Final Documentary

END OF YEAR AND STUFF

Describe the ways that your final project reflects your goals as a Mormon Artist. What has the collaborative process has taught you about your own need for growth in the BYU film program?

It's hard for me to say exactly how my final project reflects my goals of being a Mormon artist. I don't really want to be considered a "Mormon" artist to be honest. I am all for upholding my values, but at the same time I want to be who I want to be without having any kind of label or being placed into a certain group of people just because of my religion. I can't really say that my final project reflects exactly Mormon values just because of its subject matter (being video games), but there are elements of family and other productive activities. I don't really know if this has to do with being Mormon, but for me, this documentary gave me a heightened awareness of human qualities that people do and don't want to show on camera. Our interviewee completely changed when on camera as far as his personality goes. He acted like a completely different person and we had a hard time getting him to show who he really was. The collaborative atmosphere taught me that I am a lot less prepared for the real world of film then I thought I was. Not that I considered myself to be cocky or anything about it (and I hope other people didn't think that about me, but you never know), but I have (what I thought to be at least) a lot of experience in the film world. A lot of things can't be taught from being on set. Film, whether fiction or documentary, is all about people skills. No matter what position you are taking you cannot learn about people without outside experience. In the end, I am just as experienced as everyone else because even though I have a lot of time on set, I need to spend more time thinking about people rather then film while on that set. If that makes any sense...

Stop... FEEDBACK!

I think through out the years of film and everything else, criticism has gotten a more and more positive wrap from me. I feel like back in the days of High school and stuff criticism was a lot harder to take in and convert to more positive energy. But as time was passed I feel like both the criticized and the criticiz-ee have become more mature and able to both dish and handle constructive criticism in a better way. I personally love criticizing and being criticized for the work I do. It allows me to break out of the box of my own mind and get other's perspectives on what is important to them, and in a roundabout way to myself.

The reading taught me that constructive feedback is ESSENTIAL to becoming what you want to be. I think it very much related to the subject in my Mormon Podcast more then anyone. Jenn Blosil mentioned that her dad would bash her first songs to a pulp because they were a bad chord progression, they needed more dynamic work etc. and now she is so grateful for that (what she called) opportunity. She appreciated it so much and because of that she is now in a great situation in the music world and on her way to becoming the next Adele (basically). Anyways, in relation to myself, I make a lot of YouTube videos and I receive all kinds of feedback from both people I know and people I don't know. I think it's important to get the perspective of people you don't know when making something artistic or creative especially because they can give counterpoints and suggestions that will eventually make your work better. Sometimes getting the opinion of a bias friend doesn't help at all. I guess what I am trying to say, is that sometimes it's important to be a little rude when criticizing someone's work.

I feel like especially for this last project I need a lot of constructive feedback to make my podcast interesting and entertaining at the same time. I love what we did in class on Tuesday this week because it opened up my mind to new questions that I never could have thought of myself about my subject. I will take constructive criticism anytime! I think it helps me more then anything when creating something that I may or may not think is a good thing.

Mormon Artist Challenges

Well for many artisans of the Mormon culture that I know, being a Mormon artist is not the easiest title to uphold. I believe that no matter what religion we are, or how good we try to be, there is always times when we challenge our own standards with what we think and create; we are all imperfect humans after all. The biggest challenge comes when you try to find that balance between what is appropriate and what is entertaining. With the world becoming increasingly more "risque" in the media it is hard to find that fine line, and the second it is passed, whatever is created falls into a category that many people do not approve of. Having the title of "Mormon artist" brings certain positive vibes and if that feeling is lost people will lose a large amount of respect towards that person.

Regardless of the risks, there are many advantages to being a Mormon artist. Someone in specific that I love for what he is and what he does is Brandon Flowers. He is Mormon, and I have been listening to his music for many years. Yes, his lyrics aren't always clean (more so back in the days then now), but many of his songs remind me of everyday life. He isn't fake and neither is what he sings about. His music is a source of light for me because he sings about things that are sad, happy, and everything in between. Even though sometimes his musical standards may be past the point of clean for many Mormons, I respect him for it. He has the guts to be himself and sing about what he wants to sing about, yet still have that Mormon vibe.

It sounds cheesy, but it's true!

Jennifer Blosil - Mormon Artist Podcast

· What are your project’s strengths and weaknesses as a podcast?

I feel like my podcast is very personal. Not in the sense that it’s intrusive, but that it is easy for everyone to connect to. I had my room mates listen to it once it was finished and they said that they felt like they knew Jenn through her words and music. On the other hand, I feel like my podcast could have been a lot clearer if I had asked Jenn to repeat the question after I asked it so people could more easily tell what she was talking about.

· What did you learn about yourself as an artist while creating this assignment?

I learned through Jenn that it’s impossible for me to ever completely forget about the LDS churches influence in my life and how it reflects in everything I do whether I like it or not. It’s such a central part of my life that there is no way I can ever completely ignore the fact that I am a member of it and know God’s eternal plan for me. In everything I create whether serious or not, I need to keep it even more in my mind so I please not only other people but God as well.

· What does it mean to you to be a Mormon artist?

It means to uphold and reflect the standards that you believe in no matter what the cost. There are always going to be those that don’t respect you for what you do or your standards that justify those actions. At the same time there is going to be a lot more people that do respect that. As a Mormon artist it is important to not let the opinions of others get to my head.

Blog 6: Islamic Art

When I found out about this assignment, I am going to be honest, I wasn't very excited. I am currently in a Humanities class and had to attend the Wier exhibit being displayed in there now for an assignment. As much as I may have said that I loved the exhibit in the paper, I truly just found it to be boring. Even though I am still not an avid fan of paintings, I did find the Islamic exhibit more enjoyable in comparison to the Wier exhibit.

I feel like a lot of people don't care much for these kinds of art works because of the negative connotation that has been attached to the word "Islam". For me, the media has kind of engrained the term "radical Islam" into my brain, to the point that whenever I hear the word Islam I think the word radical as well. At first thought, the exhibit simply feels unappealing. After thinking about it for a while I decided that I needed to throw out any negativity I had because I would not get a powerful aesthetic experience if I went in with these notions. Because of this, I enjoyed the exhibit very much and gained some cultural knowledge in the process.

I honestly can say that I do not know much about Islamic culture because there are so many things that just confused me about the artwork. Obviously, it wasn't based on Christianity. Christianity is not a dominant religion in Islam so it would make sense as to why there is hardly anything that could be interpreted as a Christian symbol. Christian art is very much based on very strong, bible based stories; whereas Islamic art seemed to be religious, but in a more subtle away. Just by the things that they are wearing and doing, you can tell that there is religious context, but in a more every day life kind of way. We shouldn't need such strong symbols to remind us of who we are and what we stand for all the time. Going back to the basics of life is just another way of reminding us of the simplistic nature of a religious person, and in turn, making us more spiritual people. Islamic art accomplished this for me, even though I am not too familiar with the religion or culture.

I have always thought that the simpler something it is, the more capability that it has to inspire people in multiple different ways. While the paintings physically weren't very simple looking for the most part, the message was.

Cipp the iPod - 300 word story

There are some things in this world that mean more then just being a simple object in your pocket. My second iPod was no different. I got this iPod when I was a wee boy-when I was about 12 years old. I loved this mp3 player dearly. In a way it was like my creepy underage 12 year old wife considering it was always with me no matter where I went. It was something that was super important to me, and it was all up in my ears singing me beautiful music for 75% of my teenage years. Thus, Cipp was born (creepy iPod partner).

Cipp and I lived a happy life together, her and I. Our tastes in music were so similar that they were actually just the same. When I was happy, she made the day better. When I was sad, she was there with me to raise my spirits. And when I didn't need her, she would rest on my thigh and wait for the opportunity to be used once again.

But one day Cipp got sick. She began malfunctioning, having mental crashes and falling asleep at random times. I tried my best to keep her healthy, but there is only so much you can do as a now 16 year old boy for a dying friend. Cipp finally burned herself out three years after I became acquainted with her. I preserve her beautiful body today in glass casing. I gave her a face, which reminds me of her unique, strange, and "Me gusta all the things" personality. You will never be forgotten dear Cipp.

Interesting Audio Stories

I have not had a lot of experience with really interesting audio stories in my life. I feel like I would so much rather just go and watch a documentary about someone then listen to it. Isn't that natural being a film major and all? Maybe not, just because we are suppose to appreciate all types of narratives.

Anyways, after asking my brother and listening around to a few podcasts he suggested that I might like I came across one that was actually appealing and interesting to me:

http://podcasts.howstuffworks.com/hsw/podcasts/sysk/2012-04-10-sysk-atlantis.mp3

This podcast is called "Stuff You Should Know". Sometimes they talk about very realistic and things that are important to humanity, but other times they just ramble on about really random stuff. In this episode the people discuss whether or not Atlantis is real and why or why not? Some people may think, "Why even listen? What a waste of my time. I could care less if Atlantis is real." -- Like my room mate just commented.

I would respond something along the lines of, "Why do you watch Prison Break? Or Lost? Or The Office? Isn't that such a waste of time?"

Anyways, each podcast has it's own purpose. It's a lot of fun to just get out there and see what people are thinking about. There are a lot of things on podcasts that you just don't get from TV or film.

30 Second Film: WALKING! YAY!

My Photo Essay

First of all, I PROMISE I did not copy Ryan. I was planning on doing this originally; but heck, now I have something to compare mine to.

Yes, these are all pictures from my room as well. I loved this assignment because not only did it force me to clean my room, but it made me think about the deep meaning and passion that every object in my room holds (cheesy, but seriously). Also, my roomate is a slob. I apologize.

My bed, being the only thing that's messy shows how my life really is. I try to stay "clean", but some things just are more homey "messy". I will leave that one up to your interpretation because I don't really know what it means myself. Each pair of my shoes has a story as to how I obtained them/made them. The smiley face awards wall reminds me of how happy I was when I used to swim every day. It also reminds me of what a lazy bum I am now, and how I should change sometime in the near future. Each picture frame, trinket, (love) note, creepy tape head man and iPod belt all have special meaning to me. This not only has to do with observing the ordinary, but by observing these ordinary things I get a quick summary of my life personally. To someone else, these objects probably mean nothing. But every one of these objects is important to me in one way or another.

Observing the Ordinary: John Mayer–Finding Nemo In ~90 Seconds

Having roommates that are avid fans of John Mayer it was bound for me to eventually become a fan as well. I stumbled across this little beauty one day thinking it was a documentary about John Mayer; well, it was but in not the way I expected to be. This was filmed BY John Mayer. I never really realized until just recently of John Mayer's simplicity. Yes, he is a famous singer, but he enjoys focusing on ordinary every day tasks just like all of us at one point or another.

John Mayer inspires me in this clip by focusing on his daily routine. Sometimes it's hard for me to picture someone famous in the shoes of an ordinary person. Even to try and imagine the fact that they need sleep, food and medical/emotional needs just like everyone else is hard for me to grasp sometimes. They are human beings just like everyone else, and have needs just like we do. I'm glad for John Mayer and his interests in observing the ordinary. If he does it, then I certainly should as well

An Ode to Doodling

I doodle everyday. Doodles express my imagination in ways that I believe no other way could. Spontaneous splurges of visual creativity happen all the time, even when they aren't suppose to. To find out what I'm feeling, no matter the day; observe what my pen most recently drew.

AAAAANNNDDD here is Cassie Brazier's and my social media story telling assignment:

Toms Shoes

First of all, I apologize for the awful quality of this video, but I had trouble finding one of decent quality.

When reading the prompt I immediately thought of this ad that AT&T released where they connected their phone company with the founder of Toms shoes. This was a VERY smart move by AT&T in my opinion. Toms is a shoe company that gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes purchased, as mentioned in the video. AT&T effectively utilizes Toms shoes for advertisements because everybody can connect to types of stories that serves others. In turn people feel like they are helping charity while helping themselves when buying Toms through this ad.

Representing Toms in AT&Ts work was a critical and progressive move they made.

My Broken Collarbone!

I found this story with my brain, simply because I created it! This is the story of how I broke my collarbone along with a few other things. I personally try to post a story about my life every week on YouTube! This story is interesting to me simply because of it's utter complexities and exaggerations. It makes light of something that happened, because focusing on the positives is so much more important then focusing on the negatives of any situation.

This relates to traditional story telling (when it gets to the actual story of how I broke my collarbone) because it follows the traditional outline for a story. We see characters, a conflict and a plot as well as many other things. The story is overall about thirty seconds. I don't feel that a story has to be a full on novel, but it can simply be a person telling something about his life in a concise, yet entertaining way.

My goal with this video, and all of my other videos is to leave the audience not only entertained, but I want them to leave with something more. Whether it be a moral or simply a laugh making their day a little better. I'm all about focusing on the positives. Even if I may mention a few negatives I rarely ever expound on them.

Don't worry, I am not as cocky as I seem from this post! An assignment is an assignment! :)