Two Storylines at Once

"Alternative Math" is an award wining short comedy film about a teacher who faces a belligerently anti-fact society. Ideaman Studios published the video in 2017, and it was played in the January 2018 comedy/drama festival.

Under the exaggerated-reality sit com storyline lies some social and political critique that hits home to many viewers. Only nine minutes long, this piece directed by David Maddox is an example of masterful and graceful social commentary.

The use of consistent cut-aways in between the subsequent days this story takes place serves to keep the viewer's attention and give the story its structure.

What we can learn from the film is the art of balancing two storylines at once. There are two stories in this one-story film: one is a lighthearted, exaggerated story that would likely never happen, and another is a sobering warning to Modern American Society and to its ever-growing multi-truth mindset. When a multi-truth mindset that exists already in society grows far enough to reach exclusive truth practices such as math, all chaos breaks loose. Maddox is warning viewers against and at the same time poking fun at the multi-truth, alternative answers-anything goes crowd.

The mastery of this film is not only that it follows dual storylines, but that it also perfectly balances the two. The film is not somber and heavy like the commentary it contains, so it is suitable for a much wider range in audience than it would be if it weren't framed as comedy. This makes it interesting and  fun to follow, earning the attention of philosophy professors and high school students alike. The goal, it seems, was to convey the message to the public. Maddox's move in framing the story in lighthearted comedy was perfect to meet that goal.

Even the actors' cheesy over-acting contributed to lightening the load of social commentary. The exaggerated reactions and facial expressions move the film from a deep, powerful social piece to a slap-stick comedy. These nuances subtly signal to the viewer that this is only a joke, and in effect loosens any tensions or pre-conceived biases.

Some of the acting/storytelling choices are also due to the nature of the question at the core of the film. It's obvious- so anything but over exaggerated sit com may not serve the film's purpose very well.

It may also be worthwhile to note the possible word play off the phrase "Alternative Facts." While the film is about math, the message isn't confined to math, but rather to anything that has a conclusive truth to it. This may be applied to the media, to the sciences, to logic or medicine or machinery, construction, welding, farming, and so on and so forth. The film is broad in nature yet not so broad that it's difficult to see Maddox is making a pointed statement.

One easy take-away to learn from this film is the idea of broadening the audience scope. This may mean making decisions that feel counter-intuitive to the message, especially in a film similar to those like "Alternative Math." In the end, this morph does not cheapen the weight of the social critique, but rather compliments it very well and allows it to stand on its own.

Madelyn Petta

Silent Images, a non-profit that serves non-profits

Silent Images' about page says it was founded by David Johnson who left his teaching career in 2006 and has now done documentary work in 40 different countries.

Watching one video about a boy named Noah moved me to tears for a variety of reasons. Having four boys of my own, I felt for this young boy who experienced so much in his short lifetime. Also, knowing that he landed in a good place with people who walk out their faith like I try to do, touched my heart.

The videos are created to move people to action and I can definitely say this one worked.

They used a variety of techniques. Re-enactment, which was very well done. You really feel the uncertainty and fear Noah had as a child. The adult abuser in the video was always darkened and mysterious, adding to the tension.

They also used a variety of video taken by hand of Noah throughout his time growing up at the home he ended up staying in, which moved you along in his story. The video of his interview was well-shot, the only thing that really gave you grounding that somehow this kid was going to come out okay.

I did notice one fade to black towards the end of the video, but it wasn't the actual end of the video. To me, it also made sense. It made me feel like it was the ending of one chapter of his life and starting a new one in the next scene. It gives you that feeling without having to state it.

The video also had a very clear beginning, middle and end. At the end of the video you are very clear on who and what it was about.

Claudio Miranda - Academy Award Winning Cinematographer

Claudio Miranda isn't just eccentric in his looks but also in his style of cinematography. He is best known for his work in Life of Pi but he has also contributed to Tron: Legacy and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Oddly enough, he is also only the second Chilean person to win an Academy Award. 


 

Miranda earned his way up the filmmaker ladder by working as an electrician and lighting technician on well-known feature films like Crimson Tide. He worked alongside people like Tony Scott, David Fincher, and many others. His first ever assignment was Failure to Launch which was a nominee in many award ceremonies. With The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, he worked as the director of photography under Tom Dey. It wasn't until Life of Pi that Miranda really jumped to the top of the ladder in film making.

His motivation and constant efforts to rise the working ladder is inspiring. Starting in music, working the technical side of concerts and plays, all the way up to the amazing work done in Life of Pi. Before making his way into film he had the pleasure of working with musical artists such as Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog in music videos still watched today.

Obviously, he made many connections along the way but his collaboration with Tony Scott is really what propelled him forward and upward. Making shorts such as Mute and many others, Miranda got the chance at so much experience before his big break.

Life of Pi won him many awards, a few being, an Oscar for best achievement in cinematography, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA. Personally, I believe the movie is worth watching even if just for the beautiful scenes, let alone the intriguing story line.

Bill Maher - Much Needed Sarcasm

Photo by Angela George

Bill Maher, born 1956, an American comedian is the star of "Real Time with Bill Maher". Maher got his start as an actor and comedian in the late 70's.

In 1993 Maher became the host of Comedy Central's Politically Incorrect, which was canceled in 2002 after controversial remarks of the U.S six days after the 9/11 attacks. 

After Politically Incorrect being canceled, HBO created a new show in 2003 called Real Time with Bill Maher. Like his previous show, Politically Incorrect, Real Time focuses on political commentary using sarcasm.

Maher is also an executive producer of HBO's Vice, that does political commentary and journalism around the world.

HBO's series Vice is a part of Vice Media, a company that started out as a magazine, transitioned to a company that focuses on digital media and broadcasting in the 2000's, and has created award winning documentaries.

Maher has also created a documentary himself called "Religious," and is coming out with a new documentary with Michael Moore.


Along with his other adventures he has also has been coming out with a series of books starting with his first. True Story: A Novel."

Maher's use of comedy, and willingness to speak his mind whether people will agree with them or not is much needed in our society today, as we've become more polarized in our nation on many different topics. In his HBO Real Time, Maher's guests and interviewees are from varying backgrounds and political beliefs, a much needed dialog in today's America.

Stephanie Sinclair, How Photojournalism Can Become Advocacy

Theresa McGuire/Journalism 111

Stephanie Sinclair is a world renown photojournalist. She has won three World Press Photo awards among many others. What seems to have captured her special interest is the plight of girls as young as the age of six, married off to much older men.

Tehani, in pink, age 8 with her husband of two years, Majed age 27 and Ghada age 8 with her husband Saltan, age 33.(Stephanie Sinclair/tooyoungtowed.org)

In 2003 she became aware of the problem while working on a special project about girls lighting themselves on fire to escape abusive marriages. Researching the subject, she found a lack of coverage about the topic and began her own work, "Too Young to Wed".

Here is what she said about the moment she dedicated herself to helping these young girls, "A year later, I got a small grant from FiftyCrows, a foundation that supports documentary photography, to research the issue of child marriage. I went to a shelter in Herat where several girls shared their traumatic experiences with me. There, I met a young woman named Mejgon who told me how her drug-addicted father sold her into marriage when she was 11. She detailed her rape by her “husband” and how she was subsequently used and abused until she escaped, ultimately ending up in the shelter. She then said something I will never forget. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and spoke quietly, “In my whole life, I have never felt love.”

It was at that moment that I fully dedicated myself to this issue. While I have covered many profound events as a photojournalist, I had never encountered anyone who felt so alone. I hugged her and made a silent vow to Mejgon and to the many millions of girls who were in her situation." Interview with Sinclair published on the PulitzerCenter.org

Her photography from "Too Young to Wed" has been featured in the National Geographic. Eventually she also started a non-profit bearing the same name. Girls can sign up for photography workshops where they tell each other's stories. One girl, Eunice, 15 attended a workshop and the next year as a student mentor.

Eunice, right, shares laughter while studying for their workshop.
(Courtesy Mary/Too Young To Wed/CNN Article "They escaped child marriage. Now they're speaking out"

I find her work inspiring because of the unrelenting beauty, horror and truth she unflinchingly shows the world. Fearless people with the passion and ability to take action is something that we should all aspire to be.

Robert Fisk - Journalists are Witnesses to History

Robert Fisk

Robert Fisk is a Middle East correspondent since 1976.

After beginning journalism in 1972 covering the Political turmoil in Northern Ireland. Fisk moved and has lived in Beirut, Lebanon since 1976.

Seeing first hand and reporting the Lebanese Civil War, Iranian Revolution, Iran-Iraq War, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan War, Iraq War, Arab Spring, and lastly the Syrian Civil War.

Since 1989 he has been a correspondent for The Independent. 

Fisk has written many books, and documentaries such as "From Beirut to Bosnia," and one of the few westerners that interviewed Osama Bin Laden.

Fisk is renowned for his passionate writings and putting himself in danger, getting places no one else can, calling out the U.S and Israel on their foreign policy.

Robert Fisk is fond of history, something his father was too, and having lived in the Middle East uses his knowledge to give best explanations he can of whats been happening.

Giving insight into ISIS, Middle Eastern Perspectives on the West, and the long complicated  history behind it.

How "Avengers: Endgame" Became the Greatest MCU Film

Out of all the films created in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Endgame confidently takes the cake for best in the series. This movie comes across as a celebration of all these distinct characters we've come to know over the past decade.

Photo Courtesy of Marvel Entertainment

In the first Avengers film, Tony Stark and Steve Rogers immediately began a rocky relationship who were both raised in two vastly different times and have repeatedly underestimated each other. In this film, Robert Downey Jr. has continually done his top performance as his character retained this anxiety of "what will happen if I lose" that he's had since the battle of New York in the first Avengers. Tony Stark is believably ridiculous in a balanced way. There has not been a moment with this character that felt cheap.

This is a film that unapologetically character-driven as the plot can get really messy. In between the inconsistencies, the film is not in any rush and it has these little moments between characters conversing. Marvel has never focused on their characters so heavily ever before until they made this film.

The significant time jump between the last movie and Endgame made the ending of Infinity War feel earned as the whole universe had to go through the loss of half the population being wiped out from existence and living with that.

Over the course of the film, Marvel completely blew expectations through moments such as when the Avengers found out that they couldn't use the time stone to reverse the actions of Thanos. The Avengers now had to live with their failure and the universe would pay for it. In an unexpected turn, Captain America is now considered "worthy" of wielding an iconic weapon in the series. In the end, Tony Stark ends with the famous line used back in the first Iron Man film, "I... Am... Iron Man."

Photo Couresy of Matthias Zoppelt

This movie is the final chapter for Marvel's greatest heroes and gave them their one final hoorah as this movie paves the way for newer heroes to take their place. Of all the movies created under Marvel, this one is unparalleled compared to the near two dozen made in the last decade.