FINAL PROJECT PRESENTATIONS!!!

Hello,

Next week you will present your final projects. Yes, really!

We will be meeting at NOON to have enough time. I will have pizza and drinks here for us so we can grab some slices and get started right away. We'll take a break in the middle for course evaluations. We should be done by 4pm, if everyone comes prepared and practiced.

Some things to keep in mind:
1) You'll need to keep your presentation to 20 minutes.
2) Present your work in an engaging way. All of us staring up at the projection screen for 4 hours could be boring. Handouts? Interaction?
3) For many of you, figuring out a way to conclude the project, or continue it, or pass it off to someone else, is a big concern which you should address.
4) Please be prepared and ready to go esp. in terms of any multimedia components (i.e. videos) -- come early to pre-load your web videos, test/cue up the tapes, etc.

Remember that my evaluation of your final project will balance both the planning/structural/conceptual/vision and the aesthetic/efficacy/functional qualities of your execution of this vision... that's why you had over a month to work on this.

Very much looking forward to it.

Contribute to my mix tape!

Hello,

I just wanted to post a link to the blog I made in conjunction with my participatory radio show, "my mix tape." I am posting different playlist ideas twice a week. Through Project Playlist, I can put the songs directly onto the blog so that visitors can listen (at times this comes at the expense of quality, but it's better than nothing). Feel free to add your own songs or suggest playlist themes! Also, if anyone would like to co-host a show, please contact me! My show's from 11-12 p.m. on Sundays.

Here's the link: my mix tape

Also, here's something cool that a friend showed me a few days ago. It's... A PUPPY CAM. Whenever, wherever, you can watch these Shiba Inu's in action! The reason I'm posting it is that I think it puts the question of ownership into a whole new perspective. The site includes a list of the puppies' names (you can identify who is who based on collar color). This feed boasts some pretty loyal followers, who comment on the puppies' personalities and how they have grown. Visitors can watch the puppies whenever they want. Of course, they don't own the puppies in any literal sense, but they can still become attached to them and feel as if the Shiba Inus are their own pets. So, I just thought I'd share. Plus, they're super cute! :)

Here's the link: puppy cam

Wrap up & next week

Hi all,

I am very happy with how much work you all got done in Final Cut today. You proved me wrong that 3 people is too many for a joint editing effort. Next week you'll have almost the whole class to finish up what you started & we'll all watch what you made.

Because (most if not all of) you are behind on your final projects (!!!), the videos and the reading for next week are now OPTIONAL. Oh, how I am cutting you a break. They are great videos and you should feel encouraged to watch one of them and blog anyway. Be ready to tell me about how much progress you have made in class next week.

There are 2 video options:
1) A LITTLE BIT OF SO MUCH TRUTH (UN POQUITO DE TANTA VERDAD) In the summer of 2006, a broad-based, non-violent, popular uprising exploded in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. Some compared it to the Paris Commune, while others called it the first Latin American revolution of the 21st century. But it was the people’s use of the media that truly made history in Oaxaca. A Little Bit of So Much Truth captures the unprecedented media phenomenon that emerged when tens of thousands of school teachers, housewives, indigenous communities, health workers, farmers, and students took 14 radio stations and one TV station into their own hands, using them to organize, mobilize, and ultimately defend their grassroots struggle for social, cultural, and economic justice.

2) THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE! With more cameras on the street than any other media organization, the Independent Media Center (IMC) coordinated hundreds of media activists and collected more than 300 hours of video footage during the 1990 WTO protests in Seattle. This Is What Democracy Looks Like, a co-production of the IMC and Big Noise Films, weaves the footage of over 100 videographers into a gripping document of what really happened on Seattle’s streets.

Maquilapolis

Maquilapolis draws on many different sources in order to create the film’s final product. This amalgamation of footage from various women who were part of the “Maquilapolis” of Tijuana as well as the filmmakers creates an interesting aesthetic for the film in general.

The film is both polished and unpolished.

It is clear to see the difference between those scenes that were shot by professional filmmakers and the women who had just been trained in using cameras. It is not that the quality or effectiveness from the collaborators differs. The scenes that are shot by the women are powerful and the scenes that were most likely orchestrated by the professional filmmakers are equally as strong. There is no attempt by the film’s creators or editor(s) to mask the collaboration. The two styles of shooting (i.e. the more candid video diaries of the women of Factor X and the choreographed, time-lapse shots, and sweeping shots of Tijuana of the professional filmmakers) are seamlessly blended.

This combination of the collaborators work & filmmakers footage and the clear distinction between the two adds to the authenticity of the film. One cannot seem but feel as if the stories that are being told are those of the women. The camera isn’t being focused on what the filmmakers want. Footage was shot and turned over to the filmmakers or the women decided what they wanted focus on. An outsider isn’t tasked with accessing the situation in the factories. The women documented their lives and stories that are those that they deemed important.
With the filmmakers serving as facilitators to the women’s’ work Maquilapolis seems to demonstrate an effective way of collaborating, especially when dealing with issues of social change and human rights.

Maquilapolis

In thinking about how the process affected this film, one of the most obvious ways, in my mind at least, is in it's content and tone. The women in this film are empowered leaders, teachers, and activists. Throughout the film we saw time after time in which they demonstrated how this strong and new-found sense of empowerment inspired them to take action and assert their rights as laborers, women, and human beings. The women did this in each class they led, in each meeting they scheduled, and in every day they fought for their families and themselves.

This power and strength was imbued into the film itself and the presence of the women who asserted their rights and their self-worth in the honesty of the images they presented and the tone and force with which they discussed them. The women accepted the exploitation they were made to endure as real, but they actively fought against it. The film interestingly represented this simultaneous acknowledgment of exploitation by rebellion against it in its framing and structure. Specifically coming to mind is the scene in which the women are all spinning around individually as they list off the names of the various companies for which they have worked. Coupled with the images that precede and follow this shot we come to understand the cycle of exploitation these women endure, as they literally whirl in a circle as the names of their former and current employers cover their faces.

Overall the film was captivating and richly informative as we caught a glimpse into the actively hidden denigration and oppression on which we all invariably depend.

Maquilapolis

Unlike other projects we have seen in the past, this particular documentary stands apart, largely in part due to the fact that the ideas conveyed through the video footage were generated by the subjects of the film. I'm sure that the production company had a rough idea of the exploitation and pollution that takes place in Mexico (honestly who doesn't these days?) but what they set out to do was to have those it actually affects--the factory workers--put forth their own thoughts. The stories of these women were inspirational and touching, especially when they spoke of how against overwhelming odds they would stand up to the government, the corporations, and the committees all for their children's futures.

It's easy to say, because the actual women shooting the film did not edit it, that much of the objectivity was lost. In some cases this can be true. They were quite explicit though: this was the maquiladoras story, and it showed exactly what they wanted it to show. In this sense, the film loses its credibility as a documentary, but gains an element of human compassion and intimacy which most documentaries lack. I think it helped that many of these women seemed intelligent and well-spoken; the success of the film is due in large part to the willingness of the maquiladora camera holders to not only work tirelessly, but in a manner so as to show that they deserve better than their circumstance.

Maquilapolis

How do you think the process of how this film was made affected the product (film) in style, in content, or in other ways?

What I enjoy the most of this movie is its high subjectivity. Lots of different documentary films invites their subjects to be collaborators, but this film brings the collaboration aspect up a notch. The maquiladoras are the filmmaker and the actual filmmakers are facilitators. The personal aspect of the movie makes the environmental and labor rights issues easier for the viewers to relate. As I watch the film, I can't help but feel angry at the factories that neglects their workers. As the maquiladoras put themselves up close and personal to the camera, I can imagine myself as one of them. The only reason why I can take a breathe of relief is because I do not live in Tijuana, but I can see that if my status as the consumer wavers, these fancy companies can treat me the same way as they treated the maquiladoras.

Another extremely thoughtful aspect of the film is that the cameras aren't just given to the ladies solely as a method of expression, it is also empowerment and tools to help the them do what they do as promoters. "...We wanted them to use the filmmaking process to further their own self-organizing."—Vicky Funari. This film can be such a source of inspiration and encouragement for the viewers of the films. But the film is especially powerful in its process, as the passerbys who see the making of the film or the neighbors who are interviewed all are wrapped in this journey of bringing justice to the maquiladoras and the citizens of Tijuana.

Maquilapolis

This film was very effectively concieved and executed. The filmaker's minimal presence seems almost a perfect balance for this story; the women of the collective themselves tell the entire story, present, narrate and explicate their struggle while the filmakers simply enable this story to be told. The production value, seamlessness, and overall effectiveness of the story telling is no doubt aided by this collaboration.
In this sense, this peice seems to find, as John mentioned, the balance between filmaker and filmed in the documentary situation that stranger with a camera spoke to and grappled with (and, questionably, found). The story of the piece is also rife with collaborative elements on many levels: the local attorney helping the collective, the members of the community helping each other, the women helping their children to achieve class mobility, the environmentalists' collaboration with the collective and its movment, and even the whole movement helping the river to be bright.
It is heartening to see these collaborations in the film leading to successes. The collective certainly seems undaunted, with high aspirations, on the path to many victorys. The successes of the film itself, those of it's impact, too, are likely numerous. As the quote from the case describes Maquilapolis, it is "A stirring work that'll provoke genuine outrage." Perhaps though, it can also provoke a certain awareness in its audience that leads to mindful action on an individual yet global level.

We have encountered several instances in our course where someone with an idea for a project allows his or her subjects an opportunity for self-representation (ex. The Weather Man project); this film is another one of those cases. For my part, I think this process allows the end product to radiate originality, insightfulness, clarity and attractiveness. I managed to discern the subjects were doing their own recording early on in the film, which captivated my attention because I felt more confident they would not manipulate settings or stories in order to get a point across. The entire film felt very fresh, organic, even the interspersed choreographed segments. The six week workshop in video production really paid off; the women subjects were able to produce a piece that spoke sincerely of their unkind situations caused largely by the factories. Despite the gravity of their poverty they have strength enough to live their lives and try to do something about it on the side, as Funari relates in her interview. Duran and Carmen were but two women fighting for a common cause. By allowing them, ordinary people, to direct footage and tell their own story, I think heightens the belief that anyone can learn if given an opportunity and that we as viewers can learn even more from those who struggle greatly in comparison to Americans, who wander from store to store at local “humming”/shopping malls.

Maquilapolis: Making Objects, Subjects.

What struck me most about “Maquilapolis” was, surprisingly, what I learned in the last minute of the film: not only was Maquilapolis shot by Tijuanian female factory workers, but these same women had decided how the film was conceptually going to be conceived. While I knew that Vicky Funari and Sergio De La Torre had given these women video cameras, I was not aware of the extent that the directors had included these women in on the creative process.

Originally, I was annoyed by the performance pieces that sprinkle “Maquilapolis”. I believed these scenes were simply the byproduct of arrogant directors making “artsy” arrogant work. These scenes, however, have such vital meaning when it is revealed that they are collaborative conceptions of the Maquiladoras and the directors. They are the expressions of the women. I was impressed by how willing the directors were willing to step back to facilitate creation. Director Vicky Funari expresses her desire to relinquish control: “As a filmmaker, I know how to structure a film; a factory worker, on the other hand, might not know how to structure a film, but she knows what she wants to say about her life.” (POV Production Journal)

The Maquiladoras wrote narrations for the film, created the concepts for the key artistic per formative, and filmed. By giving these women the control, Vicky Funari and Sergio De La Torre produce a successful, insightful documentary.

Maquilapolis: Bridging the Gap

Watching "Maquilapolis" makes me think back to "Stranger with a Camera." Much like the filmmakers that flocked to Appalachia, Funari and De La Torre hoped to educate others about an important issue through the art of documentary film. The difference between Funari and De La Torre and the other filmmakers, however, is their chosen process of creation. The filmmakers in Appalachia chose use the local residents as subjects rather than participants. They asked leading questions and, in my opinion, uncovered a relatively limited sample of what life is truly like in that region. Their role as outsiders limited their ability as filmmakers and created an uneasy relationship with the locals. Funari and De La Torre, on the other hand, did not treat the promotoras as mere subjects; they allowed the factory workers active participantion in the filmmaking process. Funari and De La Torre are just as much outsiders in Tijuana as the other filmmakers were in Appalachia. However, Funari and De La Torre seem to have realized this role, as well as their consequent inability to present a well-rounded glimpse in to factory life without further assistance. Rather than accept this handicap or abandon the project altogether, though, Funari and De La Torre enlist the aid of several promotoras.

This collaboration bridges the gap between local and outsider, allowing both groups to use their specialized skills in order to create a better product. The promotoras can illuminate factory life in a way that Funari and De La Torre cannot; no matter how much research the two filmmakers do, they can not obtain the knowledge and intuition of the promotoras. On the other hand, Funari and De La Torre CAN create a technically well-made documentary in a way that the promotoras cannot; no matter how many workshops the promotoras go through, Funari and De La Torre will always have a greater store of experience, equipment, and training in the field. Thus, the promotoras provide the filmmakers with good, revealing footage, which the filmmakers then edit into a documentary easily digestible by the public-at-large. Allowing both groups to exercise their strength, the filmmakers produce a documentary that is superior to any film that could have been made solely by one group or the other.

MAQUILAPOLIS & next week & beyond

Hi all,

I hope you enjoy Maquilapolis. It's a very unique film. Please read through the film's website to learn more about the process of how it was made. And also this interview with the producers.

Something to think about when you respond on the blog (you don't necessarily have to respond to this directly):

How do you think the process of how this film was made affected the product (film) in style, in content, or in other ways?

Looking forward to getting y'all going in Final Cut Pro video editing on Monday and seeing your tapes from last week.

I hope you are all rocking out on your final projects. Be prepared at any time in the following weeks for me to ask you for an update on your progress!

The War Tapes

This actually hadn't been th first time I had viewed The War Tapes. In fact I can recall seeing segments from this film many times on the History Channel and other related mediums in the past. What strikes me now, as I have always felt, is that this truly is the first time in history a documentary of this caliber could have even existed. Filming technology made these voices audible for the first time in all of history, which I find incredible. Of course, the post production editing made the film about what Deborah Scranton wanted to show. Also, in thinking about the nature of the military, I'm sure the film had to be edited down considerably by other outside forces before the footage even made it back to Ms. Scranton.

Upon the soldier's return to their respective homes, you cold sense how traumatized they became due to their experiences. This is not a new concept by any stretch of the imagination- soldiers have been coming back from the front lines messed up for as long as war has been around. Yet with the invention of these helmet-cameras which the soldiers can use in every day life on the front, people can start to understand for the first time where these feelings came from. I commend Deborah Scranton for her efforts in enabling such commentary on the war.

The War Tapes touched on an impressive range of subject material. One I found particularly interesting was the discrepancies viewed on the television screens juxtaposed with what the soldiers felt was the actual war being fought. While we saw only the surface of what the soldiers themselves thought of the war, I'm certain there were hours of unusable footage Ms. Scranton would not have been allowed to use. Imagine a war-time documentary with no censorship whatsoever; the thought of the soldiers actual viewpoints being recorded is tantalizing.

What I Want My Words To Do To You...

Inspiring, captivating, and powerfully moving, this project illustrates the amazing possibilities participatory artistic production can embody. I really enjoyed listening to how all of these stories developed and were finally produced. Perhaps what was most compelling about this project is how real it was. Even though these women were living lives to which many of us could not relate, trapped in a prison of metal, concrete, and immeasurable guilt, there was something uniquely human about their stories and the ways they interacted with each other. The project really highlighted for me how insignificant categories like race, gender, age, and class really are.

In addition, something I've struggled with throughout the semester, but especially during our class with Adam Frelin, was this sort of spectrum of participation. It seems to me that somewhere on that spectrum lies a very unfortunate form of participation that somehow legitimates exploitation, acceptable simply because it's called "artistic." However, this film definitely laid outside of that characterization for me. Despite a rather obvious power disparity between the two groups of women (the women in prison and the women who were acting and writing) it seemed like that dynamic was transcended in the process of production. Both emotionally as the women shared their stories and then also literally when the actresses performed these pieces for the other inmates. It was quite amazing to see how touched all of the women were to see these very successful actresses perform and give voice to their stories. It seemed that these women were speaking through the actresses and in the process both sharing that voice with their fellow inmates, friends, and family and also legitimating that voice, proving that it really matters.

Don't Call Me In The Morning

The most striking issue in "The War Tapes" to me was the importance of dehumanization.

As odd of a concept it may seem, it makes perfect sense for the soldiers to be using in wartime to impersonalize the situation that is occurring. Without this coping mechanism, it would most likely be extremely difficult to make rational decisions and attack peoples. The term "Haji" being used was the explicitly talked about example. However, the times when the line was blurred and the Iraqi citizens had to be seen as human made for some of the most insightful parts of the film. Namely, the incident where the woman was hit by the convoy and the reactions therein were traumatizing, startling, and eye opening. Also, when Sgt. Bazzi would translate with the citizens, and the incident where the parent wanted to take his sick child to the hospital across the street, were incredibly moving.

Another, extremely puzzling problem that arose would be how it seemed the soldier's relationships back home took on a less human capacity. By this, I mean that it seemed that all of their relationships got more distant upon their return. Sgt. Pink's post traumatic stress disorder is an obvious reason for his, but if you look at the body language in many interactions, it seems more unattached than you would expect loving couples to exhibit. Also, the issues of communication get shorted since the significant others of the soldiers simply can't understand what went on in Iraq and the effect it has on the soldiers. Honestly, I don't even know how we can judge the soldiers's issues appropriately since there is a year's worth of footage that we didn't necessarily see.

Ultimately, the question becomes where does the dehumanization begin and end. Is it an indoctrination of the service, a necessary function for survival, or both? Is it on and off, or a blanket approach to life? These are distinct issues that would be interesting to study further, but there are inherently problems involved in this. Nonetheless, I propose that the soldiers's lives are inevitably and invariably affected by the dehumanization well after war, and that this issue probably provides many long-term issues when dealing with trust, committment, and the necessary aspects of healthy relationships.

Writing group Women

I think it is a fine idea to broadcast voices of inmates to the world, or to the immediate communities for starters. I am not a person who interacts with inmates on a regular basis and further do not assume they are all “heartless criminals,” but I sense that not everyone reacts the same way toward them. At length people are people anywhere they may be and at any moment in their lives. It is likely that at some instances though, we encounter people whom we do not appreciate sufficiently or like particularly. I am not trying to explain that I am learned in the precise facts, mentalities, settings, circumstances, and so on, that take flight in instances of intense violent actions because I simply am not. I do not think anyone is an apt judge for such things not even these women because every story is different, unique. All the same, those items must be great, frightening, and damaging because they obviously ignite tempestuous behavior. Yet it is a behavior that captures but a snap shot in a person's entire life, not quite accurately depicting a person's authentic character.

Ensler has done a great service to humanity by volunteering and promoting self-reflection in those women, I think. My heart goes out to those women for sharing their own words and how they view themselves now. The film makes certain that talking about things truly does set one at ease, even if only a few degrees lower than a previous state of mind. It is instructive for both the viewer and women involved, no question about it. Murder is a complex entity; often we are informed of stories taking place at home and abroad about people murdering by the tens, maybe hundreds (for example the university shootings of recent and the Rwanda Genocide), yet we do not feel great urgency to contemplate them much because they do not affect us directly. Distancing us further is the fact that we do not know much about the people involved, but in this documentary tries to abridge that distance. We become familiar with those women by listening to them explain how they feel about what they have done to merit imprisonment. We catch a glimpse of their guilt through their writing, and want to believe they would have acted differently given a second chance had they known how they would feel in retrospect.

The actors performing in place of the inmates certainly helps spread accurate information to people who do not involve themselves with correctional facilities and their residents. Regardless of their background (members of this group or that group), these women in the writing group now share similar stories and are hurting and healing together. And that is truly something worthwhile and that many do not have an opportunity to witness, let alone learn from.

What I Want My Words...

Such a simple and powerful documentary, backed by the most sincere stories. What I Want My Words to Do to You is a project of Eve Ensler conducting a writing seminar at a maximum security prison, offering the prison mates a chance to write about their experience, their regrets, their hopes and dreams and share it with one another. The project itself is simple and extremely profound, and the filming is just kept simple to let the individuals speak for themselves.
The most critial role Eve Ensler played as a fascilitator of the project is creating a space where sharing the most volunrable matter and being pushed to dig deeper into one's life and the moment of mistake that brought them to this prison of life are sacred. Ensler said, "No one can judge you, that's the rule of the group." And it is true, no one, including Ensler, can judge these most private, fragile and authentic moments of confession. Ensler's success is simply gainning the trust of the prison mates to lead them on this journey of exploration through writing. Without embelishments, the honest words are the extremely powerful. Meanwhile, Ensler is also excellent at providing thought-provoking prompts as a fascilitator:
"Think of a question someone has asked you that you've never answered. Answer it."
"Write a letter to someone you love. Tell them why you're in prison."
"Rewrite the letter you wrote explaining why you're in prison. Go deeper."
"Describe an experience in prison when someone surprised you with kindness."

The most compelling story for me was the story a lady wrote while pretending to be her own daughter writing to her. What a heavy heart is behind those words and I felt is so closely to my own experience with my father. This movie also echoes my experience working on StoryTime, especially. The power of honest, personal stories creates a healing process for all the individuals.

It is also brilliant that Ensler was able to find actresses to bring life to the writings and for the writers to see their words take flight and empowers other individuals. The spoken words are so powerful that even now as I am writing this blog, sentences are still echoing in my head.
"I want my words to make my past go away." How powerful an experience it must have been for the prison community. Through the show, Ensler gave the work and the applaud back to the ladies. It is never a project about Ensler, but a project about the prison mates. And I think this was definetly a mutual and appreciated understanding among the writers in the seminar.
By the end of the movies, the crimes labling the ladies that are spelled out through the introductary phrase, don't even bother me anymore. It confirms one of my favorite quotes by Henry Longfellow, "If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility."

"The War Tapes": What Are They Good For?

I chose to watch "The War Tapes" because I was interested in how a movie could be directed by an outsider (Deborah Scranton) and yet be the product of the soldiers themselves. While the soldiers did shoot a great deal of the footage that made up "The War Tapes", the mood of the movie is heavily influenced by "post-production" editing.

I realize that a heavy amount of post-production was needed to create a cohesive film for public viewing, but I felt that this at times prevented a somewhat pure experience of the footage. Rather than being a film created by these soldiers, "The War Tapes" became more of Scranton's project to tell these men's mini biographies.

This being said, Scranton should be applauded for doing her best to give a voice to the voiceless- specifically the American soldier. So rarely does the media actually ask for these men to speak.

Scranton often chooses to include footage of the soldiers filming the television. By directing focus to television screens (televised press conferences with George Bush, Tom Brokaw on the evening news), Scranton highlights just how misleading and vacuous conventional media reporting can be.

"This Is What I Want My Words To Do To You"

"This Is What I Want My Words To Do" was an incredibly thought-provoking film. I expected the women inmates to spend the majority of their writing justifying their actions; however, I was surprised to find that they devoted far greater space to admitting their guilt and wrongdoing. By showing the women read their own pieces, the film did a wonderful job of demonstrating how being "misunderstood" is not nearly as mentally stressful and burdensome and being understood - and guilty. This project was participatory in that it allowed multiple inmates to relate their own life experiences in feelings; the use of actresses to interpret the inmates' work created another dimension of collaboration. However, the project still had concretely laid out guidelines, as the inmates were given specific prompts, and even asked to elaborate when Eve did not feel they had dug deep enough.

Like many other participatory projects we have discussed, "This Is What I Want My Words To Do To You" seems to have a utilitarian component. Not only does it allow outsiders to view the inmates in a new, more human way (and perhaps call into question their preconceived notions of what it means to be and what type of people become criminals), but it also gave the inmates themselves an opportunity to release and explore their emotions. For the inmates, the project was not only a work of art; it was a type of group therapy. This therapeutic quality stood out during every level of production: from the actual writing and delivering responses in a group setting to the viewing and responding to the actresses' performances.

The War Tapes

The War Tapes was quite a viewing experience. The concept of sending soldiers in with their own cameras to document their deployments as they saw fit was certainly a successful one. The War Tapes spanned many possibly areas of focus that a war documentary might be concerned with, and was really quite successful in each and every one of those areas. It was at once a story of the lives of the individual soldiers, particularly those who filmed, an exposing of the life, ideas, and attitudes of those who serve in the army, as well as a documentation of the way they live and work together. It was a political story, though again by no stretch was this its primary aim; the commentary of the soldier 'Bazz' and his interaction with his fellow soldiers, as well as the consistent juxtaposition of the true story of the war by those who were fighting it with the story of the war being widely reported created incredible levels of contrast.

One aspect of the piece that would be interesting to gain more information on would be the impetus behind the entire project, as well as the degree to which these men created the product we view from the footage and other source material that they collected. Regardless, the piece was a remarkable revealing, remarkably relevant, and truly thought-provoking view of modern war from a genuine inside perspective. It surely has the power to cause each of us to reflect deeply on each kind of peace that we are so lucky to have in our daily lives.

Wrap up & next week & beyond.

Hi all,

Well, we managed okay with only half of our class today! Final projects sound exciting and diverse. Diversely excitingsome! Excitingly diverseful!

FOR NEXT WEEK:
You can choose between two very different videos to watch on library reserve & blog open-endedly about whichever you choose.

1. THE WAR TAPES In March 2004, just as the insurgent movement strengthened, several members of one National Guard unit arrived in Iraq, with cameras. THE WAR TAPES is the result – a uniquely collaborative film from a team that includes Director Deborah Scranton, Producer Robert May (THE FOG OF WAR) and Producer/Editor Steve James (HOOP DREAMS). Straight from the front lines in Iraq, THE WAR TAPES is the first war movie filmed by soldiers themselves. It is Operation Iraqi Freedom as filmed by Sergeant Steve Pink, Sergeant Zack Bazzi and Specialist Mike Moriarty and other soldiers.
2. WHAT I WANT MY WORDS TO DO TO YOU offers an unprecedented look into the minds and hearts of the women inmates of New York's Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. The film goes inside a writing workshop led by playwright and activist Eve Ensler, consisting of 15 women, most of whom were convicted of murder. Through a series of exercises and discussions, the women delve into their pasts and explore the nature of their crimes and the extent of their own culpability. The film culminates in an emotionally charged prison performance of the women's writing by acclaimed actors Mary Alice, Glenn Close, Hazelle Goodman, Rosie Perez and Marisa Tomei.

Also, we will be engaging some sort of in-class video editing project for the next three weeks, and it will be your job to decide exactly what it will be. The objectives are that you will be working together (i.e. in small groups, in pairs, as a whole) and you will be working during class time on Final Cut Pro (which Rick and I will teach you). During next class, you will decide as a group what the assignment will be. Ideally, you'd be making something(s) that we can watch by the end of class on 11/24. So bring ideas if you can!