International Commercial!!!

I found this foreign commercial very funny. I do not think it would get any viewer to actually buy the product, but it is entertaining. Often commercials don't necessarily get people to want their products, but if they at least make it memorable, then that is a start.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOMB43ImgAA

Day 7!!!

In today's Mass Communications class we started off by splitting up into our final presentation groups. In our group we discussed exactly what it was that we wanted to do and how we wanted to promote skittles as a product while respectfully honoring Treyvon Martin's death.  Then we discussed how tv shows evolved and how the introductions evolve within the same series, such as Friends and Everybody Loves Raymond. Next we watched two tv episodes. One was Frasier, and in that episode we saw how there were only three camera angles at all time and the main set is the same one used in every single episode. It was clear that each episode is fairly similar to the one before it and by the time it comes to an end the problem is solved. Unlike in Parks and Recreation, where the set is always new and the camera angles are significantly different then an average tv sitcom. I never noticed how different angles and sets can really effect a tv show!

DAY 6!!!

Today was all about comparing the different filming styles of movies. When comparing a Hollywood Disney movie to a more classic sophisticated movie it is easy to see a significant difference. In the Disney movie Enchanted, it is filmed in a very simple way. The angles are usually filmed at eye-level and are very repetitive. However, in other movies, the angles range from bird's eye view, long shot, short shot, close-ups, and even more. They really make the movie more artistic and interesting to watch. Then we went over the distinction between TV and film and how when the two came face to face, TV became the dominant source of entertainment and Hollywood had its major downfall. Shows like I Love Lucy became incredibly popular to the public. By the end of class we started working on our final presentations and split into three groups. The group that I am in is the group that covers the PR of the Skittles Company. Due to a shooting of a teenage boy who happened to have skittles in his pocket, the Skittles company's sales shot up. People chose to honor the boy's memory by buying skittles. However, many Americans believed that the Skittles Company should be donating their new found sales revenue to various charities. Our job is to solve this issue so the Skittles Company comes out looking as best as possible. I look forward to continuing to work on this project with my group.

Frozen Water Bottle!!!

 

                                     

In the photos above, pictures of a water bottle were taken in several angles such as bird's eye view and close-up. As each picture gets closer to the bottle, it because clear that it is not your average water bottle. The water that is supposed to be clear and liquid is in fact frozen. By the last picture you can see that in the full bottle, only one drop can escape.

DAY 5!

Friday's class was an extra interesting class for me. We went over PR in a lot more detail than the previous day and got the chance to look at some real life examples. I find PR extremely interesting because it is fascinating to see how companies and managers basically promote their "products". We then got into groups and looked at an example of media gone wrong with the Elmo/Katy Perry/CBS issue. When Katy Perry guest starred on Sesame Street, parents were outraged by the "provocative and innaprpriate" wardrobe that she was wearing. CBS then took note of this conflict and decided to reveal it during their newscast. People then got the idea that CBS was trying to cause issues between Sesame Street and Katy Perry. This was a PR nightmare for all 3 companies. However they all managed to brilliantly get themselves out of the crisis. So in our groups, without knowing what the actual PR teams did, we got the chance to act as a specific PR group and come up with our relief strategy through Facebook and Twitter. It was great getting to have to figure out the problem on our own. Then we did something out of the ordinary in the class and we joined up with the other Mass Communications class to take a tour of the communication building. That building is where all the media and filmography students go. There we got to take a look at the different sound boards and stages that the students perform and film on. It was nice getting to see what it would look like for us if we were to attend BU and study video/editing/sound visual arts. I really did enjoy FRiday's class!

Day 4!

Today's class started off with going through and comparing newspapers that covered the Colorado Shooting. We were able to see how different newspapers, the New York Times and the New York Post, each had a completely different style of featuring articles. In the Post, everything is a little more layed back and there is more room for the writers to portray the technique of yellow journalism. Whereas in the Times,it is much more sophisticated and their main goal is to just tell the story in a classier, less opinionated way. Then we looked back at Newspaper headings from September 12, 2001 to get a better idea of how different newspapers all over the country cover huge stories. In some, it was clear by just reading the heading, that it was going to be a story of anger and strong emotions. While others it was easy to see the story was simple, factual, and informative. Later in the class, we went over more information about PR and media. We were given a random product and with that product we had to come up with a better way to not only sell it, but advertise it as well. It was really interesting to see how my group and the others all had very different advertisement approaches. Then finally we were shown different commercials and Ads that we as a class had chosen as some of the best and most effective. I really enjoyed getting to be exposed to the many different advertisement methods!

MY LOGO!!!

I chose this as my logo because I love to draw different designs and patterns and the artsy style really describes me as a person.

Favorite Advertisement

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VDmDor2rzW4 I definitely would say that this is my favorite commercial because it appeals to so many different types of people. With Joe Mayer as the main "character", the attraction for both him and the product makes this a successful advertisement. Whether you like him for his looks, his hair, or his athletic ability, the audience can't help but be intrigued. And if you are a man who envies his "charisma", buying a product that he "uses" would be the obvious outcome. I just think it was really well done and it is fun to watch.

Day 3

On day 3, class was all about documentaries! I have always found documentaries extremely interesting so it was great getting to see all the different styles that have been created throughout the years. From the first "movie documentary" of a simple train stopping at a station to Superaize Me, documentaries have sure come a long way. I think what I like most about them is the story that gets told. It is a much more insightful and subtle story then one would find in any other type of movie/film. Documentaries can be told in any way, shape, or form so it leaves the director with a lot of room to get creative. Then we were given a chance to see Yaniv's own creations to see that you don't have to be a professional to make a good, meaningful, and unique documentary. I truly enjoyed Day 3!!

Day 2

Today's class started off on a high note... There was air conditioning! Being from California, this humidity is not something I am used to. So I am always grateful for some cool air flowing. But anyways once I got passed my excitement for the air conditioning, we began learning about the journalism side of entertainment and media. We were able to see a comparison of what news was like back in the 40s compared to our knowledge of what news is like today. It is drastically different because the news clips were portrayed in ways similar to a newspaper. It covered everything from world news to sports, to the local baby contest; plus news anchors found ways to remain unbiased. Unlike news today which is just one long list of crimes and catastrophes repeated one after the other with the anchors usually taking sides. We were then sent out to interview people on the streets of the BU campus in order to create an interesting article of our own. Along with Will and Ryan, I went from person to person asking where they were from in order to prove our point that Boston is a diverse place with people from all over the world. I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to walk around and do something a little different than just a typical day in a classroom. I found class very interesting today and I look forward to another insightful day tomorrow!

Boston: A City of Diversity

Boston: A City of Diversity

Written by: Will Martorano, Caitlin Johnson, Ryan Dempsey

      Boston is a city that attracts people of various backgrounds and cultures. With a population of 625,087, people travel from all over the world to enrich themselves in the city of Boston. Through a survey it was proven that the majority of the population in Boston, specifically the Boston University (BU) campus, consists of multiple heritages. Out of fourteen people interviewed on the BU campus only one person was actually raised in Massachusetts. From states such as New York, Georgia, and Maine to countries including Turkey, Bosnia, and England, along with several students coming from parts of Asia, it is undeniable that Boston is diverse. Studyboston.com has said that BU has “more international students any other city”. In fact its international attraction is one of BU’s best qualities. One undergraduate interviewed, Katie, said “I only know at least one person from Boston”, out of every student she interacts with in the school. According to collegeboard.org a low 20% of BU students are from the state of Massachusetts. Due to the fact that BU is such a large university, it appeals to manifold citizens and aliens alike. As stated on studyboston.com, “Whatever your background, you’ll find a home in Boston”.

                             

Reversed Roles

Mass Communications Day 1

I thoroughly enjoyed my first day of mass communications here at Boston University's Summer Challenge. I can tell right off the bat that I will find the class very interesting and insightful. Already on just the first day I learned about the "tricks" and "lies" of the media/entertainment; tricks and lies that I never knew existed. It is very common for advertisements, movies, sketches, etc. to have some kind of angle that the viewers do not necessarily pick up on until the big reveal at the end. For example, in a couple of the clips that were shown in class today, it became clear just how deceiving directors and producers can get. In one of the short films we were tricked into following the classic "stereotype" of a homeless person and coming up with negative assumptions towards them. However, when the clip came to an end it was shown that the homeless person who we thought was a salad-stealing-bloomies-thief ended up being a kind and thoughtful person. Whereas the woman who we all thought was just an out-of-her-comfort-zone-victim was nothing more than a stuck up woman who does not learn from her past experiences and mistakes. I look forward to the remaining two weeks and am excited to learn and understand the media even more!