Independent Study: Avant-Garde Film

I did an Independent Study on experimentalism in filmmaking because there's a different wonder and mystery to the making of films that excites me. I love artists like Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, Stan Brakhage, and Jonas Mekas because of how they tell stories with a camera. Jonas Mekas especially makes me feel at peace when I watch his films. His writing is filled with nostalgia and memories that allow us to look into his life as a creator. Avante-Garde filmmaking introduced me to a brand new world. It showed me that I have a strong voice and I can present that in any shape or form. It made me think about everything critically while also allowing me to observe society. After this study, I created a film called "Home". I moved to Chicago a year ago and felt alone every day. Chicago never felt like home to me until I learned to appreciate what I have in the world. I have a camera, a pencil, paper, beautiful friends, and a crazy imagination.

What’s Your Meaning of Life?

This assignment is focused around photography and how it is used in Journalism. We used four different camera techniques for this project which include lighting, aperture, shutter speed, and the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds can either make or break a picture, depending on how visually appealing it is and how you’re trying to focus or center you subject. Through these photos and the interview we are having with this person, we are answering the question, “What’s the meaning of life”. Through this interview, my friend answers the question along with other ideas about his meaning of life.

Economics: My Future Investments

This term in Economics, we've been discussing the book Freakonomics, and connecting the situations and ideas that we were reading about to the real world. We've also been discussing opportunity cost, real cost, loans, interest, compounding interest, and more. Through these lessons we've learned about supply and demand and looked at how they both can shift overtime.

We visited the Lyft company in Chicago and they talked about their supply and demand with us. During that field experience, I learned that the higher the demand, the higher a price on a ride may be. But the lower the demand, then the lower the price is. If there aren't a good amount of suppliers then the demand may be somewhere else. For example; Demand may be higher downtown Chicago during rush hour because so many people are trying to get home all at once. We also listened to people at Chicago Ideas Week talk about algorithms and how data on the internet is used and collected by other companies or social networks. Chicago Ideas Week is when influential people from any field discuss important and relevant topics. At the end, the youth can ask questions about the topic. In this project, we are calculating our true cost of college, lifetime earnings, and how much those decisions will cost us. Through these decisions there are assumptions about your future career path. These assumptions help you decide what choice is best and how much money and time you could be saving and making. At the end, this project demonstrated my life investments and what I'm gaining from investing my time and money into college and my career.

Introducing my career choice (AS,2019)

I interviewed Fred Camper, a film professor at Columbia College and asked him about the several decisions he has made throughout his career. He told me a story about one of his most important decisions and the incentives that were involved with the decision making.

"Most of the college courses I teach are in film. In the last two or three years, I decided to place ever more stress on precise description and factual accuracy. This includes things like many points off for spelling a name wrong, calling a camera movement a zoom, and so on. My assignments now require precise descriptions of individual shots, perhaps a list of a few shots in a sequence and an analysis of how they function, of what their effects are, not based so much on content as on camera angle, rhythm, editing, lighting, and other cinematic elements.

Only gradually did I come to realize that this decision was a response to the toxic political environment created in part by the current American president, in which lies are said to be facts, actual facts are disparaged, blustering emotion substitutes for reason, and, lately, those who strive to uphold our democracy and our Constitution are threatened with the death penalty. Cinema is often, and for many, a highly emotional medium, and I think one way to approach it, and one way to fight the culture of rage and lies that seems ever more dominant, is to ask students to view films with great care directed toward an understanding not only of the emotions and ideas they bring into being, but of how the process of creating emotion and meaning works. The hope is that thereby they learn to get some distance from immediate emotional stimulation, and come to understand how it can happen, and also learn the value of starting with accurate facts.

The alternatives were to continue on as I had been, doing what was described above but less of it.

The incentives were that my boss offered financial bonuses for every student who learned film better. No, that was a joke, a kind of bitter parody of the management-business bias behind the question. The incentives that went into the decision were my seeking a way to mitigate the utter despair at the current downward spiral that human civilization seems to be to be locked into, and my thought that I could make some small contribution in the opposite direction."

- Fred Camper

I really enjoyed this project because it gave me a new perspective of what my life would be like after high school and college. It also made me think more about the path I want to be on in order to be successful and accomplish my goals. This project motivated me and allowed me to think critically about each choice I was making. 

Citations:

“Archivists, Curators, and Museum Workers : Occupational Outlook Handbook:” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/curators-museum-technicians-and-conservators.htm.

“How Much Successful Archivists Make In 2017.” OwlGuru.com - Find A Career That You Love, www.owlguru.com/career/archivists/salary/.

“Interest Rates and Fees.” Federal Student Aid, 1 July 2019, studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/loans/interest-rates.

“New York University Tuition And Fees.” College Factual, 13 Sept. 2019, www.collegefactual.com/colleges/new-york-university/paying-for-college/tuition-and-fees/.

Chicago's Youth: The Eccentric Party Scene

In Journalism, we were asked to write a story about something happening locally. I wrote an article about rave culture in Chicago and how it has evolved overtime. I decided to write this because I have a lot of friends that go to these events and dj at raves. I also am really into how rave culture began. I love the style a lot of ravers had in the 90s and I noticed that overtime the culture has shifted. Raving basically began in Chicago and I wanted to write this to show people that it isn’t dead in the place where it was born. I also wanted to inform people about Chicago’s youth and how they connect with people in different communities. Learning about Chicago’s gay club scene in the 80s really inspired me to write this and talk about the change in the culture. I interviewed a lot of people who attended raves both young and old. I not only got a lot of different perspectives about raves, but I got a chance to ask some questions about a culture I’ve never really immersed myself in. Although, I’ve always been into the rave scene, I’ve never actually attended many raves. I was just close to people who did. Writing this really opened up my eyes about Chicago youth and how the culture here is different than any other city in the world.

La Revolution-ary Urban Planning in Havana, Cuba

For this Action Project I had to redesign a part of a city. I first looked for an area on Google Maps and I chose the Revolution Plaza in Havana, Cuba. I chose Havana, Cuba because I've been there before and I have family that lives there. I also chose Cuba because I love the architecture there. Throughout this unit we learned about finding the area and volume of different shapes. One thing we learned was finding the area of a triangle by using the equation 1/2*absinc. In class we also discussed good examples of urban planning and bad examples. One example of good urban planning is the Emerald Park in Boston, MA because it connects different parks together and is filled with nature. We also learned from TED talk speakers, Ellen Dunham-Jones, James Kunsler, and Majora Carter. They all spoke about urban planning and different ways that we can improve it. A few ways that we can improve urban planning is motivating people to walk more by extending sidewalks for pedestrians or urbanizing areas like the suburbs so people are driving less.

The center of the Revolution Plaza has a lot of open space so I wanted to create something useful that took some of it up. The Revolution Plaza was where a lot of political rallies took place that involved figures like Fidel Castro. The Plaza is also the 31st largest city square in the world. It has a lot of important history so I wanted to include a section that is like an outside art museum. It will be Cuban art like sculptures, murals, paintings, and more. The other half will be a skate park. Both sections are separated by a wall so you can either look at art or go to the park! The skate park is like any average park with ramps and an open space. On that side, instead of another grass area in the middle of the street, I put it closer to the park so it can be a resting area. This also gives cars more street space. On the side of the outside art museum, across the street there is an improved green area with seating and tables so that people can enjoy food or just hangout. The grey rectangles represent the streets.

Some problems I encountered with this was I wasn't sure what to do with the open space. To be honest, I thought it would be better to leave it the way it is because that's how the structure was built and the square is like a remembrance of the political Cuban rallies that took place. I thought leaving the space the way it was would be okay. I then realized that I can still make it relevant to Cubans and their history by including an area dedicated to Cuban art.

Two cities that inspired my design are Cambridge, MA and San Francisco, CA. They both inspired me artistically because they know how to take up space with art. In Central Square, an area in Cambridge, MA, there is an alley that has walls filled with graffiti. This wall is used by graffiti artists to create murals and more. I like that a basic alley was turned into a space where artists can go everyday to interact with others. That way, it isn't just a trashed out alley that no one really uses. It's a small space with a lot of purpose. I was inspired by San Francisco because when I traveled there I went to an art festival in a park. The park was was just grass with a few benches but was then transformed into an outdoor art show that was filled with art from local artists. You would think that outdoor art doesn't work because of the different conditions, but it worked so well and I loved it! There was also a stage for performers. The park wasn't huge either and I thought it was so cool that they transformed a small park into a huge art festival for the community.

Google Maps. Plaza de la Revolution (Before the design) (AS 2019)


Google Maps. Updated Space (AS 2019)


Calculations

In order to find the area of the space that I'm redesigning I did length x width.
 Length : 229.60 m
Width : 87.50 m
Final area= 20,090 m

In order to find the volume of my 3D structures I used the cylinder equation 
pi * r^2 * h . The seats in the park are cylinders as well as the trunk of the trees. 
Tree Trunk: R= 1.5 ft
                    H= 40 ft
                     pi multiplied by 1.5^2 * 40= 282.74 ft
Seat: R=0.58 ft
         H= 3.58 ft
           pi multiplied by 0.58^2 * 3.58= 3.78 ft

"Integrated and mixed used environments"

One of Peter Calthorpe ideas for building a better city is getting rid of sprawl in dense areas or areas that actually aren't that dense at all. A city should bring people together. Here, I am bringing people closer through nature and comfortable resting areas where many can hang out. Also, many don't expect a skate park to share a space with an outdoor art museum. Bringing these two places together is allowing people to interact more when they're out. Two other ways that Peter Calthorpe mentions for building better cities is to make a city walking and transit oriented as well as cutting down on carbon emissions to better the health, environment, and experience for people there. My design provides a space for people to actually exercise and have fun. If there is a skate park in the city, people will use the space more which can increase exercise and activity in the city. Some may feel that they no longer need to drive or take public transportation, they can just bike or skate. Parks are like the lungs of the city and putting more nature in the area allows the space as a whole to breathe a little and feel more fresh. Since I moved some of the green space that was in the street and transformed it to a park / resting area , the streets and sidewalks may extend. This gives more walking space to pedestrians.


My aunt lived in Cuba for years and told me about her experience at the Revolution Plaza.

"I used to walk through the plaza everyday. It impressed me to be in a country that had a huge symbol of Che on a building rather than an advertisement."
- Lillian Holloway

Sustainable Development Goals

My design helps achieve targets 11.7 and 11.6 because I created a safe and comfortable space for all people to relax and exercise. I rearranged some of the green space that was around the area so people could have more room to walk or drive. I also made it multipurpose so that it's a garden and a hang out spot as well. Putting more parks in cities improve the air quality and environment for people there.
Goal 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.

Goal 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.

In conclusion, I learned that Urban Planning can change the environment, the way we interact with one another, and how we get from one place to another on a day to day basis. Before taking this class I wasn't aware that people actually had different plans to restructure cities and the way that they look. I also learned that urban planning can be used in other places like the suburbs or smaller towns. The hardest part about this project was finding an area to redesign because I had too many locations in mind. Once I found the Plaza I was really excited to get started with my design. The most interesting part was seeing how the structure looked after and how it has been improved.

New and Improved 3D Design

Obergefell VS. Hodges

In this unit, we've been focusing on different court cases like Roe V. Wade, Brown Vs. Board of Education, and more. In the last unit, I got the chance to watch a real court case and observe how it was structured. We are applying the same knowledge to this unit as it revolves around the different policies in a court room. We also discussed how different laws and constitutions came to be and its position and history in the court room. For this Action Project, I had to choose a case and go over its history as well as the impact it had on society. I chose to do the Obergefell VS. Hodges case because it's something that impacted a lot of LGBTQ people throughout the country.



In conclusion, I learned that love is power. Since the government is extremely powerful and make decisions for our country, many feel powerless and hopeless. Many also don't get to live their lives the way they want to because of the decisions that the government makes. I am very happy that there was success with this case. I think it's amazing that several LGBTQ couples got the rights that they've always deserved.


Citations:

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Obergefell v. Hodges.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 19 June 2018, www.britannica.com/event/Obergefell-v-Hodges.

Chen, Jingwen. “Obergefell to Discuss Marriage Equality, Personal Journey at Ohio State.” The Lantern, www.thelantern.com/2015/10/obergefell-to-discuss-marriage-equality-personal-journey-at-ohio-state/.

“Guides: A Brief History of Civil Rights in the United States: Obergefell v. Hodges.” Obergefell v. Hodges - A Brief History of Civil Rights in the United States - Guides at Georgetown Law Library, guides.ll.georgetown.edu/c.php?g=592919&p=4182205.

McLaughlin, Seth. “Plaintiff in Gay-Marriage Case: Donald Trump Is No Friend of Our LGBTQ Community.” The Washington Times, The Washington Times, 26 July 2016, www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jul/26/james-obergefell-plaintiff-gay-marriage-case-donal/.

“The Effect of Obergefell v. Hodges for Same-Sex Couples.” The National Law Review, www.natlawreview.com/article/effect-obergefell-v-hodges-same-sex-couples.

Long but Never Forgotten

In my Policy class, unit 2 we focused mostly on wars and the different things people experienced through these wars. We discussed the Vietnam War and the memorial built in Washington, DC to recognize the deaths of thousands of veterans. Through this unit, we also discussed the powers of the Executive Branch and observed what policy is when it comes to court and a criminal case. In one Field Experience, we watched a murder case in court. I found the language that was used very interesting as well as how the evidence was revealed in the court room. Recently, we visited a Veterans art museum. The museum is filled with art only from veterans. Through their work, they demonstrate the different traumas they experienced and how their life story relates to their war experience. The art shows that they are also more than their experiences as veterans, they are artists. 

“Heavy Weight” by William Myles

This is a painting I saw at the museum that really stuck out to me. The painting not only shows a black soldier but the issues the soldier may have faced as a black man before war. Next to him shows the KKK, a man getting arrested, and people who may be protesters wearing a “No War” shirt. People were very against the Vietnam war at the time and often protested about it so their voices were heard. These people were mostly liberals and hippies around the 60s and 70s. They also were very outspoken about the lives of black people in America. I chose this photo because it reminded me of Truman’s policy that abolished discrimination towards people of any race and religion in the US Armed forces. That led to abolish the segregation in the services. The painting also represents so much more about the black soldier than just the time he spent in war. It represents the injustices of a black man in America.