Storify: John Green The Fault in Our Stars

http://storify.com/SarahLillianB/fault-in-our-stars-a-must-read-and-see

Why hello!

This is my final assignment in my FILM 2F00 class! This post is all about John Green, The Fault in Our Stars. This beautiful, inspiring novel that is on The New Yorker Best Sellers list is loved by many, including myself. This Storify I created is focused on how the book in being adapted into a movie. Most of the cast has ben chosen, and they plan to start recording in August of this year. I am so excited for this future movie, unlike any film before. The writer, John Green is a famous Youtuber with his brother. They have a huge fan base and work with many other Youtubers. John Green and his brother Hank has even created charities and Youtube events. As of recent John and wife just had a baby girl named Alice.

The book was inspired was a 16 year old girl Ester who died of cancer in 2010, and touched every person that was lucky to meet her.

I hope the filmmaker does the book justice. I understand films are almost never like the book before it, but I hope it is just a good. The aesthetics i hope are well done with beautiful landscapes. They better capture the love of Gus and Hazel and the heartbreak they both experience. The trip they go on, and the simple, short and rememberable moments.

Responding to comments! (comment)

Hello!

Today is a short post for I only received one comment on my last blog post about Twitter and citizen journalism. This comment brought up an excellent point that I wish I thought of and put it in my post. The comments speaks of how Twitter has played a major role in recent revolutions. For example, rioters connecting through Twitter in Greece and Egypt are predominant. Where the connection between people caused something to happen by social participation, and in the same social media site reported by spectators. Also, they added that if something it demanding a sentence of two, why not take a short amount of time to comment? Personally, I feel the first section is true, however, the last question makes me constantly think that not every person needs to comment. Although, to get out a short message out to the people/ followers would be easy in a sentence or two, especially in cases like Greece and Egypt to notify rioters, like-mind thinkers and change seekers of location and time to meet in short notice. Twitter is a great and sometimes a very powerful tool. Don’t get me wrong. But as someone once said with great power comes great responsibility!

Thank you for the great comment! I very much appreciate every comment on my posts! My next may be my last! Que. scary music. Okay, bye!

Twitter! Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!

Hello readers!

Today I will be discuss how social media, for example, Twitter has affected journalism. Henry Jenkins and David Thorburn’s article focuses mainly on politics and how the Internet greatly influenced the votes of election of when Steve Forbes was the first to announce his presidential candidacy on the Internet. They go on to further state how the Internet has influenced politics (Jenkins & Thorburn, 2003). In today’s day in age, I feel most voters get their information by the Web. Not only that, but Twitter has become a major source of up-to-date news that followers can easily search the ‘hashtag’ to found relating tweets to that topic. Twitter has become branded as real-time news and information network, which has flourished since the creation in 2006 (Hermida, 2012). This news and information hub of message are tracked, recognized and grouped depending their content. For years, Twitter has been a place easily accessible for citizen journalism, which in turn affects the journalism industry. Driven by this focus is technology in which supports Twitter, for example, smart phones, iPhones, iPads, etc. where the web site can be at the touch of someone’s fingertips 24-7. Axel Bruns and Tim Highfield point to the fact that tradition forms of media coverage such as publishing newspapers has decreased interest by the readers and turned to Twitter and as a source of news (Bruns & Highfield, 2012). Personally, I rarely read the physical newspaper or watched the TV for news I instead watch Youtube videos that covers the news but it is done in a fun and interesting way. I do hope that printed newspaper never go away, and only be availably online for, I think, even less people would read them. Also, the newspaper is a great tool to educate yourself by reading, it helps grammar and spelling of anyone.

Twitter and other social media have most definitely affected journalism majorly negative with some positive. Unfortunately, if or when the print papers would influence the journalism industry by taking away money from writers, but also without the paper would affect grammar and spelling for Twitter. Twitter is limited to 140 characters per post, which forces users to shorten words and use poor grammar. However, Twitter is a great source to find short information of topic of interest and is easily accessible.

 

References:

Jenkins, H. & D. Thorburn. Introduction: The Digital Revolution, the Informed Citizen, and the Culture of Democracy. in Jenkins, H. & D. Thorburn eds. (2003). Democracy and New Media. Cambridge MA: MIT Press. p1-17. 

Hermida, A. (2012). TWEETS AND TRUTH: Journalism as a discipline of collaborative verification. Journalism Practice. 6:5-6, p659-668.

Bruns, A. & T. Highfield. (2012). Blogs, Twitter, and breaking news: The produsage of citizen journalism. pre-publication draft on personal site [Snurb.info]. Published in: Lind, R. A. ed. (2012). Produsing Theory in a Digital World: The Intersection of Audiences and Production. New York: Peter Lang. p15-32.

Picture 1: http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/design/2012/6/new_twitter_logo.jpg

Picture 2: http://www.onthaitime.com/files/images/english-newspaper-thailand.jpg

Pirating is Bad!

So this week is a podcast. I have never done a podcast before and I deeply apologize for my stuttering it is really unavoidable. I tried to fit all the elements requested by my prof into the recording. I talked about two articles, the first was Canadian police and Government caught pirating movies (also TV shows). I feel people who are suppose to enforce the law or create it has to follow the law. Also, if one was to not follow the law that they will be punished the same way any other citizen would be punished. The second article discussed big companies such as Disney and Sony trying to prevent piracy by a trail being tested in South Korea. Relating back to the readings, Ian Condry discusses how the RIAA have undergone almost 2000 lawsuits; continuing with that for power in the media is so important and driven by money (2004). My main argument is the theatre experience cannot be replaced. Pirating music opposed to films are very different to me as you see the contrast between last week’s post and this week’s.

Note that I was focusing on films in the theatre, and not films that have released in other forms of views.

References:

Condry, Ian. (2004). Cultures of Music Piracy: An Ethnographic Comparison of the US and Japan. International Journal of Cultural Studies. 7 (3), pg. 343-363

http://torrentfreak.com/canadian-police-and-government-caught-pirating-movies-and-tv-shows-130519/

http://www.theverge.com/2013/6/24/4458644/disney-sony-on-demand-streaming-korea

Answering Comments: Piracy ARGGG!!

Hello again my readers,

My last blog post was addressing piracy and copyright laws. I talked about Ted Talks with Larry Lessig, and I truly believe he was making great points. As one comment stated that Lessig ended with that remixing and recreating is the way this generation express themselves and we (older generations) are teaching (younger generations) them to ignore the law. The person’s comment also agreed that remixing with an artist’s material should not illegal. The second comment agreed and added that very rarely do people steal content and pass it off as their own. That may be true, but I feel I have to do more research before agreeing or arguing with this statement. This comment highlighted the fact that I mentioned that the industries are all about power and trying to bleed us, consumers, dry. 

The last comment, confirms remixing is a form of expressing consumption, which is similar to one of the previous comments. He boldly states that the copyright laws are flawed and out-dated. He goes on to say, they are not align with modern times and technologies. Also, that piracy can never be a negative thing. I do agree with the first statement for that is pretty much what I talked about in my blog. However, I have mixed feelings on the last thing he said. I hope I can explain this clearly. I agree ‘sharing is caring’ but piracy is a negative term with laws saying it is illegal, as much as I would like that to change to even some degree that is not the case as of right now. Piracy is negative that is why they named it after an act of stealing, sail men and rolling in the benefits. 

Thank you and good night!

Piracy ARRRGG!!!

Hello Readers! Music and piracy is the topic of today!

I feel there should be some limitations, but music should have more freedom than it does. In my job we have to be so careful on what songs we use in our video for we don’t want to get sued, of course! Just as Larry Lessig said in his video, our intension is not to steal the song, call it our own, and make money off of it. We recreate. Just as I talked about in the previous blog post about recreating and reinventing. Explained by Lessig also by Kevin Steinmetz and Kenneth Tunnell where younger user or producer-consumers create content for free, for fun with issues of pirate motivations by engaging in copyright infringement, which creates sub-cultural in beliefs about piracy and the law (2013). Many in these sub-cultures believe they should be able to use music in their creations for free and find means to do that. Ian Condry first discusses how in 2004 RIAA initiated almost 2000 lawsuits; therefore, proving one of the most important thing to the industry is money (2004). Likewise, he states music is one of the key battlegrounds for power in the media, emphasizing the point on how money is so important, but also power.

Yes, music copyright should have some restrictions, but to restrict those who steal the music for their own profit. Back to Lessig, he debated the intension of the use of the music. I believe the copyright laws should not limit creative uses for producer-consumer content. For example, the video I posted about Psycho with it’s many forms last week Youtube would not upload the video and make it public for there was material in my video owned my fox. So, I had to switch to Vimeo to get it live. Now my intension was to solely post the video for my blog and get my point across for my listeners. I was not purposefully taking from Fox for money, but because I had a bad sunburn and could not show my face.

For producer-consumers they are most likely recreating something for fun and to be imaginative. For me I do find multiple means of getting music for my work or myself. However, intension of the copyrighted music is the most important aspect to pirating music.

Thank you and see you soon.

References:

Condry, Ian. (2004). Cultures of Music Piracy: An Ethnographic Comparison of the US and Japan. International Journal of Cultural Studies. 7 (3), pg. 343-363

Steinmetz, K., K. Tunnell (2013). Under the Pixelated Jolly Roger: A Study of On-Line Pirates. Deviant Behavior. 34 (1), pg. 53-67

 

Psycho and it’s Many Forms

This video describes successful innovating of ideas that people made their own, but surrounding the same story. Also, the video discusses unsuccessful copying where the filmmaker almost copied everything about the original film. The story that the different forms that I discuss is Psycho. It is one of my favourites movies and one of my favourites from Hitchcock. This is relating to last week’s post called “Remakes and Recreates”. Unfortunately, I was not able to record myself as I wanted for I got bad sunburn earlier this week. I tried my best. I hope you like it.

For more information:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054215/?ref_=sr_4

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0155975/?ref_=sr_5

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2188671/?ref_=sr_1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho_(novel)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0975645/?ref_=sr_1

References:

Picture of psycho: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b9/Psycho_(1960).jpg/215px-Psycho_(1960).jpg
Picture of hitchcock’s norman bates: http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110407101257/characters/images/3/35/Norman-bates.gif
1998 norman bates: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lioaottfHM1qc9tdy.jpg
1998 poster: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GIchwvJ-aNk/Slo8dUsiqmI/AAAAAAAAJK0/yTNWVTB7GHU/s800/psycho+movie+poster.jpg
Bates Motel poster: http://stuffpoint.com/bates-motel/image/223462/bates-motel-poster-picture/
Hitchcock 2012 poster: http://cdn.bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Hitchcock-poster.jpg
Psycho book: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5a/RobertBlock_Psycho.jpg/200px-RobertBlock_Psycho.jpg
Ideas picture: http://seec.schulich.yorku.ca/ContentResources/LibraryFiles/innovations.jpg
Comparing the shower scene one: http://b.vimeocdn.com/ts/831/859/83185986_640.jpg
Comparing the shower scene two: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7e/Psycho_1960_vs_1998.jpg/250px-Psycho_1960_vs_1998.jpg
Iphone 3: http://news.cnet.com/i/bto/20080723/iPhone_3G_540x276.png

Answering Your Questions!

 Hello!

 Today I will be responding to the comments from the previous blog.

I was happy to read the first comment enjoyed the picture of Norman Bates or rather found it frightening. They also enjoyed my evaluation of Youtube. They even went on to explain farther of what I was trying to say in my post on Youtube and re-creating. Going on to say Youtube was when it first started an innovated site, but that is not the case anymore. They also call Youtube “…another avenue for corporations and major networks to establish their products and videos. Moreover, the advertisements on the site are getting out of hand, I am sorry, but I am not going to watch 5 minute long ad when I have the option to skip it. I know that means my favourite Youtuber won’t get paid from the ad; however, 5-minute ad is way too long.

The second comment brought up extremely great questions for me. After reading the comment I instantly wished I addressed those concerns the post. First of all, I do completely agree that copyright laws are stricter than ever. For example, this past school year the school made it so students cannot record the lectures in any fashion. I, myself, tried to record the audio in my first year for I cannot write and listen at the same time so I was missing a great amount. Likewise, my favourite Youtubers have to be careful of music that appears in the videos. Their first question is, “Do you have any suggestions or ideas about how we can bridge the relations between online producer-consumers and traditional media producers?” I believe that those relations have already started especially on Youtube. Youtubers such as ShayCarl has been hired to interview celebrities for a red carpet event that has been traditional televised. Next question is, “Why is Andy Warhol an artist for painting over Campbell Soup cans Marilyn Monroe’s face when today he would be considered a thief or hack, and most likely get sued by Campbells?” To this I say it all comes down to money. Back then people did not have the accessible as people have now with the Internet. Less people copied ideas and were able to make money off of that. Today people want those for cheaper or free so they accessible films, games, lecture class, etc. to save money and time. Moreover, everyone is trying to make money; today more people are trying to steal others ideas, so people or companies have to protect their product to actually make money. Lastly, their final question I will answer with a similar answer to the previous question, it is all about money. If a company or person is finding that someone else or another company is hurting their profits then they will sue.

 

Thank you for the comments!

Blog 4: Remakes and recreates

Hello readers!

 

In visual arts you learn that we live in the era of post-modernism. This means that for a century the ability to create something anew has depleted, where creation is based off something, it is similar to, or inspired by… You can look at fashion, and even technology with the iPhone 5 for examples. This day in-age is based more on a creative economy with advertising, commercials, and etc. but also videos on such media as Youtube. Where anyone can watch videos, comment, and leave video responses making the audience an active audience that is strong in interpreting as a community as Toby Miller states in his article. These communities of all kinds peek interest on the Internet where there is always something to interest everyone. Fans of films or TV shows can rewatch their favourite moments. Fans of films as such as Psycho (Hitchcock, 1960), which one of my favourite films, has many scenes online that I can revisit whenever I wish. I will go into detail about that in next week’s post.

 

Norman Bates from Psycho (1960) with caption.

 

These communities have a unique relationship with Youtube. There is a personal and social nostalgic aspect with Youtube with the ability to revisit TV shows, commercials, movie trailers, etc. and big memorial events, for example, prince William getting married. Where creation is redone over and over again. For example, one viral, famous video people will recreate it. There are also ‘tag’ videos, prank videos, and someone getting hit in their crutch is funny for so long. Teresa Rizzo compares Youtube common style of direct contact to the audience, and content that is a spectacle, is shocking and a sensation with early cinema before 1906 and back. That is true, creators who post videos on Youtube want many people to watch their content and enjoy it. Youtubers often break the fourth wall to the audience with shockingly interesting matter. The creators want numerous of views and get themselves out there for more people to view their videos. Generally, I would say, the ‘new’ content in Youtube has been done before on television and film. The style as such as ‘vlogging’ is a new concept where the person holds the camera, recording everyday life. This can easily be compared to the Lumiere brothers who recorded on their device. They recorded everyday life either one of the brother’s child having lunch, people leaving from the factory after a day of work, or the train zooming pass the camera after taking off from the station. These ‘attractions’ as Rizzo called them of the spectacle, being shocking and a sensation brought people to the penny theatres to see the train zooming by, and today bring people to Youtube for videos everyday.

 

Thank you for reading and have a great day.

Hitchcock was know for breaking the fourth wall, and talking to audiences. “Good afternoon”

References:

Picture 1:http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/306/f/3/true_fear_by_hailtothechimp-d321z9e.jpg

Picture 2: http://www.biography.com/imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/H/Alfred-Hitchcock-9340006-1-402.jpg

Miller, T. (2004) A view from a fossil. International Journal Of Cultural Studies, 7(1), 55-65.

Rizzo, T. YouTube: the New Cinema of Attractions SCAN | journal of media arts culture. Vol 5, No. 1, Online journal.

 

 

Op-Ed Wikipedia: Nosferatu

The classic 1922 film by the German filmmaker F. W. Murnau, Nosferatu’s Wikipedia page as been proven to be extremely reliable without being bias opinion. The film is based from Bram Stoker’s book Dracula. For the filmmaker did not want to pay for the rights of the film, the court order to burn every copy of the film, which did not happen for I, myself has seen the film. By reading the ‘Talk’ page, I discovered strong arguments mostly with reliable resources, and those are the ones with reliable sources won the argument. The argument that stood out was for Nosferatu being an anti-Semitism film. This I completely disagree with that argument since Hitler’s torment began much later. Richard Jensen stated in his Wikipedia Fights the War of 1812, “They [the editors] pride themselves in adhering to Wikipedia’s NPOV rule: all articles must reflect a Neutral Point of View, and POV, or bias, is a misdemeanor that is regularly remover” (2012). The article itself provided with highly reliable sources. Also, in the comments most stipulated great sources, especially by one editor in the comment section. He or she displayed a no bias POV while getting his point across with reliable sources.

The article gave exceedingly reliable sources and I believe with no bias opinions in the actual piece.  The reference section, also the external links were almost completely from databases. Moreover, Cindy Royal and Deepina Kapila addressed films dating back from 1928 to 2005, and which they deemed more recent films to be more important (2009). Although, they go on to state, “This demonstrates that although recency is an important predictor, some films transcend time and are deemed important for other reasons and thus have a strong share of coverage on Wikipedia” (2009). Nevertheless, Nosferatu’s, especially the ‘talk’ section, proves that people on the Internet care for this dark classic, film and the surrounding facts.

Since Wikipedia is a site open to the public and the capability for anyone to comment on any article relating to changes to that article. In the Wikipedia ‘talk’ page of Nosferatu, there was a heated debate on whether the film was anti-Semitism or not. Most replies to the first who brought up this point called the first commenter a racist, also moronic, and ignorant. This kind of attitude and name-calling does not stand to the standards that Jensen stated above. However, the last comment on this topic does stand to Wikipedia’s standards with providing reliable sources. The references given by the last commenter have three connecting significances, which are an article or book (a piece of work), a creator of the work (being a writer, journalist), and have been published these are found on the Wikipedia website. Along with providing book and online sources, speaking with an unbiased opinion the last comment on this subject proves the first commenter’s statement is false.

In conclusion, in the case of Nosferatu the Wikipedia page was extremely insightly with reliable sources. The article itself proves by being unbiased with the information with support of the sources. Also, the ‘talk’ section validated the references and information in the article in the comments. As José Van Dijick and David Nieborg explain,

“Allegedly, peer production models will replace opaque, top-down business models, yielding to transparent, democratic structures where power is in the shared hands of responsible companies and skilled, qualified users” (2009).

However, I would argue based of the Wikipedia discussion the film was more of a foreshadowing of someone of great power coming and infecting the townspeople. Through his great power many suffered and died for selfish reasons. This is my own conclusion drawn from reading the unbiased article and that one comment that mentioned that history tends to repeat itself.

Other blogs that speak on the same subject of Wikipedia:

http://pm1688.wordpress.com

http://soitgoes5blog.wordpress.com

http://beccabellablog.wordpress.com

References:

Jensen, R. (2012). Military History on the Electronic Frontier: Wikipedia Fights the War of 1812. Journal of Military History. 76, 1. pp 1165-1182.

Royal, C. & Kapila, D. (2009). What’s on Wikipedia, and What’s Not . . . ?: Assessing Completeness of Information. Social Science Computer Review. 27, 1. pp 138-148.

Van Dijk, J. & Nieborg, D. (2009). Wikinomics and its discontents: a critical analysis of Web 2.0 business manifestos. New Media & Society. 11, 5. pp 855-874.

Picture: http://opheliasfiction.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/nosferatu.jpeg