The Hobbit

While there are many who are upset about the splitting of "The Hobbit" into three full-length films, it is clear from this trailer that the rhetorical situation was very well addressed. The audience is all people from around 8 to 50 years of age, (those that understand and still enjoy watching movies!). The audience is also addressed by the trailer stating that it is a branch off of "The Lord of the Rings" films. The creator establishes credibility by showing that it is he that backed the making to "The Lord of the Rings," implying that, by their fame, "The Hobbit" can and will be a success as well. It is appealing to the audience in that the trailer show humor, action and music that captivate and appeal to each viewer differently, depending on his of her tastes.

Very well done Peter Jackson, now if you'd only have taken two movies to complete the story...

Sit Back and Enjoy the Ride

This mini-film was addressed to the passengers of Air New Zealand as a instructional safety video. They were expecting the boring, monotone voice of the flight attendant to do the same old routine of running through the safety instructions aboard the plane. Instead the film was a spoof of the Hobbit with the passengers being characters from the movie. The flight attendants were beautiful elves with soothing voices that made you want to listen to them. The melodic music in the background also makes the instructions more appealing and it is fun for the audience. Having a very calm background of the sun shining through the windows in a warm, comfortable way makes the aura of the movie very appealing to an audience that may not think flying is enjoyable. The Hobbit is a popular movie and by parodying it with the flight attendant lecture the audience will be more engaged to see what funny connections and quotes will come up. The film is relevant to the audience  in that they are flying and need to hear the safety instructions. It is also relevant in that they are connecting it to a popular movie that most people have seen. The slow panning of the camera and the warm light also gives the movie a slow, calm feel.

Iron Man 3

Who is the audience? Every action-loving move-goer. The Midnight Showing will be cramped with excited high school students, maniacal comic fans, and the occasional reminiscent adult. Truly, this movie is made for everyone, and everyone enjoys a bit of the excitement through this trailer.
This clip grabs the viewer early on and never lets go. I was originally drawn in by the somber, nostalgic tone mismatched with what is usually the arrogant voice of Tony Stark. Mysterious foreshadowing of an unknown enemy then throws the viewer into several explosive scenes of action, fear, and dread.
The clip ends just in time to leave the viewer with no hope at all. It is at that point that I remembered that this is an American action movie and regardless of the depressing tone of the trailer, the movie will more or less end happily ever after. This clip is entirely satisfying, however, in that the viewer is still puzzled as to how Iron Man is going to make it out of this one alive.
This trailer invites the viewer in with foreboding dialogue, impresses with flashy action scenes, and mystifies through a secretive antagonist and an unsure outcome. All in all, this trailer has got it right!

Prompt 13: Visual Rhetoric

Iron Man 3 Trailer

The Hobbit Trailer

An Unexpected Briefing (Air New Zealand)

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries - Episode 1

I am a Thoughtful Guy (Rhett & Link)

Shadows - Lindsey Stirling
Squatty Potty

Respond to one of the preceding mini-films and assess the visual rhetoric involved. Response should discuss the visual, auditory etc. rhetoric involved in one of the above mini-films. Think of the Rhetorical Situation! These questions might help you get started. You DO NOT need to answer all of the following questions, however you should address at least ONE question from each category.

AUDIENCE:

Who is the audience for this film? 

What are they expecting? 

What does the film do to appeal to this audience? 

CREATOR: 

How does the writer/filmmaker/performer establish themselves as someone that the audience should pay attention to? 

How do they create interest in the subject matter? 

Why do they execute the film like they do? 

SUBJECT MATTER (Issue):

What are they promoting/sowcasing/parodying?

Why is this relelvant to the audience? 

How does the film make the subject relevant/interesting to the audience? 

What happens in the film? - Why doesn't the film go farther? Why doesn't it stop sooner? 

Balancing Easter

As I've grown up, my parents have always made family time a priority at Easter. We would dye Easter eggs together, do an Easter egg hunt in the backyard and then open all our eggs we collected together.  Not only did they stress the importance of family at Easter, but they also did a good job of teaching us about the real meaning for the Easter season. We focused a lot on Jesus Christ at Easter time.

I never thought the Easter bunny was real. In my mind he was more of just a symbol of the commercialization of Easter.  It was fun to have him as a part of my childhood, so I will definitely make him a part of my kid's lives.  Some of my fondest memories are the ones I remember doing around Easter time and I want my kids to have those same experiences. I will make sure though to highlight the spiritual importance of Easter, above the commercialization of it. 

The Little Lie

Easter and the creation of the mythical Easter bunny has impacted society more than one would think. Parents across the nation have kept this little secret, along with Santa Clause, from their young children. It has become a tradition to have young kids believe that there are magical beings that come into their homes bringing gifts and treats. However, this tradition may have adverse effects on children, that we may not have thought possible. While it is fun to believe the fairytale of the Easter bunny when at young age, it may prove to be harmful to that child later on in life.

Small children are very receptive to the actions of adults. They will observe every move that their parents make.  This simple fairy tale that a child's parents tell can cause that child to develop a habit of lying and other fraudulent behaviors. As the children who were brought up believing in the Easter bunny progress in life, they will believe that small lies are not a big deal. This will ultimately advance to the point where immoral actions and doings are part of their lifestyle. Not only is this detrimental to the individual who participates in these wrongdoings, it will also affect relationships and other affiliations.

I personally believe in keeping traditions going. I will most likely tell my own children someday about the Easter bunny so that they may have fond memories of their childhoods. However, when the time comes that they must know of the truth, I will teach and emphasize the characteristic of being honest in all things.

A Time For Family

My parents always kept Easter as a day to celebrate Christ’s resurrection. That didn’t mean that we didn’t decorate eggs and have candy though.  For the most part we celebrated with eggs and candy on Saturday and reserved Sunday to celebrate Christ and spend time with family.  I will probably celebrate Easter with my kids in the same way my parents celebrated it.

I was never told that the Easter Bunny was real.  I always knew that it was a symbol of the materialistic part of the holiday. However, it was clear that that wasn’t bad or wrong. If fact, the Saturday before Easter, our backyard became home to the neighborhood Easter egg hunt. This tradition became a great way build neighborhood ties.  The point I think my parents tried to make was that the brightly colored eggs celebration is good, but there is a better thing to celebrate. 

I love how my parents celebrate Easter. As my siblings and I have grown, it has become an a great time to gather as family and enjoy each other’s company and find joy in our knowledge of Christ’s purpose in our lives.