Fine, I'll talk about gaming

I know there are many passionate gamers out there and I hope to not offend with my post. Growing up I played many Gameboy, Nintendo 64, some Xbox games, and many flash games on the computer. I wouldn't call myself a gamer so I can't say I have the experience of those who do regularly. 

In the little time I "gamed" I would get bored too quickly for having not felt like I truly accomplished something for my life. I was entertained and even felt the bonds of friendship strengthen when I would play with friends. Some games had beautiful artwork and challenging levels that made me think. These were not enough to make me a gamer for life but I can understand and appreciate the hard work that goes into creating them.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is one of my all time favorites and a game that consumed more of my time than any other.

I see a bright future for gaming as virtual reality develops and that may even get me to seriously invest!

A virtual reality for you and me!

Virtual reality is not a new concept but is making waves as the technology has developed greatly in the last two decades. It's advances include better hardware and software for a more in-depth experience for the users. I have seen VR used primarily for gaming and training but the possibilities are  truly endless! I foresee a digital world being created where we can enter and experience art, music, gaming, video, and so much more. 

Virtual Stupidity (1995) 

I believe the refinements for this new tech will need to bridge certain gaps. Some of these issues that come to mind might be seeing a painting that is 2D in its physical nature but 3D in its visual aspects, or making video purposeful so that the audience not only feels included but that the creator is content on how its conveyed. 

These refinements are but minuscule to a real issue with the future of VR. Let me ask you, what do you think will happen when we create virtual worlds that we enjoy more than our own? Can we say that we will appreciate our true reality more or that it is simply not enough? I don't want you to think that I'm not excited for VR as I have always been interested in and support man's advancements in technology. 

I just want us to create a better future where we put these tools to use so that it's for the betterment of God's Kingdom. 

But I still love technology, 
Always and forever

Documentaries

Netflix's 'Making of a Murderer' has blown up and put documentaries back in the lime light. I've only recently been interested in documentaries and have been studying them for the past 2 years now. I have seen many on Netflix and a few in school. Making of a Murder is very popular and getting the appropriate reviews. People are inspired to find the truth and to question everything that happened and even what is portrayed by the filmmakers on screen.

This is not the first time I've seen this. It's extremely similar to 'Brother's Keeper' from 1992. It's a story of the death of one of the four Ward brothers on a farm. There is questioning of who did it and what really happened. The town gets involved, the family is interviewed and the audience questions the truth. I think that newer documentaries will force us to question but are we asking the right ones?

Music Videos

alt-j had a music video that came out in 2012 that blew up online and became a favorite for me. If you haven't seen it before, don't freak out when it begins as the entire video is in reverse and becomes a puzzle that the viewer puts together as it plays. The indie rock group made a great song and video that can be found online

In Jon Caramanica's "I Screen, You Screen: The New Age of the Music Video," he talks about the history of music videos and how MTV has changed over time. I am not old enough to say I remember when MTV was "good." The last music video I saw play on MTV was Mike Posner's "Cooler Than Me." Yeah that's not what I want to see. I've watched Beavis and Butthead and gone back to see old music videos like The Safety Dance by Men at Work. Even though we have high speed internet and many platforms to watch any video we want, I like the idea that a station out there would play videos all day long. MTV played such a variety back then that local record stores started carrying music that radio stations weren't playing.

In my opinion, music videos are still new to us and are developing each year. From the silly, dramatic, obscure, and expensive music videos the demand for them is strong and expected. It's a good thing for us videographers and for the artists.

http://youtu.be/rVeMiVU77wo

Breezeblocks

http://youtu.be/NiVS5l0FuHA

Breezeblocks played forward

Pixar Nostalgia

Watching the classic Pixar short films and learning about the development of animation was a great way to blast us with memories from the past and blow our minds at the same time. The progression of animation using computers is impressive and can be hard to wrap our minds around. I may have complained about Disney earlier but I will admit that their advancements in animation and storytelling deserve praise.

I had no idea all the work that would go into these shorts nor the reason for them. I always wondered what the tests for new programming and animation details were like and where they were. Now I realize that they used these shorts as the excuse for these experiments without blowing it on big-budget movies.

Anybody remember seeing this one before A Bug's Life? Hits ya right in the feels :)

Leaf

Caroline Leaf has had an interesting career. After leaving school it sounds like a dream to be able to travel like that but she must have networked well to be able to still get gigs working in film.

I had no idea that an animators life would be so meticulous and lonely...or at least it sounds like it would be. She talks about wanting to work differently and that sand was her medium for that. People loved her work with sand and would want her to create more animations with it. I was glad that she found out she wasn't the only one or even the first to use sand because its humbling but did not stop her. Her work was different.

After reading about her animation, The Street, I went to good ol YouTube to see it for myself. It really was impressive and compelling. The way she told the story of this boy, his family, and the grandma was emotional and real. Its so different and refreshing.

Children's Media

In the reading "Are Children the Ultimate Literary Critics?", the author stated that children like clarity and logic. I must admit this sounds flawed as most of the children's media I have viewed has some kind of illogical point in the plot. As the author goes on to talk about what he writes for children and what they want out of a story I realize why many people appreciate children's stories and where I might connect with them.

In Circuit Marine, a lot of animals died. A bird, a cat, flies, and a red fish that I became attached to very quickly. This hilarious short cartoon made death less scary and more understandable for the young viewers and even taught them that just moving on isn't enough. When the captain pirate would hang a hand drawn picture of each special pet, I thought of how even Davy Jones had a big heart.



Something I would like to understand is when Disney makes movies that are so unrealistic that it not only fails to answer life questions the kids want to understand but gives them ideas for what real life is like. I think that too many times kids heads are filled with the hope of unrealistic love and life expectations that Disney says are real if you believe hard enough. It goes beyond all the plot holes, all the ancient discrimination, and wacky fantasy.



Last thing...does that mean she's a Disney Princess now??

William Kentridge

William Kentridge's charcoal animations were extremely impressive to me. I appreciated how he used an old medium in a new format. His explanation for using charcoal is spot on and brilliant. It shows a history of the movement and story. I think that he must have had some kind of guilt as to the social injustice that occurred where he lived and felt that he needed to expressed his sorrow and disgust for it. I wonder how the community received the shows and art he created. Did it open eyes? Did it give him trouble from people that thought he was poorly representing the community or it people?

I wondered why he would make that kind of art. He may not have directly been apart of the mistreatment but he obviously felt the need to make something that showed what others were going through. He said in the film that he wouldn't begin the art with an agenda but that it would come to him as he did it. I hated that he thought it shouldn't be planned out and to just run with it. I don't think thats how every work should be done. I know thats not how he treated all of his pieces but it makes me feel like he isn't guided by anything. I don't have a plan for every work I've done but I have guidance.

Comedy

I really enjoyed looking back at early comedy in film and television. Chaplin is an actor I highly respect and look up to in terms of personal accomplishments and professional achievements. He died a millionaire in a cheap hotel room with many uncashed checks. It was clear his goal was to provide the world with a show so that he could be himself and make you smile simultaneously. His outrageous stunts, the ridiculous outfits, and unrealistic animated actions are what made Mr. Chaplin a star world wide.

It is said when renowned physicist Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin met, Einstein said, "What I most admire about your art, is your universality. You don’t say a word, yet the world understands you!"

To which Chaplin replied:

"True. But your glory is even greater! The whole world admires you, even though they don’t understand a word of what you say."

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oh hello I am Brent

Hello I am Brent Knutson! This is my first semester at Huntington as a Broadcasting major. I transferred from Central Lakes College in Brainerd, Minnesota where I earned my Associates Arts in Science Degree in Videography. There, I gained experience in all areas of video production and a clearer picture of what life in the industry would be life.

Alas, The Land of 10,000(actually 11,842) Lakes is not where I derive from. I am a Hoosier at heart living in Fishers, IN for 19 years. I graduated from Fishers High School and originally attended Ball State University for a year before packing my bags and best winter coat to transfer north. I found this small northern school when I visited a relative in the spring of that first year and compared BSU's telecommunication program to what CLC had to offer. From day one I was using a camera and I knew I made the right choice.

My parents raised me on classic rock but my taste in music has grown exponentially unlike my height. I have a passion for art that is easier to describe than my love for God. Family is everything and I'll never turn down a good ol fashion adventure. Thank you for reading. Come find me and we can grab coffee and talk and life, love, infinity or just read some books.

BAK