Media Appreciation #5: Questions for Be Kind Rewind

1. Casting; Do the actors suit the roles that they were cast in? Are they believable as part of the reality they are in? 

         a. Jack Black as Jerry Gerber

         b. Mos Def as Mike

         c. Danny Glover as Elroy Fletcher

a. Jack Black suits the role very much. Jerry is a type of person who takes a lot of idiotic risks that leads him to cause trouble. He destroys everything around him but somehow has ingenious ideas that lead to the town reuniting as one. He was believable in the reality he was in but he seemed to be in his own little world. 


b. Most Def suits his voice very well because he seemed like the type of person who looked at the realistic side of life. He seemed a bit slow with the way he talked and didn't seem to be the type of person that was very smart. He was the type of person to be a sidekick rather then a leader which suited his role because the movie mainly focused on Jack Black. He seemed to be a believable that he was someone who lived in the past because of the way he spoke and acted.


c. Danny Glover was believable as the shop owner. The vibe he gave off made it believable that he was someone who lived in the past. The way he saw DVDs made it seem that he was amazed by it. He seemed to have no idea on the newer technology out there and seemed to be someone living with older forms of technology. It made it believable in the reality that they were in.


2.How does technology impact the community at the beginning of the film?  At the end of this film?  


It didn't have a huge impact on the community and they always wanted to have more advance technology and didn't appreciate what they already had. The community wasn't advance in their technology, using VHS and tapes to watch their films. The environment of the whole town looked like it was old and run down. Everyone lived their own lives and technology wasn't anything they cared for much. Towards the end of the film, technology was the key factor that brought everyone together as one. It had a greater impact than it did at the beginning. It gives a message that can relate to life. In life, technology is what brings us all together. Without it, we wouldn't be able to communicate to each other as well as we do now. It's a great way of communication and a way to get informed. Films help people learn lessons on life and that's what the film did to the community.

Media Appreciation #4: the Questions

1. Discuss and review the two BP Oil ads.  Why does BP Oil choose the images/style it does to use in their ads?  What is the target audience(s)?  Which images stick in your mind and why?

The cute BP ad attracts children with the cartoon style of it. It makes it cute and eye catching. The reason why they are aiming towards children is because then they would go telling their parents to choose BP oil. Also it can be very attracting to teens just starting off driving. They use this image and style to make it seem that BP oil is a good thing and by using it, you will be happy like the children in the commercial. Also the whistling gas pump gives off a positive mood about BP oil. The colors and cartoons are attracting to the eye and the song is very catchy. It's something that sticks to your mind. That's good for BP oil because whenever someone sings in to themselves,  they think of BP oil which will make them use it.

In the "beyond oil" ad, the audience is everyone who's different because it makes it seems that those who are different, can change into something that's beautiful. Hence "Beyond a thorn, theres a rose". The images have a big impact because it relates to everyone in some sort of way and it incorporates humor making it entertaining for the audience watching. It's something that catches people's attention because they can relate to it themselves and with this, they will want to go with BP oil for their gas.

The images that stuck in my mind was the cartoon babies driving. I don't understand how babies would drive in the first place. Also the image of the "beyond darkness, there's light". I like that line because it's true to life. In life, whenever there's darkness and someone's in a rough patch, there's always something there to bring light to it and you can always get through it. 

2. In light of the current disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, is BP’s slogan (Beyond Petroleum) and Logo (the flower) appropriate?

I don't think its appropriate because BP is an oil company and the Logo seems to represent something dealing with helping out the environment. It's the complete opposite. Oil is bad for the environment and causes green house gases that deteriorate the ozone layer. That isn't helping the environment out whatsoever. It gives out a false impression of what BP oil is. The logo uses a flower and green/yellow colors. What does oil have anything to do with flowers? Unless it ties in with the environment as well right? Most people would think that BP oil is somehow helping the environment if people use their gas which isn't true. Look at the situation in the Gulf of Mexico. A huge oil leak caused by BP oil caused the ocean to be contaminated and hundreds and thousands of sea creatures to die. BP oil just caused a disaster to the environment then doing any good.

3. Consider responsibility; considering that it was BP’s oil rig that burned in the Gulf of Mexico and the resulting oil spilled would have been BP’s profit, do BP and other oil companies deserve to be ridiculed, made fun of, and/or satirized?  

They should be ridiculed, made fun of, and satirized because its their faults that there's an oil spill. They had the opportunity to get rid of the oil fast but instead, they want to put some kind of tube on top of it so they can profit from the oil spill. People should realize that these people don't care about the environment and the things that will happen the sea creatures. So these oil companies should be made fun of by the people so that a change can happen. These oil companies should feel ashamed of themselves. 

Media Appreciation #3: Media of the Future

MOCOM 2010

1. Find "something" new that we'll see in the future.

Over the past few decades, Mobile Media and Communication has changed drastically start from the first portable cell phone to internet accessible touch screen mobile cell phones. It will transform our economy having different things added on to the mobile phone like:

• Sensorcompany (gps, temperature, lights, humidity, compass-chips through sensors on the cell phone)
• Mobile broadband (bigger capacity)
• Mobile payment 
• Physical personal device (enable physical transformation)
• NY times create "epaper" for 1$ US.  It updates on the go.
• Instant translation on mobile
• mobile agenda (Mobile public security. Everyone will be tracked with numbers)
• Digital Natives
• Cyber Security

Our mobile cell phone will become the largest media because it will be able to do anything and everything.

2. What is the immediate use for the maker's product?

The use for the maker's product will be communication through a mobile cell phone but with many features with it that make it able to a lot more things. From our cell phone, we would be able to read the newspaper (epaper), have security (will be able to be tracked down with codes), sensorcompany (having a sensor that can be a gps, temperature, track humidity, have a compass). Our basic cell phones for internet and communication will change to become many things in one. It will be something different that no one has seen and can enable our lives to be easier having everything in one.

3. What impact will this product have on us, the users, and/or the world?

The world will become lazy and we will be controlled by an electronic device. A lot of people predict that in the future we will be controlled by a "machine" and with this being add on to the simple device as a cell phone, we can be. It can help decrease the violence and killers because the mobile device will somehow be able to become a person's security.

Media Appreciation #2: Buffalo Bill

1. Give at least 2 examples (with details) where the lines between reality (history) and entertainment (media) became blurred during the life of William Cody (AKA Buffalo Bill)

1) He wanted to be a hero in the character of Buffalo Bill. He blurred the line between reality and entertainment by incorporating true facts (reality) with myths (entertainment) of the Wild West. A lot of people have an image of what the real Wild West was and he exploited that. He used the image of what everyone believed the wild west was in his show so that he can seem like the real hero. He used real facts like natives living in Tipis and trying to recreate how the Wild West looks like. He grew up in the real west but he used myths that the media portray of the "wild west". That draws a line between reality and entertainment because he knows what it's like yet he used the stereotype that the media created. He just created it for himself just for entertainment and money.
2) Buffalo Bill wanted to make a story entertaining for his audience so he created a make-believe scenario incorporated with real facts. He made his audience believe how the Wild West is like with cowboys, buffalos, and indians so he could entertain his audience. That isn't reality because that isn't how the real Wild West is like. He only did that because he wanted to become famous. He blurred the line by making people believe that the things he showed, was reality when it was NOT.
3) He forgot reality and life was not important to him. All he wanted to do was act and make his audience happy for money and fame. His job made him away from his family and caused his "Buffalo Bill" character to become reality and him being "William Cody" being less real. He got caught up with the fame and slowly forgot who he was.

2. What reasons do we have to call Buffalo Bill the "original world celebrity"? Explain.

Everyone knew who Buffalo Bill was. He knew how to interact with his audience to make them feel his character. He was globally known. He went on tour worldwide for his fans to see his live performance. If you compare it to how celebrities are now, that is exactly what they do. They are globally known and they have tours worldwide so their fans can see them. Back then, there wasn't a lot of entertainment like music so this was new to everyone and created a hero for people to look up to which gave him the title of the "original world celebrity".

3. How could Buffalo Bill have benefited from new media? Who would have been some of his Facebook friends?

Buffalo Bill could have benefited from new media because people would be able to be updated with him. They would know more about his life and know when his shows were to go and watch it. His audience would be a larger crowd because everyone would have access to the dates he were going to be in their town. He could've used new media as a way of communicating to his audience. He could have used new media as a source of advertisement as well and his popularity would've been larger. It could've been a way of communication to his family and friends when he was on the road. It would help him realize that he's not only "Buffalo Bill" and be able to get a sense of reality. Some of his Facebook friends would be his fans, friends and family. His fans would want to have him on Facebook to be able to interact with him and check different "tour" dates.

Video Games and Video Game Culture

1) Where do you place yourself or your peers in video game culture? Why?

I place myself in the percentage of women who play video games. People have the preconception that only men play games and women don't. They are incorrect. It is proven that 43% of gamers are female but in our society, they believe that males are the majority of video gamers. I play online games with my friends. We play different types of PC games. The first video console I had was Nintendo 64 and I've seen some of the developments of video games. The reason why I put myself in video game culture is because I tend to play video games in my free time or when I just feel like escaping from the reality around me. With video games, I am able to make a whole new character and life for myself. For example, in the game the Sims 3, I am controlling a virtual life and I am able to make my dream life out of it.

2) What do you think of video games and video games culture? Why?

I think that video games are addicting and it helps people get away from reality. It is an escape from the real life which people occasionally need. There are some people who play too many video games that their judgement and logic disappears. They become so addicted to a game that they spend all their free time avoiding all their friends and family. It can corrupt a person and it can also cause one to get hurt physically or become violent. For example, on the news, there was a story of a teenager who killed his mother over her taking away his XBOX. Games like "Grand Theft Auto" can make people want to kill strangers and steal cars because it influences them. That is just my opinion on video games due to the media. During Ted Talks, he mentions that a bit over 80% of games aren't violent but the media make it seem that the majority of video games are.

I believe that in the future, video games culture will have a bigger impact on our society.

3) What do you see in the future for our culture and the impact video games will have on that future?

The future will have more technology. Over the past few years graphics have increased drastically. I believe that video games will become more realistic and you will be enable to interact with it. It will have  a bigger impact and people will be able to talk to their virtual life or even be in it. I think it will look as realistic as real life. People will be able to play games with other people around the world and feel as if they were actually there. I think the future of video games

More people will be staying home instead of going outside. It will cause people to become lazy.

4) Discuss one thing (quote, statistics, etc) from David Perry's talk that you found interesting.

I found it interesting how 43% of gamers are female. When I was younger, I was only able to watch my brother play video games. He never let me play them and his excuse was "girls don't play video games." A lot of people believe that girls don't play video games and all we do is go shopping, play dress up and wear makeup. They think that we only do "girly" things which is untrue.

The other thing I found really interesting is that the average age of video game players/buyers is 30. I expected the age to be in the early 20s, late teens.

I think the reason why I think this is because of the media. They gave a certain impression on the age and who plays video games are. Usually, people don't think adults play that much because they work, and take care of their family which seems strange for them to play video games on their free time.

Website Review

The Good Website


Omgpop is an online social gaming site that you can communicate with your friends or anyone around the world. There are many games in this site which you can play with anyone around the world and it gives an opportunity to meet new people. The site gives you an opportunity to choose the layout in which you want to decorate the background making it suitable for your preference. The more games you play, the more money you make and you can be able to buy things for different games or decorative things to design your profile page. 


This site gives you an opportunity to interact with different people from all around the world. You can chat with everyone and anyone. This is good because you are able to meet people from different parts of the world. This site is pretty easy to understand once you get the hang of things. There are labels everywhere showing what you can do. You are able to customize your profile, chat with any of your friends and play different variety of games. Different colors and font sizes are used to attract you to different things on the site. It's user friendly because its easy to use.  This site is good for the layout as well because you are enable to customize your layout to your personal preferences and you can change it to however you like with whichever personality you have. The content of this website is great because you are able to chat, play games and design your profile. I highly enjoy this website because the game can be addicting at first and its a free website that you can play online with your friends.


Even though this game is a good website, there are some defaults to it as well. There is no privacy to who can see your profile and anyone could be able to view who you are. There's a lack of privacy on this site. Even though a person doesn't have to be your friend, they can view your photo and whatever information you have on your profile. Another con about this site is that there are certain items you can only buy if you pay for their 'star membership'. There are also certain games you can't play either because you have to pay for their 'star membership' as well. The rule of thirds doesn't apply to the layout of the site.


The Bad Website


Dollie Love is a helpful site for any users wanting help for designing their myspace page. It gives many different codes to change things on myspace from the background layout to adding music. This is a good thing because it can be a helpful source to many.


Dollie Love is meant as a source to help others trying to get HTML codes. People aren't able to talk to each other through this website. Even so this site can be easy to use if you can find what you are look for. This site is cluttered so its hard to look for what you need. Its simple if you know exactly how the site works. The layout is too cluttered and it confuses the mind. There are many colors used as the layout. It doesn't follow the rule of 3rds and there's too many things going on at once. There are many links which lead you to other things and after, all you have to do is copy the HTML codes into the right area on your myspace. It can be complicated. There is a lot of content within the site. You can choose links to go into different myspace layout, photography graphics, twitter layouts, and a bunch of other stuff you can add onto your myspace page. This can be great and all, but the layout is cluttered causing confusion and uncertainty to where one should go. The irrelevant things on the site is in bigger font and the things that are relevant are smaller which is bad.


I think this site is bad because the way they designed this. It could be helpful but it just looks messy and unorganized.

Video Doc Response

Was there a point where you felt you were overwhelmed and felt like your "image" wasn't enough.   


The media portrays an image of the way girls and guys have to look like. We have to be super skinny and tall and have a face with no imperfections. That made me feel overwhelmed because the society makes you feel like if you don't go with this standard, no one will accept you. It lowered my self-confidence. I am short and normal weight I guess. But the way I see it is that I need to grow more, and that I need to loose weight. It made me feel like my image wasn't good enough. I already have low self-esteem, so it just made me feel like I wasn't pretty enough and no one in our society would accept me because of this.


Is the line blurred between what is "Sexy" and the image that you have (or are building) of yourself.  


Now a days, sexy is when you wear short skirts and show off a lot of skin. People would consider that to be "sexy". There is a line blurred between that and my personal image. I don't pay attention to the new styles. I just buy whatever I think is nice through my eyes. I stopped caring about how others will think of me, even though sometimes it does bother me. I don't like the image of sexy because I think girls should respect themselves and their own bodies and guys shouldn't only look at them for being "sexy" and an image just to look at. They should present themselves as being sophisticated so that people would want to get to know the real them and not the image that they put up.


Whose role is it to set "limits"? 


It is your role to set limits in what you do. If someone else set limits for you, it's not really their lives, so they can't tell you what to do. The media puts a expectation of how girls and guys are to look but that doesn't mean you have to follow that. You should put a limit for yourself and not make yourself eye candy for others.

 What advise would you give to a 4 year old about start her "social life", by going to school next year?


I would advise her to just be herself. She shouldn't be influenced by others. She still young and shouldn't be stressed over things like this because as a child, you should just live to have fun. As I remember my childhood, I didn't really care about my social life. Children at that age should have a simple life and grow up to remember their childhood as being simple and fun and the easy days. I think that as long as someone is themselves, that's all that matters. If there's people who won't accept you for being you, then those people aren't even worth your time.