Emily Roseman's Blog

Final Digital Imaging Project: Activist poster

Emily — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:45:52 +0000

For my final project I chose to create an advocate poster for organ and tissue donation. I am currently in the works with Donate Life to create a poster that could hopefully be used in the Washington D.C. bureau. Please click on the poster to view at full size and click the link below to read my production journal to recount my entire process of creating this piece. Enjoy and please pass along the message of donation!

production-journal

Painting come to life video

Emily — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:16:59 +0000

Film Genre Analysis: Romance/Drama

Emily — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:41:23 +0000

I chose to analyze two movies from the romance/ drama genre of film, Casablanca released in 1943, which is set in black and white, and Gone with the Wind, released in 1939 in color. I thought the contrast of color and black and white alone was somewhat intriguing considering the Gone With the Wind was in color and was released at an earlier date than Casablanca. But use of color compared to lack of color alone is just one of the myriad of visual components used in each of the films that make them the most memorable pieces of filmmaking they are today.

I concentrated on the final scenes of both movies considering both final scenes featured are considered the most powerful and distinguished scenes known in film history. First, in Casablanca’s final scene, we see Humphrey Bogart’s character, Rick Blaine and Ingrid Bergman’s character, Ilsa Lund, departing for the last time before Ilsa leaves on a plane with Paul Henreid’s character, Victor Laszlo. What first stood out in my mind was the setting the director chose. A still image of a foggy airport tarmac, the actors and the moving set pieces such as the car and the planes stand out amidst the foggy background. Even in black and white, the moving features of the film are juxtaposed with the foggy overlay and stand out in contrast. What I noticed specifically in the shots used in this clip was the director’s use of various angles to heighten the dramatic tone of the scene. When the director wanted to draw attention to dialogue between characters, the camera would cut away and dramatically zoom in tight to the characters faces to increase the dramatic mood of the conversation. The director also used such angles like over the shoulder shots to signify one person’s perspective while watching another character or dialogue taking place in the same scene, as well as plenty of two-shots which created a more isolated shot of two characters conversing in private. It felt as if the audience was included in every conversation taking place as well as feel emotions of anxiety and separation as the camera cut from character to character, making the final depart more dramatic. Aside from shots, the scene was able to capture a sense of reality with the use of natural sounds such as the car’s engine, the plane’s propellers, and the gun firing. As the scene ends, the director uses the foggy setting to his advantage as Blaine and captain Louis Renault make their final depart as well, creating an effective vanishing shot into the misty background.

As we move to a more colorful and equally dramatic scene, the final scene of Gone with the Wind, the scene opens with Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler standing in a doorway as Rhett begins to depart for good from his relationship with Scarlett. The scene opens with dark green’s, blacks, and brown’s of the setting which projects a feeling of somberness and regret as Rhett threatens to leave. The use of shadows throughout this entire scene also is able to continually promote a feeling of sadness and grimness as the audience realizes this is the end of true love. As Scarlett and Rhett stand in the opening scene there is a clear height difference, which establishes Rhett’s control over the entire relationship from its start, compared to Scarlett’s weakness at this moment in time. As Rhett and Scarlett make their way towards the staircase, the viewer is able to distinguish a single light source which is directed at the foot of the stairs leading the audience to believe that this light will lead to where Rhett will eventually go; out the door. The director, similarly to Casablanca, uses the two-shot throughout this scene to establish the connection between the characters as well as isolate the conversation taking place and heighten the drama of the scene. On the stairs as the Rhett begins to walk down, the shot now displays warmer tones and colors of red and orange which contrasts the darker colors in Scarlett’s portion of the shot, which is still at the top of the stairs. A distance is doubly noted between the characters signifying a distance in their relationship. As Scarlett begins to descend the stairs, chasing after Rhett, the music also descends, creating a dramatic mood and also establishing the most dramatic portion of the scene. In most scenes with the staircase featured, this is where Scarlett and Rhett experience great joys and now, great failures in their relationship. Particularly when the two ascend the stairs with Scarlett in Rhett’s arms, the audience sees this as the single-most peak of their relationship. But now, as Scarlett and Rhett both descend the staircase, we see this as the final end to their love: the true downfall of a timeless love affair. As Rhett opens the door to leave and enter a new chapter of his life, the door opens to yet again, another foggy setting, possibly signifying the mystery of what will follow for Rhett, but also features a bright contrast to the lack of light still present indoors of the house. The scene ends similarly to Casablanca with Rhett leaving Scarlett for good in a vanishing shot into the misty fog, and a medium close up shot of Scarlett with a single tear running down her pale cheek.

Film Clips:

Casablanca:

Gone with the Wind:

Facebook for the unemployed: A new direction in social networking

Emily — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:27:30 +0000

With the recent uproar in the teenage to the 20-something age bracket over the new facelift social networking site Facebook has received, changes to how Americans communicate online are quickly evolving with every new site that pops up on the internet. But after reading a poll on CNN.com on where geographically the job hunt in America is picking up, I came across an article that featured a new website for unemployed Americans called UnemployedAmerican.com. Craig Mckee, website creator, was fed up with feeling helpless after he was laid off from his job in December. He created UnemployedAmerican as a way for fellow unemployed citizens to communicate and to find an outlet for their frustration over the recent economic turmoil. The website acts as a bridge between those who feeling the pinch of the poor economy as well as act as a virtual classified ad by allowing users to post their resume and connect to networks that others are affiliated with on the website. By creating a website that gives an open forum for those currently unemployed as well as for those lucky enough to maintain a stable job and are willing to lend some advice, McKee said that he wanted to create something to help others deal with the same challenges he was facing. Social networks with a central theme are going to continuly spring up, especially in a time such as now where communication is extremley vital in establishing professional relationships and opening new doors to great opportunities. With more businesses and corporatins catching onto the social networking trend by creating Facebook pages or advertising on Myspace, everyday Americans are able to directly connect and network with potential employers online and thus, creating a revolution in the professional world. Perhaps the hunt for your next job is over, all you have to do is log on!

BBC World News Headlines of the day

Emily — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:58:02 +0000

Here are today’s BBC News headlines for March 6, 2009:

Clinton defends thaw with Russia : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tells the BBC that re-engaging with Russia does not mean abandoning US allies.

Outrage at Kenya Assasinations : A UN investigator calls for an international inquiry into the murder of two Kenyan human rights activists.

U.S. jobless rate rises to hit 8.1% : The number of people unemployed in the US rose by 651,000 in February, official figures show.

South Korea diverts jets over threats: South Korean airlines re-route planes to avoid the North’s airspace amid escalating tension and threats from Pyongyang.

For more news and updates throughout the day be sure to log onto www.news.bbc.co.uk

Craigslist sued over “prostitution allegations”

Emily — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:52:49 +0000

Craigslist.com, a website known as a virtual classified ad that lists things like furniture, jobs, homes, and many different services, has recently been targeted for its illicit sexual advertisements, featured in the “erotic services section”. As BBC News reports, Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart from Illinois is acusing owners that it “knowingly promotes prostitution in the U.S.” Dart wants a federal judge to shut down the section featured on the site because he feels its a major catalyst in prostitution. Craigslist reps have not really seen the lawsuit yet but have cooperated with police investigations nonetheless to prevent misuse of the site. Dart fires at Craigslist and claims that owners “catered their site so it facilitates [prostitution], where you can actually and more specifically and quickly get to what you want”. A bold move on Dart, he says that the webite is the single largest source of prostitution in the nation! Now, being the investigatory journalist I am, I had to see this “section” of Craigslist for myself. It indeed is a list of over hundreds of postings of women basically selling their “services” to potential buyers but before entering the section, Craigslist has a full warning page that repromands those who solicit human trafficking and the illegal exposure of minors, but anyone can simply say they agree to the site’s terms and chose from one of the lucky ladies they see fit. I think that going so far as to say that Craigslist alone is the single most cause of prostitution is a little too daring of a statement. True, online soliciting has become a major component to prostitution and has been brought into major scandals like that of Spitzer and other CEO’s and politicians looking for a night on the town. But prostitution is still a crime of the streets, especially in the D.C. area. But the impact of the internet on everday life has become more of a negative influence on how we conduct basic communication. The internet has obviously created new outlets for contacting friends and famillies, as well as gaining new information at faster speeds, but it has also opened up a gateway for potential dangers that we are tought how to avoid in real life. So is the internet the next venture in adressing public safety? Should we be taking more precautions to ensuring the safety of all American’s by limiting what they can and cannot put on the internet? Or are we essentially limiting our right to free speech and invading the privacy we hold dear when we go so far as to controlling our private “online lives?” Unfortunately, I believe that in a world where media is the driving force for how we conduct everyday life (i.e talking, working, learning) we are truly never alone and will soon face less freedoms in the internet world.

DC no longer “the hollywood for the ugly?”

Emily — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:00:33 +0000

Upon my arrival in Washington, I was always told that D.C. was just considered the “hollywood for the ugly”. It’s a city of important political figures, major institutions of American government, and with every step you seem to find yourself at another historical landmark. But lately I have noticed that along with the new Obama administration, there has been a new breed of Washingtonians to grace our presence: the Hollywood elite. Celebrities like George Clooney ( who’s father is a communications professor at American University so he has no real fault for coming to town), Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and other famous folk looking to “really make a difference” and to “shed some light on new policy” have been flocking to the District and causing an uproar in the blogosphere. Even today as I habitually checked PerezHilton.com, I was notified that Angelina Jolie was filming a movie at the Archives metro stop and drawing quite a crowd. And quite coincidentally, Jolie’s counterpart, and better half in the Brangelina trademark, Brad Pitt stopped by to thank Madame Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, personally for allowing him to speak on behalf of a charity to rebuild New Orleans. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with celebrities actually going the extra mile and donating even a small portion of their multi-billion dollar paychecks to worthy charities, but quite recently, the overwhelming presence of Hollywood in the District has truly brought a new light to D.C. No longer is the city seen as a powerhouse of policy, but rather, as the next metropolitan hot spot for socialites, celebutantes, and the Hollywood elite. Pitt reaching out to D.C. figures such as that of Pelosi is absolutely a step forward in celebrities redefining the way we perceive Hollywood stars, but as the Lohan’s, Hilton’s, and other drones of the Hollywood club scene stumble on over to Capital Hill, just make sure they clean up the mess of Redbull and Vodka’s and Us Weekly’s before they jet-set back over to the hill the really belong on: the Hollywood Hills.

Gupta’s no General…

Emily — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:19:42 +0000

Today, Dr. Sanjay Gupta has decided to opt out of a potential position as U.S. Surgeon General. Gupta has decided to withdraw his name from consideration to focus more on his medical career as well as his family; a real brave and bold step, especially in the cut throat world of D.C. Gupta was apparently a major consideration for the role of S.G. for the Obama administration. With past experience in the White House back in 1997 and an extensive medical career as a neurosurgeon and his communication skills, Gupta would have been a major step in the medical field but more interestingly, in the field of communications. Gupta has been an active player in the media world as a chief medical correspondant for CNN as well as contributing to Time magazine, providing medical segments for hit shows like E.R. and a weekly podcast on health issues. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has crossed all borders on the professional field of communication and is able to utlize all fields of media in his everyday practice of medicine. Some question Gupta’s “t.v friendly” attitude and how it could translate over into such an honor as sugeoun general, but since Gupta’s recent withdraw from the job, it seems to imply that perhaps Gupta is more than just a T.V. personality. Perhaps he honestly is just a well grounded Dr. who knows when to throw in the towel! With people crossing over from politics to media, Americans begin to question motives and just who exactly are we electing into office or allowing to become major components of everyday government life. It is as if we must second guess every move a politican makes, not that Americans do not do so already, but now on a different level. Are our politicians and figureheads our next lead anchors? Does good communication translate to good t.v. personality? And really why can’t our politicians be as encorporated in the world of media as any other reporter or anchor? In the end, I feel American Politicians have become such a vital part of media , that they are essentially bred to be camera ready just as much as Katie Couric or Keith Olberman is. But it all comes down to who you really want to be at the end of the day: the one making the news, or the one reporting it. I say, in American life today, they are truly just the same person.

Passion group pictures

Emily — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:30:20 +0000

Newseum Exhibit : The Berlin Wall

Emily — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 02:02:36 +0000

The exhibit I viewed was the Berlin Wall exhibit downstairs. A physical portion of the Berlin Wall, as well as a watchtower were the main pieces on display in this exhibit. The show itself was fairly large, the physical wall itself was larger than I expected as well as the watchtower. The wall was probably the very first and noticeable object seen by the viewer and as you entered the space, the watchtower was visible behind the wall. The sheer environment of the actual wall being on display was very striking in the sense that it represented a time in history where a country was standing divided and what remained as a testament to this separation was standing right in front of you.

I think the visual element of space in this exhibit played the role of allowing the wall and watchtower to speak for itself. I feel that the several explanations of the time period in which the Berlin Wall was a part of was all that was really necessary to help explain the importance as well as the presence in the Newseum. The space, which I felt was negative space, allowed more interpretation and more room for the wall to truly speak to the audience. I feel whoever chose to include the Berlin Wall as an exhibit in the Newseum included it to provide a mainly American audience with a view of a physical representation of separation and the true luxuries we have in a country where we are free to exercise our opinion and be able to move freely from government intrusion.

The exhibit was only featured around one central theme of the history of Berlin and the role the Berlin Wall played. The look of the wall from one side is purely a creative outlet for those upset and angered by their government, acting as a real testament to free expression through art. The other side of the wall is barren and a neutral stone color, lacking any real relation to the emotions of the people of Berlin. The watchtower stands tall, looming overheard with similar neutral colors, giving off a more authoritative and daunting feeling to the audience. I got the feeling of a time in which a country was in severe chaos, a time where the people were physically cut off by a barrier, as well as emotionally and through something like spray painting a message or chipping away a piece of the wall, acted as the only means of self expression in a time of utter disarray.

After looking around the rest of the museum and then coming back to the Berlin Wall exhibit, I found the color of the art on the one side of the wall striking and thought it meant more than just a few people painting their feelings. The brightness of the color contrasting the blandness of the other side as well as the watchtower spoke to me in a way that the people of Berlin contrasted that of the time period as well as their emotions contrasting with the beliefs of the government. Aside from the size of the exhibit, which I felt was one of the largest in the Newseum, I feel color played a huge role.

I feel line was one of the most important aspects to this piece. Obviously vertical line was predominate in this exhibit but I feel it provided for a greater meaning in terms of the parallels to the feeling of authority and superiority, which vertical line tends to point out in design. Although I don’t think that those who were responsible for constructing the wall and the watchtower gave much thought to the architecture speaking louder than the physical entity itself, I do think that after learning about such design elements, I was able to see the imagery of this physical wall speaking as a barrier between what we desire in life, and what we are forced to live with in life.

The Berlin Wall exhibit succeeded in both educating the audience as well as allowing the viewer to craft their own emotional connection to this important testament to a time in our world’s history. I felt that it was absolutely necessary to see this because of the sheer presence it had in the museum. We are able to see a physical embodiment of a low point in our world’s history, but the fact that it stands in our presence on display shows what we have overcome and exhibits a great moment of joy and freedom for those that were burdened by the wall’s presence. I was glad to see that the Newseum did not clutter this exhibit with overuse of images or video clips of the Berlin Wall and allowed for the physical wall itself to speak for the time in history it stands for.