Nonfiction Blog Post: Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York

Jess Parrott 812

Nonfiction Blog Post: Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York

            Brandon Stanton’s photography blog, Humans of New York, has completely revolutionized the way I view my city. Multiple times a day I am stunned and mesmerized by the amazing stories that one photograph, and usually a short interview, can tell by following his blog. The New York Times recently interviewed Stanton and noted that, however his lack of professional photography skills, he “has amassed more than one million fans in three years.” His book, displaying the same title as his blog, was released in October and quickly climbed the New York Times bestseller list all the way to the top. Just by not being very shy and having a sixth sense of picking quite interesting people, Brandon Stanton has given the world a new lens to view New York City through.

            Stanton is a Georgia native and graduated from the University of Georgia to become a bond trader in Chicago. But after a few years, he was laid off, and made the bold choice to move to a city where he knew not one person to pursue a passion of his: photography. He has begun photographing random people in Chicago for a time; but pursued it in New York. His first idea for his collection of photos was to travel all over the city and take photos of people; creating a sort of virtual map of faces throughout the whole city. But after he created his blog, it became so much more. He began conducting short interviews and asking questions that, quoting the Time article, were “so personal they might make Oprah Winfrey blush.” Since, his following has simply grown, and has reached people all over the world.

Stanton’s blog not only gives a view into the daily lives of New York City’s human population, but their emotional lives as well. A letter written to Stanton by a person he had photographed recently struck me in a very deep way. “Hi Brandon, I’m Ted, we met getting off the six at Grand Central…I’ve read about 1000 of the comments, words cannot express how touched I am by what I have read. Its actually more than touched, it has been very emotional to read the wonderful things people have said…Thanks for doing this, it has really touched my life. The most wonderful people in the world read your material and comment on it.”           Even an excerpt shows how a deep connection can be made from the public to a person who had a light shown on them. Stanton plays a very crucial role in giving the public, not just in New York but also in the rest of the country and the world, a connection to the residents of a largely populated and extremely diverse city. He dares to go further and step beyond the curtain of privacy between strangers and dives deeper into the lives of people he has never interacted with before in his life.

I had the incredible fortune of meeting Brandon Stanton, briefly so, at one of his spur-of-the-moment book signings this past November. I waited for almost 3 hours in line amidst excited people of all ages. I was behind two girls who were visiting from England singularly to buy his book and get it signed. After being there for hours, continuously signing and greeting people, taking selfies, and answering questions, he was still charming and upbeat for the short time that I got to meet him. But not only that, what also amazed me was the sheer amount of people who were there after he announced the signing one or two days before. Stanton has created such a large and passionate following with his stunning work that is very hard to compare to.

I commend Brandon Stanton for his incredible, breathtaking, stellar, and continuously spectacular work, giving everyone a new look into our bustling and mental city.

Close Reading The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Jess Parrott 812

Close Reading The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

            “If this is to end in fire, then we shall all burn together.” – Thorin (Richard Armitage). The film “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” displays the message that above all else, family matters. In this project, I looked closely at several scenes and characters to find the emotional depth behind them, shown not only in the screenplay but also by the characters’ actions.

            One of the characters that show incredible emotional depth is Thorin son of Thrain, the leader of the Dwarf company and soon-to-be King under the Lonely Mountain, Erebor (played by Richard Armitage). Thorin initiated the quest to reclaim the mountain and all its riches from the notorious dragon, Smaug, as a quest of honor. Yet as he continues on his journey and nears the mountain, his honor starts to disintegrate. The hunger for gold and treasure increases inside of him and he starts to forget what really matters most, which is family. I believe that, deep down inside, Thorin knows what truly matters. But he is letting his wants get ahead of his needs, his kin. And his kin notice. When Kili, his nephew, gets shot by a poisoned arrow and starts to die, Thorin almost mindlessly leaves him behind in Lake-Town. He almost tells Kili himself that his top priority is reclaiming the mountain, and not his kin, which is every dwarf’s top priority. Their race is built upon a very strong bond between kin. And when things start to go really awry, as proved in their history, is when this priority is damaged. I believe that Thorin is afraid for this to happen, subconsciously, because this is what happened to his father and his father before him, and that led to the majority of their kingdom, along with a neighboring city, to be completely destroyed. Thorin has let his fear and greed blind him, and soon, will have to pay a price.

            Another character that shows a large amount of emotional depth is Bard the Bowman (played by Luke Evans). Bard, alike to the dwarves, has a very keen bond and protection with and over his family. Also alike to the dwarves, he has lost a lot in his past. When they meet, this emotional scar is very evident in the way they argue for what is right. Bard expresses hostility toward the dwarves because of what damage they caused in the past; and how his protection has grown now and he will not let them get away with damaging any further. But what really sticks out about Bard is how genuinely human he is. He has such a dear love over his people even though many of them label him as a troublemaker and a disturber. He protects and fights for them anyway because he knows the possible misfortune ahead; and will do close to anything to prevent it. I believe that by standing up to the dwarves, yet still helping some of them, he can’t help it because of how caring he is. He is such an honest character and really displays so much humanity in him, which very strongly contrasts to the rest of the characters, as the majority of them are not human. Bard brings the almost essential quality of humanity to this film series in the form of pure devotion.

            Another character that has very complex emotional depth is Thranduil, the Elven King of Mirkwood (played by [the acting genius that is] Lee Pace). Even though he is only in the film for a good 20 minutes, he easily has more emotional depth and is more interesting than the large majority of the characters. When he was much younger, he went into a very large battle with his father and a very large army, and came back with possibly 1/3 of his original army and no father. He has experiences a traumatic amount of loss and damage in his life and it shows in his every word and action. Elves are immortal, and this seems to be a blessing yet a curse. They are frozen in one image, not visually aging after a certain time, yet their souls are so incredibly old. This is visual in Thranduil’s persona; especially when he interacts with Thorin. Thorin comes into his kingdom asking for help as he reclaims the mountain. Thranduil offers him a deal; he will help as long as Thorin returns some long lost jewels. But Thorin refuses, out of pure pride and greed, and Thranduil throws them in his dungeons. I believe that Thranduil acts so harshly because he is trying to protect what little kin he has left and his kingdom as a whole. He responds to actions in very deeply emotional ways; not only because of his history, but how he reacts to violence. He displays protection over his kin and his kingdom as a precaution, but to try to crystalize what beauty he has left in his life but also to protect himself from hurting anymore. The culture of the Elves, and not only in this film, is so melancholy. And this can only be defined by their harsh immortality. And Thranduil displays this melancholy curse in everything he does.

            The film “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” has countless characters with many emotionally deep stories. The film displays messages of pride, greed, guilt, melancholy, and how important family is. Not only do the characters have very complex emotions, but the story of “The Hobbit” itself.

Writing Challenge 2nd Quarter: Chimney Corners Camp

Above is a picture that I took from my cabin's porch at my sleep away camp, Chimney Corners Camp. This past summer was my 5th summer there (I started when I was 8 turning 9 in 2009) and it is hands down my favorite place in the world.

This week in ELA we did a quick writing prompt about where we feel the most safe. I wrote about what it feels like to be at Chimney.

This is what I wrote:

"The staff and campers live in such beautiful harmony and create such a loving, safe environment for everyone. From sleeping in a cabin without plumbing and electricity to walking everywhere and spending almost all of our day outside, we live in such close coexistence with nature. Respecting the earth and yet getting as much out of it as we can creates a very real and honest place."

Chimney is the one place where I can be my true self without holding back. There, I can freely be such a nerd about everything I love. From Lord of the Rings, to step dancing, to costume and fashion design, I can be completely open about everything I love and even find others who feel the same way!

I took this picture from the porch on my cabin from this summer, Imperium. I can tell that it was probably about 5, and this is one of the many "artsy" photos I took with my camera. 

I love very close to everything about my camp. But one of the things I love most is the people. I have met so many spectacular, stellar, amazing people there who I will most certainly never forget. There are so many positive role models who set such good examples for me to follow whilst also being my friend. And at Chimney, everyone is your friend.

Writing Challenge 2nd Quarter: Tibetan Monks

I visited China this summer, and during my trip, I visited Tibet!
Visiting Tibet was one of the most amazing, beautiful, and heartbreaking experiences I have ever had. Amazing and beautiful because the scenery was some of the most vast and yet culturally shocking, and heartbreaking because I am a strong believer in Tibetan freedom (I grew up with Tibetan nannies since I was less than a year old) and to see the Tibetan people under such strict regulation and watch was very saddening.
But one of the highlights of my whole trip to China in a whole was seeing the renowned debating monks of the Sera Monastery near Lhasa, Tibet.
Being in such a creative religious environment was very inspiring and fulfilling. The monks of Tibet are Tibetan Buddhists, and they debate about the topics in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. Even though I had no idea what any of them were saying, as I don't speak Tibetan, it was incredibly engaging and beautiful.
The culture and art of the debating monks is thousands of years old. It explains not only about monk life, but about how the monks respect their elders and how they treat the younger members of their company.
This picture describes the images I saw and the scene created by these incredible monks. If I could bring everyone I ever met to see these monks, I could. They have a very different yet lasting effect on everyone who sees them.

Fox: Character Impressions

Jess Parrott 812

Fox: Character Impressions

            In the picture book Fox by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks, the character Fox makes many different intriguing and lasting impressions on the two other characters, Magpie and Dog. Two of the most interesting moments when a character has an inner thought about Fox are when he first comes into the story, and leaves.

            When Fox enters the story, he portrays a very sneaky and skeptical character. The other two characters, Magpie and Dog, have very different impressions of him. Dog takes sympathy on Fox and offers him food and shelter at no cost. Dog, as shown previously in the story, helps ones who are in need and helps them see the good in themselves. This is supported when Magpie is depressed after she loses the ability to fly, and Dog helps her see that he can help her get close to flying again. When Dog offers to help Fox, he chooses to see behind the unsure feelings they both have and he even tries to help Magpie see the good in him.

            Magpie, on the other hand, doesn’t try to see past Fox’s apparent sneakiness. She judges him on his instant appearance, and, unlike Dog, doesn’t try to read past her first impression of him. Magpie is forever cautious on Fox’s front; which is most likely because of past events in her life. Magpie got in a fire and one of her wings was badly burnt earlier in the story, so a very vulnerable side of her is revealed quite early on. I believe that this early impression of Magpie, a cautious and judgmental character, sticks with her for the rest of the story. She pities herself often and comes off as a rather self-occupied character; as she only gives thought to her burnt wing and the thought that she might be in danger. This is what faults her and brings her to danger and want to return to the way she used to be, when Fox offers her a chance to really fly.

            Another very lasting impression Fox has on another character is when he drops Magpie off in the desert; and she hears him let out a scream. Quoting from the story, “she cannot tell if it is a scream of triumph or a scream of despair.” This line fetches deep down into Fox’s persona and the character her is. The questioning tone in Magpie’s inner thought leaves two very different alternatives to the last look at Fox’s character, and one of the very few times he willingly shows emotion. If indeed it was a scream of triumph, then it would seem that Fox’s motive would be to crush others’ emotions to make them feel the loneliness he felt and, by spreading that in others, feeding off their pain. That would suggest that Fox’s whole character, from the beginning, rather agreed with Magpie’s first impression of him, and that he was a foul character. But if it was a scream of despair, then Fox’s motive would most likely be a try to, by making others feel the deep melancholy that he felt, feed off their new sadness and take pride in spreading his negative emotion, but actually it didn’t really work that way. In the “scream of despair” case, it would seem that just by creating more loneliness in others, it increased the ever-growing hole inside him and hurting him even more emotionally.

Best Read of 2013: The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Art & Design

Jess Parrott 812

Best Read of 2013: The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug: Art & Design by Daniel Falconer

            I’m pretty sure I’ve read more books in 2013 than in any other year. It was very hard to pick my favorite. But a book that I will surely read again and again is the Art & Design book from the second film in “The Hobbit” trilogy, directed by Sir Peter Jackson. A foreword by the set decorator, Ra Vincent, gives the perfect preface and concise look inside to what went into the film, and hence the book, behind the scenes and all throughout production. Vincent clearly displays how the film was a teamwork effort, made by the conceptual art directors, artists Alan Lee and John Howe, the team at Weta Workshop (the CGI/computer design department, as well as prop, set and costume design and production), and loads of additional costume, prop, and set designers and builders. This book gives an insight to what it was like to design the film and put it together as a whole. The book not only demonstrates the art and design work behind the film, but the incredible and astonishing amount of care put into the film by the diverse and hardworking artists on staff.

            One of the most interesting parts of this book is the concept art design. The two concept art directions, artists Alan Lee and John Howe, are two of the most well known artists to bring the Lord of the Rings books to life. Peter Jackson, the director, contacted Lee and Howe at the beginning of pre-production of the Lord of the Rings films in the late 90’s, and asked them to be apart of the team. They obliged, and have been a very significant part of the film legacies ever since. The art they bring to the process is the very foundation of the films’ design. I find it fascinating to see how they bring J. R. R. Tolkien’s words to life in such startlingly vivid pieces so early on, and eventually, all throughout the design process. Lee and Howe bring original content and points of view to the process, in the form of hundreds of sketches and countless quotes shown in the book. They share what it was like bringing Tolkien’s words to life from their points of view. Overall, their quotes and sketches really complete the book. From pencil drawings to full-out magnificent paintings, these artists do a spectacular job designing these films and contributing to the book.

            Another key part of the book and the film process is the work from the team at Weta Workshop. Weta is the CGI/computer design department, part of the concept design department, and a large part of prop, set, and costume design and production. They bring fantastic work from all different points of the film during all different parts of the process. Needless to say, Wets does and always has done so much phenomenal work for both film trilogies. The amazing contribution from Wets includes pictures and designs from all parts of the team and all stages, and various quotes from designers and builders of set, props, and characters. The team at Weta are the first, besides the costume designers and in some cases the concept art directors, to tackle the task of building the characters visually. Their pieces make this book a true visual experience and display the concept of building largely nonhuman characters from only screenwriters’ work (and some previous designers from the Lord of the Rings films). Not many films have such an extensive crew of people working on CGI/computer design, and general prop, set, costume, and character design. That is one of the main reasons why this book is memorable. The team at Weta contributes so much to build up this fantastical work in diverse and extremely creative ways that truly, only Weta can do.

            This book, The Hobbit: the Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Art & Design has been one of the most interesting, captivating, and spectacular books that I have read not only this year, but out of many year. It has totally revolutionized my vision of the art & design process of these films, including the extensive and spectacular departments and crew themselves. This book has given me hundreds of different takes on one fantasy world and what marvels it contains. The amount of work and care put into this film by the incredible team of artists and designers shows dedication, hard work, spirit, and love. And this amazing result of teamwork makes not only a stellar movie, but also one stellar book.