Blog Posts Across BECA Digital Lounge

Barack Obama: Patriotism, media and humanity.

Barack Obama says he stopped wearing his U.S. flag pin as a result of his "own carelessness". On NPR's "All Things Considered," on June 30th, the show referred back to a previous interview Barack Obama had done when he said that the flag pin had become a, "substitute for true patriotism" after 9/11. So it wasn't really carelessness in the conventional sense - rather it was a calculated act to make a statement. He said that the pin was not going to be his statement of patriotism on his chest, ins… Continue

Posted by tommy on July 3, 2008 at 10:30pm — 1 Comment

On visiting Ireland: Gas, gold, turf and rain.

Landing in Ireland almost a week ago it was extrememly obvious that some things have not changed in the 18 years that I have been gone regardless of the Celtic Tiger and its effects. It was refreshing to be reminded of the real energy associated with the westerly winds and the slanted rain as it washed refreshingly, windswept across my face in the early morning. What more could a returning emigrant ask for after enduring a "pleasant" (considering) nine hour flight? The Celtic Tiger, in its whim… Continue

Posted by tommy on June 27, 2008 at 2:30am — 3 Comments

Update #6: Home is where my rear is. Right now.

After 2 1/2 nightmare day on the Greyhound. I'm back in San Francisco. I'm also just this second back from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (or "Indiana Jones and the Superfluous Sequel"). What a relief to be back. I missed you, SF.

So, phase one of the Generation Energ… Continue

Posted by Adam Greenfield on June 23, 2008 at 10:30am — 1 Comment

Glass: A visit to Chichuly at the de Young

In the Middle Ages "glass panes were so precious, the duke of Northumberland had them removed from his castle windows whenever he took a trip" (Sennett, 2008:99). By coincidence I happened to be reading this little piece at just about the same time I visited the exhibition of Dale Chihuly's glass work in the de Young in San Francisco. It gave me a simple but rewarding insight into the value or the historical significance of glass- i.e it wasn't always everywhere and available to all. In fact at… Continue

Posted by tommy on June 20, 2008 at 1:57pm — 1 Comment

Update #5: 725 miles, done and dusted. But it's not over...

725 miles on a bicycle: The journey is now complete. No more aching heart as I race ahead of a speeding group to set up camera, no more scrambling for tapes, no more looking for a power socket, no more smelling so bad. But, of course, there is far more good to miss than b… Continue

Posted by Adam Greenfield on June 17, 2008 at 1:30pm — 5 Comments

Inside Out

Blogging - Is it worth it? What is blogging really but one's thoughts written down and perhaps read by others. A reflection of what one gets up to in one's life. A look at the world through the thoughts of one other person and therefore the accumulation of thoughts and perhaps the reading of one person's reaction to one other person's thoughts and ...etc... Is it worth it? Art may be described as humanity's attempts to represent nature. Perhaps blogging is a representation of one's thoughts towa… Continue

Posted by tommy on June 13, 2008 at 7:00pm — 3 Comments

Montana update #4: End in sight

Well, the adventure continues. We've now clocked up over 500 miles out of the total of 640 miles. All whilst pulling film gear along!

Two days ago, we rode 70 miles across stunning Montanan scenery with blue snow-tipped mountains, rolling green hills, and valleys stretching as far as the… Continue

Posted by Adam Greenfield on June 11, 2008 at 1:00pm — 2 Comments

Montana update #3: Shooting on a bicycle!

Greetings! Montana finds me well and I hope this finds you well. Our Montana documentary project continues. We've been doing some long days on the touring bicycles. This has given me my first chance to shoot the cyclists - one hand steering my own bicycle and one hand aiming the camera. It felt quite dangerous at first but I've improved massively. The biggest challenge is avoiding the shakes. For some reason, yesterday I shook too much on the forward shots but kept the camera stable when aiming… Continue

Posted by Adam Greenfield on June 3, 2008 at 1:00pm — 1 Comment

Update #2: Roundup! The Montana doc shoot continues

Hey all, Day 6 or so into my Montana documentary shoot and all is well. Our presence with the students is ever more fluid, natural, and relaxed. It's great. When we want to chat and have fun, we can, then when I want to do an interview, they switch straight into the correct mode and give me great soundbytes. They're naturals. FYI, check out the students' fantastic daily blogs at http://blog.umt.edu/cycletherockies/. You'll be impressed. We're now into the bicycle touring proper. It's a wonder… Continue

Posted by Adam Greenfield on May 28, 2008 at 11:30am — 3 Comments

Update #1: Greetings from Montana, from the big project shoot

As you probably maybe know, I'm out here in Montana shooting my big creative project about a 650 mile bicycle ride across Montana, visiting places and people most important in the energy and sustainability issue. I'm riding along with, and shooting, 9 college students and 2 instructors with my film partner, Margot. I'm about 4 days into the project now. So, how has it been going? Well, there have been huge ups and downs. A lot of logistics and sorting things out have been a nightmare but the pr… Continue

Posted by Adam Greenfield on May 25, 2008 at 9:00pm — 1 Comment

Thank everybody!

Thank everybody so much for asking. I have reached my family, and they are all fine. Thank you! I was video chatting with my mom when the earthquake happened yesterday, and i heard things dropping on the floor. the internet connection was broken a few seconds later, then i called my mom's landphone right away, she just said "i gotta run out". I lost contact with her since then. 4 hours later, i finally reached my aunt, she told me my mom was safe. i think maybe the phone cable was broken in my… Continue

Posted by Jane Ren on May 12, 2008 at 6:45pm — 6 Comments

Bicycles, hundreds of miles, and Montana... An MA Creative Project - my experience

I'm riding hundreds of miles across Montana, I'm meeting the big players in the energy industry. All for my BECA Creative Project. Will I succeed? Find out!

Here's another experience I would like to share. Maybe it might be of interest or help to you. As you probably know, y… Continue

Posted by Adam Greenfield on May 12, 2008 at 2:00pm — 2 Comments

HIP HOP & MYTH

Just an visual interpretation of the impact of hip hop artists (the contemporary hero) on the audience/fan-base. With this paper, I hoped to explore the role of hip hop superstars as mythological archetypal heroes, as well as how they set the standards for their own… Continue

Posted by Michele Ivanez on May 2, 2008 at 2:02pm — 5 Comments

Stop the Spray Video and Street Theater

These are friends of mine that worked with a filmmaker to make this fun video with a message. I'm deep these days in the mix with performers such as this and if any of you ever need some unique writers and performers for a video or other project get at me.

Continue

Posted by Maya on May 2, 2008 at 12:30pm — 1 Comment

Digital

While I was in BECA one of the topics I was interested in was cyber communities. I started out being inspired by global movements and the ways small local movements where able to connect using internet technology to organize such as in WTO protests in Seattle, the Zapatista Movement in Chiapas and how fax machines were used to get out information about the Tiananmen square protests. The Zapatistas were particularly interesting to me in how such a small local issue as land reform and self determi… Continue

Posted by Maya on April 29, 2008 at 5:15pm — 1 Comment

the aftermath

There are some minor developments on the stolen equipment front. I have made a detailed crime report with the Oakland police. I had to go into the OPD to make the report on the next business day because they wouldn't send someone out that night. It was really frustrating seeing as the robbery happened within an hours time. How far can a person get with a large metal camera case and other equipment? I'm smart enough to know that crime scenes are not attended to as they are on TV. Not even like Co… Continue

Posted by Maya on April 29, 2008 at 4:15pm — 1 Comment

Writing papers at BECA: My story

It's 7:38pm and I'm in the SFSU library writing what is certainly my final BECA paper and perhaps my last academic paper. Thus, now seems a groovy time to look back over my BECA MA life and ponder upon this part. Maybe you might have thoughts of your own on writing papers. Whether or not you like them, as a BECA Masters student, you can't avoid the little darlings. You will write papers.

…

Continue

Posted by Adam Greenfield on April 26, 2008 at 8:00pm — 2 Comments

Starbucks vs. The Real World

My world generally consists of two (and at times three) things: 1. School 2. Work (3. Social Life: which goes hand in hand with work, as most of my friends work with me.) As most people know, or will learn per reading this blog, I am a Starbucks barista. For the past two years I've dedicated my days to making coffee for people who are crass, rude, and pushy. Management is poor. Morale is poor. I am poor. Lately, my life has been overcome with longer hours, more rude customers, and a manage… Continue

Posted by Michele Ivanez on April 26, 2008 at 6:51pm — 2 Comments

tried to upload videos

For some reason firefox closes every time I want to try to add a video so I just embedded some on my page. I'll try to see if I can do it from another computer to see if it's just my computer that's acting up but if anyone has a suggestion as to why this might be happening let me know. Thanks! Continue

Posted by Maya on April 17, 2008 at 6:25pm — 1 Comment

Equipment Stolen-Going thru the stages of grief

Sad that this is the first post I put up here but I thought it would be the one place where you could feel my pain. This happened this past Saturday. I know better than to leave equipment in my car after a shoot but it was one of those crazy days that I just needed to unwind before going home...written the night of: can't sleep. body contorted twisted nightmarish restless sleep. I just keep thinking of new things that were stolen. I had this moment of feeling too safe. Letting my guard down. Th… Continue

Posted by Maya on April 17, 2008 at 11:30am — 4 Comments

"Don't Play Me!"

One aspect about this program that I've found trouble with is the lack of support for student-lead discussion. I'm getting a bit irritated with the fact that no one is helping each other with deciphering the theory behind what we all want to do-- PRODUCE! Multiple times this semester and last, it has been very difficult to motivate conversation in class. I do most, if not all readings and TRY to put something out there (even if it is stupid or pretty literal [case in point: BECA 706]). At first… Continue

Posted by Michele Ivanez on April 8, 2008 at 1:30pm — 5 Comments

Fuck it. HD should be banned

Yesterday I had the distinct displeasure of having myself recorded in high-def, and it was nothing short of harrowing. TRAUMA RAMA: It makes everyone look like a meth-lovin, jaundice-stricken zombie. Why was it invented? Just sayin. Continue

Posted by Annie on April 2, 2008 at 3:24pm — 3 Comments

Looking so... ordinary?

Time to grease the blog tracks... I'm on the verge of completing the biggest project I've yet attempted in the video editing world: a 20 minute documentary - entitled "Kenya 2gether" - about my safari trip in Kenya at the end of 2006. I've been dreaming of making this ever since then so it's very rewarding. Many an hour has been spent in the grad lounge, tinkering away. It feels like it's been an age, but I could have done it a lot quicker if school didn't relegate this task to a day or two a w… Continue

Posted by Adam Greenfield on March 26, 2008 at 3:00pm — 3 Comments

Here I am, working hard

...Down here in the Creative Arts basement. Who needs natural light? Not I! Only the comforting glow of the computer monitor and the resolve to make awesome media. My next project will be a documentary about my trip to Kenya in Christmas 2006, just before I joined BECA. Watch this space... Continue

Posted by Adam Greenfield on March 17, 2008 at 3:24pm — No Comments