Short and Sweet

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The Wednesday class for revising our summaries was a life saver. After the first essay alone I looked down at my paper and thought of a few explicit words. I borrowed a pen from Betty and just started writing all over my paper. The biggest thing I took away from that class was the phrase "short and sweet." I need to chop a lot of stuff from my summary; cut out the play-by-play aspect. My sentences flowed in an analysis type way. The words need compression. I really screwed up the aspect of a summary after I reread my paper. Honestly, forgetting a title is a mistake a 3rd grader should make and it is pretty hilarious to think that I go to college and forgot a title to my paper. Aside from some formatting mistakes and basic blocks of a summary, my grammar and spelling was pretty solid so I have that going. I know everyone's rough draft needs work but that revision class really solved so many issues for my paper.

Documentary Impact

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With the way technology is advancing, information has become effortless to obtain. There are databases and search engines that humans can reach from their smartphones while laying in their PJs at home. The golden side of film documentaries is that they are films. Even the most boring films can be handled and give off some solid information. While there are boring films everywhere, there are also some films that are incredible and can change lives.

Most experience I have with documentaries stems from my interest in history. As far as history goes I love the 1940s. World War II was such a pivotal time in history not only for the United States, but the entire world. World War II in Color is a massive source of information on the entire era. Not only do they go through the war but series also focus on the lifestyle of the people who lived during the war. The 40s affected the entire world and the documentary has so much information to give.

Many people see World War II, or even the world history for that matter, and they immediately are bored to sleep. Aside from documentaries on historical aspects there are also very moving works that focus on modern issues. The Michael Moore documentaries are sometimes laughed at due to their content, but after weeding through some of the more humerus sides there is a lot of information that can be taken. In "The Big One" produced by Moore, he chases around cooperate CEOs, gets rejected most of the time, and tries to expose some of these companies for their poor ethics. In one example Moore actually wins over an interview with the CEO of Nike. Moore makes some very interesting points in his documentaries and really raised some questions. This is a prime example of how documentaries can kick start movements.

Documentaries not only kick start movements but they also raise awareness on issues and on the other hand of the spectrum they can be extremely informative. Some informative documentaries can be extremely boring, but some can be loaded with information and even some sort of advice to work towards solving a problem. In high school science classes, teachers will never shy away from showing "A Crude Awakening" in their class. The documentary focuses on the use of fossil fuels, oil specifically, but has plenty of information. The information is narrated over mind blowing imagery and it really sends a powerful message.

Documentaries are powerful tools if they are done correctly. In film the viewers do not want to sit down and fall asleep because of the never ending boredom, but they are viewers. Informative films need to have strong facts but also a solid layout so that viewers can actually retain the knowledge. I like to think of films such as "Fury" and "Straight Outta Compton" as informative entertainment. Not only were both movies very interesting but they grossed over $235 million. a number that staggering between two films only means that both films drew massive audiences and displayed the information to many. Those two films may not be considered "documentaries" but they did inform the viewer. The best documentaries are not only informative, but very moving and powerful.

The Differences Between "Fine" and "Save Me"

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Not only did my last post deal with the idea of hiding our "true colors, but this post follows that same theme. I like to think that I hide a lot of my true colors from even my closest friends and family members. This topic really hits home for me. I love this image not only because it captures hidden emotions, but also because these are some of the most obvious triggers for when a person is hiding under their second face. Time and time people are using the word "fine" as a barrier that shields them from confrontation. Now, obviously saying "I'm fine" can mean that and nothing more, but the truth of the matter is when someone is hurting in the inside they are quick to use the term "fine." People being "fine" are sometimes screaming "save me" in the smallest of ways, and we shield our true colors for many reasons. Fear of judgment, the fear that we will drive others away, or simply because we just do not want any pity. Putting on the face of "life is great" may not always be true emotions. These three phrase in the image above tell more than what they seem. I'm not saying everyone is secretly miserable inside, but the fact is noticing the difference between "I'm Fine" and "Save Me" can even save a life if under certain circumstances.

#pass4prostate

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It really takes a lot of effort to raise awareness for any modern day issues. People blow up social media over a lion being hunted yet there are thousands in our own back yard who are dying of hunger or are homeless. The US Rugby Team has launched a new campaign to raise awareness for prostate cancer. Rugby is slowly growing in popularity on U.S. soil. Recently the United States national team have been playing bigger venues and gaining more fan support. The United States Rugby Association have partnered with Astellas, a company that promotes prostate cancer awareness. During the month of August, which is Prostate Cancer awareness month the campaign #pass4prostate has taken a foothold in social media. This is not just another hashtag where people acknowledge the fact that they know about prostate cancer. Every time #pass4prostate is used on Twitter, Astellas will make a donation to prostate cancer research. This campaign really makes a mark on social media due to the fact that a company is actually doing something productive for a cause. There is no possible way this hashtag can cause any controversy. Not only does it limit amount of negative comments that can be brought up about the subject, but there is actually a contribution to a the cause of curing prostate cancer.

Three Face

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The ancient Japanese believed that we as humans contain three faces. A face we show the world and a face we save for our loved ones. The final face is considered the truest form of ourselves. No matter how hard we as humans try to show true colors we will never reveal who we truly are. Growing up we grasp this concept of sometimes having to hide our true colors. Hiding that third face of ours is natural but on occasion we hide our emotions and the consequences can be detrimental.