First, a hearty congratulations to VP Ashley; in my opinion the show was a total success. That being said, if you can catch one of the three remaining performances (last one on Sunday), do so. This was as bizarre a theatrical production as I've seen, but it really gets you thinking. Plus, the core narratives focus on relationships and a prehistoric man frozen for 5000+ years in the Alps. Try to think of a crazier combination. As far as the use of video, the combination of live recitation and recorded footage created this surreal scenario where the audience could watch the person, or the video feed, which was the slightest bit delayed, pushing the audio slightly out of sync. Really cool stuff, somewhat absurdist but it really served the stories well. OH! And it's interactive. Which is always awesome.
V.
PS: Otzi The Iceman. Weird.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
In Defense of Film Studies at Loyola
[The following is written by one of the most passionate film students I've had the pleasure of knowing. He cares about this program and the people in it, and I sincerely hope his efforts don't go unnoticed. ~Vince.]
Hello Students
My name is Scott Salhanick and I am an International Film and Media Studies major on production track.
I am here today to talk to you about the injustice of the closing of Damen 437 and how it affects us, as students of Loyola University Chicago.
Many of you, as Communications Studies majors and minors, will, in your Loyola career, take at least one production course, if you have not already. You will use either Final Cut Pro for video editing and/or ProTools suite for audio editing.
Currently, there are thirty-three plus students enrolled in courses, which use Final Cut Pro. However, with the closing of Damen 437, the number of available computers at the Lake Shore Campus decreases 29.4% from 17 available computers to 5 available computers, three in the Digital Media Lab and two Macbook Pros with Final Cut Pro installed. Also, there are fifteen plus students enrolled in courses, which use ProTools suite. Yet, there are no ProTools labs available at the Lake Shore Campus.
The gross lack of facilities at the Lake Shore Campus of Loyola University not only hinders the schools ability to stay competitive with other schools in Chicago and nationwide, but, more importantly, this also hinders the ability of the students to do their assigned work.
The closing of Damen 437, to communications and International Film and Media studies majors and minors, is tantamount to the closing of the Information Commons or the Cudahy Library.
The mission statement of Loyola University Chicago says:
We are Chicago’s Jesuit Catholic University – A diverse community seeking God in all things and working to expand knowledge in the service of humanity through learning, justice, and faith.
By closing Damen 437, this goes in direct opposition of the school’s mission statement by inhibiting the students from expanding their knowledge in the service of humanity through learning.
By closing Damen 437, this goes in direct opposition of the school’s mission statement by providing an injustice to the very students the mission statement was written for.
By closing Damen 437, this goes in direct opposition of the school’s mission statement by depriving the students of the faith they have in their administration.
There are ways to repair this injustice; however, it is on the shoulders of the administration to take the first step. The main reason the administration has told me that they have shut down Damen 437 is because there is no way of monitoring the classroom. There is only one monitored computer lab in the entire school, aside from the Information Commons, and that is the State Room in CFSU. The rest of the computer labs, both in Mundelein and Damen, are monitored on rounds every hour or so. Why can Damen 437 not be on these rounds? Moreover, Loyola could place a work-study student at the desk in Damen 437 for a few hours a day.
So, please think about what I have said and think about what it means to have Damen 437 open again.
Hello Students
My name is Scott Salhanick and I am an International Film and Media Studies major on production track.
I am here today to talk to you about the injustice of the closing of Damen 437 and how it affects us, as students of Loyola University Chicago.
Many of you, as Communications Studies majors and minors, will, in your Loyola career, take at least one production course, if you have not already. You will use either Final Cut Pro for video editing and/or ProTools suite for audio editing.
Currently, there are thirty-three plus students enrolled in courses, which use Final Cut Pro. However, with the closing of Damen 437, the number of available computers at the Lake Shore Campus decreases 29.4% from 17 available computers to 5 available computers, three in the Digital Media Lab and two Macbook Pros with Final Cut Pro installed. Also, there are fifteen plus students enrolled in courses, which use ProTools suite. Yet, there are no ProTools labs available at the Lake Shore Campus.
The gross lack of facilities at the Lake Shore Campus of Loyola University not only hinders the schools ability to stay competitive with other schools in Chicago and nationwide, but, more importantly, this also hinders the ability of the students to do their assigned work.
The closing of Damen 437, to communications and International Film and Media studies majors and minors, is tantamount to the closing of the Information Commons or the Cudahy Library.
The mission statement of Loyola University Chicago says:
We are Chicago’s Jesuit Catholic University – A diverse community seeking God in all things and working to expand knowledge in the service of humanity through learning, justice, and faith.
By closing Damen 437, this goes in direct opposition of the school’s mission statement by inhibiting the students from expanding their knowledge in the service of humanity through learning.
By closing Damen 437, this goes in direct opposition of the school’s mission statement by providing an injustice to the very students the mission statement was written for.
By closing Damen 437, this goes in direct opposition of the school’s mission statement by depriving the students of the faith they have in their administration.
There are ways to repair this injustice; however, it is on the shoulders of the administration to take the first step. The main reason the administration has told me that they have shut down Damen 437 is because there is no way of monitoring the classroom. There is only one monitored computer lab in the entire school, aside from the Information Commons, and that is the State Room in CFSU. The rest of the computer labs, both in Mundelein and Damen, are monitored on rounds every hour or so. Why can Damen 437 not be on these rounds? Moreover, Loyola could place a work-study student at the desk in Damen 437 for a few hours a day.
So, please think about what I have said and think about what it means to have Damen 437 open again.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Why E.T. Frightens Me
DISCLAIMER: If you like E.T. The Exterrestrial, sorry. I jest at your expense. Go listen to the Flying Theme and have yourself a good cry. Onward and upward:
This is going to be a little bit of a rant, but whatever. Something I saw or read or thought today reminded me of E.T., you know, the little bastard alien from the Steven Spielberg movie, and since I haven't posted in awhile I figured I'd set the record straight on the subject. E.T. is not cute, loving, adorable, child-friendly, or heroic. He is a huge leeching creep that gives off way too many messed-up sexual undertones. My evidence:
1. He gets left on earth, finds his way to Elliott, and then proceeds to SUCK ELLIOTT'S LIFE AWAY AS A BARGAINING CHIP ONCE HE'S CAUGHT. Seriously, think about it: he puts some kind of fucked-up alien voodoo curse on the little kid so that family/friends will be more motivated to help. Save me, E.T. says, or Elliott is gonna wrinkle up into a dusty prune right next to me. What a manipulative douche. If I was Elliott, as soon as E.T. got better I'd take him into the forest and brain his little nutsack head with a rock. Which brings us to 2. E.T. is some kind of sexual deviant. Okay, yeah, this is never explicitly addressed in the film but the clues are there. His head (as I mentioned mere moments eariler) is shaped like a big, wrinkly scrotum... which is attached to a "neck" that elongates when E.T. gets excited. That's not phallic, or anything. He hides in a closet, a typical behavior of voyeurs. And his "magic finger"? Let's just say that there's a reason Drew Barrymore was so fucked up. You don't start snorting cocaine in grade school unless you're trying to dance and twitch away the feeling that you're being stalked by a giant penis weilding a long, scraggly, glowing molestation device. E.T. got to Drew young, and the result was two stints in rehab before the age of 14. And in a so-called "family" movie. Nice work, you drunk. Which is 3. E.T. is a drunk. I don't think this warrants any additional justification. At least he's a relatively cheap date.
All this probably isn't the little teabag's fault; if your alien race doesn't even care enough about you to make sure you got back on the INTERSTELLAR SPACESHIP I have to think E.T.'s home life was pretty shitty. And Elliott, next time you meet a "friend" from outer space, make sure he doesn't want to suck your life away. Even if he promises in return to make your bike fly.
-Your Fearless President.
This is going to be a little bit of a rant, but whatever. Something I saw or read or thought today reminded me of E.T., you know, the little bastard alien from the Steven Spielberg movie, and since I haven't posted in awhile I figured I'd set the record straight on the subject. E.T. is not cute, loving, adorable, child-friendly, or heroic. He is a huge leeching creep that gives off way too many messed-up sexual undertones. My evidence:
1. He gets left on earth, finds his way to Elliott, and then proceeds to SUCK ELLIOTT'S LIFE AWAY AS A BARGAINING CHIP ONCE HE'S CAUGHT. Seriously, think about it: he puts some kind of fucked-up alien voodoo curse on the little kid so that family/friends will be more motivated to help. Save me, E.T. says, or Elliott is gonna wrinkle up into a dusty prune right next to me. What a manipulative douche. If I was Elliott, as soon as E.T. got better I'd take him into the forest and brain his little nutsack head with a rock. Which brings us to 2. E.T. is some kind of sexual deviant. Okay, yeah, this is never explicitly addressed in the film but the clues are there. His head (as I mentioned mere moments eariler) is shaped like a big, wrinkly scrotum... which is attached to a "neck" that elongates when E.T. gets excited. That's not phallic, or anything. He hides in a closet, a typical behavior of voyeurs. And his "magic finger"? Let's just say that there's a reason Drew Barrymore was so fucked up. You don't start snorting cocaine in grade school unless you're trying to dance and twitch away the feeling that you're being stalked by a giant penis weilding a long, scraggly, glowing molestation device. E.T. got to Drew young, and the result was two stints in rehab before the age of 14. And in a so-called "family" movie. Nice work, you drunk. Which is 3. E.T. is a drunk. I don't think this warrants any additional justification. At least he's a relatively cheap date.
All this probably isn't the little teabag's fault; if your alien race doesn't even care enough about you to make sure you got back on the INTERSTELLAR SPACESHIP I have to think E.T.'s home life was pretty shitty. And Elliott, next time you meet a "friend" from outer space, make sure he doesn't want to suck your life away. Even if he promises in return to make your bike fly.
-Your Fearless President.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Facets Film School Winter Sessions
That pretty much sums it up. Check it out online if you're interested.
V.
V.
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