Alexander Andrews, Jr. :: Update Archives
Producer & Behavioral Analyst
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May 27
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Wednesday, May 27, 2009 - No Destination
I've been working on my sister's music video. You can check out a sample at www.arielandrews.com. The song is "No Destination." It's a transitional piece from rant and confusion to clarity and focus. I'm going to utilize the pace of the song as the motivation for movement and traveling from story line to story line. There will be three main story lines; two flash backs, and one in the moment. Here are some sample story boards so far!
During the second verse, there will be three shots intermixed on screen with different zooms. Because there are several different vocal tracks, I wanted to capture all of the different messages being conveyed. Timing, angles, and placement will be key.
This is the introduction to the bridge, where Ariel realizes that there are some directions she can take without getting stuck with the idea that she has "No Destination." It will be a simple approach to a piano, with a transition to what looks like a performance on stage.
Sunday, May 24, 2009 - Kicksburgh Press!
The Variety Hour attended Kicksburgh this year, an annual event bringing together sneaker designers and enthusiasts from all over the United States to Carnegie Mellon University. Carolina Velez acts as the short's host, and walks you through all of the different things that go into Kicksburgh. From the sickest shoes to the illest breakdancing, Sneakerology 101 pulled off a great event. Check out some of the online response to the Kicksburgh video!
From VitaminThick, a custom design clothing line featuring Andrew Schedd and Elliot Curtis' design and work.
From Kicksbrugh & Sneakerology co-creator, Jesse Chorng. Jesse is an independent designer and artist; he created an interactive camera that takes a live image and converts it to a huge mosaic of shoes. Check out the video in the background during an interview with Hannah Pileggi.
May 18, 2009 - Ending an Epic Four Years
This past weekend was Carnegie Mellon University's 112th Commencement Ceremony. It was amazing spectacle as everyone we've learned to love over the past four years was getting ready to end one chapter, only to start a new one. Sure the job market has been sticky, but that hasn't stopped the Carnegie Mellon student. It was the capstone of the endless all-nighters we've spent in the library, hanging out at the design studios, or trying to get on the roof of every building.
Duke got Oprah, Notre Dame got Obama, and Carnegie Mellon got the CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt. At first I was a little wary at the choice,because it was biased towards the School of Computer Science. I was proven wrong, when he began applying and massaging the egos of everyone at Carnegie Mellon. "Any piece of technology that you touch was probably invented by someone at Carnegie Mellon University." Maybe you don't see a Decision Science major building a cell phone, but "working in a group is the best way to work." I couldn't agree more. It takes many different perspectives to help build a well rounded idea come to fruition. His speech was amazing; thank you Eric Schmidt; congratulations on earning your honorary degree at Carnegie Mellon University.
Carnegie Mellon also awarded honorary degrees to Phylicia Rashad, Claire Huxtable from "The Cosby Show," Keith Lockhart, the director of the Boston Pops, and a couple other distinguished guests. How cool is it that we got to graduate along side such an amalgam of interesting personalities?
Finally, after these four years, I graduated. Now off to grad school. Congratulations to the class of 2009.
May 15, 2009 - Entertainment Analysis - Kennywood Amusement Park
One of the biggest things I want to do is experience as many entertainment outlets as possible and try to breakdown their experiences. Critiquing the overall experience will start creating a profile of good and bad characteristics specific to the entertainment outlet being evaluated. Whether it's a concert, an amusement park, a video game, or a work of interactive art, there is an entertainment curve and several factors that can go into the behavioral optimization of a patron's satisfaction for the experience.
Kennywood is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, just outside Monroeville. It is a smaller park, and having grown up with Cedar Point, Geagau Lake, and King's Island - my expectation were not that high. I've been on some of the best roller coasters in the world, and I have only heard the least amount of praise for the park.
Who You Go With: One of the biggest components in going to an amusement park is the group you are with. The best group is a group of even numbers, 4, 6, or 8; this way when the roller coaster enthusiasts get split-up, there aren't any lonely people. Half the point is sharing the experience with someone. Second, you want adventure seekers - if there is someone that is not so hot about riding a roller coaster, make sure that there is a second person that shares the same attitude so they don't feel left out while everyone is waiting in line.
The group I went with a collection of good friends eager to graduate, and a few underclassmen looking for a great time. This is how excited us twenty-something's were:
Kennywood as an Experience: Disney World and amusement parks in general are based around a theme. From the beginning to the end, every detail should be organized to match an overarching experience. This allows individuals to collectively interpret all of the attractions. Another important feature is the indirect control of the patron; there are a lot of attractions and each attraction must lead to the next one. Third, location optimization. Rides, food, restrooms, and other amenities must be strategically planned and organized. A park patron must be able to stand in any part of the park, and have an idea of where to go; examples include: a direct visual, a directional sign, or a strategically created path. Finally, the amenities must be well rounded and be spread across several types of amusement - an amusement park cannot be filled simply with roller coasters; everyone would have whip lash by the end of the day.
Kennywood, in its medium size, focuses around a main street theme. The entrance to the park is an explosion of faux-shops and faux-businesses filled arcade games, souvenir shops, and eateries. The main street leads to a fountain surrounded by a range of attractions: water rides, a giant swing, and most importantly the roller coasters. In the distance one can see the heights of Phantom's Revenge, indirectly attracting individuals to explore the park even further. The second major hub of Kennywood was centered around food vendors; the Potato Patch, fresh squeezed lemonade, Dippin' Dots, and funnel cakes. This was one of Kennywood's weaknesses. While spreading out the individual products to different kiosks, the queues were poorly structured, service was slow, and there was no shade. The pricing was reasonable compared to a sports event or larger park's food prices. Finally, the menu was limited. If you were looking for a more nourishing and sustainable meal, it was hard to be found. The overall size of the park works to Kennywood's benefit, because you can do everything in one day, and one ride or attraction leads to another.
Rides, Shows & Attractions: An amusement park should contain a balanced number of attractions. If there is an unbalanced combination, theme parks may lose a particular target audience. Kennywood, for its size seemed to have a great ratio of rides to amenities to shows. There were a couple stages set up throughout the park. You may be able to catch the BMX Stunt Show or the juggling show, but you will do it only because you need to sit down for a half an hour. The rides range from B/C in terms of grades. The most thrilling ride: Phantom's Revenge was a little choppy, but the way it takes you under the lowest ceilings and takes you on dips and turns that don't let know what's coming next are all important factors of the ride. Surprise and danger are two of the best factors in a roller coaster. The Thunderbolt, another fun roller coaster, is wooden, has a long ride time, and makes you extremely nervous. Make sure that if you go with a girl, she sits on the right otherwise you will crush her. The water rides, despite the temperature, were considerably fun. They had the three staple rides: Log Flume (Log Jammer), Big Splash (Pittsburgh Plunge), and the River Rapids (Raging Rapids). You stay driest on the Log Jammer, and get deceivingly soaked on both the Pittsburgh Plunge and the Raging Rapids. Note to the public: don't carry any electronics on either of those two; but an iPhone DID survive even held out in the open.
Overall, Kennywood was a blast. It didn't have the biggest or best roller coasters, but for the casual adventure it was awesome.
Copyright 2009. Alexander Andrews, Jr.