Hey Everyone! Have you ever heard the saying, "Greed is the root of all evil"? Well, I totally believe in this statement, so today I will be sharing with you a short film I found that gives off this strong message. This short film is called, "The Black Hole." It's about a man who works in an office that finds a very unique sheet of copy paper. In the center of this paper, is this big black circle. He quickly finds out that this circle is actually a 'black hole' in which it can phase through things. Instead of using it for good or just not using at all, he makes a bad decision and chooses to use it to steal things. First he steals from the vending machine, and then from a safe full of money. He gets greedy and tries to steal all of the money in the safe, and ends up getting sucked through the hole, and stuck in the safe. I thought this short film was absolutely hilarious and gives off a great message, don't steal, and don't get greedy. I loved the cinematography and the audio. There was such a well put together sequence, especially in the beginning where he's trying to work the printer. You get to see every aspect and see each perspective because of all the angles it was shot in. I also like the lighting and color grading. It gave off a gloomy, mysterious type of look, one which fit this scenario of a bored, tired office worker who just found something interesting. Lastly, the sound. There were great nat pops and nat sounds that could be heard throughout the whole video. In the background, you could hear the printer beeping, and machines. Even while he lifted up the paper, it made a distinct sound of the paper flapping in the wind. One more thing, I liked the special effects. I thought it was really cool how they made his arm disappear into the whole each time he reached in. I wonder how they did that. Well, that is it for this week's reflective response! Thanks for reading! Bye!
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Everyday, we make countless amounts of decisions, each affecting our lives in different ways. Last week Friday, I was one amongst the eighth graders who volunteered to help out in the spelling bee, but then put down my hand since I wanted to do my own work. I am really sorry that I made that selfish decision, when in reality, Mr. M should be the one choosing from volunteers, not begging for them. It was a terrible decision on my part, and I do regret putting my hand down. With all the extra work Mr. M puts in for us, we should do the same. CKTV is an advanced media productions class, in which you have to put the effort in to get in. I remember completing an essay, doing an interview, and hoping that I got in. Fast forward three years later, and here I am, still in this media class because I absolutely love it. Why did I decide to apply for media in the first place? I chose to apply for media because I was interested in learning more about different technology and media production, I wanted to learn how to create videos, and I wanted a new challenging experience.
One main reason I decided to apply for media is because I wanted to know more about different technology and media production. The elementary school that I went to did not have a media productions class or program, and in registering for middle school I saw Chiefess did! I was very curious about what it was like, and I decided to try out for it because I wanted to learn about technology. In the registration packet, I remember reading that in the media class they got to learn more about cameras, and even got to do radio production. All of this information really intrigued me and I just wanted to learn more. Now in the class as a third year student, I can certainly say that I have learned so much about technology. I was given so many different media opportunities in which most people aren't offered that great experience. I applied for media because I wanted to learn about technology. Another reason why I applied for media is because I wanted to create my own videos. For as long as I've remembered, I've always liked being behind the camera, taking photos. That being, you're probably wondering why I didn't choose yearbook. Well, I wanted to learn about how videos are made, and how I could make my own. I loved seeing the behind the scenes breakdown and I just wanted to create my own music videos, movie trailers, etc. When I first joined, I didn't actually know we'd be doing news stories. I was a really bad writer, and I had no clue about doing the 'story' part (You can even check out my very first blog as proof.) I thought we'd just be filming and doing things with the camera. Now that I have some experience in creating news and feature stories, I think writing the story is really fun, too. You get to tell stories to others and really get a point across in a creative way. Being in this class has really made me a better writer, and not in just media, but in other classes too. I applied for media because I wanted to create videos. A third reason why I applied for media is because I wanted a new challenging experience. I remember hearing from a former student that the class was very difficult, and a lot of work. I wanted a challenge, and I sure got one! Media challenges me to do my very best, and to not settle for less. Before I joined, I wasn't aware that you had to work with a partner or contact interviewees. I was a very shy person, and still am. The thought of talking to someone that you don't know on the phone, or actually meeting them in person was overwhelming at first. I was a bit intimidated by my partner at first because they were two years older than me. But I've learned that these are important life lessons that you'll need throughout your whole life. You need to learn how to talk with others, have good communication skills, teamwork and cooperation, and so much more. I've learned so many life lessons from this class, and had so much fun it. Being an eighth grader, this is unfortunately my last year in the CKTV Media Productions class. I love it so much and I will miss it, and all the people in it. Next year, I will be a 9th grader at Kauai High. However, I do not plan to go into the media class there. The reason for this is because I'd like to branch out and try new things. Earlier in this blog, I mentioned my interest in technology. Well, instead of going into Arts and Communications, I want to try something in IET, or Industrial and Engineering Technology or maybe something in business. I also would like to do things like KEY or LEO club, or maybe even try out for cross country (hah but we'll see how that goes.) I love CKTV, but I want to try different things in High School. The CKTV Media Productions class has been an incredible experience, and I am very glad that I have decided to apply for this class. It helped me throughout middle school, improving my writing, teaching me life lessons, and giving me amazing long lasting friendships. I am deeply saddened that this is my last year, but that just means I have to make the best of it! Thank you so much for reading! Bye!
Hey Everyone! If you like the TV show, Arrow, I'm sure you'll like this TV show! For this week's reflective response, I'd like to share with you one of my favorite TV shows right now, DC Comic's The Flash. The Flash is a TV show that follows Barry Allen, a boy who was struck by lighting following the explosion of an invention, the particle accelerator. Nine months later, out of a coma, Barry discovers that he can run super fast and heal quickly, an aftermath of the explosion, making him a 'metahuman'. As a young child, Barry witnessed his mother being murdered, by something that couldn't be explained, a man in yellow lightning. No one believed him, and his father was wrongly convicted for his wife's murder. Fast forward in time, Barry along with the help of his friends and scientists, Cisco, Dr. Caitlin Snow, and Dr. Harrison Wells, use his super powers for good, to stop other bad meta-humans from committing crimes, while trying to discover who this 'man in yellow' really is. This show is action packed, and keeps you on the edge of your seat, wanting to know more. It has really cool special effects, and an exciting plot. I love the cinematography and the whole intensity of it! A meta-human is someone who has been affected from the blast, giving them some sort of super power. Barry was given his speed, as others were given different things according to what they were doing at that time of the explosion. I think it's really exciting because each person has a different power, and each problem is different! Since each person has a different powers, there are so many special effects involved! I especially love the shots of Barry running and how focused it can be no matter the effects involved. Here's the Season 1 trailer for The Flash! You can watch The Flash on Netflix. Hope you like it! Well, that is it for this week's reflective response! Bye!
Hey Everyone! Last week, on November 11th, we had our first STN practice of the school year! We are practicing for the 2016 Student Television Network Convention occurring this upcoming March. I am on the convention recap team, along with Kaycee. In this competition, we have to create a 2 minute or less video, recapping the whole convention. There is no editing room, so you have to edit as you go. The Convention Recap time constraint is the whole convention, a total of 3 days, to create the video. However, in this particular practice, we were only given 6 hours. For this week's constructed response, I will be talking to you about how the experience went, and some things I've learned about the contest, my team, and myself.
In my opinion, I think for our first practice, we did an alright job. I'm really excited because we got to use so many new equipment, and be creative and innovative with it! Convention Recap is one of the competitions that you can be really creative in. Kaycee and I used the DJI Ronin and the slider. I think one of my favorite pieces of equipment is the slider now because it adds motion to the shot and expression. We found that the slider shots really correlated well with the music we chose. The only downside of the slider is that it has a slight change in level. We used the DJI Ronin in place of the Osmo. I think the Osmo will be much easier to use and more versatile, since it's much smaller than the Ronin. I've learned that we could use certain equipment to achieve a different look. Another thing I've learned about the contest is that sometimes you'll need to make compromises. For example, we had to compromise a 3-day competition into 6 hours However, I think that having it compressed into 6 hours helped us be productive, and work under a more pressured experience. Although we will have more time at the convention, there will be much more people there and it will be quite crowded. Another example was that we shot a bunch of footage but when it came to importing the clips, we realized that the mic's weren't working, and it just had hiss. Therefore, we had to make compromises and find good music from DeWolfe to go over it. Kaycee and I listened to some song choices I selected that I thought would have the 'inspiring' type of feel to it. We ended up finding the right music to accompany our shots and our voice-overs. Our first plan was that one person would write and the other person would start editing. We tried this at first, however found out that writing the story was much harder than we initially thought. So, both of us worked on writing the voice-overs. We found that listening to the music we were going to use, helped a lot in the process of writing. I've learned that you have to make compromises to make things work out. A third thing I've learned is that you always need to check that you have everything. Check your equipment. From the mics not working this practice, I've learned that you need to thoroughly check them. Make sure that you have all your equipment, and that they are all accounted for. Since it'll be crowded at the convention, perhaps it would be better to bring a Monopod also. Besides equipment, also check your footage! Make sure you have audio, and that it isn't just hiss. Make sure your shots are level, focused, and well composed. I've learned to check your equipment and your footage. I think this past STN practice was a success for a first practice, and I've learned many things from this experience. I've learned how to use equipment to be creative, that compromises can be necessary, and that you need to check your equipment. I think Kaycee and I make a great team and that we'll have fun in this competition. Well, that's it for this week's constructed response! Thanks for reading! Bye!
Hey Everyone! As you are probably aware of, our class has recently purchased the DJI Phantom 3! The Phantom 3 is a three-axis gimbal drone released by DJI. What's really cool about the Phantom 3 is that it can shoot in 4K! The Phantom 3 is great for shooting aeriel footage, or any shot that you need from a high view. It can take stills, and HD video. This drone is controlled by a remote, which can move the drone in any direction, and also have comlete control over its camera. You can also see what you're filming through an app on a phone or tablet! Using that app, you can control camera settings like you would on a DSLR (ISO, Aperture, etc.), and see what the drone is shooting, live. If you aren't experienced with flying drones, DJI has a feature on the Phantom 3 for flight for beginners. They call it a, "geofence", which you can set your Phantom to only go a certain amount of distance, preventing you from flying into places you don't want to. It even has an auto-take off and auto-return! Although the drone seems really cool, it can be really dangerous. It has 4 plastic blades, and although plastic, can be very harmful going at high speeds. Mr. M even told us about it chopping up a leaf! If you're going to use it, you have to be extremely careful and cautious of your surroundings. I think the drone would be a very useful tool if you wanted to get a different perspective on something, or needed to shoot a large area of land. For example, if your story is about an invasive species of trees, how interesting it would be to be able to get aeriel footage of that, and show the miles of trees and just overall how invasive they are. I saw some footage from when Kaycee and Mia tried it out, and when Brent and Herenui went to film for their K-9 story and it looks really great! It was very smooth and sharp, and I hope I can learn how to use it one day. I'll embed below some videos about the Phantom 3 and some sample tests that I thought looked really awesome! Well, that is it for this week's reflective response! Thanks for reading! Bye!
DJI Phantom 3 Information:Shot Right Here On Kauai! Absolutely Stunning! Have you ever been teased, or been the one teasing another person? I'm certain we have all been in that position, or witnessed someone else being teased. Teasing can be playful, but can also cross the line into where it can hurt the other person. Playful teasing usually takes place between friends for laughs and fun. However, hurtful teasing is something completely opposite. It can ruin friendships, and make the other person feel bad about themselves, and ultimately, lead to a bad aftermath. For this week's constructed response, we are asked to think back to the last time we teased someone, and share three things that we've learned from it.
When teasing someone and realizing you've crossed the line, it is important that you apologize. When you've recognized that you've gone too far, and offended them, it can hurt their feelings. This can make everyone involved uncomfortable, and put an awkward feeling between each person. That's why the easiest thing to do is apologize right away. Even if you apologize, you shouldn't expect them to forgive you right that second. Realize that what you said actually hurt them, and it may take time. However, sometimes just apologizing won't solve the problem. This is why it's important that you think about what you're going to say, before you say it. Sometimes what you think may be funny could actually hurt, and ruin relationships. I've learned that you should apologize right away after you've hurt someone through teasing, and hope that they forgive you. Not only can teasing negatively impact the victim, but can also affect yourself. After saying something mean and hurting the other person, you immediately regret what you said. I know from experience that the guilt that comes along with it follows you and the thought of it sticks in your mind for a while. Whenever you see the other person, it can bring a degree of awkwardness between you two, even if you apologized. The easiest way to avoid putting each other in an uncomfortable position is to prevent it from starting at all. Like I said earlier, think about what you're going to say, before you say it. The whole thing to take away from this all is to think before you say. When you're joking around with your friends, think about that remark you're going to respond with and really think if it's going to offend or hurt anyone. If you even have to contemplate on that, I suggest that you shouldn't say it, in chance of it actually hurting others. If you're really angry or frustrated, think before lashing out on others because most likely, you'll feel bad and regret it when you've calmed down. By thinking before you say, you can prevent a mess and stop negative consequences from happening. Teasing others can be fun and playful, but can only go up to a certain degree until it turns into bullying. I have learned that when you've crossed the line, you should apologize, because it affects them negatively, and also affects you. The whole motto I've learned is to, "Think before you speak." This can prevent a bad aftermath from starting. Be careful what you say, because it can have a long lasting effect on someone. Something hurtful you may say today, could still be in the back of their mind next week. Teasing can hurt. Well, that is it for this week's constructed response. Thanks for reading. Bye!
Hey Everyone! Instead of showcasing a short film like I usually do, today I'll be talking about a really cool piece of technology that was recently released to the public! Imagine what it would be like if you could create things out of thin air. Well, Microsoft recently released a development edition of the HoloLens! The HoloLens is a new way to create and collaborate with others. It's kind of like the Google Glass. It's made up of transparent lenses and doesn't have any wires attached. You wear it like glasses, and at the sound of your command, or gesture, it can create holographs that show up in the real world environment, where ever you are. It mixes the holograms with the environment around you! You can pull something up, and walk around it, get different angles and perspectives. I cannot tell you how cool this is. If you're using the HoloLens and you're in a Skype call, the other person can see the environment you're seeing, and they can draw instructions that will show up on the holograms. If you want to design something, the HoloLens is a good tool to use. You can create holograms as 3D life objects, and use the holograms to visualize what it would look like, physically. They even have an option in 'HoloStudio' to turn your holograms into real life physical objects with a 3D printer! So instead of designing something on a 2D monitor screen, where you are limited, with the HoloLens, you can pull it up as a hologram to scale. Here, you can walk around it and adjust things with the gesture of your hand. If you're into video games, you can now play Minecraft virtually! I think it's so cool how they managed to take programs that would usually be done on a screen, and make it able to be used as a hologram! Currently, Microsoft has released the Development Version of the HoloLens, selling to chosen developers at $3,000. I'm quite interested to see the final product! It seems like such an interesting and innovative tool to use, and helpful if you're a designer or researcher, or doing business. If you'd like to know more, you can visit Microsoft's HoloLens website by clicking here. Below is embedded the trailer for the Microsoft HoloLens. I think they did a great job selling the product, and just making people want it! I think it was a good idea to start the trailer off in grey, and then show the world around it once the person used the HoloLens. It was everything that I thought a good commercial should have. It got the product across, and what it could do, and why you should buy it. I highly suggest you watch it! Well, that is it for this week's reflective response! Thanks for reading! Bye!
Hey Everyone! Hope all is well. Our upcoming STN trip to Atlanta, Georgia, (and possibly a side trip to New York) is getting closer and closer! I'm super excited! For this week's constructed response, I will be sharing with you my favorite trip and why it's so memorable. My favorite trip would have to be the 2013-2014 STN trip to Orlando, Florida! I think this is my favorite trip because we got to see and try many new things, I had lots of fun, and I got to spend the whole trip with my all my friends!
One reason why the Florida STN trip is my favorite trip is because we got to see and try many new things. I remember we went to Gatorland, and I got to see alligators which is something I've never seen before! It was such a unique experience and I even got to try alligator jerky. I also remember that there was a bird room there, where parrots would just fly onto your head and they'd eat food from a stick you held in your hand. We also went to an NBA basketball game between the Washington Wizards and the Orlando Magics. We drew posters and cheered even though half of us didn't know what was going on. We even managed to get on the big screen! I've never been to an NBA basketball game before, so it was really exciting! We got to visit a college there too, Full Sail University. Their campus is beautiful, and they are one of the top film schools in the nation! I loved learning about what they have to offer there. We even saw squirrels! We were also very lucky to get the opportunity to get a tour of WKMG, Channel 6 News station. There we got to see how they run their broadcasts and the equipment they use. They had robotic cameras! It was so cool comparing their broadcast set up to ours and finding similarities. Another big thing we did was of course, attend the STN convention. That was my first time attending the convention, and being a first year student, I had no idea what to expect. It was such a great experience being there, competing, learning from the break out sessions, all of it! Another reason why the Florida STN trip is my favorite trip is because I had lots of fun. We went to so many theme and adventure parks! That year we went to the Epcot Center/Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios/Island of Adventure, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. Before this trip, I've never been to any of those parks, but I definitely had a blast. I had so much fun riding the roller coasters and rides they had. The environment around us was so happy and decorated. I remember in one of the parks we went to, the environment would change to fit certain countries. If you were in 'Japan' they'd have Japanese restaurants and shops around you, and the workers would be in character, too. It was really unique. The third reason why the Florida STN trip is my favorite trip is because I got to spend it surrounded by my friends. That was the first trip I've had where I traveled a long distance from home without my family. Initially, I was nervous and a little scared to be leaving my family, but then I realized I was going to spend 2 weeks with my CKTV family! During this time, I bonded with everyone in the class. We all became so close, and best friends. Imagine going to Disney World with all of your best friends! It was awesome. They made everything fun and happy. A memorable time I remember was when we were all playing games in the 'game room' in the house we were staying at. The whole class was just hanging out in the game room and we were just talking or playing darts or foosball and what not. The room was filled with laughter and fun and it was the best thing ever. My favorite trip would have to be the 2013-2014 STN trip to Orlando, Florida because I got to experience new things, I had lots of fun, and I got to spend it all with my CKTV Ohana. That was my best trip ever and I'll never forget it! I'm very grateful to have been given that opportunity, and again, thank you to Mr. M and the chaperones for making it happen! Well, that is it for this week's constructed response! Thanks for reading! Bye!
Hey Everyone! For this week's reflective response, I'll be sharing with you a short film by Sawyer Hartman named, "Parallax." This short film is about a catastrophic disaster, the world being destroyed by meteors. 17 years later, a man named Jonathan, who was once an astronomy professor, finds out that another meteor will hit Earth, using the 'Parallax Method.' Although no one believes him, he continuously tries to convince the world to prepare for another meteor strike. He creates a shelter to protect his family, enough to keep 3 people alive for a long period of time until it is safe. However, something unexpected happened, changing his whole plan. You can watch the short film below, then continue on reading.
Hopefully you've watched the short film. I thought the ending was quite sad, yet, honorable that Jonathan would sacrifice himself for his family. My favorite part about this short film is the cinematography. I'd also like to mention that this short was filmed on a RED camera, which shoots in 4K. I especially loved the aerial shots of the road and terrain in the beginning. I liked the movement in the shots, so that they weren't just static and still. For example, in the beginning where we see Jonathan as a young boy, he's walking through a hallway and the camera follows through his movement. Another thing I thought was pretty cool was the time lapse of the stars in the beginning, at 0:35. I liked how each individual star was clearly visible, but then blurred out into lines of circles as if it was being shot using long exposure. Another thing to note, this short film, "Parallax" was shot a bit over a year ago on a low budget with a small crew, and is now being remade into a full length feature film, "The Parallax Theory" working alongside professionals. If you'd like to see the trailer, you can click here. I'm pretty excited to see how that will turn out! Well, that is it for this week's reflective response! Thanks for reading! Bye!
Hey Everyone! Now into the second quarter, we have started our news/feature story projects. This quarter, Kirra and I have decided to do a feature story on the Aguilar Family, specifically, Victor Aguilar. Victor and his wife, Priscilla, raised over 34 foster children, along with their own 5 children. Also, Victor himself was a foster child! I'm really interested and excited to learn more about their story. For this week's constructed response, we are instructed to write a project update on where we are with our projects. I think Kirra and I are on schedule because we got our T.I.A.S. and 5 points approved, scheduled 2 interviews, and are now finishing up writing the interview questions.
The first reason why I think we are on track with our project is because we got our T.I.A.S. and 5 points approved. Initially in the beginning of the quarter, Kirra and I were a bit behind since I was busy doing the Fall Challenge. However, we quickly got back on track and finished our TIAS, WWWWW, and 5 points. First we had to do research on him and his family. Fortunately for us, the Garden Island posted some articles about him a few months ago. Using those to our advantage, we got some background information and were able to become 'experts' on our topic and finish the TIAS/5W's. Then we had to do our 5 Points. This was a bit more complicated since we didn't know what to focus on. Victor is also the director of the Jr. ROTC program at Waimea High School and has helped thousands of students get over 2 million dollars in scholarships. We decided that we would focus on him fostering children, but would still ask about the Jr. ROTC program. Once we finished the TIAS and 5 Points, we showed it to Mr. M and he approved it. Therefore, we were given consent to start filming! Another reason why I think we are on track with our project is because we scheduled 2 interviews. Since we were given the 'Okay' to start filming, it was time to start scheduling interviews. We called him a few weeks ago when the quarter started to get his permission to do the story in general and he said okay. This past Friday we called him again and asked for an interview for next week. Next week is a really great time to film interviews since it is parent teacher conference week and we get out of school at 11:30. We scheduled an interview for Wednesday with him and his wife. We are still in the scheduling interview process, and hope to get an interview with their children. The last reason why I feel that we are on track is because we are finishing up or interview questions. We started writing them this past Friday, basing them around our 5 points. We are trying to carefully write them so that we get the best soundbytes, while not needing to ask a lot of questions. We are still in this stage because it's difficult to think of effective questions to get the right answer. We want to dig deeper into the story, and find the true story behind it all. Overall, I feel that Kirra and I are on schedule with our second quarter project because we got our TIAS and 5 Points approved, scheduled 2 interviews, and are finishing up our interview questions. Right now, we have to finish the questions then go to the interview and hope for the best! Well, that is it for this week's constructed response! Thanks for reading! Wishing all of you out there the best of luck in your projects! Bye! |
AuthorHi! I'm Alaysia Navor, a third year student in the CKTV Media Productions class. I'll be publishing 2 blogs each week, posted to the left. You can also check out the tabs, "Inside Scoop" and "Projects" for some of my other work. "A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor" Categories
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