Alan Turing

http://www.nndb.com/people/952/000023883/ 

1912-1954

Mathematician, Visionary & Courageous Individual

 Timeline of Life Events:

(Source: http://www.turing.org.uk/turing/)

1912 (23 June): Birth, Paddington, London
1926-31: Sherborne School
1930: Death of friend Christopher Morcom
1931-34: Undergraduate at King's College, Cambridge Univers1932-35: Quantum mechanilogic
19351936: The Turing machine, computability, universal machine
1936-38: Princeton University. Ph.D to Cambridge. Introduced to German Enigma cipher machine
1939-40: The Bombe, machine for Enigma decryption
1939-42: Breaking of U-boat Enigma, saving battle of the Atlan945: National Physical Laboratory, London
1946: Computer and software design leading the world.
1947-48: Programming, neural nets, and artificial intelligenc49: First serious mathematical use of a computer
1950: The Turing Test for machine intelligence
1951: Elected FRS. Non-linear theory of biological growth
1952: Arrested as a homosexual, loss of security clearance
1953-54: Unfinished work in biology and physics
1954 (7 June): Death (suicide) by cyanide poisoning, Wilmslow, Cheshire.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/people/alan_turing

Clearly, an intelligent man and gift to the world, Turing's mind worked in ways many could not comprehend. His educational background and ways he reformed mathematics and coding through history in his lifetime are extremely impressive however it's the more personalized side of the genius and ultimately his sad loss of life that resonates a deeper connection within. For a man of such great stature and intelligence in society to still be bullied to the point of suicide because of his sexuality shows how vicious the world can truly be and is further inspiration for current day individuals to fight for the freedom many like Turing, still feel lost without. Imagine what more he could have given to the world had it not been for his unfortunate ending. The fact that he's not only still recognized for his visionary works but bravery in being HIMSELF is a path that I believe he and many others would be proud to have left behind; making a difference as martyr for a deeper cause.

Clockwork Orange's 'Dancing In The Rain'

An interesting note: http://collider.com/malcolm-mcdowell-a-clockwork-orange-singing-in-the-rain/

Following five days of shooting, changing the furniture, trying every which way to inspire a drought of creativity, the question was asked..."can you dance?" Immediately spawning, an improv singing performance of "dancing in the rain" as a humorous joke, leading to, in the words of Malcom McDowell "perfection".

Sick and twisted perfection indeed, the addition of the song to such a stingingly graphic rape scene adds phenomenal contrast and memorable shock value.

"Singing In The Rain" originally entered the stage in 1952 in a light heartfelt American musical comedy. Although the film received minimal recognition, the song took off and transformed into a timeless piece that has followed every generation as an immediately recognizable tune connotating pleasure and happiness.

McDowell's decision to take such a wholesome song and use it as a tool in an incredibly vile scene only enhanced the audience's uncomfortably, which I believe was his main goal. Although I've never seen the movie in full, everything I have heard and seen depicts a very dark plot line. From the snippets we watched in class I was able to get a better feel for the context of the era and the outlandishness of McDowell for creating something so original and bravely, disturbing. His inclusion of this song in a way was a test of humanity and power of the scene; to take everything the public knew of the song, everything wonderful, beautiful and wholesome and ENTIRELY taint it in it's inclusion of a horrid rape. It's like commanding the brain to fight off two extremely different impulses; one of comfort in recognizing a familiar tune and the other in disagreement and disdain in the horror of hearing this song in a new light, just like classical music is used against one of the characters in his psychological treatment, connecting it to the crimes he committed and the pain that is inflicted upon him, scarring him to the point where he can never enjoy the music, let alone hear it, in the same way again.

Street Art Around the World

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/15-massive-street-art-murals

Walt Disney Animations

REALITY CHECK

It's absolutely fascinating to see the physical drawn out process of creating the timeless tales that we all know and love. Pocahontas, Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast,Snow White, Cinderella- I know all the songs by heart and still get goosebumps at 21 when I re watch. Everything about them is timeless and comforting, a reminder of beautiful life and the nostalgia of childhood. I never would have imagined, or rather never took the time to think, about just how challenging the process of starting out would be.

The night and day shifts of workers, conferences looking over the stories, directors finalizing the script and dialogue, then acting out the actions as the musical score is produced so they're perfectly in sync..

A little trick I found to be highly humorous and clever was the usage of a mirror to capture facial reactions while the artists were illustrating their cartoons- once again, to make sure the final product was absolutely perfect and nothing but stunningly life like.

Once the animations were made, they were tested via this little projection device and then the coloring process came into play. One of the most clear characteristics of Disney movies is the COLOR that brings the film to life. Without it, the dancing, the singing, the gestures of love, the struggles against evil, would all be bland.

To see the factories women worked in coloring the drawings and hearing the man describe them "the prettiest women in air conditioned spaces" it sounded like the most sacred of tedious yet glorifying jobs.

Then in the final stages, the images would be taken to a studio paint lab where more than 1500 shades of color would be used and finally photographed by the master camera in Technicolor.

Snow White, Disney's first production consisted of more than 3 million paintings and cost 1.5 million dollars- and broke every box office record.

What a legend to leave behind- I've always appreciated and adored Disney's films but understanding how animations first started out and learning about the process of filming and producing makes me that much more in awe of the beauty and idea that we ever could have lived without it. To see the transformation from the early stages up until now is jaw dropping- you have to wonder what will come next just 10 years down the road.

Le Voyage dans le Lune- Melies

Dominant elements of Melies' production include the well synced orchestra matching the series of actions and detail of black and white design. There is no sound beyond the music yet the progression of what's going on is always clear for the most part.

Looking back at Emile Cohl's animations and the early beginnings of Felix the cat and quick sketches we watched in class, it's incredible to see the rapid transformation of quality and talent in such an exhausting process.

We take the process of creating a film for granted, imagining it's construction appearing with a click of the pen but in actuality, the time, effort and skill that went into the first artistic acts are spell binding. We see this in the video showcasing Walt Disney's transformation of cartoon animations and here in Melies' short movie. The variety of scenes, from earth to space to the bottom of the ocean is incredibly cool.

My favorite part of the video as a whole is definitely when the men arrive on the moon. I couldn't help but watch the entirety of the video and be reminded of the acid trip that is Alice in Wonderland. Below I made note of a few key times showcasing events or details that really popped out.

6:36 Love the change in music, almost ethnic like a tango then it slows as what looks to be snow, falls from the sky, creating this soft, romantic tone.

7:03 Epitome of Acid Trip, similar to Alice in Wonderland, they're in an overgrown mushroom forrest with little creatures jumping out to attack. Genius. Like magicians, they combat the flying monkey-like characters and turn them into clouds of smoke.

8:30 Even in black and white, the detail of the architecture in the castle is so rich we imagine it be stoic gold leaf. The composition in front of this castle with military lined up in their ravishing costumes further enforces the symmetry of the scene.

8:58 TEXTURE of the planet is incredible. The very first thing that pops up and cannot be ignored- the craters in the moon are beautiful and the layering of the land, not just flat but raised and grooved is very life like.

9:56 spaceship falling to the bottom of the ocean

What a transition into a new and exciting place to capture the audience's attention and mystify them! The bubbles, the seaweed, the fish- Melies knows how to paint the perfect adventure.

Broadway Technology cont...

I had a more dififuclt time finding clear examples of impressive technology on Stage Door's blog-  many of the videos dealt solely with lighting, costume and the talent of voice rather than outlandish modernized props and techniques. Due to the difficulty in finding examples on Stage Door I went to youtube as a source. The best example I found was:

 "Rise Above" Spider Man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3jT6AtYIbw

Web backround splits to reveal live woman in center dressed as spider, hanging from strings with moving legs- bluish, dark lighting accentuates the movement and design of the web. Spotlight focuses on woman's face and man singing down below.

Stage Door Blog: Creative Technology

Assignment: Angel De Quinta's Stage Door Blog- 7 video excerpts showing technology used in a creative way

Man of La Mancha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LgzXwpePTTU

spotlight following performer across stage
back drop and rusty red/brown costume design for scene, similar complimentary hues
orchestra is simple as the main actor singing remains in focus, matches temp and tone as man picks up pace and enriches emotion.

Annie "New Deal for Christmas"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=sSTm321Is7o

The creative camera angling is a bit hectic along with the simultaneous background music, tap dancing and harmony of children and adult voices reflecting the overall tone and and emotional storyline of Annie.

Side By Side, Neil Patrick Harris, Tony Awards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kMwotYjG0Ak

Neil Patrick Harris, main focus, once again spotlight follows him across stage; city back drop
Interactive quality of singing with other performers on stage who also converse, making the performance more light hearted and easy going.

Speaks to the message of the song: side by side, as Harris is surrounded and the dancers remain in complete sync with one another.

Ladies Who Lunch, Patti LuPone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvXEQ4lZt8k&feature=player_embedded

I love the clear emotion broadcasted in not only the tone of voice but facial expression. Most of the performances highlight the performer while the lighting and orchestra slyly compliment the gradual changes of the performance, hinting to the audience the developing tone. The purple light, reactions and orchestra become more looming as LuPone drags out her voice in relfection of despair and drunken state. Orchestra builds intensity as she escalates the power of her voice.

Being Alive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JrRGcu-I5k&feature=player_embedded#t=40s

Singer is  center main stage, two other performers in almost a heckle like state trace back and forth across the stage as the orchestra is beautifully positioned behind and then behind the orchestra, a beautiful gothic architectural backdrop. The effect of conversation/interaction used to break apart the song makes the piece more heartfelt and endearing, adding a refreshment of realism.
Julie Andrews, Camelot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV24zNLkE8s&feature=player_embedded

In comparison, this performance is quite simple: black and white, fairly bland stage, the orchestra teases along with the tempo of the dancing to hold he attention of the audience.

Robert Goulet, Sir Lancelot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL52hEArSfM&feature=player_embedded

Just like Camelot, the technology is incredibly simple. Everything is filmed in black and white. The backdrop is far from today's modern developments but it paints the image of a castle, and this soldier whole heartily singing about his love for a woman, unable to imagine when he would be able to leave her. The orchestra compliments the stages of the song and the lyrics and costume are beautiful enough to entrance the viewer without modern day effects.

Minstrel Shows and Josephine Baker

"Blacks and Vaudeville"

To see where African Americans started, dehumanized and performing based off vicious pride stripped stereotypes is incredibly grounding and unreal when we consider how far our evolution of society and entertainment has evolved.

"Shoe shine boy", "Black Face" white masks hiding the color of skin for nearly 40 years, stylized rags, over announced voices- all riddles and gags taken from the Northern stage, highlighting the ignorance of the world at the time.

Just last night, woman of the century, Beyonce performed at the Super Bowl and had EVERYONE obsessing over her perfection, not just effortless confidence and beauty but pure talent: song and dance. So many of our performers that we value and adore are of ethnic descent whether it's African America, Latina or a combination of backgrounds- ethnicity today in entertainment is embraced as something beautiful.

"Josephine Baker: the first Black Super Star"

"Her body was democracy's body- all of the modernist art, poetry, music movements rolled in one dancing body"

Born in 1906, uneducated and poor in deeply segregated times, she became a symbol of liberation and bravery. Danced her way out in the Vaudeville circus, arrived in New York in 1921, just at the start of the Harlem Renaissance, Roaring 20's Era.

Comedy girls at the end of the chorus line- speaks to the charisma, confidence and spirit that made her a natural performer. Called a comedy performance girl, too big not too notice and became the highest paid.

What struck me most was her decision to end her young marriage with Willie Baker, as it's described "she caught the negro fever" and had an unwavering desire to perform.. the pure strength and surge of independence behind such an outbreak is timelessly inspiring but even more honorable as it was such a bold move of the time. Women were made to obey, always belittled, used by men when needed- it's around this time in the mid 20's where women begin to have a surge of sexuality and confidence and become comfortable in their skin. Josephine Baker, not just a woman, but an African American women quickly realized her love and need wasn't to be with someonelse or settle, it was to unwrap her true lively self and go after adventure, that which led her down a path that one could normally only dream of.

Beyonce, Shakira, Nicki Manaj, Jenifer Lopez- these powerfully talented starlets of today's society are the modern day formation of Baker's liberating foundation that made society recognize the magnetizing allure of women super stars.