PROTEST POSTER

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

The social issue I selected that was addressed publicly during the election was the topic of abortion. I feel this particular issue was mentioned quite frequently not only at the time of the election but also in everyday discussions. In my opinion, abortion is basically the same as murder and I am strongly against it. I realize that under certain circumstances, a woman can be unwillingly impregnated and does not wish to give birth to the unborn child. This is a complicated situation and I may not fully understand how it feels since I’ve never experienced it, however I do feel that anyone should acknowledge the fact that regardless of the scenario, it is still a living, breathing person whose life you are choosing to take away. Since I see very little difference between this and murder, I think the people who decide to abort a baby are in a way trying to play God. There is nobody on earth who should have the right to take the life of another besides our own Father in Heaven. He is our Maker and Master of our bodies and spirits and should be the only one who determines whether or not we get to live or die. According to His gospel, taking a life is an unforgivable sin and those who commit such a sin will suffer. He gives no exceptions for this commandment. Even though the baby hasn’t been born yet, you are still denying a child of God to experience life when you have an abortion. He has also told us that there is only one God and that we should follow Him and not the words of man. We cannot pretend to be gods or think we have the same authority as He does because we don’t plain and simple. It doesn’t matter what our intentions or reasons are, nobody should feel entitled to do something that not according to the will of the Lord without being penalized for it.  

In the poster I created, I decided to really emphasize the contrast between God and someone trying to play God. I showed an image of Leonardo Da Vinci's painting "The Creation of Adam" in black and white to demonstrate the traditionalism of the Lord. When it comes to God it's only one way or the other. I find the image is calm and soothing with no extreme colors or texts. The other image I found from the television series "Arrested Development" where one of the characters dresses up and tries to play the part of God. I alternated the image by adding bright red colors and gruesome fonts to show the horror and grotesque nature of abortion (or playing God). 

This specific social issue relates to the various remarks and opinions displayed on the news and tabloids. These forms of media spend a great amount of time calling certain individuals dumb, ugly, or evil when really who are we to judge? I know people have freedom of speech and it may not be the same as murder, but is it far off from trying to play God? Isn’t He the only one who should judge us? In the end, no matter how much we may justify ourselves, we need to recognize how no one can pull off the performance of God except for the Big Man Himself. 

Webspinna Artist’s Statement

The Webspinna project was one of the most interesting and challenging assignments the class has ever had. I knew it would be particularly difficult for me because I didn’t know much about sound as in where to find different sources and how to combine them all together. Much to my surprise once I started looking for sounds on the Internet, I came across a large variety of websites that offered very useful links. Once I found the sound clips I wanted, it was a completely different experience mixing them all together. I had to pay close attention as to when I would introduce a new sound clip and gently fade the other one out. It took a number of times practicing for my Webspinna presentation, and even though. I eventually got the hang of it, I was still nervous to perform. I wasn’t sure if my overall theme would be clear to the audience and if my project would be up to par with the rest of the class’s. My expectations as to how my Webspinna would turn out were pretty uncertain.

When the performance on Friday night began, it was so neat hearing what everyone else came up with. I feel that everyone really took the opportunity to explore all kinds of sounds and getting creative with putting them into one presentation. It was definitely unlike any other performance I had seen before since there were no visuals. As I was listening to the various Webspinnas, I began to picture in my mind images and stories that correlated with the mixtures of sounds. Everything I imagined was so unique in its own way as the sounds often jumped from fast to slow, loud to soft, etc. I’m not entirely sure as to what the themes were to each Webspinna, but I could tell that the whole class’s sounds were somehow connected.

The theme I chose for my Webspinna was selecting distinct sounds that related to the opening of a performance, process, or ceremony. I was trying to incorporate how everything has a beginning and how much more effective it is when the beginning is very epic. As I am just now entering the film program, it is my goal to start off as strong as possible. I know that by doing so I will leave a memorable legacy behind. My Webspinna is a lot like theatre and performing arts, as shows that open strongly are typically never forgotten. I also think it applies to the reading as I took different elements from different sources and combined them into one to share an overall message and express a certain theme.

Webspinna

http://mp3skull.com/mp3/military_reveille.html

http://www.soundjay.com/dial-up-modem-sound-effect.html

http://mp3skull.com/mp3/lets_get_ready_to_rumble.html

http://freemp3x.com/play.php?yti=o4vW_iK0qiI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG5OsfOuEy0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bXy72_4X8w

http://searchfreemp3.com/download-mp3-the-star-spangled-banner.html

http://www.soundjay.com/dial-up-modem-sound-effect.html

http://newmail.monsterserve.com/misc.htm

http://mp3skull.com/mp3/lets_get_ready_to_rumble.html

http://freemp3x.com/play.php?yti=o4vW_iK0qiI

http://mp3skull.com/mp3/star_wars_opening.html

http://mp3skull.com/mp3/olympics_theme_song.html

http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=1276809&song=Theme+Song

Gone Missing Response

The BYU Theatre Performing Arts Department’s performance of Gone Missing was both interesting and thought provoking. I knew absolutely nothing regarding the overall premise of the show so I was able to walk in with a pretty opened mind. Despite fairly low expectations, I was quite impressed by what I saw. First of all, I thought it was quite bold to put on a production centered on several victims of September 11^th. This is a very sensitive subject matter that must be dealt with carefully in order to prevent any harm or offense. Not only was this play able to handle the complicated topic, but it also succeeded in providing light humor occasionally making the show all the more enjoyable. I was rather blown away by the actors as they all gave strong performances, captivating and effectively expressing the emotions behind the various stories told throughout. They almost frequently spoke in different dialects and portrayed multiple characters, which was really impressive. Aside from the intriguing setup and great acting, I was particularly blown away by the directorial style of the play. The show was presented in a very abstract sort of way. For example, the actors were always facing the audience even though they were talking to each other. There was also not much of set, which allowed the viewers to use their imagination and picture the setting in their mind. This play relates a lot to the variety of topics we have discussed in class, mostly to exploring the many forms of media. The show included the use of radio, music, and television in order to tell a story. I think this multi-application of media is trying to explain how the tragedy of 9/11 caused a great impact all over the world. For months following its occurrence, the event and its effect on society was televised, broadcasted, and performed on a daily basis.