March Journal is due tomorrow

Click here for the March Journal check list. It is due tomorrow.

Show plans are due Monday. See Tuesday's blog post for instructions- Planning your big show. Find some music to share next week.

Grade 11s are to do their mini show critique as well.

Planning your Big Show

12s Select photos 1st, then music based on photos, then take more photos. Look through your photos. Try to identify an obvious or recuring theme in your images. Select music that compliments your work. Take more photos to add to your current works to enhance your theme.
11s 1st select a song then take photos based on the music. Plan your theme and mood, brain storm photos plan and list shot ideas and order, timing.
Music
When you consider your music, you should keep it simple. Lyrics can be distracting if they don't relate to your images. More alternative/obsure music will likely lead to a more creative and interesting piece- avoid pop music from the radio.

Slide Show Requirements
Contact Sheet 40- 70 images edit to 30-40 photos.
11s Create a 1-2 minute slide show of music and images.
12s Create a 3 minutes (max) slide show of music and images.

• Each image has compositional integrity.
• The treatment of the subject matter is unique and eye catching.
• The images all are high technical quality, good exposure, not pixelated, or blotchy.
• Juxtaposition and sequence clearly expresses theme.
• Suggestion of movement/animation
• Images work with music.
• Timing of the piece is well considered.
• Bonus marks will be rewrded for live performances i.e. collabourate with a writer, musician or dancer to accompany your photos.

Let's review Thursday's recent sharing night. We are going to critique each piece as a class today in a class discussion. While you are viewing each slide show, note the following for each photo show then we will discuss it directly after each show:

• What images stand out?
• What images do not belong?
• Consider the order, arrangement and juxtapositioning of the images- are there any images that don't work beside another? or any combinations that enhance the meaning?
• How is the pace/timing.
• Does the music goes with the images? Or does it override.
• Critique the order of the students.
• In your opinion, what piece is most successful- why?

After we critique all of the pieces, then I want you to critique your own piece based on the questions above (grade12s select one of the combinations from above and critique one grade11).
Then critique the overall show- write three or more sentances. Things to consider the pace, order, music, sound quality, arrangement, writing and photo pieces combined, display quality, mini theatre set-up, treats, break, Red Hat Lady theme.

Work Period Today

Journals, Book/Concentration, Critique Show from last night.

Let's review Thursday's recent sharing night. We are going to critique each piece as a class today in a class discussion. While you are viewing each slide show, note the following for each photo show then we will discuss it directly after each show:

• What images stand out?
• What images do not belong?
• Consider the order, arrangement and juxtapositioning of the images- are there any images that don't work beside another? or any combinations that enhance the meaning?
• How is the pace/timing.
• Does the music goes with the images? Or does it override.
• Critique the order of the students.
• In your opinion, what piece is most successful- why?

After we critique all of the pieces, then I want you to critique your own piece based on the questions above (grade12s select one of the combinations from above and critique one grade11).

Then critique the overall show- write three or more sentances. Things to consider the pace, order, music, sound quality, arrangement, writing and photo pieces combined, display quality, mini theatre set-up, treats, break, Red Hat Lady theme.

Mountain view Conservancy/Red Hat Show

Field trip today. We are leaving at 12:30. Bring your camera, charge batteries, and wear warm clothes.

Show tonight. Bring treats. We will need to set-up for the show before we leave on the field trip and when we get back. Show starts at 7pm, please get here by 6:30.

Magazine/Ad Critique

We are going to take a look at everyone's projects. First take a look at your Magazine/Ad and critique yours. Export your magazine/ad as a jpg, place it into a word document (smaller- 1/4 page), and then answer the following questions:

1. Explain the meaning of your ad.
2. What is the spoof idea, what issue is being commented on.
3. Is your concept clearly communicated?
4. Describe your photo and explain how it supports your idea
5. How does the text communicate your idea?
6. Is your ad/magazine effective? Explain why or why not.
7. Identify the target audience.

For the remainder of the class we are going to get ready for the Red Hat Ladies.

Magazine/Ad Due

Work Period Today.
Magazine/Ad Due Today. Print it out and put on the display board in the hall.
When you are finished, work on Red Hat Lady Slide Showpiece for Thursday. Don't forget your book/concentration project contact sheet... Was due on Friday? Journals are due on the 31st.

Mountainview Field Trip on Thursday during class. A school bus will be taking us there. We need 5 parent volunteer drivers back to the school at 2:50pm.

Red Hat Lady Show- Thursday after school set-up: Frame and hang Red Hat Lady photos and titles. Chairs, projector, cart and screen, extention cords, flood-light. You are to contribute snacks for the show. Everyone is to be back at LFAS by 6:30 pm, show starts at 7pm.

March Due Dates

Work Period Today

• Due TODAY
  Contact Sheet #1
  I want to see the development of your ideas.
  12s Concentration/Conceptual Idea.
  11s Book/Theme Idea.


• Due MONDAY
  Finish your Spoof Magazine/Ad.


• Due WEDNESDAY
  Red Hat Lady show piece SHOW THURSDAY@7pm in the mini theatre. Invite your parents. Book off of work. Make sure your homework is up to date so you aren't anxious on Thursday evening.

Sad, Skinny People

Red Hat Lady Sharing Night- Thurs, March 25, 7pm

Everyone should be there on Thursday evening. Bring snack food. Invite your parents. You must have the slide shows finished by the end of Wednesday's class.

Grade11s- Mini Slide Show

1. Select Images- First on your own select/edit approximately 10-12 images.


2. First Slide-Using ProShow Gold, start with your name, you could include a title too (optional). I will demonstrate the basics of the program and also I will assign grade 12s to help you construct your piece.


3. Edit the Order- Assemble your images using ProShow, play with timing and consider the order of the images carefully.


4. Select Music- Together your group will select some music to accompany the images- hint- it is best if your music is more instrument and less lyrics. Combine each of your group members' slide shows together in one piece to go with the music.


5. Stitch group together- Team up in groups of 3 or 4 to cut a mini show together using ProShow Gold.


6. Render the show (next week). Save it to the Red Hat Lady file.
   

Grade12s- Three ProShow slide shows

1. Red Hat Ladies- 1 photo from everyone in the class, group shots, make sure that each of the red hat ladies are included.
2. Opening for sharing night 3photos each- Random works set to music include name before photos.
3. Closing the sharing3photos each- Random works set to music include name before photos.
4. Those who are not working on a slide show are helping the grade 11s.
   

Ad/Magazine Layout Demo

We are going to work together using Adobe InDesign to create magazine/ad layouts. Today I will demonstrate how to adjust the size of the letters, manipulate the space between the letters and rows, type on a line. We are going to consider and create spaces for text on an ad or magazine cover. I will also show you haw to use the eye dropper tool to copy text attributes. WARNING! Do not use too many different fonts styles in your design; it will look busy and inprofessional.

Typography is the art and technique of arranging type, type design, and modifying type glyphs. The arrangement of type involves the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading (line spacing), adjusting the spaces between groups of letters (tracking) and adjusting the space between pairs of letters (kerning).

Fonts are a complete assortment of type of one style and size. Fonts are expressive, they have personality and are a powerful communication tool. Font styles are so powerful, they can control the way we think and perceive about something.

Concentration/Book Ideas

For the book/concentration, you are to create a series of photo of 12 images that explore a common theme.

Book- Grade 11s
2++ Contact Sheets & 12 Prints in a Book with a Cover
Photograph a basic topic (i.e. flowers) and compile a series of 12 photos in a book. Each image should have a strong composition and be able to stand on its own, but share a common thread. The book should be no more than 5 x 7 in size and must have a cover that reflects the contents of the book with a title and your name. Each image should be framed in a unique way that showcases your series effectively. You must take at least two "rolls" (min. 20 images each) or engage in 2+ shoots to construct your series and submit at least 2 contact sheets of your idea development.

Concentration- Grade 12s
3++ Contact Sheets & 12 Prints in a Series
Create a concentration that explores a concept thoroughly. Your topic needs meaning, visual integrity, and symbolizm. Your topic should be important to you. Possibly explore something that you are curious about, or stirs you, maybe something that makes you mad, or happy... Your series of 12 images must be eye catching, well composed, well constructed technically and have a sense of similarity as a whole series. How you display your concentration is up to you, but the overall meaning must be well considered and professionally executed.
You must take at least three "rolls" (min. 20 images) or engage in 3+ shoots to fully develop your series and submit at least 3 contact sheets of your concentration development.
First Contact Sheet is Due March 19th.

Here are some links to inspire your concentration/book projects... to name a few...
Phil Borges - Women
Robert Frank - Americans
Richard Avedon - American West (look under archive, and portraits)
Cindy Sherman - Untitled Film Stills
Andreas Gursky - Consumerism
Annie Leibovitz - American Music
Mary Ellen Mark - Mexican Circus
Colleen Plumb - Animals Are Outside Today
Nan Goldin - Family and Friends
Sandy Skoglund - Installation works based on pixels.
Misha Gordon - Manipulated political photographs.
Michael Kenna - B/W Large Format Landscapes minimalist
Scott Edwards - Extreme close up botanical forms
Lois Greenfield - Dance portraits

Photoshopping Your Ad Image

You are going to go out and take a photo for your ad/magazine cover. Then you may want to touch-up your image.

You are going to learn some basic photoshop tools:

• Patch Tool
• Clone Tool
• Dodge and Burn Tool
• Eye Dropper and Air Brushing
• Cut and Paste (we are going to change the background)

Check out Photoshop tutorials:
How to Brighten Eyes (3 mins)
How to touch up portraits- use the patch tool, clone tool. (10 mins)
Or view a tutorial to make a photo into a studio portrait (10 mins)

Olympic Sponsors

More things to think about when exploring media influences...

Only the supremely naive believe they are not affected by television advertising. The entire medium of television is based upon advertising. The multi-billion dollar mega-corporations that run TV networks -- News Corp., Comcast, Viacom, Walt Disney, General Electric, AOL/Time Warner, AT&T, Bertelsmann, Liberty Media Corporation, Sony, and Vivendi Universal -- would not have been able to grow to their present size without television. It is impossible to talk about television without talking about advertising.

Olympic Sponsors:
If kids eat Wonder Bread would they be able to become Olympic athletes?
Is McDonald's the Olympic dream?
Do kids look up to these athletes? If they eat there, can they be able to compete?
Do Olympic Athletes really eat at McDonald's?
And do they really drink Coke?
If they consume that aren't they going to end up like this? Chubby Cake Kid
Not sure what to think about this one... owch!
Super Size Me opening sequence. See the movie.

How do these companies convince people to buy their products? Eventhough people know that the food is unhealthy, offers very little nutrients, and will make you fat- why do they keep eating at McDonald's? Every month, every week, every day?

Even though coke rots your gut, and contains overwhelming amounts of sugar or aspertame that poisonous, why do people still drink Coca-cola?

Wonderbread is fluff- very low nutritious value, why do people choose to buy Wonderbread instead of ancient and whole grains?

Why do these companies spend millions of dollars each year on advertising campaigns?
Coca-cola- 2006: $2.6 billion2005: $2.5 billion2004: $2.2 billion2003: $1.8 billion2002: $1.7 billion2001: $2.0 billion2000: $1.7 billion.

McDonalds- McDonald's spend over two billion dollars each year on advertising: the Golden Arches are now more recognised than the Christian Cross. Using collectable toys, television adverts, promotional schemes in schools and figures such as Ronald McDonald the company bombards their main target group: children. Many parents object strongly to the influence this has over their own children.

Wonder- Wonder Bread is marketed to children as "part of complete childhood." The company says "it's nutritious," yet never answers the question: "How Nutritious?" Wonder Bread is basically refined white flour, which has been whipped and stripped of most of its nutrients. Refined white flour is not harmful, but the process to create the bread mills away the vitamin-and-mineral-rich germ and bran. Wonder Bread became one of the most popular brands of bread in the United States through television advertising.

Plan & Book Advertising/Magazine studio time

• Plan and Book your Advertising/Magazine studio time. You should shoot by the end of the week. At the latest, by the end of Spring Break. Make sure you have a concrete plan- hard copy of your advertising/magazine so that you can proceed with the photo part and the layout/design part of this assignment.
• You will need to also consider your Concentration/Book assignment.
• Journals/PhotoDiaries are due Friday check out the task list for February.