Scene Analysis- Post 4

Here is a little set up of context for the scene: Rocket (the raccoon), Groot, Peter Quill, and Gamora are planning to help each other escape the prison so that can give an orb that they previously obtained to an unknown buyer that will pay them a great amount of wealth for it. 

Rocket is an expert on prison breaks so he lists the items he will need to help them escape. Off-screen with focus on the guard tower, Rocket tells the group that they will need to get into that particular tower, indicating that the camera is in the point of view of the four characters.

When Rocket says that he needs one of the guard's security bands, the camera focuses on an unassuming guard pressing the buttons on his security band. In the next shot, it goes back to the group with Gamora's eyeline matched up with the position of the guard as she says that she will get it. We see the same technique used when Rocket says that he needs the prosthetic leg of one of the prisoners and we see a shot of a prisoner with a metal leg walking around.

As they sit down Rocket asks if they see panel with a light in the back, which would be in the background. Quill, who is in the foreground, sees the panel and the camera focuses on the panel in the background then focuses back on Quill when he acknowledges it.

As the scene progresses, they talk about how they would go about disabling the panel. Quill states that it would be impossible to do it without being scene. As Quill says that, Groot is in the background adjusting his height to disable the panel. This is an example of the dialogue's relationship to an action occurring during a scene. 

The next dialogue involves Rocket saying that the battery in the panel is the last thing that needs to be taken. But after he says that, Groot takes the battery out. The editing of the dialogue with Groot's actions is used for comedic timing and it also sets up for action sequences that involve the group improvising an escape to make up for the botched plan.

Soundwalk (aural exercise)

I started my soundwalk at the corner of 5th and 68th St. along Central Park. It was around 3:30 p.m., so traffic was starting to ramp up as everyone was leaving work. Personally, I thought this would be a great time and place to do the exercise because there could possibly be a mix of natural and industrial sounds.

As I walked down 5th Ave., I heard typical New York City noises- idling buses, car horns, emergency vehicle sirens, etc. However, I tried to focus on the noises that I often ignore either because the city's industrial sounds are too loud or I'm listening to my iPod.

Passing by many groups of people, I heard bits of conversations in different languages ranging from Spanish to Italian and other languages in between. I could also hear the soft jingling of dog leashes from people walking their dogs. Focusing even more, I could hear the faint sound of chirping birds in Central Park's trees.

I made a right on 59th St. walking towards Columbus Circle and heard the clopping noise of the horse-drawn carriages as well as continuous sound of bicycle pedals from pedicabs. I also heard some music, one instance was the radio of a street food cart vendor and the other was a boombox playing hip-hop in time with a breakdancer.

Once I reached Columbus Circle, I entered the park and became aware of the sound of my own footsteps. I was stepping in some dead leaves and heard others' stepping in them too. The park also had music but from actual performers with instruments like the guitar and violin.

By the time I reached the middle of the park, the city's industrial noises were very faint, almost non-existent; it felt like I was not even in the city anymore, all the sounds I heard were typical of any other park. There was the sound of children playing in the playground and babies cooing or crying.

These sounds were interrupted by the sound of an engine starting coming from one of the park crew's carts. It reminded me that I was still in a city with industrial sound; I had just found a part where the sound was almost natural.

Audio Project - Ultimate Frisbee with Andre

Audio Project FINAL from Mark J. Marban on Vimeo.

Museum of the Moving Image field trip

Before the class trip to the Museum of the Moving Image, I initially thought it was just a compilation of items and exhibits on film history. I was right and wrong about that. Our tour guide started the tour with a wall of photos featuring classic Hollywood actors like Charlie Chaplin and Judy Garland.

These photos in particular were shown to casting directors so that they could determine who to cast in a movie. Next, we were shown some prosthetic masks used in movies like The Mask and Star Wars. We were also shown costumes used in various movies and television shows.

 One of my personal favorite parts of the tour was when we saw vintage toys and memorabilia from Star Wars and Star Trek. It was great seeing merchandising for movies back then evolve into what it is now. Below are some of the Star Wars action figures that were released in the past.

Since we only had an hour for the tour, there were some exhibits that we did not get to see up close. There was a section dedicated to old arcade games and I thought it would have been great to see more of that because I was not expecting it to be part of the museum.

Our group also got to sample some of the interactive exhibits. I personally got to take a series of pictures doing a simple motion and they were compiled into a flipbook. We also stepped into a sound booth where we dubbed voices over a particular movie scene.

Lastly, we were shown different kinds of cameras used across television and film as well as old television sets.

Overall, the MoMI was an excellent tour through the history of television and film and hopefully I can visit again to see more of what I missed.

 

Project 1- Define a Space

Artist Statement

My name is Mark Jason Marban and I'm a Journalism major at Hunter College. Growing up, I was interested with so many things including television, movies, and video games. Not much has changed since then. I still get excited when summer ends because it means a lot of shows return with new episodes. If there's a comic book movie coming out, I'm always willing to throw out previous plans to watch that movie on opening weekend. When a video game I'm excited to play is coming out soon, I mentally prepare how much time I can invest in it upon the week I get it.

But where does journalism fit among my other interests? In 7th grade, my English teacher Ms. South was so supportive of my writing despite my self-critiques. She was even a bit disappointed when I didn't enter my school's spelling bee. Fast forward to my senior year of high school when I've written so many poems and short stories for school and for leisure. I needed an elective so I joined the journalism class and it was the first time I realized that I could possibly write for a living. I wrote movie and video game reviews for the entertainment section.

Coming into 160, I was not sure how or if I could produce a piece of journalism with other forms of media infused in it. However, that became my goal. I want to be able to tell stories that involve my interests as well as new forms of media so that it becomes unique both in use of technique and content.