ffaf from Alex Conrath on Vimeo.
Friday, May 2, 2014
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Friday, April 11, 2014
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Friday, February 28, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
An AVW Show I Founded & Produce - Pranking OHIO
Friday, February 14, 2014
TV 2 Game
My favorite show of all time is The Office. The show is premised around a documentary based style
with situational and ironic comedy mixed in. I’ve come up with 3 entertaining
game ideas and will choose one to elaborate on. First, I’ve brainstormed a free
game that involves guessing who did what. This game will play like the game
clue but in a humorous manner. Constant problems arise in every episode, which
makes the show chaotic and bunches of fun. The player’s required to guess who
did what after given multiple clues. The second game is a spin off of the
series. This game will let you achieve different goals with any given
character. My third and final game involves making it across the office, and to
your desk without Michael noticing. You’re late to work, Michael is distracted
as always, and you need to avoid trouble.
I’d like to elaborate on my stand-alone game or console
game. This game allows the player to take control of any character. For
example, lets control Michael. Michael wants to find a wife, he wants his
employees to like him, and wants friends. You must accomplish these goals or
maintain a certain level of minimum balance. To top this off, Dunder Mifflin
must stay profitable no matter what character you are. If you’re Stanley who is
an accountant and the company starts to fall on a downward swing, it’s your job
to meet with Michael and stress concerns. However, there’s consequences of
doing so. Telling Michael he’s not doing a great job means his fondness of you
will decrease. As this level decreases, you’re closer to being fired. You must
realize that Michael’s character over reacts to everything, so you must watch
what you do at all times. This game is premised around making smart decisions
and is more of a management oriented game. A cool feature is that any character
can work their way up and become the boss, but it’s not an easy ride.
This game will contain an abundance of humor, awkward
situations, and off the wall events. It will contain real life characters that
actually talk, move around the office, and confront you at any given time.
Also, you will have a home life or outside the office life, as well. For
example, Pam and Jim have a daughter. Their house, personal belongings, and out
of office situations will exist. Same goes for every character. There will be a
plethora of different missions throughout, ranging from easy to difficult. Some
of these missions will include going out and getting clients, meeting with
other paper companies, hiring people, etc. From a technical standpoint the
graphics should be crisp, there will be over 10 different locations, and a
hefty amount of unpredictable dialogue. The game will be marketed from
teenagers to middle aged consumers. Overall, this game has incredible
potential. It has a rich storyline, endless possibilities, and will never have
the player bored. The target audience is large. Most importantly, everyone
loves The Office.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Analyze a Documentary
Craigslist Joe
Craigslist Joe is an intriguing and
relatable documentary that leaves the audience wanting more. Joseph Garner, the
main character, elects to undertake an experiment that involves testing
humanity by throwing caution to the wind. With only a cell phone, laptop and
the clothes on his back, he walked away from his belongings, contacts, money
and other comforts. Joe can only access the Craigslist website and use contacts
he acquires there. His objective is to literally live off Craigslist for an
entire month.
The
narrative spine is Joe’s survival for the 31 days of December. Will he be okay,
get beaten up or become hungry and sick? The train was when he left his friends
and family to go out on the streets. This is the driving force throughout, and
I must say it is an incredible one. The movie had my mind spinning because the
concept was simple yet powerful. Joe overcame a plethora of different
struggles. He had to go outside his comfort zone numerous times. Joe suffered
countless rejections.
The
theme of Craigslist Joe is the “war
on poverty” and how homeless people are treated. This movie tested the
generosity of the American people and where the boundaries lie. This film ranks
among the best documentaries that I’ve seen. It has a rich underlying meaning,
giving viewers a unique perspective on life and that of our own people. Joe Garner
is an incredible person and fun to follow during his adventures. The Internet
serves to connect people in this digital age and test the concept of humanity. If
you’re looking for a great documentary to watch, choose Craigslist Joe.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Script vs Film
Sleepless in Seattle; Script v Film
When reading the script for Sleepless in Seattle, I found the premise to be an effective romantic comedy. Yet, in comparing the script with the film, it was easy to see that elements of brashness in the characters or instances of rudeness were softened or completely removed. At the same time, scenes featuring heartwarming, romantic moments were introduced or enhanced for greater dramatic impact. An example took place during the film’s New Year’s Eve scene with Sam and Jonah. In it, Sam and Jonah watch the ball drop in New York’s Times Square, and Sam ends up tucking Jonah into bed. Sam kisses both Jonah and Howard, Jonah’s stuffed bear, good night. Jonah looks sweet holding onto his bear, an element that ends up being significant later in the film. The bear is a metaphor for love and happiness.
Throughout the film, I discovered certain scenes to be missing from the screenplay while others were added. A plethora of lines were shifted around and pieces of the dialogue rewritten. For example, when the radio psychologist asked what made Sam’s late wife so special to him, the script had, “I touched her for the first time, and suddenly I was home.” In the movie, the line became a dynamic, emotional moment that pulled the audience in to understand the special relationship they shared. It created strong empathy for Sam’s character. The film’s dialogue was: “How long is your program? Well, it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together, and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home, only to no home I’d ever known. I was taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like magic.” This technique was used throughout the movie to great results.
Jonah’s lines also were often rewritten from the screenplay to reflect a greater sense of innocence. In the movie Jonah responded to the radio host’s request to talk to his father by urging, “Talk to her, dad. She’s a doctor.” In the script, however, he said, “Are you crazy? He thinks shows like this are dumb. If you didn't have an 800 number, I could never get away with this.” When comparing the script to the film, it’s clear the ultimate goal was to increase the empathy viewers felt toward Jonah. Softening his character and making him sweeter, like that of his father, draws the audience in to the storyline.
Plot changes and dialogue edits were designed to give the film greater audience appeal. This movie could be classified as a “chick flick,” with the target audience predominately women. Keys to ensuring Sleepless in Seattle became a success with viewers and at the box office were a cast of intriguing characters that elicit sympathy, as well as concern as to what would happen. The audience roots for them and hopes for a happy ending. All the adaptations from screenplay to film strived to fulfill this goal. Any sign of Jonah’s true anger or intensity was eliminated. Instead, he was portrayed as sweet and innocent as possible. There were a couple instances in the script where Sam became really angry and frustrated with his son. Each time, these scenes were either removed or altered to be lighter conversations and outcomes.
Sleepless In Seattle is a classic. The modifications were extremely beneficial and really helped those who enjoy love stories to become a fan of this film. I believe that, in making specific lines or characters extra dramatic or romantic, the movie was more closely aligned to a target audience and less to the average viewer. For example, one who likes happy endings but is not necessarily a fan of over-the-top romantic films may enjoy the original screenplay. Nonetheless, Sleepless In Seattle ranks among one of the best films of all time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)