Sunday, July 31, 2011

Donald Duck in 'Der Fueherer's Face'

  1. How are the Germans (and Japanese) portrayed in the opening sequence? How is irony created?
The Nazi's portray themselves as the master race, but ironically they don't look or act 'perfect' so to speak. 
  1. How is propaganda and the effect of propaganda portrayed with the introduction of Donald Duck?
 
  1. How is irony continued into the breakfast scene?

  1. How is Naxi Germany portrayed in the opening shot at 3:30?

  1. What is ironic about the song lyrics regarding work and what is happening in the scene?

  1. What does the conveyor belt portray regarding the lifestyle of Germans?

  1. Why do you think that there aren't actually any people that force Donald to work? We only see the ends of bayonets and a speaker.

  1. What is ironic about the vacation?

  1. In the dream sequence, how are the Germans portrayed? Why?

  1. What do the pajamas when we see Donald in his bed tell us?

  1. What is the Statue of Liberty used to convey?

  1. How is Hilter portrayed at the end of the film? What is it about his face that is important?

  1. Why is this a representation of propaganda? Why is it actually ironic considering the way the Nazi's are portrayed?

  1. Who are the villains, victims, and heroes?

  1. How are the portrayed?

  1. What can you conclude about how these characters are portrayed knowing that this was produced in 1943 USA? (write a short essay including a discussion of the director's use of film techniques.)

Angles and Shots


key words/focus:
camera angle (low, high, eye-level), vectors, lighting, composition

(4:20) How are camera angles used when Joshua says 'Thank you' (not in German)? Which angles are used to view each of the characters? What does each of these angle signify?
High angle is used that is looking down on Joshua.
(4:45) What shot distance and angle is used to show Guido's concern for Joshua when the German waiter leaves the room? Describe the composition)
Eye level shot, medium distance, asymmetrical, not as geometric, showing the Germans are more orderly and powerful. 
(4:46) How is shot of Guido contrasted to the shot of the German waiter walking away to tell someone what has just happened? Describe the composition and compare it to the previous shot of a concerned Guido.
The shot is symmetrical the shapes are very geometric, the man is walking very proudly and with perfection which ads to emotion.
(5:02-05) How is the shot of the German's contrasted to that of Guido teaching the children to say 'Thank You'?
The Germans are in a close up whereas the children and Guido are in a long shot. The shot with Guido is very disorderly and the shot with the Germans is orderly. The shot with Guido is a high angle and the German shot is eye level. The Jew is on the same level as the children whereas the Germans show more power as they are higher in power than the children.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Life is Beautiful Questions

 What is a tragedy? An event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe.

How is Life is Beautiful a tragedy? It is based during the holocaust which is a tragedy

Could it also be a comedy? Yes because their is humourus moments in it even though it is set during the holocaust

What is a villain? What is a hero? What is a victim? Give examples of each both from real life and from fiction. A villian is an antagonist who usually is against the protagonist, is usuall depicted as an evil person. The hero
is the opposite. A victim is somebody who suffers from an event. Example: Hero: Firefighters,paramedics and policeman. Villain: Terrorist's

Who are the villains, victims and heroes? Guido and his family are our heroes, the germans are our villains and the victims are the jewish people.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Cav's guide to writing an essay

o writing an essay

1. Read- Active

  • reacting
2. Hypothesis - Question + Idea
    > Opinion                   > unpack question
                                        > reaction
3. Research
     >examples
4. Stream of consciousness ---> strong views/ opinions= thesis
5. Organise- structure  
6. Draft- editing

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Elective History

Influence of the Enlightenment

Many important enlightenment thinkers were French, they attacked the French government and society because of their 'radical' beliefs. They thought that;

  • All men are born equal and should have equal rights
  • All people had the right to rule their own country
  • People had the right to overthrow an unjust government
Because of these thinkers such as; Voltaire and Montesquieu, these idea quickly spread like wildfire. 

Influence of the American War of Independence

As a result of  the joint war effort between the French and the Americans, many French soldiers and people started to develop democratic ideas. Quite ironically, there were fighting for a cause which declared 'no taxation without representation' , which back at home in France they had no control over taxation, they had no parliament to represent them. They wanted reforms. 





Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Notes on Assessment

Questions: In the Science Fiction world of Ender's Game progress is propelled by fear.

Thesis

  • The fear of failure and the feel of death has propelled the need for advancement of technology in Ender's game
  • The fear of the buggers and the fear of superiority had propelled the need for 


Key Words

Science Fiction

  • Genre
  • Conventions (What makes this science fiction, the characteristics of sci fi)

Progress

  • Technological Advancements
  • Species (Genetics of kids (Smart kids) buggers )
  • Human Capabilities/ health
  • Societal (Society's progress)
  • knowledge

Propelled

  • Pushing forward
Fear
  • Failure ( Ender being like Peter who he is becoming, not succeeding)
  • Not being advanced enough ( Failure again)
  • acceptance 
  • death (fearing the buggers, ender and the fantasy game)
  • Loss of control (Motivates Ender to strive not to be like Peter, 'to advance his self control')
  • Fear of loss of respect/ ego

Ender's Major Events

Motivation for Battle School
  • Fear of Peter
  • Fear of the buggers
Isolation (By Graff) - Ender; better leader, stronger character, failure/death, saviour
  • Start of battle school
  • room leader
  • lunch  <---Has to be done, stimulated by fear of the buggers. Ender needs to be developed into this amazing leader
  • launch                             
  • command school
Fighting
Ender feels he must fight he has a 'fear of the future'
'if he doesn't fight now it will
 keep happening'
Stopping negative outcomes
  • Stilson
  • Bonzo
  • Bernard (cyber)
Ender's Game Relevance 


Sci fi = fear > propell > progress

Science Fiction                                        

  • Aliens
  • Unknown
  • Space - Battle school 
  • Space travel
  • technology
  • Future
  • Apocalypse 
Fear (Themes) 
  • Vunerablity
  • control
  • Not being good enough - Graff/ humans, Ender
  • Not being sophisticated enough
  • death
  • Peter - mean (Aggressive), mentally unstable
Propel
  • buggers better tech
  • Ender's concerns
Progress
  • Weapons, Ansible
  •  mental development




Demothenes and Locke

Demosthenes, Valentine

A radical who opposed the rule of Athens by Macadonia (Alexander the Great)

Radical - Disband "Warsaw Pact" anti-Russia (Warsaw pact is important, keeps everyone together to fight the buggers)

Use of persuasion - Fear

Locke, Peter

Moderate "Social contract" balance must be struck between individual rights + what is best for the greater good