New Journals

Hey Thuglings,

We're now onto our next unit in Media Studies: The Internet. In this unit, I like to do things a little differently when it comes to your journals. During this unit, we'll be reading a wide variety of articles in class dealing with a variety of internet related issues. We'll probably read about 5 or 6 of these things over the next 3 to 4 weeks.

Your journals will take the form of responses to any 3 of these articles you like. What do I mean by a response? What I mean is that you should consider any of the following questions:

Do you agree or disagree with the article?
Is it well written?
Are there any mistakes?
Did you learn anything new?
Do you have any personal experience that relates to the subject of the article?
Do you have any future predictions for the subject of the article?
Anything else you can think of.

These will not be due for a while but don't fall behind on them and then rush them at the end.

Have Fun,
Patterson

The Internet is just a world passing around notes in a classroom. ~Jon Stewart

Music Unit - Assignment

Hey Monsters,

You now all have the music unit assignment. I've gone over them with you in class. Here is that same assignment posted below, just in case you lose it (or leave it on your desk...which some of you did).

MUSIC UNIT PROJECT:
Marketing a Star of Tomorrow

Time for a little wrap up on our media unit in music. We’ve spent a lot of time over the last few weeks talking about why certain bands/performers get famous and stay popular. While the music they perform is undoubtedly part of the reason behind their success, it is far from the only reason. Many of the most important decisions for an artist are made before their first song hits the airwaves. With that in mind, I present the following challenge to you: You are going to market a new music sensation.

Here are the steps:

· You will create a fictitious band/performer. To help ensure that your creation is thoughtful and detailed, I have provided a template to fill out some basic information. You may, of course, add any additional details you so desire.

· You must present your imaginary discovery to the fine people at MCI records (aka Mr. Patterson’s Class), explaining in detail why they should put their time and money behind this group/person you’ve discovered.

· To help give weight to this presentation, you must provide at least 2 additional creative ideas of your own to help SELL your performer(s). Some examples of these might include:

· Lyrics to one of their songs
· Cover art for their debut CD
· A copy of one of their songs
· Photos from a live concert
· Testimonials from fans
· The band’s website
· A live interview with the star themselves
· T-Shirts, action figures or any other form of merchandizing
· A taped radio interview
· A promotional poster
· A clip from their yet-to-be-released video
· Anything else you can come up with

What you produce is important but even more important is that you can explain how you are going to be able to MARKET and SELL these ideas. You oral presentation should explain:

Ø Who will be buying their music?
Ø Where should they perform? What cities? Countries? TV appearances?
Ø What attitude/image are they going to project? Why?
Ø Mechanizing ideas
Ø Career Direction

The Details:

Groups: Up to 3 people (NO MORE)

Presentations begin the week of March 1st. On that day you will present your performer, hand in your information sheet and anything you have produced. Your presentation should be approximately 5 minutes in length, but feel free to go over.

Marks Breakdown:

Info Sheet /10
Presentation /10
Products /15
Effort and Preparation /5
Total /40

Good Luck and Rock On!!!

Music Lyrics

Homework Assignment:

Hey Gang. We’ve been talking a lot about music lyrics but the examples have mostly been mine. Time for you to do your part. Your job is to bring the lyrics of a song to class and talk a bit about them. Your task is easy:

-Read the lyrics of your song to the class
-Explain what you find interesting/exciting/enticing/captivating about these lyrics
-Answer a question or two from Mr. Patterson

That’s it. Make sure you have your lyrics ready for class.

Period A – Have ready for Tuesday, February 9th
Period F – Have ready for Wednesday, February 10th

Good Luck

I'm the talk of the town
That's the reason why they stare
4 karats in my ear
If you look see a glare
-Kevin Ferderline

First two Journals

Hey Gang,

Since you've got your journals due next week, I thought I'd throw up the first two topics on here. I'm sure most of you have done these already and this is mostly unnecessary (Patterson quietly laughs to himself) but here they are anyway:

First Journal this term:

-Based on what you saw in the film Goodnight and Good Luck, how has TV changed over the last 50 years? Has it changed for the better or for worse?
-What are the dangers of reality TV according to the article we read?
-What does the new found popularity of reality TV tell us about ourselves?

Second Journal entry this term:

Considering all that we've observed/read/studies this term, where do you see television going over the next 50 years and beyond? Consider the following areas:

-Quality of Show
-Content
-Technology
-Trends
-Number of shows and channels
-Limits of good taste/Censorship

Those are them. If you have any questions about the journals, make sure to ask me soon. The due date is rapidly approaching. If I get these late, there will be a big shinny zero on the report card where the mark is supposed to go.

Keep on keepin' on,
Patterson

Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes. -Buck Murdoch, Airplane II

Journal 3 - Music Intro

• How important is music in your life? How often to you listen to music a week or a day? For how long?
• What specific genres are you drawn to? Why? Are the lyrics to a song important for you to enjoy it?
• How do you find and acquire new music? Do you download everything? Do you pay for it?
• How do you 'nod you head like yeah' and 'shake your hips like yeah'?

This is the third and final journal entry before report cards. You journals must be handed in on Monday if you are in my period A class and Tuesday if you are in period F.

Get to work, Punks.

Live long and Patterson

Without music life would be a mistake. ~Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Upcoming Reports

Looks like it's almost time for the 2nd report card. I'm pretty sure we just gave out the first one. Since people have already started asking me, here are a list of marks that will be going into the next report card:

1. The Advertising Project
2. Those Reality TV Pitches
3. The TV Seminar
4. Various Smaller Homework assignments (You know, those things I collect and check)
5. Music History Quiz
6. 9 am Quiz (Period A only)
7. Journals - You will have 3 entries unless you did the TRUMAN SHOW make-up assignment, in which case you'll have 4.

Journals are due on Monday for Period A. and Tuesday for Period F.

Before you ask me, "No, I'm not telling you your mark." That would spoil the fun of the report card. You want to know if your marks have gone up or down? Here's a handy dandy formula:

a. Check your marks on the work above
b. Are they generally higher than your 1st terms mark?
c. If yes, your mark PROBABLY went up. If not, it either stayed the same or went down
d. If you didn't do most of these assignments, get ready for a very unpleasant evening at home in a few weeks.

Exit Patterson

I come from a very big family... nine parents. - Jim Gaffigan

Howdy, Punks

Welcome to Mr. Patterson's shinny, new Media Studies Web Page thingy. I'm going to be using this site over the next few months to keep you updated on assignments, posting articles and videos we look at in class. No longer will "I missed class because...er...I was sick" be a reasonable excuse (not that it ever was).

I'll be getting this page going over the next few weeks. Stay tuned for further additions and improvements.

Patterson Out.

A lot of people don't like bumper stickers. I don't mind bumper stickers. To me a bumper sticker is a shortcut. It's like a little sign that says "Hey, let's never hang out." -Demitri Martin