Reflection Trae

The Project

• What was your biggest struggle during this project?
• My biggest struggle with the project would have to be communicating.  Since, I'm not a big talker and more of laid back person, it was kind of hard for me at first to go about talking to random people for interviews.  But, overall as the project progressed it became easier for me to go about talking to people and getting their perspective. 
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• What aspect of the documentary makes you most proud?
• The aspect of the project that makes me most proud, I would have to say is how well my group collaborated on everything.  I mean I have been in multiple groups in my school days and usually its one person does this, one person does that, and so on however that was not the case with this group.  If one person had an idea we all considered it and if it seemed legit, we all worked on it as a team to make things happen.  So, I guess I'm most proud about the chemistry we shared as a group because if we didn't have our project would have been nowhere near as good as it was.
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• What aspect of the documentary would you have changed? 
• After seeing all the interviews from fellow classmates, I would probably change the way we held interviews.  Maybe, use more effects and have a different setting rather than meeting everyone in the library, just to try to liven it up more.
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• What aspects of the project were you personally responsible for? Please be specific as possible.
• The aspects I was responsible for where basically everything that didn't have to do with editing.  But, as I mentioned before we all collaborated equally to just about every aspect.  However, to be more specific I helped come up with the storyboard and what all to put in the documentary, as well as the narration, and questions for delivery drivers as well as customers.
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• We can all agree that group is frustrating. What did you do to try to promote a healthy group atmosphere? What more do you wish you had done to help the group?  Do you feel like you contributed a fair amount to the overall project?
• I thought it was going to be rocky in the beginning because we started out kinda slow but once we got to going it was like a freight train that wasn't going to stop until it was time for final cuts. What I did to try to promote a healthy group was just trying to stay available as much as possible and respond to any messages about the project as promptly as possible.  And, also just trying to figure out when the next time we were all gonna meet to make sure everyone was on the same page and had similarities in schedules so we could all work together.  Yes, I feel like I did contribute a fair amount, but for it to be a group project it really was a group project, every time any major decisions where made or filming was to be done we all were present throwing out ideas.

The Class

• This course is designed to help you hone your critical thinking skills. Was it successful?
• Yes, i feel like it was successful.  For, the simple fact that I learned something new almost every class.  I would have to say the shark tank proposal was the most beneficial, because it was something I had never did before in front of an audience and I didn't no where near as bad as I thought I was going too.
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• Another goal of this course is to challenge you with new technologies and communication techniques. Did you enjoy learning about how different styles of communication function, or would you have preferred writing 4 essays?
• I feel like your methods of teaching this course where on point and much more intervening than writing 4 essays.  Because, if you are a good writer or get the right help, anybody can write an essay without necessarily getting the experience.  But, to have to make a documentary with group members was a far greater learning experience because you have to communicate and interact with others unless you don't care about succeeding in the class.
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• My goal as an instructor is to help draw out the abilities you already possess, and focus them into new applications. Was my style helpful? Would you have preferred more lectures? More discussion? More homework?
• I feel your style was very helpful, it really helped bring out the best in me and helped me realize I could do things I thought I would never be able to do without a struggle.  I feel like everything was pretty balanced; it wasn't too much to make you dread the class but also it wasn't too less to make you not take the class seriously.
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• What can I do in the future to make this class better?
• Honestly, to keep teaching it.  And, to keep it as interactive as possible, maybe even another proposal or mock documentary before the start of the first one, just to get everybody's feet further in the water before the big project gets to going.
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• If you could change one thing about this course, what would it be?
• I honestly don't know what i would change.  Maybe, more group stuff in class, so everyone gets a chance to work with one another before being in a final group and it being life or death...

Visual Rhetoric

   As strange as it may sound, I'm not a big internet junky like it would be expected of someone from my age group.  However, I am a huge sports junky.  So when it comes to the websites that I frequent mostly only two come to mind, which are: espn.com and gocards.com. 

Now these two websites are very similar but also yet very different in many ways.  For example, they both are designed to gain the attention of the sports fan, they both use glorifying pictures and creative titles to catch  the attention of the viewers, they both find ways to make stats look fun and creative, and typically both are colorful and eye-opening with images constantly moving throughout the screen to keep the viewer interested and occupied while visiting a site.

However, espn.com is the news for all sports, whereas, gocards.com is the news for only Louisville's athletics.  So, even though they have so many similarities the audiences greatly differ amongst the two.  For example, all sports fans around the world may view espn.com but typically only Louisville fans are going to visit gocards.com.

They both do well at attracting their audience as well, even though use different approaches.  Since espn.com is a worldwide news for all sports, it has no loyalty to any particular sport or team so they can broadcast anything they want about a team whether it be the hot streak they are on or how horribly they have been playing....
On the other hand gocards.com is mostly just broadcasted to Louisville fans are people that have interest in them, and this website does have loyalty with Louisville, so the majority of the stuff posted on this website is going to be good news are stuff that is going to make Louisville sports look good; not often will you see posts bashing the Cards on this sight but on Espn that is a whole other story.

They both are used to make sports interesting and they both do that for their particular audience...that's probably why I frequent them both on a regular basis!!

Shark Tank In Review

It was kinda weird after honestly watching my presentation for the first time but it was relieving at the same time.  Being a naturally shy person speeches have gradually became my worst enemy, no matter how much I prepare it always seems if I just lock up.  However, I don't feel I did no were near as bad as I thought I had.

Some things I feel I need to work on:
     1. I need to practice keeping my speeches more fluent, rather than relying on my note card as you had mentioned...
     2. I also need to flow better and work up on not freezing up
     3. Also, I noticed that I used the word "like" a lot throughout the speech which
 I was totally unaware of, so for the next speech I need to put that much more time into rehearsing before actually presenting...

But, being able to watch myself and judge myself was very beneficial and I feel like the next speech I should be able to do way better.

I feel I even got better throughout this speech because at first my voice was low and kinda muffled but as I progressed my voice level increased and I began to loosen up...And I am beginning to feel a little bit more at ease at presenting in front of people after this introductory speech!

Questions that I hate Answering

        Being of African American descent, their are quite a few questions I get quite often that I hate replying too...  
            1.  Can you dance?  or some form of that question
I hate answering that question, because I can't dance and have little rhythm but yet some people feel it is expected for me to know how to dance....

             2. Questions about my hair...such as, did you wake up like that?  How do you get is so poofy?  Can I feel it?  Do you use a pick or something?  Just quite a few questions I get on a regular basis, I mean its just hair, no different than any one else's HAIR. 

These are just a couple o the questions that I hate answering on a daily basis. So, I guess the point of this blog is to help us realize that if you feel it is a question that the person you may interview is constantly asked, to just think twice before you ask a question.  Because some people hate answer what they think has a common answer.

Want To Be Activist? Start With Your Toys

http://www.ted.com/talks/mckenna_pope_want_to_be_an_activist_start_with_your_toys.html




     McKenna Pope is not your average 14 year old girl, because not most teens can be labeled as a successful activist.  In her Ted Talk, she talks about the ways in which she got Hasbro to offer a more universal "easy bake oven", one that could be appropriate for both boys and girls.  Since, her little brother loved to cook, but due to the "easy bake ovens" being advertised for girls it led him to believe that cooking is not boys but only for girls.....

She was very persistent to get her point through so a change could be made.  Regardless of the obstacles she faced, she stayed with her ambition until she was successful.  At the end she says, "Haters Gonna Hate", which I feel is very motivational to create a spark for the next person or even teen to jump on board, because you can't let people or words get to you....


I chose this Ted Talk because it is amazing, this 14 year old girl has done something most adults may never even have the chance to do.  A, the way toys are advertised to kids can be stereotypical at times.  For example, when it comes to cooking or baking toys - they are typically advertised to girls, and when it comes to race cars or toys of such - they are typically marketed to boys; I mean how often have you seen a pink hot wheels car on a store chef or an oven set with wrestlers on it?  So, based on the way advertisement has been set up for past years, it is assumed that race car drivers are anything of that nature are meant to be makes --- but try explaining that to Danica Patrick, or try telling Duff Goldman that baking is for females...People can be anything they aspire to be but sometimes the way toys are advertised may turn them away from their true dream at a young age, which is why I think this Ted Talk is so amazing, so just let your haters hate!!!

Detroit vs. Everybody

     Being from the Michigan area and having a lot of family that lives throughout the area as well as some who live in Detroit, it is unreal when I go to visit family members.  For instance, the same things he was told when he mentioned he was going to visit where some of the same things I have been told when I go to visit family there such as, "Be careful".  Like Rembert I too try to see the good in Detroit, even thought there is a lot of negativity than can quickly take from that good.

For example, when I picture Detroit I don't necessarily look at all the bad and want to think of run buildings or the non-stop violence that is going on, but instead I like to view it is a vacation to visit my loved ones.

      Rembert tries to show his audience that it more to the city of Detroit than just bad, however its not necessarily an easy task to show the good in the city.  But, yet somehow, he manages to sill keep a positive mindset when visiting the city.  He shows pictures and mentions the places that are nice to an extent and if these same places where in another city would be more widely used or more widely recognized, however since they are in Detroit its a whole other story.

As Rembert does, I to believe that people view Detroit as almost a third world country rather than an actual big time city due to the circumstances which has set the city back from the rest.  For example when you think of big cities in America, you may hear names like Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, or even Louisville....But Detroit...Detroit will typically be at the butt-end of the conversation.  Not a place many want to visit because they may feel it is an unsafe trip to make.  But at the end of the day I see the good as does Rembert; he wants to continue to visit to help and increase positivity throughout the city as I already do see the positivity in the city which is home to some of my kinfolk, and home is what you make it!

Bodies of the Year

Do bodies matter more or less in 2014 than they did 10 years ago?

         "My Bodies of the Year" written by Wesley Morris, was a very confusing read for me, personally.  I didn't understand exactly where is was trying to go with this argument.  Besides the overall theme of peoples bodies becoming less attractive...I'm clueless. 
         
           However, I feel that bodies matter more now than ever, especially compared to what they did ten years ago.  For instance, the face books, instagrams, and even camera phones did not exist ten years ago.  I feel that in this time and day, appearance is everything because most people in todays generation live for likes on their pictures or "selfies".  For instance, Morris mentions a photo of Kim Kardashian that she posted on instagram with the caption "no filter", by her putting the phrase, no filter, she is basically stating to her followers that she is all natural and she needs no help to look beautiful. 
In today's time people are more concerned with how another person views them rather than how they view themselves.  Thus, I feel that's why so many more female artists are doing the whole nude thing because sex sells and if they don't feel they are the most beautiful with clothes on, why not pull that card out and flaunt what you have underneath, because once again "sex sales".

           I think another point that Morris could be making is that people don't necessarily pay as much attention to the movie plot itself as to who is actually playing the character.  I remember at times when you watched the movie for the movie itself, not to see how an actor changes his or her appearance to play their role.

Lastly, true beauty is when you see your own self as beautiful, and don't necessarily have to rely on revealing clothing or none at all to attract the attention of others, but by simply being comfortable with yourself, such as Katy Perry sort of suggests in this article....