Social Media Adaptation

Frankenstein Adaptation:

YouTube channel:  archangel.capt

Link: click here to see the adaptation


By: Camlyn Giddins, Jason Richey, Justin Zarian, and myself
 

ARTIST STATEMENT

Our literary work was Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Within that work, we found the Creature’s experience most intriguing. His journey basically compiles the learning experience of a baby, child, adolescent and finally he develops into an adult, and a tormented one at that.

To recreate the Creature’s experience, we decided to create and gather images and audio. The story behind it all is Frankenstein creating this being from human remains as well as machinery. The images coming from one of the Creature’s eyes, which is a camera. The audio coming from Dr. Frankenstein’s recorder.  

The social media aspect went through many phases.  We first wanted to use Soundcloud and Instagram, but later realized that Youtube would be a good way to combine both audio and pictures in one.  Youtube also allowed us to incorporate the captain character from the book and create a context in which he found and shared these tapes. In the books, Captain Robert Walton was a narrator, telling these stories to his sister in letters. We found it appropriate that he help tell this story over a social media site and created a profile based on his character.

Artistically, we wanted to show the progression of the Creature’s character. The photos and audio also reflect this progression, as far as quality of the images and sound go. His speech and contemplation also improve.

One of the hardest things to do in this class is to curb creativity and focus it in order to not spend a ton of time doing things that are too big for a week long project. This was probably the worst one for that.  A few of us constantly found ourselves wanting to tell the WHOLE story of Frankenstein, but this daunting task led to frustration.  We had to set limits. Even within those limits though, there was plenty of room for spontaneity. We decided to end the entries with something open ended. We didn’t want to recreate the whole story. We thought it would allow for more thoughts and comments to end with themes like Frankenstein’s abandon, or what is a monster?, what is beauty?, why do we react the way we do to ugliness?, what’s in a name?    

We ended up separating the responsibilities, having the guys in charge of audio and the girls in charge of pictures.  While this seemed a good idea at first since we couldn’t find a time to work all together, it caused a bit of a problem as the we didn’t really communicate what each was doing.  Thus when we met up, the guys had recorded something different than what the girls had taken pictures of.  In the end it worked out, but I think if we had had the opportunity to work side by side more it would’ve been easier.  

Clash of the Cultures - Textual Poaching Asignment

This song represents my struggle and attempt to create a cultural identity. I’m a TCK - a third culture kid.  American sociologist David C. Pollock defines a TCK as: “a person who has spent a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture. The TCK frequently builds relationships to all of the cultures, while not having full ownership in any.” (Wikipedia) That about sums up my situation. I lack a solid single culture of my own. I spent half of my elementary years and over half of my high school years growing up in Japan. My immersion in Japan’s culture, language, and lifestyle shaped who I am and my cultural identity. However, as much as I want to be a part of the Japanese culture, I can never fully assimilate.

If I were to tell someone I’m Japanese, they would think I’m a crazy. My blue eyes and white-as-day skin say otherwise. In Japan I was always labeled as a “Gaijin” or “Foreigner”. Japan’s  homogenous nature isn’t as accepting of many foreigners like myself into its cultural body. I recognize I am still far from being Japanese. I wasn’t born there, I don’t have Japanese blood, so why should I try to call myself Japanese? I want to be able to take on and better appreciate, even become a part of their culture. I am used to bowing and taking off my shoes when I enter homes, using chopsticks, and much more that cannot be found within the bounds of the typical American culture. As the song goes, I was born in the USA. It is so natural to call myself an American. But, I feel that label doesn’t wholly represent who I am. I am rooted in the American culture, but have branched out.

This song, which was originally the Japanese national anthem, has been tweaked to represent my cultural identity. I in no way mean any disrespect to the anthem.

The song starts out nice and calm, but is interrupted by Springsteen’s rambunctious tune “Born In the U.S.A.” cutting in and out disrupting the peaceful beauty. It wants to be a part of the song, but it just doesn’t flow. Both songs are from different times, have different tempos, and one is more poppy while the other is traditional. I didn’t want the songs to compliment each other, rather stand in stark contrast. At first the songs sound out on their own, competing for dominance. Then they blend together, despite the fact they can’t mix to create a well-structured song. These last few seconds represent who I am, the mixture of two very different songs (or cultures) creates a unique conglomeration that can be difficult to define or understand.

The repetitious phrase “Born in the USA” reminds me of my origins and the concept that your culture largely comes from your birth country. There are several more sound bites of the song “Born in the U.S.A.” that I included because of their pertinence to my journey of cultural discovery. I can identify with both cultures, but in the end, my American identity is strongest and wins out calling me “home”. I would love to be able to identify more with the Japanese culture, but some things I cant completely connect to or don’t feel a part of.

This was an interesting revision process. For the most part, the feedback I got was exactly what I wanted people to feel. They recognized that this song represented a struggle with two ideas and how they were so different from the other and contrasted well. I also got back some flat feedback that was along the lines of “ I like it, good job!” which was encouraging, but not as helpful.  A few also thought some parts were confusing or a little much, so I was able to better focus my creation. For example, I originally blasted the word “U.S.A.”, but that got negative reviews. In the end, I feel like this is a good representation of my struggle to identify with one specific culture. 

Historical Story

By Anna Berbert and Myself

Artist Statement:

            The main character, Eva, is a character of our own creation. She symbolizes the women who were left at home during World War II and the various struggles they faced. Her story represents a culmination of these stories of women of the 1940s. For example, many women lost loved ones in battle. Others had to pick up jobs left vacant by the soldiers. Many films portray the hard-hitting events of the battlefront during the war, and while this is respectable and important, we can’t overlook those who fought their own battles at home.

            The 1940s were a time of optimism despite rampant struggles. In this screenplay, the shimmer of hope and optimism is given by Dave’s character. He adds the wit and comic relief needed to balance this piece. On a broader human theme, war is not just about the human casualties, but the emotional casualties. In class we discussed how history is formed by those who tell it. The most prominent stories about World War II focus on the overseas combat instead of the war of the heart and mind. In this story, the characters are sharing some of the lesser-told accounts of the same conflict.

 We did some research on the vernacular and etiquette of the 1940s and it aided us in the development of our characters and screenplay. Dave shows respect to Eva because she is a woman, but at the same time playfully blurs the line as he flirts with her. Eva is respectful and proper, as women were expected to be. We also tried to incorporate props and costumes that were appropriate to our time frame.

            We wanted to address themes such as: dealing with loss, the comfort of friends and forgiveness, and how many hide their emotions behind masks of complacency. Instead of explicitly dictating our thoughts on these topics, we demonstrated our convictions through the actions and interactions between our characters. Though the story is historical, the issues dealt with are relevant and relatable to any time period. 

Genealogical Artifact

From My Sole

Shoes help tell a person’s story. They are the first part to touch new soil. Tales of their owner’s travels are written all over their base. There is one pair of shoes that has my history written all over their soles; My Converse All Stars. This specific pair of shoes has its own unique story.

I can remember getting my first pair of All-Stars. They were simple yet classy and seemed to complicate my whole wardrobe. It is a shoe style that has been around for ages and outlasted time and many styles. My second pair of All Stars stand as testament to that.

I wore out my first pair of All Stars during the latter half of my high school career and decided to get a brand new pair. It was easy for me to throw out the old stench-ridden, disintegrating pair for the radiant, whole new ones. I was very careful with my new pair and watched every step. After I returned home I would take my shoes off and clean them until they could be placed back on the shelf and sold as new. I loved being able to see their brilliant white glow out of the corner of my eye.

My friends and I had matching pairs and in our Converse pride we would compare the conditions of our shoes to one another.  Our shoes got dirtier and dirtier, and cleaning mine became less important and more of an unnecessary chore. The dirt was now memories and the rips - scars to brag about. My adventures really began to take a toll on my beloved shoes. Soon the All Star logo couldn’t be read and the rubber lining around the outside cracked and began separating itself from the shoe.

I remember being bored in class and picking and pulling at the peeling rubber. The inner left side began to entirely fall apart. I didn’t want it to completely rip off, so it hung of the side for weeks and clicked against the side of my shoe when I walked. One day I stepped on the flailing rubber strip with my other foot, sending myself flailing down the hallway. After that I decided it was time to just tear it off.

I used to take care in putting on my shoes, but soon found it valuable to save the seconds wasted in tying and untying laces. One morning, while in a rush to put my shoes on, I heard threads pop and the side of the shoe just gave way. I had ripped my shoe. Soon after, the insides wore down and insert came off. For the next week my socks would stick to the glue that once held the insert together. None of these complications could stop me from wearing them; they were too special to dispose of.  

These shoes help tell my story because they are a part of it. I bought these shoes while living in Japan and they accompanied me on many journeys all over the country. They carried me through some of the best years of high school. These shoes were the first part of me to touch American ground after living abroad for so many years. They also led my first steps onto my college campus and pulled me through my first year. I was even wearing my All Stars when I won first place in the DanceSport Country Polka competition. No matter the task, weather or terrain, my Converse always seemed to be my first choice. I did everything in these shoes.  I even remember getting away with wearing them for a couple basketball and softball practices. I biked, hiked, walked, danced, and ran miles in these shoes. They were so comfortable and seemed appropriate for almost every occasion.

They are marked invisibly with memories only I can see as well as more visible reminders. On the tip of my right shoe there is a blue smiley face. I was having a rough day during finals week so I drew this smiley face. It has lasted through puddles and dirt and stands as a little reminder that when times get tough to just keep walking with a smile on my face.

Nowadays these shoes aren’t worn as much as the other pairs I now own. Occasionally I do put them back on. I have yet to throw them away or buy another pair of All Stars to replace them. They’ve taken me so many places and accompanied me on multiple life-changing endeavors. Each scuff, stain, and tear represents a memory; memories that I’m sweetly reminded of every time I put my All-Stars on.

Artist's Statement:

It was hard for me at first to deicide on an object that I could write about that was really important to me. My first thought was: what items would I save in a fire? Then I thought: what do I want to pass down to my kids or grandkids one day? I don't think I would save these shoes in a fire, or that my kids would appreciate a pair of smelly sneakers, but these are truly of importance to me.

            Looking at my shoes’ life, it is interesting how much I cared for them and babied them at the beginning, but then as their novelty wore off, I didn't pay them as much attention and they took a beating. Now after being through so much with them, I once again treasure my All Stars.

I decided to tell my shoes’ story and then introduce how they are a part of my story. It was fun for me to think back and remember all the things I did in these shoes. I had never thought much about why I still wear them in there devastated state, or why I even have them after all these years. In my first draft I didn’t really mention the stories that the shoes and I were in, rather just the story and life cycle of the shoes. I decided to tell the shoes’ own story and include how they are a part of my own history because that is what makes them important to me.

            In one of my classes we are conducting interviews in the community about lost objects. What I have found so far is that objects that people hold near and dear usually are special because they have memories attached to them. That is what separated my converse from a new pair or any other shoe. That is why I can’t throw them away. These All Stars have become more than just a pair of shoes to me.