Ex Machina

       Artificial Intelligence has always been a popular trope in science fiction. Sci-fi movies featuring A.I. have been coming out for decades now, from Metropolis to 2001 to  Blade Runner to Star Wars... So what makes Ex Machina feel so fresh?

Ex Machina is set in the 'near future' (it never explicitly says what year it is, but what we're shown of this world looks a lot like our own) when the protagonist, Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson)wins some kind of contest that earns him a week with the CEO of the company he works for. He's flown via helicopter to the remote estate of Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac) who, after having him to sign a NDA of course, reveals why he brought him there.

He thinks he's created Artificial Intelligence, and he needs someone to complete a Turing test to determine whether what he created is truly human. The Turing test is the definitive test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human. A human evaluator (in this case Nathan) judges 'natural' conversations between a human (Caleb) and a machine (Ava) that is designed to generate human-like responses.

The rest of the film is heady, but smart science fiction dealing with issues of ethics and technology, evolution and the role of humans on earth in the distant future. It's great sic-fi, and an exciting, well-paced film to boot. I would recommend it to anyone with a passing interest in science, or fiction, or tense and engaging movies.

Spectre

I saw Spectre this weekend and it was pretty disappointing.  As a fan of the last installment (Skyfall, also directed by Sam Mendes) I was looking forward to Spectre more than I've ever anticipated a Bond movie. Both being follow-ups to popular Daniel Craig films, Spectre has a lot in common with Quantum of Solace (rightly considered one of the worst ones). There are lots of similarities; 

both prominently rip off- I mean reference classic bond films

 And both are kinda terrible.

 But they don't stop there. Just like Quantum of Solace, Spectre is a pointless sequel- not only to 2012's Skyfall but Quantum of Solace (2008) and Casino Royalle (2006) as well. Forcing the audience to recall minor characters and plot points from as far back as ten years ago. 

 Remember this guy? Because he's central to the plot of this movie for some reason.


At least Quantum has a cohesive- if boring/stupid plot. 

first and last frames (nofilmschool)

The first and last shots of a film can be, and often are the most important frames of the piece. They can serve as bookends,  providing the film with a sense of completeness. It's a great way to show transformation of any kind, whether thats a physical one or an emotional/character developmenty-type one. It can illustrate a character's arc (this is where they started, this is where they ended up- like There Will Be Blood) or it can simply remind the audience of where everything started by using similar shots for both (Gone Girl).

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Gone Girl (2014)

Black Swan (2010)

Birdman (2014)

http://nofilmschool.com/2015/03/first-final-frames-famous-films-teach-good-filmmaking

Gallup Strengths

 My top five leadership strengths are Empathy (relationship building), Input (strategic thinking), Individualization (relationship building), Intellection (strategic thinking), and Connectedness (relationship building).
     
Obviously by looking at my strengths, you can tell that my core strengths all fall into one of two categories; relationship building and strategic thinking. While this potentially puts me at an advantage in these areas, it leaves plenty of room for improvement in the remaining categories of executing and influencing.

Empathy- Being able to sense and articulate the feelings and emotions of those around you can be an invaluable skill to have. It's immensely helpful in relationship building, as you can provide relief for those who may be more introverted feelers by helping them emote.

Input- People who are inclined to "input" are inquisitive and curious by nature. We are constantly collecting and storing bits of information that may or may not prove to be of use later. The resulting mental 'database' is consistently updated, providing a resource for information on any range of topics (tailored of course to the interests of the individual).

Individualization- Recognizing and acknowledging the great diversity of talents and personalities on a personal level can give those with this skill a unique perspective on things. Understanding how these different character traits and talents interact with and complement each other is hugely important for those who are working with others or assembling a team.

Intellection- Those who are endowed with the natural ability to process information in an efficient,  discerning manner are more inclined to dwell on, and ultimately to understand more complex issues. These are people who need to be mentally stimulated on a regular basis, and who like to engage in erudite conversation with fellow intellectuals.

Connectedness- People who are skilled in this category possess the innate ability to observe patterns in society on both a large and small scale. They are mostly "big picture" people who recognize the importance of diversity and the role it plays in occupying important societal niches.


After spending the morning talking to LeighAnn Taylor-Knight about the different types of strengths, I learned a lot about myself, attributing and applying the information provided to my own life and to the way I think about my strengths and weaknesses. Learning that I don't prominently possess any of the characteristics that fall under the umbrella of "executing" or "influencing" was a bit of a reality check for me.

Film Roles

Producer- oversees the production of the film from the beginning to the end, provides funding etc. Not really a thing for us.

Director- The director makes all the creative and production-related decisions. He (or she) is the top of the chain of command on set.  Works with project manager/ producer/ mostly everybody to ensure everything runs smoothly. 

DP- Works as cinematographer and camera operator on set. They frame all shots intentionally and in an appropriate, professional way. Should know how to operate the cameras as well as any equipment necessary including tripods, dollies, and lights. A good DP should have a good knowledge of lighting from both a technical and artistic perspective. Cinematography an interest of mine, and it’s a position that I would love to have more practice with. 

location Scout- finds the locations to shoot at. Works closely with DP.

Audio- The primary responsibility of the audio director is to effectively capture and preserve any sound made by the actors while shooting. He would monitor the audio coming into the camera or recording device and work with the director and crew in order to do so.

Crew- Includes gaffers and grips of all kinds. They set up lights, build sets, hold mics, and run cameras as needed. They’re mostly grunts, but they should be competent enough to act out orders and handle equipment.

Costume/Set Design- They design the costumes and sets for the project. They should work with the cinematographer and director in order to ensure that the work they do is appropriate for the tone of the scene.

Storyboard Artist- Works with the director (and the cinematographer?) to block out all of the shots before 

Editors- Work in post production to chop and slice the footage. They work very closely with the director and the storyboard artist to create the finished product.

Writers- Write the screenplay.

Project Manager- works with the director to document everything and keep the production going.

Watch Her Disappear

I started this project by thinking of ways that I could visually represent the themes of the poem. I came up with a shot list and set out to capture the dream.

"Watch Her Disappear" is about a unrequited, hopeless longing for/infatuation with a young woman that he admires from afar; here represented by the spider and the flowers that he watches.

Plot vs Story

The differences between story and plot can subtle and hard to determine. Martin Scorsese defines plot as being purely focused on events, while story is more about characters' motivations and the emotions evoked by cinematography. After thinking about it, I'm inclined to agree with him that story is more interesting and important to a film than the plot. While movies CAN simply relay information, focusing too much on plot and not enough on character development and tone can make the difference between a good film and a great one.