Artist Pink Video
“Stupid girl, stupid girls, stupid girls maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back….porno paparazzi girl, I don’t wanna be a stupid girl.”
The above quote are lyrics from a Philadelphia Artist and songwriter Alecia Beth Moore, better known by her stage name Pink who records a song and a video for the song entitled “Stupid Girls.” In the video specific stereotypes are depicted and are considered “stupid girls” for the characteristics they portray. The purpose of this video is meant to interpret Pink’s view of “stupid girls” and their actions.
The video starts out with a young girl watching television and having thoughts from two perspectives: a pink girl devil or a pink girl angel. The pink devil shows her girls that are anorexic, bulimic, video star, porn star, dumb and girls who tan until their skin is burnt. Whereas, the pink angel shows her girls that are aiming to be president of the United States, teaching, playing football and she states these are ambitious girls. At the end of the video, the young girl has had a chance to form an opinion based off of what was presented by pink angel and pink devil. There is a coffee table with different options for her to choose from based on what she perceives to be the right thing to do. The table has an alphabet game, football, telescope, keyboard, girl doll babies and a book. The girl chooses the football and the pink angel is happy.
The lifestyles, values and points of view vary in this video. The young girl in the beginning is being portrayed to act like a tom-boy because Pink is trying to break the mindset that girls have to act girly, feminine or seductive to be accepted. Different people may interrupt this video. One may say she is creatively painting a picture that you are still a girl if you do not do the things that society says are feminine. One may also say she wants to make a point that girls can be tough and play sports and still by biological sex be a girl. Consequently, Pink is making her point but is also being seductive and using the media to film her.
The female characters in the video act the way they were portrayed. Bulimia and anorexia are two serious illnesses but are encouraged because they are obsessed with being skinny. The video star and porn star images are girls perceived as selling themselves and exposing their bodies to be on television and sell records. One may say they are smart girls because this line of work may pay their bills and one may say they are not smart girls because they are portrayed as whores and prostitutes.
Pink was able to get her points across whether agreed with or not. The “stupid girls” in our society choice to burn their skin to look darker but people are racist against darker races. The “stupid girls” worry about lipstick, lip gloss, make-up and cute little dogs while the things in life like driving and paying attention to laws are being ignored. The “smart girls” are striving to get an education and teach others and are considered ambitious if they do so.
What was omitted was how to get the points across without being seductive. The main points were use your brain to get ahead in life, unfortunately that is not what’s focused on while watching the video.
latoya stroman
The Smirnoff Ice commercial entitled "Gizmo" is part of a series of advertisements that follow the phrase "gotta think of everything." The TV spot depicts two intersecting story lines. The first is that of two friends at a party engaged in a friendly conversation about Smirnoff Ice and the "gizmo" placed on the bar; the second is of a visibly intoxicated partygoer standing outside approaching his car. The stories collide when it turns out the gizmo unleashes a monster truck that has the ability to run over the car that the impaired driver is about to enter. The commercial closes with the message that “friends don't let friends drive when they shouldn't.”
The creators of this message, the Smirnoff Ice marketing and advertising teams, made this message with an intention that is twofold. The first purpose of the message is to entertain and raise sales of the product. The second purpose is to enlighten and raise awareness of the importance of not driving while intoxicated. The creators use attractive young individuals in a party setting as well as comedy to attract and keep viewers' attention.
The lifestyles portrayed in this advertisement are of fun-loving, thirtysomething partygoers who enjoy having a good time. However, another lifestyle portrayed is that of those who often don't know when to STOP partying and make educated decisions. The commercial attempts to bring the value of friendship to the forefront by depicting individuals who prevent others from poor decision making and promote safety. This, however, leads to what is omitted from the message: realism. While it is noble of Smirnoff to address the significant message of drunk driving, there will be no monster trucks in real life.
Different individuals may see this message from different perspectives. Some may focus on the alcohol and hope that Smirnoff Ice allows them to have a party like the one shown. Some may take away a valuable lesson and reevaluate their decisions while impaired. Lastly, and most unfortunately, others may find the commercial comedic and disregard the message about drunk driving that society is inundated with but often ignores.
--Stephanie Hudson
Sean Clair
9/19/2010
Informal Writing Assignment 2
Renee Hobbs
The thesis from this trailer is that two friends create a social network for people to see their friends’ posts, photos, videos, and even chat with them online. Along the way the two creators get the fame and attention they deserve while having conflicts with each other. The author or should I say director of this film is David Fincher and the purpose of the message is to show how one of the most popular social networking sites called “Facebook” was built, expanded, and grown to achieve its reach today. The techniques shown are clips from the movie that show the point off the films as to the cons of a business. The lifestyles, values and points of view are represented through people today logging on Facebook and interacting with their friends and family through a laptop or computer rather than a face to face or call through a phone. Also, this film shows how people can interact with each other no matter where they are or when they will be with them to have a conversation with. People can view the message differently by one person saying that Facebook is a site that people should really think about joining and connecting with people. On the other hand, another person may view this film as a way to start a business and use the same techniques as the film. The message from the film is what I have been saying in this short writing; connecting with friends and others needs to be taken to another level and that way is a social network.
Students created this screencast by analyzing the TV show using the 5 Critical Questions of Media Literacy
Students created this screencast using the 5 Critical Questions of Media Literacy
The concept of media making or the idea that students have the ability to become authors and communicators with the advancement of technology hits very close to home for me from both a student and teacher standpoint. The notion that media making aids in cognitive and emotional processes in order to gain a deeper understanding of symbols and culture through students' creation of media reminds me of a class I took in high school: AP Psychology. Our teacher, Mr. Silimperi, allowed us to express ourselves through the creation of music videos, mock-umentaries, and board games instead of simply feeding us the material. For example, when studying the parts and processes of the human brain, my partners and I decided to produce a short music video countdown (think MTV's Total Request Live); during this countdown, we channeled popular and well-known artists such as, but not limited to, Destiny's Child, N'Sync, Dionne Warwick, and John Lennon. We replaced lyrics of songs with which we were familiar with lyrics about the lesson plans regarding the brain. We "read" the material AND "wrote" our own version of it to make it work for US. As a result, I found that the positive correlation between my learning and my resultant improved exam scores was hard to deny. I tend to disagree with those who are quick to argue that media "writing" skills diminish the power of developing media "reading" skills.
Another case I'm reminded of the importance of media making of, this time as the role of the teacher, is my summer workplace for the past 6 years at a day camp. During portions of this camp, I assist an art teacher as we instruct children how to create Lego animations using stop-motion photography and video editing on Windows Movie Maker. The combination of using the cameras, recording voiceovers, and making key editing choices gives the students not only the KNOWLEDGE of how to use this technology but also the PRACTICE to do so.
Posted here is a link to an example of one of our student's, Sean Rogers, work. This video was made in Sean's second year of camp as a sequel to his debut film. (Note at minute mark 3:28 where I make my cameo! I'm the Lego in the red shirt)
The Elevator Wars: Chapter 2: Blackmail
-Stephanie Hudson
