WRD Class Reflection

This has been one of the biggest projects I have ever done with a group, and it was a completely different experience for me. For my group, our biggest struggle for this project was the time it took for us to edit the movie. I certainly did not have any experience with editing and it took us much more time to fix audio and to place the movie together than expected. What made me most proud of the documentary was being able to see it all put together and watching the final cut after a whole semester of planning for the whole documentary. My group and I did the best that we can, so I think that I would not change anything about the documentary. The main responsibility I had within the group was setting up the citations of all the sources we used for the documentary, as well as deciding meeting times and helping Anna come up with a script. However, we all were able to contribute in other roles to making this documentary a success. I definitely learned how to do cuts for certain clips and got to speak in the voice recording room. It was a joy working with Monique, Anna, and Emma; we all got to know each other a little better and had many jokes throughout the project. I wish I could have been more resourceful with editing the movie. Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better group.

            The course was unique, in comparison to a typical English class, and allowed me to interpret readings and projects to the outside world. None of the readings affected me significantly, but gave me insight to what other people consider as symbolic to them. “Born into Coal” was one of the lectures I most enjoyed because the video informed the audience about the burden coal actually is to some families, despite the benefits of coal in the United States. The project has helped me realize things that I never knew about study abroad and that I would remember when I decide to participate in education abroad. Public speaking was something I did not enjoy. It still is something I do not enjoy and never will. However, I have hopefully improved skills in getting the audience more involved and entertained during presentations. Speaking in front of the class is more than just the content of a speech; it also involves using space, keeping eye contact, and projecting your voice. It is often difficult, though, to be able to reach these goals when speaking, especially with the nerves I usually have when it comes to speaking or when being graded for how I communicate. In my opinion, I believe verbal communication is more sophisticated than writing essays and can be better used in the future. The style of the course was laid back and gave time for working in groups for the project. However, I would have preferred more assignments and homework so that the grades do no substantially shift. If that was the case, I would have got a preferable grade. Participation plays a significant role in grades for this class, which was inconvenient for many who may not be as talkative as others or may have nothing to say. I would suggest fewer discussions and maybe more activities that relate to the topics so that all the students could participate in class.

Day 2 Editing, but first, let's take a selfie! :D

Working at the Media Depot. Project is going well.

Music Video

I chose "Superheroes" by the Script because it is a song that has a very powerful meaning and is one of the few songs that I could listen to repeatedly without getting tired of it. The music video is great because it is realistic and not overproduced. The Script significantly shows people who are not as fortunate as others and I am admired by that. I would say the longest shot was 12 seconds long, which was at the end of the music video after the song ended (the extra). It was from 4:09 - 4:21. The longest shot that I saw within the song was 8 seconds long, as the song slowed down to the end.

Born into Coal

Born into Coal was a powerful documentary that talked about the effects on coal on families. It is portrayed as an example of both human-interest and standard narrative. The documentary does have focus of several families, but it also reflects on how other coal families are living.

            This was a topic that I have never really thought about before (other than the Hunger Games), but this documentary allowed me to understand the struggles or worries these families have when their father, son, brother, or anyone else that they love works at the coal mine every day, hoping to come back alive to see their families again. Here are some shots that I thought were most effective in the author’s argument.

 

This screenshot is a close-up of a lady, whose father is a coal miner, thinking about the day she heard about the explosion and was wondering whether he was alive. It shows many emotions and about how scared and upset she felt that day.  It is a touchy subject for her to this day.

 

This screenshot was taken by the end of the documentary, going back to Arianna Bailey after winning her pageant. It shows how willing she is to support her parents, especially since her dad is a coal miner. It shows her with her crown and dressed up as a pageant, with a background of the other side of her life (the big part of her life), the coal mine. It shows that though there may be times of upset and worry, it makes these families stronger in personality and in faith.

 

            Though I thought that the pageant scene in the beginning was misleading to me, it was still effective and touching. It effectively allows viewers to sympathize with families of coal miners. As an industrial nation, coal has been a resource for multiple uses, but have we ever thought about who is providing the coal for us? Who is doing it for a living?

Group Contract

Here is the Group Contract for our Study Abroad Documentary!

Monique:
Filming Scheduler/Coordinator- She will be responsible for collecting group members' schedules and finding times to film.
Email/Communication Coordinator- Send emails to the group about things to do for the documentary.

Anna:
Interview Coordinator- Schedule interview days and times. Decide on interviewers and interviewees.
Story/Script Co-Coordinator- Everyone will be involved with the story and script, but will be in charge of reviewing the script, as well as editing story lines.

Emma:
Editing Coordinator- Will be in charge of editing the film. Technology person :)
File Storage/Uploading Coordinator- Collect all filming into places of storage in order to edit.

Rana:
Group Meeting Coordinator- Set up times for the group to meet.
Citations Coordinator- Collect resources and create citations.
Story/Script Co-Coordinator- Everyone will be involved with the story and script, but will be in charge of reviewing the script, as well as editing story lines.

The Death Penalty- Visual Rhetoric

                “No Seconds” and “The Last Meal Project” are websites that look at the different side of the death penalty, the last meals. What is very interesting about these websites is how the creators decided to post mainly pictures. Then again, it is much more understandable to show images of their meals, rather than write it all down. Firstly, words are much more boring to look at when going on a website. Secondly, pictures are worth a thousand words.

            Unlike other commentators, I actually felt more compelled with “No Seconds.” Henry Hargreaves creatively uses what he knows to create images that make the audience feel as if they are in the same position as those who have faced the death penalty. If one really focuses on the picture, they can relate their emotions to those who were in the position in which they know that this is the last meal they are going to eat. Each picture included a description of the person and what crime they did to deserve being put in the position. Though many have been murderers, you could imagine how they show their soft side. The layout for each picture was different, which made this website more interesting than “The Last Meal Project.”

            “The Last Meal Project” was different from “No Seconds” in which we see a picture of the person with the food lined up in the bottom of the picture. Though I like the fact that they showed pictures of the people who had their last meal, I think the portrayal of the food was not very appealing. The website, however, gave background information about the project and the death penalty. You can see in this website how simple their meals were; the food did not seem as fancy as the ones displayed in “No Seconds.” Some of them made me curious as to why did they prefer having that certain thing as their last meal. There is a contrast in color; the picture of the people were mostly black and white while the food was colored. The layout was interesting with the red text written in crumpled paper, which fits with the mood and topic.

            What is interesting is that both websites used similar text for descriptions, however "The Last Meal" uses red text probably to portray death. The purposes of “No Seconds” and “The Last Meal Project” are exactly the same: to inform, to elicit an emotional response, and to persuade people to look at the death penalty from a different point of view.

Embarrassing Shark Tank Speech!!!

After watching my Shark Tank speech, I realized how awkward I was standing up there, occasionally stepping forwards and backwards. The plus side was that I was constantly using hand gestures and moving my eyes around the room. Overall, it was embarrassing to even sit alone and watch myself speak.

A problem I had when delivering the speech was that I was so worked up about having the perfect speech and memorizing what I was going to say that at the moment I was in front of the class, my mind just went blank and I never managed to give important details that I planned to include in the speech. Although I usually sound weird when it comes to videos, I do believe that I spoke loudly and clearly throughout the speech and I had many pauses in between statements left for thought.

I am totally mad at myself about my grade and nothing is going to change that. However, it was my first experience with having a speech that long without a script and because of that, I have learned some valuable lessons when it comes to public speaking. Next time I would like to create an outline of my speech rather than have it scripted and I would try to talk how I normally do when I have a conversation with someone because the audience would rather hear someone who just seems real than someone who practically acts like a robot when speaking (that was probably how I was when I did my speech). It is almost impossible to get rid of the nerves, but being myself and having enough research are the best ways to getting a higher grade.

"The Rise of the NBA Nerd" Commentary

According to Wesley Morris, the 90s and 00s styles are coming back. However, what is the significance of the return of bow ties, sweater vests, and dorky glasses that were once the attire of a typical nerd? For basketball players, such as Kevin Durant, they want to portray a professional look, which deals with fitting in with the rest of the community. Many have started to realize that, sometimes, the only way to receive respect is to be someone different from who they were. That plays a huge toll on our society today, meaning that racism is still alive in the United States. The “Carlton look,” which was once the look of nerds, is now the essential style for many athletes’ role models, as well as artists and rappers.

The effect of the “Carlton look” is the minimizing of racial stereotypes. In society today, there are several typical stereotypes, and people of these groups are well aware of them. Because of the reality of peer pressure and judgment, it is more likely that people, especially celebrities, would do anything to satisfy the public. Plus, many of these basketball players have stylists; they do not get to choose what to wear. It does not make them any more unique than actors, singers, etc. They all dress similarly in magazine shoots, interviews, and even in everyday life. Do you ever wonder whether they enjoy wearing such attire or being told what to dress in. Although I love some of the outfits they wear, I believe that athletes, as well as other people, should be entitled to wear whatever they like.

Morris uses an informal tone, but affectively brings understanding to his argument. He uses several examples with basketball players dressing up for press conferences, as well as those similar styles from a decade or two ago. However, I think Morris uses too many examples in this article, making it more confusing to stick to the point. What is interesting about the article is that it brings a different side of sports; this situation becomes more social and political since it also influences people in other aspects.

#2- Ted Talks

Ted Talks has been a nonprofit organization for about three decades, and has increased in its popularity, due to the diversity of speeches and studies that reflect on people, life, etc. What is really interesting about this website is how these speeches bring strong messages, whether they are categorized as courageous, jaw-dropping, or even hilarious. Surprisingly, although some speeches’ subject matters are outrageous, the speakers communicate their messages in a way that it effectively brings out their opinions. The speeches I chose for this assignment were not necessarily good or bad, but they were apparent to me.

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(Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/kate_hartman_the_art_of_wearable_communication)

 

            This first Ted Talk is by Kate Hartman, with her speech about how humans communicate and how they are related to everything else in the universe. In the beginning of the presentation, Hartman introduces herself, followed by a long pause that got me thinking that the speech seemed unappealing. However, she takes a unique approach to her argument by adding humor, thus leaving pauses to allow laughter. She knows her audience well enough, and designs her presentation in a way that she gets the viewers to laugh at the right moments. Hartman portrays an awkward person, but she uses this as an advantage to add emotion into the speech. She is constantly moving and using hand gestures to get her point out, and her clips productively back the overall presentation. Her facial expressions also complement with her humor, which is something that is difficult to do while standing in front of a large audience. It is very important for the speakers to connect with all the audience, no matter where they are sitting. She uses transitions; for example, after she showed her “inventions” for communicating with people, she got to the topic about plants and glaciers by saying “… digging beyond the built environment and into the natural world” (Hartman). What I did not like about the presentation was how she said “in closing” in order to explain the reason for her speech. It also felt as if she went a little off topic when explaining about her obsession with glaciers. Overall, it was a nine-minute fulfilling speech.

 

(Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/ric_elias)

            Some speeches have personal feelings and stories that can deliver a message to not just that person, but to a large group of people. The next speech I chose was “3 things I learned while my plane crashed” by Ric Elias. It is rare to have a situation similar to Elias in which you see your life flash before your eyes. Elias had many thoughts during the well-known plane crash in the Hudson River in New York that he was in. He reaches out to the audience to never postpone your experiences in life, since it could change in an instant. After watching this speech, you may think how you may not have made the best choices or have not had the life you wanted to live, but the most important thing is to be happy. This quote really reflects our society, in which people strive to be perfect, whether it a stressful job, college work, or speaking to others. Most of us build a wall of negativity, which prevents us from accomplishments or from being proud of ourselves. What I liked about this speech was how Elias explained what he learned during the crash by how important and meaningful each explanation was to him. His final lesson was the most emotional, in which he explains how essential it is for him to be a good father. At that moment, my eyes were building up tears, thinking about how I could be a better daughter, sister, or friend, and I love how Elias allowed the viewers to think about their own life and how it relates to how he felt, even though we did not have the same accident as he did. He does his speech with a calm voice and light hand gestures to bring a careful tone. Although this subject is a very serious matter, Elias manages to bring some humor in between. This speech has changed him and, hopefully, other people who watch this.

(Credit to Ted Talks and speakers for videos and quotes)

Blog Post #1: Naked Celebrity Leaks

Scott Mendelson, Forbes author for “Jennifer Lawrence Nude Photo Leak Isn’t a ‘Scandal.’ It’s a Sex Crime,” sympathizes with the female celebrities, whose nude pictures have been leaked on the Internet. With this article, Mendelson explains how it is not the victim’s fault for the nude photo leak, even though they took the picture. There obviously is a difference between a scandal and a sex crime. The exact definition of a scandal is an action regarded as morally wrong and causing public outrage (credit to Google). There are different types of sex crimes, and this situation fits in at least one these types. Mendelson’s purpose of his article is to inform the readers that these female celebrities should not be scrutinized, since they have been victims of a sex crime.

            I was familiar with this topic before I was given the task of reviewing Mendelson's article, but, when I was writing this review, I got a different side of the topic. After reading this article, I realized how Mendelson’s article, unlike other articles about the same topic, shows sympathy for female celebrities who have been victimized by the nude photo leak. Mendelson gives examples of a few celebrities who have recently had to apologize for these certain leaks, but there are many more who have been victimized, including males. The author is highly opinionated about the topic and has collected sufficient information to persuade the readers that media can dramatically affect public opinion. Society has been an influence to the release of the nude photos, because of the effects of media to the audience. Everyone has that one celebrity that they admire, and, as a result, they want to know more about them. Sometimes, it gets to the extent that people know too much about a person because of a leak. It is constantly happening that sometimes, we do not receive the truth. For example, Mendelson brings up the fact that other articles are using the word “scandal” for this situation. It is true that everyone makes mistakes, and no one should be penalized for something they cannot control, especially these female celebrities. In all honesty, it is really not a big deal about what some celebrities wear to the red carpet, how they performed, etc. However, media portrays it in a way that it does become a big deal. In reality, celebrities are the same as any ordinary person, despite their fame and their large fan base; they do not want to be judged.

            Although it may seem absurd that these celebrities keep a nude photo of themselves in their phone, it is their property and they have the right to keep it private or do whatever with it. It is very unfortunate for them to be victimized by a sex crime. This situation may never end, due to the more advanced technology we have nowadays. However, this brings awareness for people to reduce their chances of being victimized and to know that it can happen to anyone.

 

This were an article and a video, that I found interesting, about the possible ways the hacker leaked the nude photos: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/189097-how-were-the-celeb-nude-photos-leaked-and-can-we-prevent-it-from-happening-again

video: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2014/09/01/celeb-nude-photos-leak-kate-upton-statement/14935583/

 

 

Introduction

Hi,



My name is Rana Ghazala and I am originally from England. However, I have lived in the United States most of my life and I have been a resident of Lexington for four years. I am a Freshman at UK with a Biology major. Since I am in the Pre-Dental program at UK, I am interested in UK's dental school, since it is one of the best in the nation.

The song I chose for 2014 is Little Me by Little Mix. The reason why I chose that song is because it is a very nice song, but it has a great meaning about building confidence in yourself. Entering college, I know it will be difficult to get involved and speak, but the song teaches me not to be afraid to take those chances to talk to other people and find my place at UK.