Jack Black, Mos Def, and Danny Glover star in this 2008 film directed and written by Michel Gondry. I went out Saturday, the 8th of March, to Pacific Place in downtown Seattle to see the movie. To my surprise, I really enjoyed the film! It was quirky and original. Voice-over was present throughout the film, which is most likely why this was offered as an extra credit opportunity. Even during the trailers, I was watching for voice-over and its effect on atmosphere towards the audience! One film particularly, titled Funny Games, had an interesting trailer because the music and tone given off did not fit the film’s plot. It was like the remixed trailer of The Shining. Anyways, to get back to Be Kind, Rewind, the focus was on jazz and the legend of Fats Waller, who was born in the actual video shop, which of course is named, Be Kind Rewind. As Fletcher leaves town to attend a “memorial,” Mike is left in charge, though specifically instructed to “Peek Yrrey tou.” That was hilarious watching when their suits camouflaged with the fence perfectly on their way to sabotage the power lines/generator.  Due to Jerry’s magnetization, all the VHS tapes in the store are erased. Consequently, Mike and Jerry must remake these Hollywood film’s into their own masterpieces, though quite a bit shorter in length. Eventually, the government comes into the picture when copyright infringement forces the tapes to be destroyed. It is ridiculous how harsh the punishment is for doing what they did! Somewhere near 64,000 years in prison and over a billion dollars as a penalty. All those tapes being crushed was heartbreaking because the voice-overs and ambition put into those films were made with passion. The sweded version of films created is kind of like our remaking of PSA’s or voice-over’s of movie clips. We are sweding in English 121! Eventually, the documentary is made of Fats Waller, who really isn’t born in the video store. The whole community came in and helped to create the film and help save the video shop. So much generosity and the good of human nature was shown by this community. It really gave off a pleasant and happy tone. It isn’t always the new forms of things which are the best, be it a DVD or these new high-budget films. I think an underlying theme was that new things will always eventually sweep the old away, but both the new and old have their benefits and strengths. The ending came abruptly. It seems that the store has to close down after all that work, but the community saw the film and really enjoyed it. It was “indie” and really captured the hearts of those who were watching. The Be Kind, Rewind shop also had more of a personal relationship with its customers, whereas the giant mega-video chain did not. Also, I think this film also connected on a social level of commercialization taking over all aspects of American life, where small privately owned stores cannot survive anymore. I really enjoyed this film and left feeling great. I’m really glad that I had the chance to view this film, especially as an extra credit opportunity!

My research question deals with the movie trailer for I Am Legend, starring Will Smith. Though it was originally a novel published during the 1950s, it has been transformed into sound and video. As explained in my Response Paper 1.4, “I am going to be researching the question of how, in I Am Legend, the power of voice-over-narration has the ability to expose the shifting tones of the trailer as well as correlate with the shifting imagery. This is an important question because it allows the audience to understand how voice-over-narration can draw attention to the shifts in tone. By effectively conveying the tone, the trailer can appeal directly to the targeted audience and fulfill its purpose of promoting the film.”

This is important in the big picture because by being able to manipulate sound to shift the tone and mood of a film, one can effectively target any audience. This is an economic point of view which allows money to be generated. The new sound-script would be targeting an audience who is into science-fiction and action. I believe that I could make this trailer, although effective already, even more powerful. A sense of mystery could be vamped up, while at the same time, portions of the trailer could have a sense of serenity and peacefulness. I want to prove that sound and voice-over-narration has the ability to fully shift the mood and feeling of video just by slight changes.

This research question and claim is reasonable and risky because it does make sense when you think about it. Sound is a powerful tool, which if harnessed correctly, can yield results which are desired. Shifting tones can be somewhat difficult to do just by having the voice-over-narration shifted. To clearly hear a difference in mood during the beginning, middle, and end of the trailer, much of the sound-script must be altered in a perfect way to match up visually with the scenes.

The stakes are economic and financial, which is why it is so important. The new sound-script could create tones which appeal to a wider audience which draws in more people to see the film. Is it possible to make the tones shift from a somber tone to a happy and cheerful tone just by changing the audio? Perhaps a complete change of the sound-script to create a feeling of delight could be done. This would be quite difficult with the current visuals, but it can be done. Though, the question here would be, how effective would this new sound-script be in drawing in the audience? Creating all these changes to the sound can potentially make the success of the film great, or greatly diminish.

Erik Davis states in “Acoustic Cyberspace”that “‘Atmosphere’ might be a good way to describe this aspect: sound produces atmosphere, almost in the way that incense—which registers with yet another sense—can do. Sound and smell carry vectors of mood and affect which change the qualitative organization of space, unfolding a different logic with a space’s range of potentials.” The tone can easily shift the film’s atmosphere just by adjusting what is played through the speakers. That is why this question is so important. How does the voice-over-narration and sound expose the shifting tones of the trailer? By means of words, music, or both? Can words be just as effective as the music playing? What connotations come from the diction of the trailer?

Alcoff’s article seems to present the problems of speaking for others, hence the title. Though speaking for others can sometimes seem fine to do, it is often something that can spark conflict. Simply speaking, an example could be when my friend speaks for me about why I was late to an event. Sometimes, this can create conflict and argument because he does not know the whole story and may be saying the wrong words to convey a different picture of what happened. An excellent question from Alcoff, “So the question arises about whether all instances of speaking for should be condemned and, if not, how we can justify a position which would repudiate some speakers while accepting others.” When is it justifiable for someone to speak for others? Never? Speaking for myself is the way that I want to portray myself, but when speaking for and/or about others is a different story. “However, the problem of speaking for others is more specific than the problem of representation generally, and requires its own particular analysis,” according to Alcoff. There is more to just representation, which means there are more deeper meanings to this topic.

The importance of who is the speaker makes a huge difference on the impact. Like Alcoff states, “…how what is said gets heard depends on who says it, and who says it will affect the style and language in which it is stated.” It is only recently that more social equality is beginning to happen and that female writers and writers of ethnicity are being taken seriously. One thing which did not make too much sense to me was the topic of truth and the understanding of it. Hegel and Kant were names of two people referenced of whom I had no knowledge of. Though the idea makes sense, where “the speaker loses some portion of control over the meaning and truth of her utterance.” It is difficult for some to completely portray their thinking and mindset in words, which often does not do well to persuade listeners. Though there are two sides to the argument of whether speaking for others is right, “I would stress that the practice of speaking for others is often born of a desire for mastery, to privilege oneself as the one who more correctly understands the truth about another’s situation or as one who can champion a just cause and thus achieve glory and praise,” as Kozloff states. On the other hand, “Sometimes, as Loyce Stewart has argued, we do need a “messenger” to advocate for our needs.” Kozloff’s article makes sense for the most part, but some parts, as mentioned, and people referenced do not help her case due to the fact that I have no idea who they are.

Thus far, this article intertextualizes with our work on “service.” The video on Dark Days really connects as it had the actual people speak for themselves in addition to others. Speaking for oneself is sometimes necessary to get the message out right. By giving our service to others, we must represent where we are coming for in a upright manner, which is the UW. This is a service-learning class, which goes deeper than just giving help to people we view as “in need,” according to Illich and Cruz’s articles. Sometimes what we think of as a service may not be a service. It may somehow be harmful or disrespectful to the person, even if we think it is something beneficial. Some issues it may raise at the Boys and Girls club is how we treat and speak about these children. We are there for service-learning, but they are there to be fostered and educated. We need to be respectful and not always think that we are servicing them.

Kozloff’s article is useful to me because it shows how speaking for others is often harmful or disrespectful for them. If we cannot say it right and in the manner they would like to portray, then it is probably something which we should not speak about. Many people can be offended if something apparently small is written or spoken. Though it may not seem harmful to us, it can be devastating to them. Consequently, it is critical that people watch what they say and comprehend that some things can be harmful even when it is not intended. At the Boys and Girls Club, we must watch what we say because these children look up to us. We need to provide a good example to these kids, which is why we are there. Speaking for others often leaves unintended feelings towards some part of the audience. Thus, it is crucial that when speaking for others, including during service-learning, we watch what we say.

My quote comes from page 316 of the Cruz reading.

“I would argue that the possibility of mutuality of interests and needs implied in the concept of reciprocal learning could be more easily realized if it were not tied to any notion of service.”

How does the balance of powers shift in a relationship between two people when servicing another is involved?

Service according to our definition implies that one person is superior to the other when servicing their partner. This question raises concerns of respect within the partnership whether it be personal or in the community. In addition, we could have looked into gender roles. Is it the man that is always dominating? Is it the person servicing or the person receiving that is in power? Our question is important because it leads into the previous question.

The balance of power is affected when sex is brought into a relationship due to emotions and attachment. Ideally, both partners would have an equal balance in power. It could cause tension, vulnerability, eagerness to trust, and a debt that one partner feels they owe to the other.

In this context, the idea of service can be seen as negative. Is service a good thing in regards to the partnership if it is not balanced?

“…for some gifts one cannot even say ‘thank you.'”

This quote comes from the beginning of Ivan Illich’s article. It comes immediately before his actual prepared statement, but at the end of his preface. He is referring to his frustration with CIASP programs in this quote. He does not want the North Americans coming down to Mexico thinking they are doing service when they are in reality sometimes harming their way of life. Illich wants people to be aware of his argument so that they will stop doing what they are doing. The definition of service given was: serve, also of a man to have sexual intercourse with (a woman). This quote shows that service is a gift which one cannot say or needs to say “thank you,” even if it is service of a man to have sexual intercourse.