Link Project 5 and Metatext

Here is a link to my seperate blog for project 5. It has not ended as of yet. I will be updating periodically to finish telling my "story" over the next couple of days, so hopefully take that into consideration when grading these final projects.

http://strangehappeningswv.blogspot.com/

Metatext

I decided early on that I wanted to do something that explored the improbable/impossible. The reason it took me so long to decide what I wanted to do (and thus why there are only a few posts at this current time) is because I was wavering over what improbable/impossible event would take place in good old morgantown. First I thought I would do a rediculous global warming weather effect similar to The Day After Tomorrow, then I thought I might do a Zombie event where theres a virus that reanimates the dead and all hell breaks loose. Then I thought I would do an event where the US gets invaded by a foreign country, maybe Russia.

I wavered back and forth on these options for days. I looked at "What Happened in Piedmont" for inspiration and finally decided to combine two of my ideas. I liked the idea of a virus and quarantine situation (and being a BIO major viruses are right up my alley), and I also liked the Idea of the US being invaded on its home turf. Its never really happened as the US exists today as the only superpower, so I thought that would be interesting. So I decided to combine the two in one improbable, yet still plausible disaster for this country.

As you read the blog, which is from my POV as these fictional events take place, details of what happened will emerge. Right now, in my blog, I've found out about a virus outbreak and quarantine of the greater Morgantown areas. I've also heard snippets of Bio Terrorism and Biological Warfare. I will continue updating this to let the details and story come out through my blog.

I have a good idea of where I'm taking this story, and hope to be able to "get" there within a day or two of postings; however, I don't know if that will be the "END" or just a stopping point that will give you enough of an idea to see where I'm going with this project. If it is not the "END" I will update periodically over christmas break and beyond (if I have to) until I have reached a satisfactory ending point. I believe the blog "What Happened In Piedmont" had postings over two months or so; mine definitely won't be that long, but I may not be able to wrap it up entirely in the next couple days.

If you want more information about where I want to go with this project before I post the updates to my blog please comment or email me and I will tell you.

More Project 5 Thoughts

I still like the idea of using the video camera around Morgantown to allow it to draw from everyday life. I would probably set up the theme of it using some sensationalist disaster that was happening. A new Ice Age, the US being invaded, Zombie Apocalypse, etc. Something completely ridiculous. I'm not sure I would involve other people yet, or if it would just be a video documentary of myself. Decisions to make.

"Blogosphere"

I used to read a couple blogs on a regular basis, because, upon stumbling upon them I found that I had something in common with the bloggers. I shared there opinions on certain aspects, or liked the same movies/books that they liked. Through this I was able to follow along with their lives, comment on posts that I felt hit close to home, etc. However, I have fallen away from that. I have found that while looking at some peoples blogs are very interesting, it can be a time sucking habit. How many blogs do you keep track of? Do you comment on these peoples blogs? Are you just a lurker that likes to read, and keep their thoughts to him/her-self. This can take up a lot of time to do this, and while interesting I decided that there are more productive things that I can do.

Having said that, I don't want to detract from what blogs are. In blogs you can often find truth and opinions that are not available in mainstream media. You can get an insight to what real people are thinking, and not just what some people want you to hear (i.e. the media). However, its also a catch-22, because blogs aren't regulated there can be a lot of falsehoods and rumor starting that some people may believe to be truths.

Project 4 Final

Well, here it is...

Metatext:

I got the idea for this project by previous .gif images I had seen in forums using Lord of The Rings Characters. So that was the premise, except I wanted to do a Star Wars themed version of it. To make the project fall under the criteria "Write what cannot be written", I decided to theme it with a time paradox in which luke goes back in time and sees his father as he was before he was mutilated. To make the project collaborative I worked with my two good friends Alex, and Michael. I was took on the character of Luke, Michael took on the character of Anakin, while Alex took on the character of Obi-Wan and Arnold. I also created the narrative text segments. The idea to use Arnold was a collaboration between myself and Alex, who have a fascination with the governator, and enjoy his outrageous action movies like commando from the early 90s. This section too played into the "Write what cannot be written" segment of the prompt for Project 4. The idea that there was time paradox in star wars is almost laughable, but having Arnold Shwarzenegger make a guest appearance is absolutley ludicrous.

The project was done over a week span due to conflicting schedules. I then put the text together in Power point, and saved the slides as jpegs. From there I imported the jpegs into windows movie maker. The Sound was actually taken from an application from my iphone, which I held up to my computer mike and recorded in audacity. The application was called lightsabre, and not only was I able to use the iconic star wars music I was also able to use the lightsabre noises. I think that this turned out especially well I really like the way it turned out, and I feel that it turned out a lot better than my first experience using Windows Movie Maker.

Project 5 Thoughts

I have no concrete idea what I would like to do with regards to the 5th project. As it stands right now, the only thing I can think of would maybe be creating an alternate reality. I would have an introductory text that would set the scene and the tone, and then I would probably have a video journey of a day/hour/event of this world with myself holding onto the video camera. I don't know where this would take place, but it would be a mixed reality multimedia project, involving the every day world as its setting. I'll have to take some more time to think about it, but it really does sound like it could be a lot of fun.

Draft of Project 4

This was the result of about about 1/2 an hour worth of "work" between my roommate and I. I came up with the idea of a scene and setting focused on Star Wars. I took the voice of Luke, while my roommate Michael took the voice of Anakin. This is not yet completed, as I want to be able to finish the conversation between the two. I also would like to make a movie of sorts that places screen caps of anakin/luke with the words overlayed onto the picture, that way I could get rid of the "said luke/anakin" portions since their dialogue would be overlayed on their screen caps. I would also have the starwars music in the background. Having said all of that, here is what is available so far...

Luke Skywalker came out of warp speed in orbit over Coruscant and knew that something didn’t seem right. There was a shift in the force that he had never felt before. Upon descending into the atmosphere of the planet he came upon something he did not expect; none of the ruins of the war, everything was bright, vibrant, and alive. Investigation was in order, and he decided to start at the Jedi Temple.

Upon landing he saw a figure standing in a long dark cloak that looked familiar. He couldn’t place him, but he could tell he was very strong with force. He could feel the rage oozing from him waves.

“Who are you?”

“You are strong with force, which means I am your demise,” the stranger said.

“Oh, really. Why is that?” Luke replied

“Because I am Darth Vader, and my master has issued me the quest of destroying the Jedi Order!”

“What the f*!K? Dad?” Luke exclaimed

“I am your father?”

“You’ve already said that once. Deja vous?” asked Luke

“Yes you little s^$t!

“I’m not a little s%t! I am a Jedi, and the savior of the new republic!” replied Luke.

“Hahaha, Loser!”

“Why are you always so mean to me dad? Asked Luke in a feeble voice

“Because you were mistake! Because you killed my wife!”

“Natalie Portman? You hit that? You lucky dog, you!”

“Six ways from Sunday!" said Vader.


Now, as I stated this isn't in it's final form. It was meant to be humorous without any level of seriousness involved.

Now having listened to the discussion in the beginning of class, I'm not entirely sure I'm doing this right. Because it supposed to be the everyday, the ordinary-Having said that Star Wars certainly isn't the every day or the ordinary. Now maybe this "time-warp" I have created between Luke and Anakin falls under "write what cannot be written", but I'm not so sure.

So this project may take on an entirely new form by next tuesday. We'll see if I can get it to come together as I want it to.

More thoughts on Project 4

As of this moment, I still like the idea of creating a collaborative narrative. I have seen narratives like these form on message boards online and create some wildly humorous outcomes. I like the idea of this, and being the moderator of it, I could set up a theme that it has to focus on. Perhaps something like fantastical mid-evil times, Halloween, Star Wars, etc...

At this very moment I am leaning towards a collaborative text that has a Star Wars theme. I don't particularly know why, but I think a creative and humorous outcome could be achieved. I would start out the project, and then with a number of friends we would take turns adding sentences/paragraphs/dialogue to the narrative. I already know I would speak with two of my roommates about this project, and also my best friend. They all enjoy Star Wars, and they all enjoy poking fun at the cheesy one liners and overall poor acting (especially in the prequel trilogy). I'm not sure what initial theme I would put on it, but it would probably be pretty outrageous. If I have the time, maybe I could put together a video with screen caps of luke/anakin and other characters with their respective lines in the narrative and sync it with some star wars music.

The working title : The Star Wars Project (lame I know)