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Mariah
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About Me
- Lightedstar
- Mariah Lichtenstern-Walebowa is an entrepreneur, media consultant and producer. She founded Lightedstar Entertainment and Mobile App Development Pro. Mariah's multimedia portfolio includes narrative film, documentaries, music videos, commercials, websites, blogs, and social networks.
18 comments:
Brandon Roots
Survey of Digital Film
April 8th, 2008
Influence of Media
Whether society wants to admit it or not, functionalism holds more truth than they think it does. If you reference figure 2.4 (page 60, Media Now), this figure can also be doubled as a representation of the people who require the influence of media. The front of the figure, where innovators are can be replaced with the people who don’t require the media to influence or reinforce their beliefs nor do they need it to sustain their normal daily routines. On the other end of the spectrum, where the laggards are abundant would be the majority of society which can’t function without their mindless entertainment, introduction of new ideas and biased opinions.
The prime example I have decided to use an outline is reality TV shows in which seem to be the craze. Though sitcoms are still present the large number of reality TV shows which aren’t even reality contain fabricated scenarios with real people being heavily influenced by factors introduced by the person in charge of the project. Without a working knowledge of media literacy the population is lead from one genre to another, all of which fall neatly under a category under the critical studies. In addition to they utilize many of the steps regarding the media's functions from watching the show and forming an opinion (interpretation), telling others (values transmission,socialization), which has served it's pupose as Entertainment but also as instilling subconcious addictions to so called "real drama."
The irony of the situation is, as diverse as the categories are the target audience for advertising and TV shows isn’t the entire population, though generalized commercials and things of the sort seem to apply to everyone. This leads into technological determinism, the people able to create a standard and set it, then wait for society to strive to achieve that goal will always act accordingly while governed under their own rules to control the world by media.
Brandon Roots
Survey of Digital Film
April 12th, 2008
Personal Goals for GoEnternainment
There are many projects I would like make which range from music videos to movies. I personally would like to collaborate in any project I feel an attraction to that I feel has the same standard or conveys a similar message as my own. I especially like things that teach me something I don’t know so being under someone else until I learn the so-called “ropes” of shooting motion pictures is also a blessing in itself since you should learn from the best and adapt it on your own style.
As for projects I like the idea of abstract videos with a short movie feel to them but anything visually attractive to the eye is a considered a good finished product to me. It seems music videos aren’t what they used to be nor do they convey any meaning besides demoralizing women while glamorizing unhealthy or unrealistic lifestyles. Once I get a good feel for storyboards and being behind the camera I would like to then attempt my short films that are mainly in the category of romantic-comedies that have very good dialogue with little sexual content or cliché portrayals of relationships that fall underneath every other movie.
Once I have established a name for myself I have two different directions I would like to pursue simultaneously, the first is Hollywood and the second is the cult-classic following. I plan on covering almost every genre and my influences range from Takashi Miike to Quentin Tarantino who I both respect for taking each project one at a time and leaving it in it’s natural state of what it was intended to be and presenting it that way to the public regardless of the outcome.
Block Buster Inspiration
What kind of projects would I like to work on? The cream of the crop, Block Buster hits that I grew up watching and still watch to this day. I want to be a part of the classic films that I idolize and I want to help good actors become the legends of my new classic films.
When I was young I remember running around the house pretending I was the latest hero from my favorite new movies. Whether it was John McClane from Die Hard, or Bruce Wayne from Batman it didn’t matter as long as I could experience the greatness of being on film. The funny thing was I never even had a camera on me at that time, not until I was a teenager. It was in those teenage years that I started to make my own productions. These films were based off of larger productions of television and movies. I filmed many “no” budget comedy sketches of commercials and video games. Then for about two years my friends and I made our own wrestling federation and we got as many people involved as possible. Once again our wrestling federation was made after our heroes on television, who were at the time Sting, Hulk Hogan, and many more of the cheese ball characters of the WCW and WWF. Although it was until recently that I realized that this filming hobby was going to become my life.
For the past two years I have been working on my own low budget films. Most of the films that I have made are experimental, it’s a good way to learn different techniques and to see if I have the patience before I pursue my career in making movies. The material in my films that I have made is pure garbage, bt the reward for myself is complete satisfaction. I enjoy making films, creating my own world and sharing it with society is the satisfaction. Now I have taken the next step and I have started my film educating at a creditable school. It’s only a matter of will power and time before my dreams of telling great stories on the big screen become a reality.
I honestly believe that as long as I have faith in my work and I keep practicing I can make Block Busters that we can all view in theatres one day. I just need to keep a clear focus on my goals as a filmmaker, and look to the greats for inspiration. By the greats I mean all of my favorite films and filmmakers. Some of my favorite films would include: Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Batman, Batman Begins, Gladiator, Jurassic Park, Aliens, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Ghost in the Shell, Return of the Living Dead, 2 Days in the Valley, Beetlejuice, Ong Bak, etc. Some of my favorite filmmakers (the true inspiration) would include: Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, George Lucas, Tim Burton, The Wachowski Brothers, James Cameron, Zack Snyder, Quentin Tarintino, Robert Rodriguez, etc. It’s films and filmmakers like these that truly inspire me to push forward. It’s only fitting that I try to reach the heights that they have reached in the world of film.
-Justin Dailey
Media is Controlled by Corporations
It’s obvious that our media is controlled by a "higher power", thus being corporate conglomerates like Viacom. The messages we perceive in television, newspapers, and most internet productions are relayed through careful, tactful thoughts that the conglomerate has pushed into the media publication. Corporate conglomerates may directly make a publication that exposes themselves as being evil or untrusting, this is a form of a façade to pull the wool over your eyes from seeing the real truth. Corporations (men in power) control what your seeing or reading in our media, what can be done to stop this?
For years and years of my life I have watched television and movies. What I generally pick up as the "message" or "lesson" of the film may not necessarily be what the sponsors wanted to brainwash me with. When I watch Batman or Spiderman, I see a man with a great responsibility to do what he believes is right. I can also see what message a corporate man might have added in. In "Batman Begins" the overall message I got from the Director (Christopher Nolan), was that even when a man is driven to complete destruction, he still must push beyond this destruction and become greater man than what is expected from a society. The general message I picked up from the film overall is teamwork, one man cannot change the events without the help of his peers (in this film the help was James Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth, and Ras Algul). Was this corporate influence? Batman is a loner, sure Alfred was always there and Gordon helped out but Batman was always depicted before as the one man army, the one hero to bring the crime in Gotham to it’s knees. It was Batman that learned the way crime worked by joining in the crimes. It was Batman that learned the ways of Ninjitsu and spent Bruce Wayne’s vast fortune to pursue his fight against crime. I believe that it was a corporation’s influence to make Batman seem like less of a man without his peers. Why, I will possibly never know, but in almost every film I have seen I can feel the corporate presence.
What can we do to stop adding in corporate messages and keep the true artist’s message as the main focus? Nothing. While media is pretty much solely funding by the "higher power" there is nothing we can do. Films and other publications are expensive artworks. Generally artists aren’t rich until they have made a few outstanding publications, then after they become rich and successful they feel the need to expand their businesses and therefore they become the "higher power". When a Producer sits down with a Director he may tell him "Hey, this is what our sponsor wants in the film." It is the Director’s job to meet the agreements of his employer (sponsor). The Director may have his own idea from start to finish what he wants his film to be like, but as long as someone else is paying for it he has to meet certain guidelines. There isn’t much we can do about this except fund your entire publication, I’m no Bruce Wayne, so to become Batman I would need the help and funding of others.
-Justin Dailey
Log Lines for other films...
A tortured man must become what he fears to fight injustice.
-Batman Begins-
One ordinary New York cop must fight terrorists in Los Angeles to save his wife.
-Die Hard
Two clones must escape captivity to discover the truth about their exsistance.
-The Island
One of the only remaining original vampires, Saya, is on the path to destroying her bloodline.
-Blood the Last Vampire
A viral outbreak calls for a team of mercenaries to investigate the disaster.
-Resident Evil
This were made by Justin Dailey
A boy is visited by a friendly monster that tries to convince him to murder.
-To the Tune of Madness
This would be my logline for my own film.
Brandon Roots
Survey of Digital Film
April 23rd, 2008
Revised Loglines
1. A robot from the future returns to the past to save a boy who will prevent the extinction of mankind.
Terminator 2
2. When a boy obtains a golden ticket that lands him inside his favorite action star's movie he is faced with the challenge of getting home
Last Action Hero
3. An FBI agent goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to track down a criminal
Kindergarten Cop
4. A group of people trapped in a mall surrounded by the living dead realize their barracades won't hold up for long
Dawn of the dead
5. After man loses his apartment to a gas leak he realizes he gets no satisfaction from his life and creates an underground fight club
Fight Club
**My Log Line**
A father of a broken home is confronted by a demon who gives him an ultimatum of choosing his daughter or his wife to be replaced within 24 hours
An Ex-convict assembles an extraordinary team to steal from 3 Las Vegas casinos owned by the man who seduced his wife. – Ocean’s 11
A wager leads a wealthy stock investor’s life to be switched with that of a homeless con-man in the ultimate test of if hereditary or environment leads to success - Trading Places
A Graduate of MIT uses his genius skill in math to beat the House at the game of Blackjack in order to pay back his Massive student Loans. – 21
A college professor travels to foreign countries to find ancient religious artifacts while thwarting Nazis in the process. – Indiana Jones and the Ark of the Covenant
The life of a robot comes to a drastic turn, when 700 years after it was abandoned on earth, a ship returns to the desolate planet. – Wall-E
Log Lines for other films...REVISED April 24th 8:46pm
A tortured man becomes what he fears to fight injustice.
-Batman Begins-
One ordinary New York cop fights terrorists in Los Angeles to save his wife.
-Die Hard
Two clones escape captivity to discover the truth about their exsistance.
-The Island
One of the only remaining original vampires is on the path to destroying her mutated bloodline.
-Blood the Last Vampire
A team of mercenaries investigate a mysterious viral outbreak.
-Resident Evil
A nerdy teenager is living a comfortable life until a vampire moves in next door.
-Fright Night
These were made by Justin Dailey
Brandon Roots
Survey of Digital Film
April 28th, 2008
Revised Loglines
1. A cybernetic organism appears in search of a juvenile delinquent who doesn't know he will save mankind from extinction.
2. A reluctant FBI agent goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to track down an elusive criminal.
3. An unlikely group of people seek refuge in a mall from cannabalistic zombies
4. An interesting stranger befriends a disgrunted office worker after his apartment blows up
5. When a young action movie fanatic obtains a golden ticket that lands him inside his favorite actor's movie he is faced with the challenge of getting home
**
A demon wrecks psychological havoc on a dysfunctional family searching for a host
Loglines-
A rich white kid who “acts black” is arranged to be kidnapped to try to shock him back to his original roots.
Malibu’s Most Wanted
An African American man becomes the first U.S. Navy Diver.
Man of Honor
A pregnant bride wakes up from a long coma looks for her kidnapped child and assassinates the people who put her in a coma along the way.
Kill Bill Vol. 1
After a bio-weapon is released and turning people into zombie, a group of survivors try to escape the infection community.
Planet Terror
I came to the Art Institute-Sacramento because I have a passion for media and the film industry. The passion and drive that I have to be part of this industry could only be fulfilled if I learned and study the field. As you learn here at the Art Institute you start explore the different projects that you may want to create and/or that you might want to contribute to. Collaborating with all the different students and hearing all their ideas makes me want to contribute to those and as well make mine.
Becoming a music director would be an ideal measure of success for me. I believe that music is for your soul, it is the emotions and words that makes a feeling your might have. I want to be able to create a visual that best tells the story. Secondly, I would like to get my fingers into editing and special effects. I think the editing bay for movies, commercial and videos is where all the magic starts. It is the place where the magic happens to create the finished product. Lastly, I would like to put together both passion of mine, creating a music videos and editing, and use them to make trailers for feature films. I want to be able to market feature films without telling the whole story, give just enough information.
With all the projects that I am apart of will hopefully have a message and purpose but sometimes a message is not needed because it will be purely for entertainment. Right now, I’m exploring all my options and hopefully I will be able to reach or even touch any of these futuristic goals!
Brandon Roots
Survey of Digital Film and Video Production
Mariah Lichtenstern
Comparison of FAF and ITVS
The Film Arts Foundation is a non-profit organization that primarily focuses on giving the person the right start to get into the film business an independent filmmaker by providing them with the information, resources, education, training, and exhibition oppurtunities to present their finished product. They offer two types of membership; the first is for film makers and the second is for business memberships.
While ITVS doesn’t offer the same resources for hands on training they do sale the ITVS Production Manual (with our without a CD). ITVS mainly accepts proposals to start new projects which fall into their mission statement of increasing diversity on public television with independent media in hopes of creating new audiences to view them.
Therefore, if the main goal in mind is trying to submit something that you’ve already worked on then you should go through ITVS which can even partially fund your project if meets their criteria but if you want to learn what you’re supposed to be doing and need the help doing so, your best bet would be to use the Film Arts Foundation.
Brandon Roots
May 25th, 2008
Survey of Digital Film
Lighting Comparison
The first thing I watched after reading the chapter on lighting when I was on vacation was part of a Pilipino drama. I made notes while watching this and this is the lighting that I observed, continuous action lighting, with fast falloff, on most of the scenes. As noted in the book, the low key lighting is commonly used in dramas for the dramatic effect is gives. I also notice cameo lighting which was used to emphasize either a person or a close-up of a face by manipulating the light source it gave a certain atmosphere or feeling to the shot. Finally for the shots where the characters were in a crowded place such as a restaurant then background lighting had to be used to also create the atmosphere, it could appear as a hole in the wall restaurant or a popular spot frequented by all the locals.
In order to watch the total opposite I figured I would watch a Pilipino Variety show, this consisted of people performing and then being interviewed about where they were from and how long practiced. For the performances they had to light the background so everything was bright around them as well as high base light. The lighting changed not drastically but a bit when they interviewed the people, I noticed they would have to adjust lights to stop shadows on faces from the lights directly above them that were used in the performance section. Large area lighting would also apply for the shots when the audience is shown viewing the show and reacting to it.
Lighting is very technical piece of television and film that can either make a break a project and after reading this chapter and watching television a bit more closer I realize the importance of it.
Brandon Roots
Survey of Digital Film
June 12th, 2008
Final Blog
This class has given me a lot of insight of the business side of films , ranging from pitching, budgets, treatments, and even roles of the production team. The thing that really helped me out for my own personal projects was the explanation from tabletop to film and what programs they use on the computer and boards they use to track progress of the movie(project.) I can now organize my projects better and get others in the loop without confusing them because I don't have everything in order.
Some of the readings were long from the television production handbook but once I started applying the knowledge I realized that all this is useful as a resource for future reference so I found myself marking pages so I don't have to look too hard next time.
All of the funding information was very informative but I was still a little lost during some of the explanations but the links that were provided clarified everything. The business itself has it's on set of rules and regulations and can seem overwhelming until you understand how it works so the sooner the better, I'm glad that learned about it this early so I'm not lost when the time comes for these funding and marketing plans.
The atmosphere was very good in comparison to a large class we had a lot of time to ask questions so I know my peers would have to pay attention a lot more since they won't have as much time as we did to ask questions.
The Final Blog-Justin Dailey
Who's above the line, how to pitch, how to organize films, how to make a film. This class at first I didn't feel like I was picking up anything maybe I was confused. Later in the coarse when I was pitching my script to my friends I realized I was much more passionate in my pitch. Not only that but there was an actual formula to the pitch and it was much more clear to the listener of what my story was about about what themes I was trying to get across. Actually just the other day I was talking with my roommate about some films and he couldn't understand the termanology . I realized that I have learned loads of new termonology and how to apply the terms. The one thing I really appreciate learning was how can I fund my own films. I received loads of website links and information on books to read on how to budget my films. I feel confident now that I can properly organize a cast, budget my own film, and get the resources to get the funding for my film.
The only things I was unclear on was actually retaining information from the readings and from the Modules. That could actually be a personal problem but I feel that I needed more interaction with actually seeing what an editor does and producer does, etc. Then again I could be complaining that I am somewhat unclear on what these people actually do but hey this is my first semester in College.
Erin Gholson
Survey of Digital Film and Video Production was an interesting class thus far while attending The Art Institute. I have learn many things that I will apply to my production classes and my career such as networking with other creative individuals and using their connections to get where I want my career to be directed. Another quality is being able to gain knowledge and expertise is being able to do coverage and how to prepare a great pitch.
The most helpful information that I received from this class was how to put together documents that I will need to know when looking for my first entry level position post graduation. The most unclear about the class was how to go about getting money for our personal projects. But the links and information that was given to us will be able to lead me into the right direction.
The most helpful thing that my peers and I will take to the following classes is the information that we received online and our readings. If we apply what we read in the readings we will have a general knowledge of terms and applications.
I enjoy this class very much. It was a great experience to have the chance to be apart of an intimate class and being able to have an one on one class with the instructor.
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