Beyond Class: Cinderstien and TyRuben Ellingson

Cinderstien

So for my first beyond class assignment, I did a play on Fort Lee called Cinderstien. It's basically this weird twist on Cinderella, but some stuff happens and she becomes one of Frankenstein's monsters. Its supposed to be a comedy and kind of like a play within a play. I personally thought it was great, though the kids drove me a bit crazy. I was actually involved in the play as a part of techcrew. I loved seeing the kids, most of them, grow and develop as a family while learning about themselves and others in this experience. I also learned that I could never be a teacher for 8th, 9th, and 10th graders. Most of the ones I had problems with were in that category. They were a great group overall, and I would definitely love to work with them again.

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TyRuben Ellingson

As I've said in a previous.... few blogs, I want to be a fx makeup artist. So when I heard that Mr. Ellingson, a fx designer, was coming to do a speech at the school, I honestly couldn't wait. Mr. Ellingson has designed things in Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Hell Boy, Blade, Avatar, Casper, and Pacific Rim. He now teaches at VCU. I honestly think that it was a great presentation and really informative. I don't really know if it benefited  me in my specific career goal or not, but it was interesting and a great thing to go to. 

What I want to do with my life, and why.

So, if you've read any of my other post, or perhaps know me, you know that I want to be a special effects make up artist. If you don't know me, you now know that I want to be a special effects make up artist.

Some people have recently come to me concerned about my future career, saying how they think its not for me, how its not successful, how I wont get anywhere, how its a pointless field.

I would like to just say that not only horror movies use special effects makeup. Every movie and most non reality/animated TV shows produced now has some element of special effects makeup. I would also like to point out that as a special effects makeup artist, you have to be able to do beauty makeup. Now, I can slightly understand why some people are so close minded to it, because they don't understand it, but others not so much. Yes, I know that for a while I may struggle, but I also know that I can do it, and it will happen. I believe that I'm going to be able to make it, despite the challenges I have and will continue to face. I don't expect to graduate and then get a great job in some big time movie company. I honestly expect to do so many things outside of my field before I even start an internship in some big company. But while I'm doing those other things, I will be doing whatever I can, whenever I can to make it where I want to be. I have to prove to people that I deserve to be where I want to be. They aren't going to hand it to me, and I wouldn't want them to. I have to work for my dream, and I'm going to. I'm so sick of everyone trying to put me down with "my best interest in mind". No offence, but I don't need you to make it. I don't need you to tell me about the problems I'm going to face, and I definitely don't need you to doubt me. If you can't give me your support, then I will make it with out you, and when I'm up there doing movies and with my own makeup line, I'll remember everyone who ever gave me words of encouragement. For those who tried to bring me down and dishearten me, however, they won't be so lucky.

Blurred Lines and Rape.

So I was on tumblr the other night (on of the greatest websites ever to exist), and I saw a post comparing Robin Thicke's song Blurred Lines to that of rape, and it got me thinking. To see the post click here.

Blurred lines is something that a lot of people talk about but some don't quite understand.They are things that one does when they mean somethings else, like no actually meaning yes by nonverbal actions

One the topic of consensual sex, blurred lines do not exist. 

No does not mean yes. 

So the issue here is if that was what Robin was really getting at; rape. 

I personally don't believe he ment any harm from the song, but you have to look at it in the manor that others are. This could possibly be taken as him saying that rape is okay. 

"Good girl" 

This is my first issue with the song. Good girl is something I tell my dog, or a little kid who just tied their shoes. I am not a dog. I am not a small kid who has succeded in doing something for the first time . I am human, and I am a woman. I personally feel like calling a woman a good girl is degrading. You have just compared a grown woman to your pet in a way, and that doesn't sit well with a lot of girls. Granted he could also mean like good girl in the way that she doesn't get in trouble or does whats she's told, it's still slightly degrading. 

"I know you want it"

Okay this one is probably a bit more clear as to why it's unsettling. In a lot of shows like Law And Order, Criminal Minds, and NCIS, rapist use this to say that what they did wasn't rape because she wanted it some way some how and now shes pulling the boy who cried wolf by saying he raped her. 

"I hate these blurred lines"

Here, it's pretty obvious. He notes the fact that he is confused about whether she wants it or not, but hes gonna keep trying to pressure her into it.

The last thing that really bothers is really just a word that is repeated throughout the song. The "b word" is used by him and T.I. in the song a couple of times and I don't really like it. I don't think that that word is looked at as a positive thing so when  a man says it to a woman it bothers me. I see it as disrespectful and degrading. I don't think a woman should ever be called out her name so crudely. 

Now personally I love the song, but there are some things that just don't sit well with me. 

But I think that some people may be taking it too far. I also think that if you're gonna stand up for rape on theses line of this song you should also point out that not just women get raped, men can too, and this is where the blurred lines become even more blurred 

I watched this spoken word video on you tube about two men who got raped because of these blurred lines... 

I don't think it's fair that men don't get to have a voice in their own cases of rape, and that's exactly what they talk about. About how after they are just expected to be a man about it. I don't see how as a nation, we can sit here and empower women to say no and we constantly have to fight for our rights when we can't teach men, who practically have every right they could ever want, to have a voice; to say no. Yes, I'm pretty sure women get raped more often then men, but at the end of the day men get raped too. It happens and I think its something that we should talk more about and understand more about, instead of sitting here acting like it doesn't happen. 

HE HAS JUST A RIGHT TO SAY NO AS SHE DOES.

BLURRED LINES ARE POINTLESS.

 

Writing Guidelines

Distractions:
  So tired
  I really can't get this song out of my head either
  But I can't wait to go to the gym

Whats on my mind:
  Can we just write about random stuff
  Like how pastel goth is so cute
  And how it sucks that cats have seem to taken over fashion along with galaxy print and crosses
  Its just annoying.
  I can't wait for Halloween either.....
  My level of hypeness increases day by day.
  It shall be great.

Anything else:
  Halloween make up
  How to make random things
 
What gets my attention:
  Anything Halloween...........

Associations and part of this topic:
  Halloween actually started as a religious holiday
  There are several types of styles of make up used for it
  Its absolutely my favourite holiday ever
  Day of the Dead being a close second because of obvious reasons
  I don't see how people don't like it, but then again, special effects makeup  is kinda what I want to do in life
  I actually have to go stock up on things now
  Latex, prosthetic, concealer, face paint, grease paint, and I need to get the fabric to make my costume
  I think I'm going to get some one paint brushes and mixing pallet too, just for the hell of it.
  Halloween is going to be great this year, just like every year

What makes this topic interesting to me:
  Halloween is my heart and soul. It allows me to be myself and display my talent. It allows me to show people the hard work, time and money that goes into this, and the passion that I have. If Halloween didn't exist as a holiday, then I would hate everything. Its the one time of year where I don't have to do just beauty make up, and if I do I can make it gruesome and beautiful. Outside of Halloween or a play with that type of nature, walking around with fake scars, and scabs, and bullet wounds, and flesh melting off isn't really excepted in society.

Dead end:
  I'm not at one, I just don't feel like ranting about my passion.

What's missing:
  A pumpkin, no but really. My love for Halloween isn't just about Halloween and special effects makeup, its also about my love for Autumn.

Point:
  I feel like I've made that extremely clear. and if I haven't, its about makeup, Halloween  autumn, and my love for it.

At the end:
  This is complete. Otherwise I'd rant for about another hundred pages.

Research Paper Topics

So, Wednesday we received our papers on research topics that we could possibly do. Normally this would be no big thing, look at it once or twice then put it away til the time comes that you need it again. Nope, not this time. He said we had to come together as a class to narrow it down to three topics that we would all talk about. Now, having Sweeney before as a professor, this was new. In 100 we just got to write about whatever we wanted in our essays as long as they stemmed from one another. I know he's trying new things, but I don't know how well this is going to go. We got one out of three, of course that was Sexuality. I'm sure we all knew that would make the list. So, today we are going to try to get two more, and probably fail. I know one topic will be interesting how the two who said no will swing their votes. He said this had to be a unanimous decision. Hopefully all goes smoothly and there will be no real issues with this, but I know at least one person is going to hold their ground. Someone should. It makes life interesting.