Inception- Media Blog Post 4

Introduction- Inception- is this a real thing or just some made up concept that no one really understands? We chose this movie because 1) Andrea had never seen it, 2) it is Tyler's favorite movie, 3) everyone is interested in dreams, the mind, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Describe- The movie Inception featuring Leonardo DiCaprio is more of a modern aged story about the ability to enter dreams and basically "live" in them. If you die in the dream you simply wake up from it. The ability to enter these dreams has started several different agencies and several different methods to actually alter what someone is thinking by entering their dream(Inception). The concept is fairly difficult to understand but after watching the whole movie through you gain more understanding of the concept and the movie itself. Leonardo DiCaprio has been in several movies such as Shutter Island, The Beach, Romeo and Juliet, and Titanic but the movie Inception I believe is the best he has done simply because it seems like this really took Leo out of his comfort zone into a new concept for a movie that is different than anything he has ever done.
The director of the movie is well known for his reboot of the Batman movies. Christopher Nolan has been pretty popular in the movie industry since he directed the movies Batman Begins and the Dark Knight and I feel like his take on the Batman movies was far more well directed than the Batman movies of the 90s and this makes me like the concept that he directed the movie Inception. I feel as if he does more "dark" based movies that seem realistic on a basis that makes you feel like your apart of the movie and that is why I loved the movie so much. According to the Internet Movie Data Base (IMBD) it states that Nolan is the director and writer of Both the Batman movies, Inception and the latest Batman Movie "The Dark Knight Rises" coming in 2012. He also directed the movie Prestige featuring Hugh Jackman which was also a hit at the box office. All in all Nolan is a genius with his work and being a fairly new director he could become much more famous in the upcoming years.



Analyze- The movie Inception is actually very difficult to analyze because the concept of the movie is so different than anything the director has done before. The movie itself is very difficult to place in once certain genre because the idea of the movie is unique and never has been incorporated into anything before. Christopher Nolan directed both the recent Batman movies and in those movies I sensed that he was taking Batman more into a dark setting, like he was intentionally supposed to be in the comics and made it seem more like the original series. The movies he directed and wrote made so much money because he used the concept and ideas to his advantage and made brilliant work with what he had. Inception, on the other hand, was a big guess to see how well the idea and concept would be on the big screen. Nolan did an amazing job at making the idea of "entering dreams" on the big screen. The genre I assume would be action/suspense and its far different than most movies of that genre. Most movies that are said to be "suspenseful" use action, big guns and strong guys beating the crud out of each other. Inception does too, but ti also uses aspects of the mind, the unknown, our subconscious and the fear of insanity or loss of reality to make it truly unique in its genre. Both movies have a dark tone but they use completely different stories and concepts. Like I stated before, it has a unique style about it that you can't compare with any movie like it and that's why I believe it was such a hit in the box office and in movie sales.

Interpretation- This movie is impressive. It hits many points and debates that are in our culture today and certainly will be tomorrow. This movie suggests that we may be taking science too far- being able to enter people's dreams and alter their lives. It also suggests the power of psychology- we've always known that it is possible to use the art of understanding people's minds for destructive purposes, but now we're understanding just how to do that. How far is too far? I think that is a question this movie wishes to answer. Should we be able to probe people minds? Should we be able to extract information without them being willing? Is it moral to plant an idea in their mind that they believe is their own? I think these are questions that we've been asking for many years and this movies seeks to show us just how destructive it could be for us to take things farther than we've tried. It has always been a trend in our culture to advance in medicine, science and the psychological world. It has always been a trend to ask ourselves "should we do this?".

Blog # 3 Newspapers/Magazines (Entertainment Weekly)

Thank you Frank Boisvert!

Introduction- Most printed media forms have found their way to the internet. Whether it be for extra features, games, or for the same exact information you find in the printed versions, it's all online. Entertainment Weekly is no exception. One of the most popular media magazines to write about the entertainment world could never have survived if it passed up our most popular tool for accessing entertainment. But is there a difference between the EW world online and in print?

Describe- Entertainment Weekly (or EW) is a magazine that focuses on entertainment that people love to hear such as celebrities, what is new in movies and TV shows. It puts all this information into a weekly magazine that is jammed full with loads of information from the latest music to the latest movies coming out in cinema to much, much more.

The magazine itself is not as organized as most, but it does contain a table of contents and that makes it somewhat organized by means of you being able to find a certain story you are interested in and skip the ones you do not care for. The articles themselves are rather short with many to a page. Usually the main story is a two page spread. There is really no section specificity but when it describes a topic like movies or music there are a few that are clumped together.

This magazine not only carries a lot of photos but the photos are actually "catching" to the eye. When looking in the magazine I instantly noticed the colors and interesting photos it contained. This magazine is in color so its very "eye popping". The magazine itself has more of a glossy look with more of a newspaper type of structure. The articles are similar to a newspapers articles.

The difference between the online version and the actual hand held version is slim to none. Both show the same stories but the magazine itself carries more photos and to me is more interesting looking than the online version. The online version has a more black and white type main page with 4 or 5 little pictures where as the magazine is jammed pack with color and pictures.

I would say there is a decent amount of ads to make it not too much advertising. The ads are every few pages and usually are not the typical boring ads but something funny or clever. I ran into a few about the Sundance Film Festival, Sony, the TV show House, and advertising for their own magazine.

The online version is definitely faster at posting stories but the magazine version comes out weekly so it is not too far behind. They both tend to have similar features like information on the latest movies etc.. The both have a similar focus and that is informing the US on the latest media and entertainment.

Analyze- This magazine is one of the more popular because of its weekly issues, keeping the readers more willing to purchase because it is more up to date than the monthly magazines.

This magazine seems to focus more on the entertainment aspect as a whole such as celebrities, movies, TV and music and does not focus at all on politics or religion. It's not so much scandalous gossip as it is information. Instead of talking about who slept with whom and who is going to jail, they're talking about who the "Wonder Woman" role is going to, sequels to TV shows and movies like 300, and even some information about the newest games like Uncharted 3.

Two big strengths that the EW has in print are its weekly subscription keeping readers more and more informed on the latest media or gossip. Its sense of color and picture quality of the magazine version is what makes it eye popping to the viewers. Online there is a page full of articles with eye catching titles making it easier to intrigue readers. There are plenty of ads with great deals there, as well, to persuade readers to subscribe to the magazine- an excellent way to get people to read their magazine more often and make them more money.

Two weaknesses could be the lack of photos on the online site and the price that it costs each week to purchase. A subscription can be cheap but if you just wanted to buy it every week you would be spending a lot of your money. Another weakness is that they focus more on one topic per issue making it the main spread in the middle of the magazine and some articles shorter that could be even more interesting than the main story. A weakness for online could be that it is hard to read some of the stories online because they use a smaller font then most sites.

Interpret- I would say the primary target audience would be anyone who is interested in the media or anyone who is interested in celebrity gossip. The age group itself I would say would be from 16-35.

As I am looking at the ads they seem to not really connect with the stories. Some of the ads are for soda brands or cigarette brands and that has little to no connection with movie information or celebrity information.

Most of the stories are not stereotypical or offensive. The intended information is just to inform the reader. There is really no opinionated articles in the magazine.

Evaluate- I personally like the magazine form better just because I am not a huge reader of online material and sitting at a computer reading hurts my eyes. The thought of having a physical copy is much better than the online version. The magazine version is more informational and easier to comprehend than the online version too because of its easy access of the table of contents and photographs.

I believe the magazine better serves the audience because I personally didn't even know the EW website existed until I did this report. The magazine is at check stands and book stores so it is easier to be seen by the people who are going to purchase it.

Engage- I don't really do anything beyond reading Entertainment Weekly. I wasn't even aware they have a Twitter before surfing their page. I'm not interested in following because I'm not severely interested in what they say. I honestly don't read the publication often- only when I'm sitting in an office or see a title that catches my eye. I'm not a fan of celebrity gossip or the latest entertainment news. Sometimes it is funny or surprising, but it isn't something I try to keep up with. if I want new music, books or movies I'll go to iTunes or Amazon and browse. I like to hear about new movies by going to the movies. Most of my information doesn't come from publications such as EW- it comes from word of mouth.

Conclusions- I believe I have learned that I truly do love the original medium that entertainment comes in. As much as I love the internet, I don't believe that is where everything should end up. I don't want out whole world to be digital. The layout, the feel, the look and the experience of reading is so much more enjoyable in actual print. I've learned that we can't avoid our advancement to digital copies of books, newspapers and magazines- it is a part of the world we live in. It is pretty astonishing how far we have come, but that doesn't mean we have to toss out all of our old ways. Maybe one day we won't have a choice. Hopefully by then, if it ever comes to that point, they will have found a way to make the internet reading of EW and other publications as enjoyable as reading the print versions.

E-dubs
A better layout in my opinion
Tweet, Tweet

Television Shows Tyler/Andrea

Thank you to shoujo009

Describe- I had originally watched this episode of Glee (Special Education. episode 9, season 2) when it had aired on Fox. I watched it again February 1st, 2011 to refresh my memory. I would say that Glee falls into the drama category. An episodic series would be more specific, seeing as how it is the same people every week in the same high school. Basically this episode is just a continuation of the obstacles these high school students face- whether these problems stem from them being different from the rest of the crowd, relationships, or being a part of the "uncool" Glee club. In this episode the Glee kids are competing at sectionals. Mr. Schuester (Matthew Morrison) decides to mix things up this time around and use some of the other talented kids instead of the ones they normally have in the spotlight. This causes frustration for Rachel (Lea Michele) because she is the over dramatic, attention hog that always gets the solos. On top of that issue, more tension is added to the mix when Rachel finds out that her boyfriend, Finn (Cory Monteith), had slept with Santana (Naya Rivera) prior to their relationship. More frustration is added to the relationship department when Mr. Schuester finds out that Emma (Jayma Mays) ran off to Vegas and married her dentist, Ken (played by John Stamos). Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) believes that her boyfriend Mike (Harry Shum, Jr.) is cheating on her with Brittany (Heather Morris), which is Artie's (Kevin McHale) girlfriend. The last problem the Glee club needs in this emotional mess is for one of their best singers, Kurt (Chris Colfer) to have switched schools and Glee clubs. He had done this a few episodes back because he was no longer safe at William McKinley High School because he is gay. All of these problems end up creating a feud between the performers, resulting in them all refusing to compete. Mr. Schuester is the one that ends up telling them that they are a team and have to talk it out and work together in order to pull this off. Their Glee club, New Directions, ends up tying with the Warblers, Kurt's new Glee club. But the drama isn't over yet- to get back at Finn, Rachel hooks up with his friend, Puck (Mark Salling), resulting in the end of their relationship. The same four commercials were shown throughout the show- an advertisement for the movie The Roommate, an advertisement for the new Fox Show Traffic Light, Kay's Jewelers, and the Chevy Cruze.

Analyze- This show is definitely made to attract teenagers. The show is set in a high school, in a small town where you have your cliques and everyday dramas. Everyone dresses as teens of different groups would- the cheerleaders wearing their uniforms, the jocks wearing theirs, the "weird" kids wearing their dark makeup and "gothic" dress, the regular "background" kids wearing their Wal-Mart garb. It's all very relatable for the younger generations. These characters talk as if they are in high school- they're stubborn and immature but they try to act as if they are adults. They make sure people know what is on their minds and don't often spare feelings. It's real high school but with a musical twist. From what I could find on the internet, it seems that the show is filmed at Paramount pictures and the Alex Theatre. There are a lot of other shows out there like this. High school is one of the most popular things on TV and everyone wants to center in on their drama. Think about Gossip Girl, 90210, The Vampire Diaries, The Secret Life of the American Teenager- all shows about kids in high school and the drama that is guaranteed there. The thing that makes Glee is special is that all of these kids are talented and, although they belong to different groups, they band together to form a club to follow their passion in music. They find a way to express themselves that you don't see in other shows.

Interpret-Stereotypes is what this show focuses on the most in my opinion. The Glee club is something that brings people together to do a thing they love and that is singing and dancing. You can be a jock, a geek, a cheerleader or anyone in between and still be accepted into this club. The director of the show did an amazing job of focusing on characters in the series and focusing on their problems regardless of their popularity and that makes for a fun exciting show. Even though school is usually not like that with harassment and bullying, the show relays hope that people of all different groups can be accepted into this club and be a part of a family. There is one character that stands out in the show and that is the character Puck(Mark Salling). Puck is a football jock that bullied kids and was a "bad boy" type stereotype but after joining the Glee club he is less "bad boy" and more of good person. He makes friends with Artie, a kid in a wheelchair and only bullies occasionally but the other characters in the Glee club helped him become more good and less bad and that is true character development in my eyes. The show airs on Fox network so the commercials in the show focus on the other shows on Fox as well as products that Fox would normally show commercials on. There is no specific commercials that air during Glee but the commercials of Glee itself seem more for a younger group of people and people that enjoy music and dancing. The show obviously has more viewers from every age group or gender with its millions of viewers. The show itself is played in more countries than just the United States so people are most likely aware of the show. If I were a visitor from another country I would watch the show and believe that this is what American high school is like and draw a picture of what it is like from the show itself.

Evaluate- The show Glee is amazing. It focuses on everything that a high school drama needs to focus on. Religion, Sexuality, Love, Pregnancies, Everything!! So with that said its strengths definitely out do the weaknesses. There are some downsides to the show such as some episodes don't run into others for example they will focus on one topic one week and completely change the topic the next week leaving questions unanswered. Also they do themed episodes such as one on the Rocky Horror Picture Show or Britney Spears and only focus on that topic the whole episode which can be repetitive and boring sometimes. Other than that the show is a fantastic watch with catchy tunes and a great character set up. To me the realness of it is sort of accurate to real life but not at the same time. There are kids that face problems like the ones in the show but the resolution of the problems in the show can be little to none in a real life situation. Other than that the the focus on each character would be accurate for a real life high school student. What makes it memorable is the music for the most part. Every song they play I almost like better than the actual singer themselves. The songs are very catchy and I find myself thinking about the songs on a daily basis. The show has actually made me more aware of more music and that is always a positive thing. The other reviews of the show such as on IMDB or Yahoo can say almost the same exact thing as me with the focus on themed episodes and run off episodes being a downfall for the show.

Engage- We both watch this show on a regular basis. Tyler catches it on Hulu and Andrea records it on the DVR. Once in a while Andrea's sister will watch it with her. Andrea doesn't have a Facebook so she can't be a fan, nor does she normally visit the website. She just watches the new episodes when they come out and talks about them with Tyler.

Conclusions- I've learned, just from thinking about what goes into the show, that high school is probably one of the most important parts of your life. Why else would we center on it so often? I think the problems we go through and the things we accomplish there are some of the biggest defining moments in our lives. And, in a sense, high school never ends. We still have the ridiculous dramas and hurt feelings that really shouldn't effect us the way that they do. I think, now that I've analyzed one of my favorite shows, I'm a little disappointed with it. These kids are all so talented and have so much to look forward to- but they're just kids. And now that that is a little more apparent to me I don't feel I can relate as well. I want to be an adult and I try to stay away from the drama. Watching theirs on TV feels so superficial- I have bigger and better things to worry about. Maybe it is time we move on; find something more grown up to write screenplays to.

Watch the full episode here.
Like it? Become a fan?
Gleek out :)

Topic #1- Advertising Tyler/Andrea

This is a video from YouTube user Chodda

1. Describe- This video is a little older for the Skittles franchise but it's still pretty popular and can still be seen on television sometimes. I saw this advertisement about 3 or 4 years ago and it has not left my mind since. Whenever I buy a pack of Skittles I see the commercial running through my head. The commercial focuses on the "epicness" of Skittles and how important they are. Obviously if you do not believe in the rainbow you are bound to fall to your death. The dialog is the three teenagers just talking on a rainbow while eating Skittles and little to no music is incorporated. The characters in the advertisement are not famous or well known, just a bunch of teenagers sitting on a rainbow. The length of the ad is not long at all and gives just enough time to get the point across- "believe in the rainbow or die"

2. Analyze-The persuasive techniques being used in this ad seem to be the "plain folks pitch" and the "association principle". By using "plain folks" they are using actors that aren't popular to appeal to all of society- all the "common" people out there. The message is simple- "believe in the rainbow"- something that easy for everyone to understand. The association principle isn't exactly positive in this sense- it's saying that if you don't value or trust in the rainbow, ultimately you will die. By associating life without trust in the Skittles rainbow and death (or at least severe pain), people will get the sense that they need Skittles to survive. That could tie into the "hidden fear" technique as well. Everyone is afraid of dying- if Skittles could keep them alive then they might be persuaded to buy some. Obviously no one died in this commercial- a green-screen was used as well as some kind of computer software. I think any medium could be good for a message- if it catches attention and people remember it, then the job has been done. This might not be the best medium seeing as how someone "dies"- do you really want your company to be associated with that image? But it did exactly what they wanted which was to get people to remember them.

3. Interpret- This commercial could be a part of a larger campaign. All of the other Skittles commercial were just as strange and slightly disturbing. I think to a certain extent they're trying to show that Skittles is like the God of candy- it is wonderful but if you betray it, it has powers that can hurt you. Before these commercials came out I really hadn't heard or seen anything like it before. I think that makes it a different approach to advertisement. Most companies wouldn't go with such a twisted angle. I think teenagers or young adults are the main target audience. You see teenagers sitting on top of the rainbow. The majority of people I have seen laugh at and remember this ad are younger. I remember my parents thinking it was stupid and that it didn't make any sense. If any stereotypes could be included I think it would be that of teenagers being apathetic and questioning of authority. The boy who falls off the rainbow questioned if it even existed- the rainbow was the authority and it dropped him because he questioned. When he falls his friends just watch and don't seem to show any emotion. I didn't really recognize any aspect of pop culture in this ad and I think that's what made it so different. I really don't find the message offensive. I remembered it and might have laughed once or twice but I never gave it another thought. it just didn't affect me in a negative way. It hardly affected me at all.

4. Evaluate- The effectiveness of the commercial is only by how you interpret the message. Some people may receive the message as a negative thing such as the fact that a kid dies because he doesn't believe in the rainbow. Some can interpret the message as a funny joke making Skittles seem worth buying for the hilariousness of the ad. Either way I think that the message got across to everyone that saw it, so it is effective in getting the message to the population. Being as every time I see Skittles or buy them I think of the commercial, I see it as definitely something that is memorable. What makes it memorable is the humor and the uniqueness of it which no other commercial has tried to do with the brand Skittles. The product is widely popular so, yes, I have bought tons of Skittles since then- the commercial definitely didn't sway me away or anything from purchasing it. I did not respond to the ad but it is something I will remember for a long time to come whenever I come across Skittles.

Conclusion- I think I've learned that the more unheard of, new, different, twisted or disturbing an ad is makes it more memorable. Most of the commercials people even bother to talk about are the ones that weird or slightly humorous. I think appealing to the happier side of life, boosting those serotonin levels really makes things stick in the mind. Things like that are really useful when thinking about what you should do to grab someone attention.

Here's the Skittles website: www.skittles.com

Like: http://www.facebook.com/skittles

Check 'em out: http://creativecriminals.com/compilations/skittles-taste-the-rainbow-campaign/

Northern Lights!!!

This is a great image by Image Editor

Link-http://www.flickr.com/photos/11304375@N07/2045648290/sizes/z/in/photostream/

Hello!!!

We are Tyler and Andrea and this is our new blog.