkwardness. The lyrics are what make it so great.

They also tend to have music videos within their show that are very obviously making fun of other types of music videos. This one, for example, is a hilarious rendition of a bad rap music video. The lyrics are again hilarious, but how they filmed it is key:


Note: I hope you are not offended by either of these videos... they are both a little edgy, as far as BYU is concerned, but it is what I am watching and enjoying.