(From left) Carlos, Tahau and Jazmen with guests.
Summer interns from the Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) and the Youth Channel dropped by BCAT for a tour. Our SYEP interns facilitated the tour, and were crucial crew members and TV hosts for their final project — a 28 minute show called TOPS (Teens on Politics).
(L-R) Tahau, Nyiesha, Jazmen and Tiffany
(L-R) Carlos Pareja and Jaryd
Tiffany (right) hosting the first half of TOPS (Teens on Politics). Daniella (front) as camera operator.
The video is part of a series of short animations created by Laith Bahrani. Low Morale: Creep was an official honoree at the Webby Awards, hailed as the Oscars of the Internet.
Below are a series of questions that we want you answer after viewing this video. Include in your answers — where appropriate — what you have learned in terms of production and storytelling during the weeks you have spent at BCAT.
1. What is the plot of the video?
2. What do you think of the technical quality of the video?
3. Was the message of the director/animator imparted clearly or not, and why?
4. How effective was the choice of music to the story?
5. If you were the director, will you do the video differently? Or not? Explain how and why you would do it.
6. Can you relate (or not) to the character in the story? Why? Give an example based on your personal experience.
7. Do you agree (or not) to what happened to the character in the end? Please explain.
8. If you were to make your own version, what do you think are the challenges that you are currently facing?
9. If you are facing low morale or burnout, how do you deal with it?
This is a period in history when the traditional landscape of journalism, and the language of citizenship and activism is being redefined.
The accessibility of the Internet and the various forms of new media are tools of empowerment that grants almost any individual a voice devoid of censorship and corporate interests. Blogging is one of these platforms that have emerged from the cauldron of a controlled media.
This blog, which is primarily for BCAT interns, is an avenue for you to share your experiences with us at BCAT and the world at large. Through postings documenting your days at BCAT and also by answering specific questions that we at BCAT’s Center for Media Education will be posting, we hope that we can learn from each other and become more pro-active practitioners of media.
We recommend that you comment on each other’s blogs. However, this is not a space for a public display of personal grievances which should be discussed privately between the aggrieved parties. This blog, we hope, will be an excellent opportunity for us to have dialog and support one another.
- Lyra Porras Garzon, 07/01/08
