So a few weeks ago I was talking to this guy (dating I suppose, but I decided to stay single) and we had a conversation about music. He was one of those people that was born & raised in Maryland … Continue reading
Those of you who have been reading my blog throughout the summer, may recall the few posts related to my multimedia composition class. They may have appeared random, but they were apart of my Engl 3084 class online with the University of Colorado.
I came into the class with an expectation of not knowing much about multimedia, but all my experience in film, writing, art, and design proved to be beneficial. I learned how to take my wide range of skills and apply them to meaningful subjects, which is why I love my blog so much. The class made me appreciate my blog much more and the power of media to spread a message.
Overall the class was a great learning experience and it really gave me a chance to highlight my skills in multimedia. I’ve taken film classes, art classes, theatre classes, english classes, and I’ve had so many experiences with utilizing visuals to make a statement. Even though my passion in life is writing, it never hurts to be a well rounded individual. You never know when you’re going to be in a position that entails you to use film, writing, math, art, and even persuasive speeches. Anything and everything will work together to make a solid statement.
All the classes I’ve taken throughout my years in college have molded me into a media junkie. I take every aspect of different classes and lessons, then I apply them to my approach to life and blogging. Multimedia composition was one of those classes where I had the chance to use visuals to explore various topics. I would have never thought of making a documentary about my brother, but the class assignment became the perfect opportunity for my brother to share his message.
I’m glad the summer semester is over, even though I did enjoy every moment of class. I’m excited about focusing more on writing in all my fall english classes, but I know the multimedia skills I have will be used in the near future. Maybe one day I can become a media warlord. That’s the purpose of my blog, to shed light on all forms of media and create a haven for other media junkies and urban nomads.
ThinkSoul25
Earlier in the semester we worked on visual narratives and it was fun! I had the chance to go down memory lane and talk about my move from Denver back home to the DMV. I’m glad to be back home and I don’t really miss Colorado too much.
Here is my visual narrative called “The Urban Nomad.” Be sure to check out the PDF and let me know your thoughts!
Below is also the final documentary about my brother Jamile McGee and his life after So You Think You Can Dance. I had a great time filming with him and the family, but I’m glad the process is finally done.
ThinkSoul25
While working on my rough draft of my documentary about life after reality television, I realized that there weren’t many documentaries on this subject. Throughout the course of my documentary I’ve had the position as an insider on my subject. Over the years I’ve seen my brother’s career rise and dealt with the “So You Think You Can Dance?” obsession from outsiders.
I can recall so many encounters with people obsessed with SYTYCD and individuals who were hungry to have their 15 minutes of fame. It’s sad to see how many people are willing to do anything in order to have their time in the spotlight, even if that means attempting to ride off the coats of others. Even though my brother has achieved a certain amount of acknowledgement in the dance/entertainment industry, I’ve never been the type of person to just ride off his success.
My role in this documentary and in my interactions with my brother’s dance career and “15 minutes of fame,” has been a role of support and knowledge. I aim to let others know about the reality of a dancers life and how shows such as “So You Think You Can Dance?” only help a dancer so much in their career. Being on a show like that doesn’t guarantee success and it shouldn’t be the main mission for a dancer. In my documentary Jamile briefly talked about how he strives to make a name for himself that is based upon his amazing talent and character, not riding off the SYTYCD claim to fame.
I gathered quite a bit of material for my documentary but had to shorten it in order to meet appropriate time length for my Multimedia Composition class. This topic of a dancers life and coming off a reality show, is a topic that can easily be an hour long documentary. I’ve collected a lot of footage as an insider on this topic, but one day it would be interesting to possibly talk to other dancers as well. I haven’t felt any discomfort when discussing the subject and shedding light on the reality of the aftermath following reality television. It’s been fascinating!
My hope is that people will begin to discuss more about reality television and the truth about being on season 1 of “So You Think You Can Dance?” It’s a shame how so many of the dancers from the first season have sort of been forgotten by the producers, yet they have had successful careers around the world. Interesting…
Thinksoul25
