In Class: My Thanksgiving

I did manual labor over Thanksgiving.  We are downsizing to a new house in San Antonio.  I moved furniture and boxes, and other miscellaneous odds and ends that we have acquired over the years.

On actual Thanksgiving day we didn't move.  My family went to my grandparents house in Austin for turkey dinner, with mashed potatoes and green bean casserole.  My mom and I went to see Burlesque, and it was fantastic.  Both Cher and Chritina Aguilera are amazing performers, and Stanley Tucci was fantastic as always.

Unit 3 Proposal

The issue that we have chosen for this project is publishing unnecessary and inappropriate details about one’s personal life through facebook. Overuse of facebook has many negative effects on incoming college freshman which include being a distraction to academics among other things. Regarding this topic, we think that incoming freshman to TCU should be advised to limit what they share publicly on their facebook. Additionally, they need to be made aware that information they believed to be private can be seen by anyone, including their future professors and employers.

Our target audience for this particular issue is incoming TCU freshman, with facebook accounts, that have just graduated from high school. Our audience will be made up of both males and females ranging in age from seventeen to eighteen. Focusing in on TCU freshman, most of the audience members will be from middle to upper class families.

Our first medium will be an article in the Skiff discussing the dangers of facebook to incoming freshman and advice from more experienced, older students. Second, we are going to create a flier which would be handed out during new student orientation. The flier will include a general example of what an inappropriate facebook page looks like for incoming freshman. For our final medium for this argument, we decided to have a short video that could be shown to incoming freshmen during orientation as a warning about overusing Facebook.

In Class: Visual Arguments

I learned a lot about visual arguments, and how people would create said arguments.  I was really interested in the use of color in visual arguments and how different colors mean different things to an audience.  Images are very powerful and can leave lasting impressions on an audience, they can establish a person's credibility, and invoke emotion in the audience.

One of my group's ideas for a visual argument is to replicate a Facebook page to show that overuse of Facebook can be detrimental to a person's scholastic and social life.  We plan to keep the page simple like a Facebook page with the main colors being blue and white to maintain a sense of realism and continuity.

In Class: What I Learned

I learned that you need to know the audience that you plan to present your argument to, because without knowing who you are talking to you can't generate effective arguments.

My Job Title

I am the "Googler," and my job is to be a creative force in my group.  I'm good at finding things online and using those ideas together to create something new and better.  My job is to keep ideas flowing within the group, and allowing other people to include their input, I'll try to combine ideas where I can.  I might even bring Dr. Pepper for the group to keep energy up, but that depends on my mood at the time. :)

My group members are David Bussen, Kelly Putterman, and Allen Tausend.

In Class: Ideal Group Situation

The perfect group situation would include three to five members who are actively engaged in the group work and contribute to the overall positive environment.  No one would shoot down ideas, and everyone would feel like they could contribute.  People would play to their strengths and offer advice on how to improve weaknesses.  Everyone would participate in the presentation.

Group members are punctual and don't show up without their needed work.  There is plenty of Dr. Pepper so that the energy of the group won't slack.  The ideal group works together towards a common goal.

In Class: Primary Sources

It was more difficult than I was expecting to find sources, the networks and Nielsen don't particularly like to broadcast their issues.  The sources from Nielsen are more generalized than just on the subject of "Lost," while the Networks are just frustrated with the lack of progress.  While I know that "Lost" was a breaking point in the relationship with Nielsen and the networks, it was hard to find evidence.  Secondary sources were abundant, and it was difficult to find the actual place that the network executives said their piece outside of the article analyzing what they said among other things.

Putting the sources together could prove challenging, and I am still looking at other sources.  I want to find something that will fit in better than what I already have.

Unit 2 Proposal

I have decided to write about the Nielsens and their third party relationship with the TV networks and advertising agencies.  The "event"that I am using is the case of the extremely popular television series "Lost."  In "Lost's" first season it received a 7.8 rating with a 19 share in the 18-49 demographic, (the most popular demographic for advertisers, because generally they watch the least amount of TV and are harder to reach with ads) the show averaged 20.71 million viewers.  The second season inexplicably lost viewers dropping to a 7.6 rating with an 18 share, averaging 17.84 viewers.  The show steadily lost ratings for its remaining seasons.  What the Nielsens failed to take into account was that "Lost" was the top program for video streaming and in May, 2009 "Lost" accounted for 36.4 million video streams, and that viewership for "Lost" goes up 25-30% for same day plus seven ratings.

I plan to use "Lost's" drop in ratings to examine the arguments between the Nielsen company, the TV networks, and the advertising agencies about updating the Nielsen process.  I plan to look at statements from each group particularly the executives, and look at the Nielsen website.

I chose this topic because television is the industry that I intend to join when I become gainfully employed. I'm currently taking a Business of Media class, and I find the Nielsen monopoly on ratings fascinating.  They have resisted innovation so long, because they haven't needed to change.  The company has no opposition.  I want to know why the networks and ad agencies, powerful corporations in their own right, don't take the Nielsens out.  Nielsen data is years out of date, and it doesn't take into consideration innovation in technology.

In Class: First Paragraph

A cool blast of high powered air conditioning quickly cools me down as I deliberately stride across the tiled floor, my feet tapping an impatient beat.  A wall of color appears to my left as I pass the movie posters of what is playing this week, and what will soon be playing in the future.  A wall that promises escape as long as I am willing to pay.  I slowly move through the line, as discounts are only offered in person, machines make you pay for convenience.  I reach the front and the man smiles, speaking through a microphone he takes my money and gives me my ticket.

In Class: Experience with in Class Workshops

I can't really remember doing many in class revision workshops.  My AP English teacher in high school was a nazi and we wrote essays in class with a forty minute time limit and then she would bash our papers.  We called her the dragon lady.

We were expected to revise on our own, because on the writing portion of the AP test we were on our own and had a time limit.  The few times that we had our peers help us revise was slightly helpful, but usually more of a social time.  The most useful revision help I received was when we did Macbeth, when my class mates gave me more ideas on passages to use for my analysis.

In Class: New Ideas

The service of the concessions people.  Does the person in the box office ever need to call a manager?  Prices for other movie theatres, what is the average adult matinee price for the area?  Check to see if certain demographics separtate themselves in a movie theatre, or if they are just maintaining appropriate public space as established by proxemic theory.  Try to keep it to one theatre, and not compare it to another.  One of the concessions guys flirted with me, not nececerily professional behavior, but I would need to observe to see if he did it to anyone else.  Not many people during a work day, students were in the theatre with me I don't know if they were college students on a break, skipping class, or upperclass high school kids skipping class.  What things were targeted at specific demographics?

In Class: Observation Experience

I expected much of what I saw, however, I still need to go on the weekend.  When I went the ticket checker didn't want to let me into the lobby without a ticket, even after I explained my circumstances.  I ended up watching The Expendables to get into the theatre.  There weren't that many people when I was there, because it was in the middle of a work day so not many people were available due to school and jobs.  The concessions people were nice, the guy who got my popcorn hit on me.  There were only two other people in the theatre with me, and I think they were college students.

The place smelled like popcorn as it always does, there were a lot of displays as always, but unfortunately I didn't get to people watch much.  I expect more people on the weekend. 

Prompt: The Ethos, Logos, and Pathos of Public Spaces

The Rave Motion Pictures at Ridgemar Mall is a space designed to make you comfortable while you're watching movies, and it is designed to sell entertainment and concessions.

Ethos: Those working for Rave wear varying degrees of professional attire.  The ticket checker wears a suit, and the people working concessions while not dressed as formally still wear nice, black attire.  The workers want to come off to customers as professional, that they know what they are doing.  The sold out midnight showing of Resident Evil, establishes that people come to the theatre often so the facilities must be at least somewhat higher than others in the area.  I highly doubt that the Ridgemar Movie Tavern did nearly as well.  The floors are clean, revealing that the theatre is well taken care of and showing that the Rave workers take their jobs seriously.  I love the lack of sticky floors.  This particular movie theatre shows new movies on the day that they are released, this shows that the theatre is up to date and not a throwback last run theatre.  I don't know about others, but that speaks to me.

Logos: Ticket prices are $7.50 for an adult matinee, this is slightly higher than others in the area.  Rave holds high regard for their product and the manner in which they deliver said product.  The chairs are cushy and recline thus making the customer more comfortable, and definitely more willing to come back for another experience.  Groups of people try to maintain distance from others in the theatre, by at least one chair.  They want to maintain a sufficient bubble of personal space, and don't want to crowd.  People try for the second row of the upper level, because it is behind the handicap row and the bar is used as a foot rest instead of someone else's chair.  The last seats to be taken are the lower level, because people don't want to crane their necks to see the action.  A security guard walks the lobby, I suppose to maintain order and ensure that no one movie hops.  Although the free refill on the large popcorn, usually makes me want to stick around.  Each movie focuses on its own demographic, and has its own audience.  Children's movies generally take place earlier, and aren't really offered in a later time slot.

Pathos:  Movie trailers play before every movie, and ads for Rave play in the lobby and in the movie theatres.  All of these ads play on certain feelings, the movie trailers more than the Rave ads.  They need to convince the audience to come see their movies.  If you go to see a comedy, they play comedic trailers for upcoming comedies, dramatic movies have more dramatic trailers, and action movies have high paced action trailers.  The smell of popcorn generates a sense of nostalgia and almost everyone buys it at the movies.  

In Class: My Logos Artifact

My artifact has two parts to it.  I brought my summer collection of Dr. Pepper bottle caps and my bottle opener.  I have several bottle caps from this summer, showing that I love the drink Dr. Pepper.  My bottle opener was purchased from the TCU Bookstore the summer before my sophomore year of college, when I first saw that the bookstore sold glass bottled Dr. Pepper.  I feel like I'm the only college student that has bought a bottle opener for a soft drink and not for some sort of alcoholic beverage.

Dr. Pepper is my drink of choice.  My current bottle cap colloection and TCU bottle opener will make any observer logically reach this conclusion.

Unit 1 Proposal

I am going to observe a movie theatre, or multiple movie theatres to see if there are differences in their attempts to bring in audiences.  I chose a movie theatre, because it is one of my favorite places in the whole world.  I love going to see movies, and experiencing the magic of the silver screen.  Sometimes I'll stay at a movie theatre all day, just to see the different stories available.  People go to movies to escape, and I am curious about what things people try to escape to.

I expect to see a lot of people in the theatres during the weekend, with few people during the week.  I expect the smell of popcorn to permeate the air, and large colorful displays to advertise fantastical stories.  I expect people from all different walks of life to come to watch a story, and escape from their everyday existence.

Everyone is a part of some sort of target audience.  I will watch anything, because I appreciate the effort that went into trying to entertain me.  I love movies, and while some are better than others each movie has its place.  Each movie targets someone, they all have their own niche.

I suppose that whatever I write will show a favorable bias toward movie theatres, but overall my love of the cinema shouldn't make much of a difference in my general observations.  I will treat the subject matter critically, since I plan on eventually working in this industry.

In Class: My Ethos Artifact

I brought my archery medals, that I earned at camp to class.  I earned fifteen medals during my eight years at camp, and I feel that they establish my credibility to wield a bow and arrow, and to teach others to do the same.  I have helped several teenagers earn their American Archer medals, and taught several preteens how to shoot at a target.  The eight year-olds were the hardest.

I may not be the best archer out there, but I know what I'm doing and my medals will show others that I can competantly shoot an arrow into a target several yards away. 

In Class: public space analysis

Understanding Pathos is a part of going to the movies, because a lot of the time people go to the movies to escape whatever is happening to them in real life.  Movie theatres have large posters, and huge displays of fantastical images that take people away from the everyday.  People see these posters and displays, and choose what they want to see for a variety of different reasons.  You see comedy because you need to laugh, you see fantasy because real life is impossible to deal with at the moment, you see movies because you can identify with some aspect or character at a personal level.

In Class: My Pathos Artifact

I brought a picture from my eighteenth birthday party, when my tennis team came over and we had a silly string fight.  This picture is highly emotional for me, because my team was my family.  I moved around a lot as a kid, because my dad was in the military.  Most of my friendships didn't last very long, because I have never lived in the same place longer than three years.

My tennis team coming to my birthday was my favorite memory from high school.  I'm still close to the people who were on the team.  We had three foreign exchange students from Germany, and I'm still close enough that I went to visit them in Germany last summer.

I have laughed and cried with my high school tennis team, and they are perfect for my pathos artifact.

Prompt Unit 1: BP Oil Spill

The BP commercial is full of arguments, my favorite was the rogerian argument when Iris Cross, with BP Community Outreach, said, "I was born in New Orleans, my family still lives here."  She was trying to establish a common ground with those affected by the oil spill, using ethos in the process.

Cross uses an informational argument and establishes logos by listing several facts to show that while the oil spill was horrendous BP is doing its best to find solutions to the problem and trying to help the people and businesses hurt by the oil spill.

Cross invites people affected by the oil spill to come forward with their problems, so that they can help.  She describes her job as going around to see how BP can provide assistance.

Cross explores the problem, examines what BP is doing, and explains that BP plans to remain along the gulf coast until the businesses are returned to normal.

I enjoyed the morose music in the background that invoked a sombre, yet slightly hopeful, seriousness with the current situation.  The music played with pathos to generate an emotional response.

Overall the commercial examines the present actions of BP in response to the past event, and looks forward to when everything will be back to normal.

In Class: My Chosen Space

I'm planning to observe the Rave movie theatre at Ridgemar Mall.  It holds more theatres than a Movie Tavern, and brings more people in audience.  The theatre holds all sorts of arguments from advertising to make people watch a movie to buying overpriced concessions. 

I decided on a movie theatre, because I am a RTVF major and this particular subject highly interests me.  I'm currently taking a Business in the Media class, and we have recently been discussing the major media conglomerates movie output.

In Class: First Week of School

This week has been great.  My favorite class is Video I for FTDM, and we had our first lab on Wednesday.  My group is starting on multi-camera, and we are going to work with a broadcast journalism class to create a news show in the new HD film studio in Moudy.  I was the technical director yesterday and operated a switchboard.  We have our first newscast next Wednesday.

I'm a little frustrated with one of my classes, due to being wait listed.  The wait list is completely unnecessary.  Business of Media is interesting, we are learning about all of the conglomerates and the monopolies of various goods and services.

Allow myself to introduce... myself

My name is Ashley, and I am a senior, Radio, TV, Film major who previously majored in Journalism.  I chose to take this course, because it is required to graduate.  I hope to learn to better organize longer essays so that they flow better and aren't as choppy.

I prefer writing an analysis on literature than creating an argument.  I text more than I e-mail or go on Facebook, and I prefer to use full sentences rather than abbreviations on all three types of media.  I mail letters to my great grandfather regularly.  I feel I have a solid grasp of the English language, and I love to hand write things rather than type them.  I'm rather proud of my handwriting.

My aesthetic choices paint me as a movie fanatic, with an eclectic sense of style, and a love of classic rock.  Any papers I work on will be handwritten first and then typed and always turned in on time because of my respect for deadlines.

I have read, understand, and agree to the terms of the course syllabus. (The title is a quote from Austin Powers)