Driving on some random road. It has been a stressful week. I just buried my good friend Ricky. I stole a car from somebody so I could get home faster. Hopefully the cops don’t find me. It was about 5 in the afternoon. The sky was starting to set as night was coming. I”m not gonna lie, this is a breathtaking scene. So I record it. And for the first time, for a while, I felt at peace.
This is the how to tutorial assignment worth 3 points.
If you’re not drinking scotch or bourbon, you must be (or better be) drinking beer. More specifically, you’d better be drinking a real beer. Nothing with the word “light” counts here, folks. We’re looking for full-flavored craft brews. Real quantities of hops, malt, and brewer’s yeast, nothing watery and metallic. Look local if you don’t know better. Nowadays though, good beer is everywhere. That’s why we need to learn how to pour em’, to get the full aromas and frothy head that makes a beer look, smell, and taste amazing. Today I’m pouring a Hop Hash-Infused double IPA (India Pale Ale) from Sweetwater Brewery in Georgia. Learn well and enjoy the craft. There’s nothing like a real beer.
I am feeling a little home sick at moment. I’ve been so much crap. I don’t think I can’t take this anymore. So I decided to create this Survival Video for my younger brother and sister to prep for the world. I tried to convey the message the best I could in a positive way. I turned the camera sideways to visually show life is sideways. I just wanted them to know I that I have their back if there ever in a dark place. I am trying to hold on. I must hold on. I will do it for them.
This is the I am me assignment worth 4 1/2 points.
This is an altered version of the song John Wayne Gacy Jr. by Sufjan Stevens. Only the lyrics from the first verse remain from the original song. The rest, even some of the guitar licks, have been changed for this version of the song for myself. I’ve always been struck by the opening lyrics. “My father was a drinker, and my mother cried in bed.” It’s always struck a chord in me, no pun intended of course. Being the writer I am, with the childhood I had, with the father I had, this song resonates greatly. Yes, of course, I understand that this song was originally about the notorious, clown-dressing serial killer, John Wayne Gacy. But it concerns his childhood, his upbringing; what made him a monster. It’s something so many of us wonder when we find ourselves to be capable of actions and thoughts we can hardly believe. How did I become this way? How did I become this monster?
The Big Lebowski is a cult movie and a classic movie at the same time. It brought to life nothing at all while being completely vivid. The following is a character identification piece I put together using iMovie. check out other video assignments by clicking the tag at the end of this post.
This is the sound to visual assignment worth 3 points.
I was messing around with visualizing the collaboration I did with Spencer’s character, Donnie Rawley, and I really liked the calm, striking visual effect I was able to get with these filters on Movie Maker. I think it fits perfectly well with the “zen” feel of the music. The water drops in particular looks so damn cool; almost like a moving sketch.
This is the narrative ambiance assignment worth 4 points.
I took this monologue from the horror video game Alan Wake by Remedy Entertainment. Just to be clear on a few things, the Stephen King quote ends after the line “the poetry of fear.” The rest is the monologue from the game. Also, where the original line is “My name is Alan Wake. I’m a writer,” I inserted myself, Jack Neff.
This 5 star video assignment was to do a video essay. I picked “And then there were none” because Agatha Christie is Isabelle’s favorite writer and someone she aspires to be. I went through several scenes and marked what I thought was important to the watcher. The movie was good, but predictable. As soon as someone admits to their crime, you know their time has come to die. I used Movie Maker to create this video essay. I had a hard time getting all my captions to stay in the movie. I think it was just an example of save and save often. I believe this one has all my edits in it.
I decided to make this video about myself. I don’t know why, but I just had an urge to record something. Its for the most part about what has happened recently in my life. Been out of school for couple months now. I’m currently traveling to California. Its hot and lonely. I miss Ricky already. Hopefully I could get ride from somebody. My video camera is not working properly, so I decided to post so images that represent what I am trying to convey to my “audience”. This whole thing took about an hour to make. Hope you guys enjoy it. If not, at least understand what kind of person I am.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately. Which is nothing new.
This go-around, like many of the go-rounds before, the topic of my musings has revolved around loss, and weather or not there is anything to be gained in the days that follow said loss.
And like in the three-star lyric video that I created, my heart is tugged back and forth over and over again between the two possible answers to that question, never really seeming to be at peace for too long as it flits back and forth from one extreme to the other. The transitions used between the 53 second mark and the 58 second mark really captured the feeling of that constant internal battle and persistent question that nags at me on the daily.
But as opposed to making myself go insane, I instead donned Amy’s mint green Bose (not quite my color, but they got the job done …), and let the music carry me away.
I truly hope it does the same for you.
