END of YEAR REFLECTION

Reflecting on the overall DMA course

I started the term with an intermediate perspective of what the internet is. I have always been very technologically savvy, so learning new tricks was not as hard for me. When it came to the video compositions I was able to incorporate my verstality with filmmaking into my projects. With my knowledge of video construction I was able to select media that naturally would work perfect together.

I learned the importance of composing with the intent to get your voice through the emerging media of today. We have all these new tools at our disposal that are being built for us to move this global society to the next level. As artist of the 21^st century our lives now have to take advantage of the several forms of expressing our visions through the web. Blogs, StumbleUpon, and other databases were stamped with academic approval through this course. DMA showed me that these new forms of media composition could seriously be used to make something worthwhile and virtuous.

A more expansive world of digital media still exists out there. A mastering of these tools and outlets still awaits my arrival. It would definitely be great to wield all these different swords properly without making a bloody mess.

I have always had much respect for the new –media related issues. Awareness of today’s world is key to better molding a better you to present to the world. As a storyteller I believe I have the obligation to keep myself up-to-date with the news and world issues that influence the lives of billions. This way my stories can reach those all over and not be stuck in just one out-of-date realm. Of course our past is just as important, but we hold on to the past without knowing we will use it better our present and future.

 Reflecting on a selection of spring-semester courses

Each class has a specific aim for what they expect the student to accomplish. Fortunately, other classes symbiotically crossover with similar tasks, ideas, or directions. For instance, I had something very interesting occur to me this last few weeks with an Academic course and a Fine Arts course. In my screenwriting course we have explored the many facets of approaching a screenplay. Our final screenplay assignment was to create script that showed an understanding of past exercises. One of our past exercises focused on fairy tale adaptations. And recently my English Composition professor has given us the opportunity to create a creative written piece that deals with Fairy Tales, Beowulf, and/or Grendel. This was pure luck. I was able to work with a story that interested me dearly and used several resources as its roots. New Media also took its influence in this project. I depended much on video reports from several news networks around the world that covered the current events in North Korea.

My screenplay took the characters of Kim Jong-Il and gave him the attributes of John Gardner’s version of Grendel. I noticed connections between Kim Jong-Il and Grendel. Just like Grendel Kim Jong-Il was born to be evil and rule as a monster. So I took the story of Grendel and retold it through the modern life of the young Dictator Kim Jong-Il.

Reflecting on the school year = CREATIVE COMPOSITION - IMAGE