What I know now...

What do I know now that I didn't know at the beginning of the semester? How has my view of words and writing changed since the beginning of the semester? What has changed for me?

First and foremost, I've obviously changed the way I view animation - I used to feel as if it was all whimsical and childlike, but I realize that animation can showcase deep artistic emotion. Before now, I don't think that poetry ever meant anything but words on a page...I feel like a new genre has been born in my mind's eye.

How has my view of writing changed? I think the best way to answer this question is to figure out where I started:

I had just started to begun questioning what "text" was after delving into the realm of the graphic novel...After reading Fun Home, Persepolis, Maus, etc I found myself asking what text was. I was primed to have my world-view changed when I started this class, and I feel like that's exactly what happened.

Because of technology, because of the internet, because of the constantly consumerist environment we live in, poetry and literature has become youtube friendly. It wouldn't be fair to call my flash animations text without acknowledging the visual and artistic value...I can't just call them paintings...

I dunno, I get caught up in my thinking when I try to reflect on stuff like this. I obviously am thinking more deeply about what all this means to me - it's hard to define (I guess a lot like literature these days...)

Basically, I've learned how to combine my visual and textual arts. I know how to create something that isn't quite film, isn't quite literature...isn't quite anything...

I feel like I've found a flexibility in what I consider to be "English" in terms of studies...

I don't know if I view words themselves differently...I was raised in the Sesame Street generation where words became different things all the time...no culture shock there.

I guess it's just realizing there is a new and different way for expressing myself and that I can reach someone else or showcase my work when it isn't on paper.

Does that answer my question? Not quite sure...but it's a thought.

Uhm..confused

So after reading the feedback, everyone pretty much wants me to get deeper with my animation, but I was hoping to keep it light. I guess people have a problem with the fact I'm using my camera and photography to show who I am, but I never ask who I am, I ask what I create and how do I create....I didn't want to imply that I AM the pictures I take, or that I'm that shallow.

I wanted it to look cool and be simple without being boring. I wanted to focus on what I make money on as opposed to showing my personal work...I like it to be about work instead of about me.

So I guess I need to know what you think...am I supposed to be going into the depths of my soul over this? I thought it was supposed to be more on the simple side, cause I am saving the depths of my soul for my final project...did I miss the mark? I NEED some feedback here, because I wasn't expecting this kind of reaction.

~Lia

Short project

So here is my short project thus far...

Let me know what you think!!!!

Final Project

How did I NOT already post this??!?!?!

I have a really clear view of what I'd like to complete.

I would like to display some ASL poetry, that still remains unwritten. I want it to be a personal poem, but I really feel like visually displaying by poetry with a visual language and using flash software will really make something special.

I'd like to focus on the meaning rather than just directly translating what I'm saying when I'm signing...I don't want this to just be a "foreign film" I want to create something special...Just worried about the video thing.

Homework

So crap, I didn't look at the calendar, so I didn't do the homework and reading for today. After working for about 5 hours yesterday finishing up the conversation project, I put a curse on my computer and forgot to even look...

So, I'll be posting that tomorrow sometime, when I have time to read and write something that doesn't sound horribly rushed and lackluster: I want to actually write a decent response.

Conversation Project

So here's the finished animation I completed it today.

CONVERSATION

How far we are....

We still have substantial work to do, but I'm planning to finish it tonight and tomorrow. It's been difficult with e-mail communication and trying to work on it together, but I think we're working it out.

It will be finished by Thursday with no problem....

~Lia & Jenna