AP Lit: Watchmen Film DT Challenge Discovery Update

Here's the results of Tuesday's work on Watchmen.  

Jacob and Michaela have started work on the script and story.  We made big progress in class on Tuesday toward that story and it is exciting stuff.   Here are the notes.

Basically, six childhood friends reach adolescence and each puts on his/her own "mask" to survive that transition.  In so doing, the friendships dissolve.  Only one friend stays true to herself but finds herself disconnected from everyone else.  This causes her tremendous pain and she realizes the only way for her to be happy is to bring them together.  She writes them a letter that suggests she's about to take her own life, but in reality, it is just a device to bring them all together again and to rekindle those friends.  But to keep those five together, she must disappear, sacrificing herself for the happiness of the others.

Lots of specifics to work out still but there's the gist.

Each of the six has a correlation to one of the central figures of Watchmen.  The Comedian's correlate is the girl who remains true, much as Eddie is the most honest and forthright of the Minutemen -- despite his other misgivings.

More today . . .

And remember, this week is also Empathy phase.  Talk to potential viewers.  Now that we have a story shaping up, find out what early adolescence was like for them.  What sorts of masks have people had to wear?  How might we integrate the stories and experiences of those around us into our film to demonstrate an understanding of our viewership?  To give them a film to which they can relate and also that can challenge their thinking -- as Watchmen challenges our own.

AP Lit: Watchmen Discovery Phase Continues

Here we go folks . . . 21 days and we'll have a movie.

Today we dove into possibilities for this film and signing up for production teams.

Suit Up Sessions

We agreed on no central protagonist, multiple layers, original song to tie things together but not a music video, use of flashbacks and some sort of event or experience that unites all characters

I was playing around with ideas after school on Monday

Blog.  3+ Posts.
Req'd Post.  Empathy Phase.  Talk to potential users of our film.  Rather than ask for what they look for in a film, find out which themes and ideas might best relate to them.  What would they find interesting to explore and compel them to keep watching?   How might we use the big ideas of our work to engage audience  and how might our devices enhance those big ideas?
Due. Friday.  May 15.

AP Lit: Test & Watchmen & Poet-Trees Set Free

For a tiny class of four, we sure did a lot of doing today in AP Lit.

Here's what everyone needs to know . . .

1.  Test.  Wednesday.  UMF.  North Dining Hall.  Be there by 7:30 - 7:45.  Test at 8.  Boom.  Rock it.  HARD.

2. Poet-trees set free.  We'd really like to release the poet-trees into the wild for people to discover on nature trails and walking paths around our community i.e. Bonney Woods, Flint Woods, Whistle Stop, etc.   Not permanently, but perhaps for a week or two?

We came up with a great list today and need to strategize on how to get them out there, so long as all of the Poet-Trees crew is in agreement.  We also thought it would be great fun to encourage poet-trees selfies so we can see who finds them all.  Maybe we could make some rustic signage.

Also, mark your calendars for 7 a.m. Sunday, May 31st.  Tentative plans for a fully voluntary hike up Tumbledown to plant a Poet-Tree in the wee morning hours.


2.  Read Watchmen.  Chapter 4 by Thursday/Friday.   COMPLETE Watchmen for next week: Wed, the 13th, we will talk openly about the whole book.  Friday, the 15th, everyone should have completed the text.

Why is that so important?  Because  . . .

3. We are making a short film inspired by Watchmen.  Due date. Upload date.  World premiere date.  (Red Carpet Event Date?)  June 1st.

How might we demonstrate the themes, devices, characters and intentions of Watchmen through an original film inspired by the work?

To do so, we must identify Moore & Gibbons' techniques, the themes,  characters, the literary devices, the symbols, the imagery, the visual devices, the layers of allusions, the layers of text, and more.

To those ends, this is a design challenge so . . .

DISCOVERY PHASE!!!!

Blog: 3+ Posts
Req'd Post:  DISCOVERY PHASE.  Watchmen film project.  Based on what we've read so far, unpack the text.  What themes emerge already? Symbolism?  Techniques?  Colors? Devices?  Go nuts.  Explore the text.   What seems like it NEEDS to be there?  What feels indisposable at this juncture?  What could it do without?

Sketchnote it?  Mind map it?  Free write it?
Due.  Friday, May 8th.

AP Lit: Watchmen DT Installation Experiment Phase Moving to Production Phase

We've spent two days now in the workshop with people messing with ideas, Roman numerals being built, installation locations being determined, groups forming and gestating and gelling ideas.

WE ARE DEEP IN EXPERIMENT AND ABOUT TO MOVE INTO PRODUCTION PHASE of DEEP DT! 

This is exciting stuff.

There's gonna be a big clock.

Some things we need to keep in mind.

1) We need TEXT for the lobby.  We've determined that this should be a place where we have quotes from literary sources and beyond that relate to the themes of the installation -- Watchmen, any of our year texts, any music, any film, any history -- think like Moore, think like Gibbons, layer them in there.

We need a plan for displaying them.  Fonts to use.  Methods for display.  We have that cut printer which can create some cool stuff.  Maybe we can experiment a little with it on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I sent everyone the software to download if you'd like to get a head start.

One method we plan to use is sidewalk chalk if the weather cooperates.  That should be awesome.

2) We need a plan for the discrete Watchmen connections display outside the principal/tech director office.  Zack got started on this today, highlighting key panels we should incorporate.  We know we want to put masks in that display case.  And . . . ?

3) We need to communicate about what we are all doing.  I'm seeing awesome, awesome things happening.  And we need to make sure we are using the shared docs to convey information.  Also, make sure you know just where your installation locations are and be certain to plan your positive and negative connotations accordingly.   Everything is deliberate.

Here are some pics of the work we've been doing.

Deep diving into Watchmen

Applied mathematical knowledge in a literature course

Shaping one of the installation features

This thing looks really cool -- DaVinci & digital and mirrors and ... woah...

Prepping for B roll footage to be used in the documentary

Roman numerals

3D printing cheaper alternatives to the metal plates

HOMEWORK

Blog: 3+ POSTS

Req'd: #REMASH reflections; look at your own as well as several others; what trends do you notice in the #remashes?  In the interpretations?  What has this project revealed to you about language?  Poetry? Communication?  These are just prompts to get you started.  Looking for some meaningful critical commentary about the thinking evident in this project as we consider further collaborations down the road.

Also...

Document Your Watchmen Work!   Share! Connect!

COMPLETE: Analytical & Composition Process Project

DUE: Long time ago!

COMPLETE: #AyuhAloha REMASH! If you haven't.

Watchmen DT Challenge Update & Next Steps: Empathy & Experiment

On Monday, a small but mighty team accomplished some incredibly important final Discovery stage thinking, as well as some significant empathy-driven decision making around themes and placement for the project.

Also, Annette, Kegan and Astra had the opportunity to meet with Ralph King via Skype.  Ralph is the documentary film producer coming on May 28th to capture the installation and the 29th to capture the student body response.  I've sent you a link so you can watch his Extreme By Design documentary about design thinkers at Stanford.

While this was going on, thematic pairs and their positive/negative connotations were being determined. This took considerable thinking and shaping and then we realized . . . we had too many.

Themes have now been culled down and their placement determined.  This is still subject to adjustment, but the layout has been drafted with consideration to user experience, thematic structure, and relationship to Watchmen.  Most exciting?  Everything right now is happening with intention.  (As a teacher, this is a fantastic feeling.) 

The Balcony to Main Street Order

The Main St to Balcony order

Note the blurred nature of the VI's --- there are four of them -- all blending into the gray areas of facts and truth, subjectivity and objectivity.  The team present thought it very apropos to have this at 6, the opposite end of from 12 and also near the Watchmen explanation installation.

HOMEWORK:

Blog: 3+ Posts

Req'd: Processing Watchmen. What are you making?  Who are you working with?  Why?  What are your ideas?  Ideate.  Explore.  Build.  Make.  Share.  Put it all on your blog.

Due: Friday, May 16

Poetry Collaboration Piece: #Remash of #AyuhAloha 

Get These Posted So We Have Time to Connect with HI and Debrief the Experience

Lots of Neat Collaborations Coming Out of This So FAR!

Due: Last Week

WATCHMEN INSTALLATION

MAY 28th:  Mark Your Calendars!  LATE NIGHT INSTALL PARTY!  POST CONCERT!

MAY 29th:  THE INSTALL!!!!!!!!

AP Lit: Watchmen Themes & Installation Structure (Disc/Emp/Exp)

Friday was a very big day for the Watchmen DT Challenge.

One, we got approval on the documentary.  It's happening.  Ralph King and his crew will be here on May 28 and 29 to document the installation and the reaction of the campus to what you create.

Two, we determined the major structure, shape, and scope of the project.

I cannot overstate the importance of this.  This is huge.  It gives us direction moving forward that we need.

Of course, as I write this, the cards with the specific structure are in the classroom.  Still, two of the three classes saw it and I think I can recreate it well enough below.

Start in the Lobby.

The Lobby with the Giant Clock Is XII.  Hands at XII.  We fill the lobby with other content that brings all of the themes and concepts together.

Then, users can travel either up the stairs to the balcony or along main street.

Traveling up the balcony, you will find the numbers I, II, III, IV, V and VI to your right.  These will be roman numeral style and large physical objects, uniform in size, but then decorate to reflect the themes.  These will likely be made of wood.

Mirroring the numbers on the right, will be corresponding XI, X, IX, VIII, VII on the left.

Each pair of numbers represents a polarity of themes.
For example: XI & I  may be used to represent ISOLATION & IMMERSION.  These two ideas are clearly at other ends of a spectrum.  Thus,  the features around XI would be about isolation and those around I would be about immersion.

Each pair of numbers has a set of themes like this.

Truth/Fact
Purpose/Aimlessness
Internal/External
Control/Power
Idealism/Harsh Reality
Creation/Destruction
Heroes/Humanity
Isolation/Immersion
Nostalgia/Regret
Amorality/Morality

There's another pair needed that we debated and couldn't decide upon between the two classes.

Here's where it gets trickier. We need an inverse of the above pairings as well.

We want TWO CYCLES, one that emphasizes dark (the right side) and light (the left side.).  We want users to be able to flow through the experience from either end of the installation and get a full experience.

THUS, if you go up the balcony, you have numbers going up on your right.  That will be likely be the darker/negative version of the number on your right, the number on your left the more negative.  When you get to end of balcony, you go down the stairs and take a left to go along Main St.  with the numbers increasing on your right.

If you go along main street, the number on your right is more positive, the number on your left more negative.   Then users go up the stairs and continue through the progression on their right.

Thus, we need to have not only ISOLATION/IMMERSION but also SOLITUDE/SUBMERSION -- do you see how those four relate to one another based on positive/negative connotations.

So what that means in terms of workload is that we need FOUR people for every pair of numbers.  That four must communicate and collaborate in whatever way works for that quarter to create the balcony pairing as well as the main street pairing.

Let's keep going with that example above.  If it was Dunbar, Tierney, Sheldon and I, we would take on Numbers I and XI.

For the balcony, we'd have Isolation on the right at I.  We'd design the I to represent that idea of being separated from the whole.  We'd surrounded it with an installation experience using Watchmen techniques to show it.  Perhaps some poetry.  Perhaps some addtional imagery. Perhaps a color scheme.

On the left, for XI, we'd have the more positive image of immersion.  Using same techniques, we'd emphasize that idea of being fully integrated with the whole.

Now, on the main street installation, our I would be more positive and about solitude.  And our XI on the other side of the hall would be about submersion, drowning, lost in the sea of other.

Maybe Dunbar and I would handle the balcony set, while Tierney and Sheldon would handle the main street.  And maybe Dunbar and I work on everything together while Tierney and Sheldon communicate but work individually.  And then we make sure everything looks like a cohesive part of the whole.

We know everything will be bound together by the same scope and dimensions of the numbers as well as the physical space it occupies -- another way to create structure.

Hoping this makes sense to all.  Communicate!!!!!!!  There's a shared Google spread sheet for people to sign up for themes!  By Tuesday, everyone needs to have their teammates and themes chosen.  Then propose installation concepts by Thursday for approval on Friday.

LOTS! Happening!