Juvenile justice system- harsh punishments vs. lighter punishments Essay

Juvenile justice system- harsh punishments vs. lighter punishments - Essay Example There is also the lack of understanding among citizens on the social, political and economic perspectives that cause juvenile crime and the juvenile justice practice. Even though most people do not comprehend the vitality of the juvenile justice system, there have been strong discussions on the causes of crime by the youth and the possible ways of handling them (Champion, Merlo and Benekos 34). There are varied position held by the public concerning this issue, some hold the view that there measures should be put in place that will ensure such crimes are prevented and rehabilitate the young offender. Other members of the public call for the establishment of harsher punishment to the young criminals. They demand that youths who commit crimes be held accountable as adults (Elrod and Ryder 5). There has been a growing dilemma of youth gang violence in Central America. Youth violence is a great worry since it affects the country’s safety and the health of the public. However, some of the strategies put in place so as to address the problem are not successful. It has been noted that the approaches lead to the infringement of human rights hence leading to serious lawful challenges. Violent gangs have been reported to be taking part in injurious actions such as drug abuse. In addition, violent gangs take part in theft and robbery of properties of their neighbors. Juvenile justice systems have been established to ensure that cries committed by the youths are prevented from taking root in the society. Introduction Jane is a woman juvenile detention officer and Jack is a resident of New York, they hold the view that children who commit crime should be rehabilitated rather than punished and measures should be put in place to ensure that crimes involving the juveniles are prevented from occurring in the society. On the contrary, Kennedy is a law enforcement officer while Brian is resident of Los Angeles. They hold the view that the youth who engage in criminal activ ities should be given equal punishment the same as the punishment given to adults. Scenario The issue of juvenile justice system and the approach in which it should take, whether rehabilitative or punishment approach, and the best approach which should be adopted have dominated the public debate for several years now. It is evident that young people engage in serious criminal activities. However, most crimes committed by the young ones do not lead to serious injury or loss of property. The public has had to debate on the best way to approach the issue in order to correct the illegal behavior of the youths (Krisberg 3). There have also been concerns on the best approaches that can effectively help the youth in learning from their mistakes so as to enable them make right decisions concerning their lives now and in the future (Klein 55). Young children who commit crime constitute a diverse population. These young criminals vary depending on their psychological and biological factors as well as the social environment in which they live. However, their biological, social and psychological variation need to taken into account when considering which type of approach whether rehabilitative or be punished. Several states in the United States have placed the age limit to the juvenile justice system jurisdiction a t age 17. When the youths attain the age of 18 years, they are subject to the jurisdiction in the adult justice system. Further, some states have a lower age limit for admission to juvenile court. The age limit often varies from the age of 6 years to 10 years. In cases whereby a lower age limit exists, younger children with the age below the statutory specified age cannot be considered in the

Nothing But The Truth by avi book talk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nothing But The Truth by avi book talk - Essay Example There are larger social and community forces at work when it comes to the actions of men. Young people are introduced into these in this work. These things make the book a worthwhile read, apart from its artistic merits. This is an excellent novel for introducing young people into some hard to grasp gray areas when it comes to seeking the truth in human society (Avi, 2003; Holt, Rinehart and Winston, n.d.). In terms of readability and suitability, the novel is perfect for students in the middle school grades. Moreover, the reading difficulty appropriateness is buttressed by the aspects of the novel that relate to truth seeking, and that relate to imparting lessons about how society works, and how human nature works when it comes to dealing with the truth. Truth is not something that is out there as black and white realities, but is something that is sometimes hard to surface, despite the best intentions. This lesson goes beyond the merely literary and goes beyond language. It has large implications for the understanding of young people of their place in their community, and the ways and motivations of people and of the institutions that impact their lives. Because the novel touches on a larger social reality, I chose it as an excellent material with many layers of meaning and lessons for my students. For these reasons too, I rate this 4 stars out of 5 (Avi, 2003; Holt, Rinehart and Win ston, n.d.). The obvious curricular connections are in social studies, especially as the novel touches on the interplay of many social institutions and how they influence the thinking and behavior of the different key characters in the story. The mainstream media as an important group in society is a focus of attention, as well as the larger social reality of the school system, and the political system as well. These are all explored with some depth as they relate to the issue at hand in the novel, and tie very well with related concepts in social studies (Avi, 2003; Holt,

An Analysis of the Cinema of Short Films

An Analysis of the Cinema of Short Films INTRODUCTION Film as dream, film as music. No form of art goes beyond ordinary consciousness as film does, straight to our emotions, deep into the twilight room of the soul. Ingmar Bergman Cinema is one of the few mediums which have managed to successfully depict the true reality of society in general and our lives in particular. As like other art forms, it depicts the multiple realties that one is faced with. It explores one of the most discarded yet eternal truths which every individual experiences and that is isolation. Each individual longs for social ties despite belonging to organized societies; it is what each one of us is ultimately reduced to. A Short film is a technical description originally coined in the Indian film industry and used in the North American film industry in the early period of cinema. The description is now used almost interchangeably with short subject. Although the North American definition generally refers to films between 20 and 40 minutes, the definition refers to much shorter films in Europe,Latin America and Australasia. InNew Zealand, for instance, the description can be used to describe any film that has duration longer than one minute and shorter than 15 minutes. The North American definition also tends to focus much more on character whereas the European and Australasian forms tend to depend much more on visual drama and plot twists. In this way, the North American form can be understood to be a derivation of the feature film form, usually acting as a platform for aspirant Hollywood directors. Elsewhere, short films tend to work as showcases for cinematographers and commercial directors. (Short Film) A short film manages to tell the same tale as a full length feature film, but in a shorter duration of time. It is characterized by the directors reflection of the existing social, political and economic conditions. A short film narrative is one which can easily be created by people from all walks of life, it has universal applicability. It enables directors functioning on a small budget to tell their stories to the world. The talent in creating a short film lies in communicating the message of the film to the audience in a very limited period of time. The transitions in a short film are of critical importance. What I find intriguing is how any person imbibes from their existing social conditions and produce work which is effectively communicable to most individuals. Another reason to dwell into this topic of research is that many youngsters and amateurs start by making short films and use it as a path to grow. As Daniel Wiernicki states, Short films are often popular as first steps into the film industry among young filmmakers. This is because they are cheaper and easier to make, and also their length makes shorts more likely to be watched by financial backers and others who want some demonstration of a filmmakers ability. Many things can be achieved by creating a short film so are an ideal opportunity to get recognized and get into the industry. (Wiernicki) Through this dissertation, I aim to explore the world of short films in the context of movies which have won the Cannes Short Film Palme dOr(French:Palme dOr du court mÃÆ' ©trage), which is the highest prize given to a short film at the Cannes Film Festival. These short films are a representation of different cultures, ideologies, people, religion, economic background, and political thoughts and history from across the world that come together on one platform and showcase their art. The cinema is not an art which films life: the cinema is something between art and life. Unlike painting and literature, the cinema both gives to life and takes from it, and I try to render this concept in my films. Literature and painting both exist as art from the very start; the cinema doesnt. Jean- Luc Godard LITERATURE REVIEW Throughout our history, humans have looked for different forms of expressing themselves. These expressions were in the form of poetry, literature, songs, plays, dancing, etc. films are one of the latest forms of expression that has been adopted by the people around the world to portray their views on their surroundings, any event, or moment that captivates them and they want to show it to the world. The beauty of the films nowadays is that you can detract from reality and present something beyond the human imagination at the same time one can present the harsh realities of life that some dont know about. Films as a medium of communications can be used to spread ones message or view across the world. History of Cinema (History of Film) The birth of the films happened in 1878, when Eadweard Muybridge recorded a horse running in fast motion using a series of 24 stereoscopic cameras. With the development of technology came of the Silent era. Till the 1920s movies were silent, though at times they were accompanied by musicians, sound effects, or even commentary at times. 1940s to 60s- War and Post War Cinema The wartime saw immense change in the cinema as more focus was given to propaganda and patriotic films. Films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Citizen Cane were pieces of this period. The cold war era brought movies filled with paranoia such as Invading Armies of Evil Aliens and anti-communist movies such as the Manchurian Candidate. The onset of television in the post war era also threatened the cinematic industry as a medium of watching films. During this Period, Asian Cinema specifically saw a golden age. Some of the greatest masterpieces of the Asian cinema were produced during this period. These include works like: Yasujiro OzusTokyo Story(1953),Satyajit RaysThe Apu Trilogy(1955-1959) andThe Music Room(1958),Kenji MizoguchisUgetsu(1954) andSansho the Bailiff(1954),Raj KapoorsAwaara(1951),Mikio NarusesFloating Clouds(1955),Guru DuttsPyaasa(1957) andKaagaz Ke Phool(1959), and theAkira Kurosawa films Rashomon (1950), Ikiru(1952),Seven Samurai(1954) andThrone of Blood(1957). 1970s: Post-classical cinemaThis term is used to describe the period following the decline of the studio system during the 1950s and 1960s and the end of the production code. During the 1970s, filmmakers increasingly depicted explicit sexual content and showed gunfight and battle scenes that included graphic images of bloody deaths. The 1980s were filled with movies releasing with sequels like Star Wars, Jaws, and Indiana Jones. The audience also started to watch movies on their VCR at home during this period. 1990s to present: Contemporary Cinema The 1990s saw the development of the independent cinema with commercial success. Special effects also ruled during this period as it was being heavily used by the successful movies of the period like: Terminator 2: Judgment Day(1991) andTitanic(1997). During the 2000s, documentary genre of film making also rose as can be seen with the success of movies such as March of the Penguins, and Fahrenheit 9/11. Increase in the problem of digital distribution due to infringement of copyrights, and piracy also has reached heights during this period. Cinema as a whole during this decade has become more global with foreign-language films gaining popularity in English-speaking markets. Films such as City of Gods (Portugese), Lagaan (Hindi), and the Passion of the Christ (Aramaic). Some have described the prevailing style of the period as post modern because many contemporary films are apolitical, ahistorical, intertextual, and less tied to the conventions of a single genre or culture. The transnational circulation and genre hybridity of contemporary films is exemplified by the increasing global popularity of non- English speaking cinema. (Film Studies, 2009) Major Genres of Films: They are broad enough to accommodate practically any film ever made, although film categories can never be precise. By isolating the various elements in a film and categorizing them in genres, it is possible to easily evaluate a film within its genre and allow for meaningful comparisons and some judgments on greatness. Films were not really subjected to genre analysis by film historians until the 1970s. All films have at least one major genre, although there are a number of films that are considered crossbreeds or hybrids with three or four overlapping genre (orsub-genre) types that identify them. (Dirks) Genres in cinema can broadly be categorized under the following classifications: Setting prisonHistoryFuturisticFantasyWesternWarMood Drama MelodramaTragedyComedy- dramaRomanceAction- adventure Humor/ Comedy SlapstickBlack comedyScrewball comedyAction comedyRomantic comedySuspense HorrorMysteryThrillerTheme or topic CrimeArt FilmWarScience fictionalEspionageWesternSportsFantasyFilm NoirFormat MusicalDocumentaryLive actionAnimationBiographyHISTORY OF SHORT FILMS Short subject a name initially given to Short Films came into existence in the 1910s when the majority of the feature movies were being made into loner run-time editions. The name short subject is an American film industry term, which was assigned to any film within 20 minutes long or running two reels. Short subject films could be comedy, animated, or live action. One of the best known users of short subject was Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin. In 1930s came the slowdown of the short subjects, basically produced by Warner Bros and Famous studios that owned their own theatres to showcase the films. By 1995s, the rise of television led to the strangulation of the live action- short and at the same time the fall cartoon short. Since the 1960s, majority of the directors of short films have been special studio projects or independent film makers. Since the 1980s, short film term was being used for short subject. Short film as a term describes the non- commercial film that is much shorter in time length than a feature film/ an analogy that can be drawn for short film to a feature film is that of a novella and a novel. The short filmmakers heavily depend on the short film festivals and art exhibitions to showcase their short films. At the same time, these film makers have more freedom to take up more difficult topics than normal feature films as the risks are lower. Short film making is now a growing as more and more amateurs, students, common man, and enthusiasts are taking this up because of the affordability of the technology to make such films. At the same time one can showcase his work to the world by uploading it on web portals and sharing it with others. It is an area where people are turning to as a hobby, as an art, to achieve their form expressions. (Wiernicki) THE SHORT FILM FESTIVALS Festival de Cannes The Festival is an apolitical no-mans-land, a microcosm of what the world would be like if people could contact each other directly and speak the same language. Jean Cocteau Being first large international cultural event after the World War II, the Festival de Cannes opened on 20th September, 1946. The Palme dOr was created in 1955. Palme dOr became the enduring symbol of the Cannes Film Festival, awarded each and every year since to the director of the Best Feature Film of the Official Competition. At present, Festival de Cannes invites film makers from around the world to present their work in one place and exchange cultural experiences. The selections for the awards are done from a nomination of films from all over the world, from different socio-economic backgrounds, different cultures, and different historical backgrounds. Cannes offers an opportunity to determine a particular countrys image of its cinema. Festival de Cannes is a melting pot of global cinema and filmmakers. This is the reason why I have undertaken the study of the award winning short films at festival de Cannes. (Festival History) Oscar Short Film Awards TheAcademy Awards, also known as theOscars, are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences(AMPAS). The AMPAS recognizes the excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The1st Academy Awards ceremony was held Thursday, May 16, 1929, at the Hotel RooseveltinHollywoodto honor outstanding film achievements of 1927 and 1928. Since 2002, the awards have been broadcast from the Kodak Theatre. The formal ceremony at which the awards are presented is one of the most prominent award ceremonies in the world. It is also the oldest award ceremony in the media, and many other award ceremonies such as theGrammy Awards(for music), Golden Globe Awards(all forms of visual media), and Emmy Awards(for television) are often modeled from the Academy. The Oscar Award is given to Short Films with entries from across the world due its prestige involved with the award. The Oscar Awards are given to Short Films in three categories within the Short Film category. These categories are: Best Animated Short Film AwardBest Documentary Short Subject AwardBest Live Action Short FilmSundance Film Festival TheSundance Film Festival takes place annually in the state of Utah, in theUnited States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the U.S.Held every year in January inPark City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as theSundance Resort, the festival is the premier showcase for the new work of arts from across the world of independent filmmakers. The festival comprises of competitive sections for world over dramatic and documentary films, both feature-length films and short films, and a group of non-competitive showcase sections. Initially the Festival was a low- profile venue for small-budget, independent directors from outside the Hollywood. Now it has changed to a media extravaganza for Hollywood celebrity actors, directors, and luxury lounges set up by companies that are not affiliated with Sundance. The Sundance Festival has tried to change these activities in recent times, beginning from 2007 with their Focus on Film campaign. From 2009 onwards some changes were made to the Sundance Film Festival. Some of the changes made include: a new programming category called NEXT for extremely low-budget films, and the Sundance Film Festival U.S.A. program, in which eight of the festivals films will be shown in eight theaters around the country, a very good initiative as more people will get access to the films that only few selected audience gets. Sundance over time has shown is credibility as being the international festival for feature length and short- films. It is now recognized the world over as one of the important festivals to look for each year. It still has a long way to go till it reaches the level of Cannes Film Festival and Oscars. Aspen Filmfest Aspen Filmfest began in 1979 in Aspen, Colorado, USA. The Aspen Film organizes a major movie event every season, contributing to an extensive education program, and hosts of numerous special presentations. Each year, some 30,000 people participate in this festival. Aspen Filmfest believes in the philosophy of striving to enlighten, enrich, educate, and entertain audience through the films. Aspen Filmfest is known for its commitment to original content. They screen more than 200 films each year, which are regional debuts and might not be available to the local audiences. The Aspen short film festival receives entry not only from US but from world over. There is also a special award given in collaboration with BAFTA/ LA giving it affiliation with BAFTA awards and also credibility but with the American perspective added to it. KNOWLEDGE GAP Looking at the current literature review, we see that there is a knowledge gap regarding the study of Short Films in the contemporary cinema as a communication medium. This subject requires an in-depth analysis and more research to come up with some perspectives in this area. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 1. To analyze the Form of award winning Short Films taken from a randomized selection, from contemporary cinema (last ten years), from Short Film Festivals held between 2000- 2009: Cannes Palme dOr du court mÃÆ' ©trage, Oscar Short Film Award, Aspen Filmfest Award, and Sundance Short Film Awards, and analyse the form of Short films. 2. To analyse the Content of the award winning Short Films in context of political, sociological, economical, and historical backgrounds. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The Qualitative research methodology is used in this study. The method would involve analyses of the form and content of the Short Films. The Sample: The award winning Short Films taken from a randomized selection, from reputed Short Film Festivals held across the world between 2000- 2009. These festivals are: Cannes Palme dOr du court mÃÆ' ©trage, Oscar Short Film Award, Aspen Filmfest Award, and Sundance Short Film Awards. The following Short Films have been selected for the study: 1. Movie: Gridlock Director: Dirk BeliÃÆ' «n Country: Belgium Award: Oscar best live action short film, 2003; Aspen Shorts fest, 2002 2. Movie: Strangers Director: Guy Nattiv and Erez Tadmor Country: Israel Award: Aspen Shorts fest, 2003; Sundance Film Festival, 2003 3. Movie: Ver Llover Director: Elisa Miller Country: Mexico Award: Cannes Film Festival, 2007 4. Movie: Sniffer Director: Bobbie Peers Country: Norway Awards: Cannes Film Festival, 2009 5. Movie: Oktapodi Director: Julien Bocabeille, FranÃÆ' §ois-Xavier Chanioux, Olivier Delabarre, Thierry Marchand , Quentin Marmier and Emud Mokhberi Country: France Awards: Oscar best animated shorts winner, 2007 6. Movie: Spider Director: Nash Edgerton Country: Australia Award: Aspen shorts fest, 2007; Sundance Film Festival, 2007 Why the above Sample? The above following sample has been chosen for the reason being that the Festival de Cannes(le Festival de Cannes), Oscars, Aspen Filmfest, and Sundance Film Festival, are one of the worlds oldest, finest and most prestigious film festivals which have a very good representation of directors from across the world from different cultural, political, historical, religious, economical, and sociological backgrounds. This provides us with a variety of content for our study. The above movies are selected also on the basis of them being a part of contemporary cinema. How to Study Short Films Some of the salient points/ questions that will be used to do this study of short films are as follows: 1. Who is telling the story? Why is it being told? Does it appear to have a purpose?(media agencies, authorial voice, writers and auteurs, marketing, economics, ideology) 2. How is it experienced? Who consumes it, where and in what way?(readers and media audiences- private and public experience, narrative structures) 3. How is it made?(film technology, publishing and episodic publishing-the differences they make to the production process as well as to the finished product) 4. How does it construct meaning?(film language and written language-expectations of audiences and readers, codes and conventions, narrative structures) 5. How does it represent its subject- especially with reference to period?(representation, use of stereotypes, representation of the past) (FILM STUDY GUIDE FOR TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, 2003) 6. Three Ways of Thinking Talking About Films (Wilder, 1997) Literary Aspects Dramatic Aspects Cinematic Aspects Who are the characters in the film? Did the actors make you forget they were acting? How? What vivid visual images did you note? What did they make you feel or think about? What is the films setting? Were costumes, make-up, and set equally important to the success of the film? What sounds or music do you remember? What did they make you feel or think about? What are the main plot elements? In what scene was an actors voice (pitch, volume, expression) particularly effective? What scenes can you understand even without dialogue? Why? From whose point of view is the story told? Select a scene that must have been difficult to act. How did the actor make his or her body movements appropriate and convincing? What scene has very effective or unusual editing? What is the theme of the film? Describe a scene in which facial expression was important. What feelings were developed? Were words necessary? If the film uses special effects, do they add to or detract from your enjoyment of the film? What is the mood of the film? Did the actors establish their characters more through dialogue or through movement and facial expressions? . What symbols did you notice? How is this film like or unlike other films by the director? Does this director have a recognizable style? . . Was there anything about the acting, set, or costumes that bothered you or interfered with your watching of the film? LIMITATIONS OF RESEARCH 1. The selection of the short films could have been broader and incorporated from more film festivals from across the world. 2. More methods like semiotics could have been used for the analysis of the short films. 3. Difficulty in access to short film movies from across the world and across film festivals. This includes difficulty in procuring even the award winning short films. EXPECTED CONTRIBUTION Given that the art of making Short Films is on the upward trend it is necessary to analyze the current trends, narratives, and the context of the Short Films genre in our contemporary cinema. We have enough knowledge on feature length movies but we lack information on the Short Films of our age. The study of this medium is important as Short films are a highly effective medium of communication and will gain importance going forward. As more and more people are turning towards Short Film making due to accessibility to technology, it is one field that needs attention in our world of cinema. A study of its content will give us a better understanding of the Short Films and world around us through their camera scope is imperative. EXPLORING THE SHORT FILMS Movie: Gridlock Director: Dirk BeliÃÆ' «n Country: Belgium Award: Oscar best live action short film, 2003; Aspen Shorts fest, 2002 THE STORYBOARD The short film starts off with light summery music with nothing clear on the camera but a blur. Slowly the camera gets into focus and we see that it is headlight of the car. The music playing in the background is singing about a sunny day but when the camera gets into focus we realize that it is snowing heavily. The camera then moves up the across the bonnet of the car to focus on the man sitting inside the car. The man looks like in his forties, bald (looks like his style not natural), sporting a little hair under the lower lip, wearing a suit, light blue shirt, with a blue tie, and spectacles. The radio becomes audible now and the music stops on the radio and the news start. The lady on the radio news tells about the traffic jam that there is on the road Antwerp- Ghent. The man listens to it and then switches it off by cursing at it and saying yes, I can see that. Stupid Bitch. At this scene the camera is focusing on the scene that it visible from the front window of the car portra ying lot of snow and jam. The man in the car seems very annoyed with the jam. He starts cursing the people who are working on clearing the road inside the car only. As the man is in the process of taking out his medicines an ambulance whizzes past his car with its loud siren at which the man freaks out and curses Jesus Christ! Assholes! the man then takes his medicines and breathes heavily after that for first few breathes and then relaxes. He looks into his watch for time. The camera all this time is placed right behind the steering wheel dashboard. Now it moves to the side passenger seat in the front where a newly bought mobile phone lies inside its open box. The man says to himself loudly, Lets see if this thing is as good as the guy said. He dials a number. There is honking of a car from behind which annoys him again and he shouts inside the car only at the person in the car behind and starts driving with the phone between his shoulder blade and right ear. The car stops. The phone rings in some home where the camera is focusing on the table with the phone and a Japanese sword also there on the stand. The table is placed right on the side of the wooden staircase leading to the higher floors. A chair in the background with a lamp to its side comes in the blur of the camera. The phone rings. We hear a television noise in the background and at the same time a girl suddenly gets up from behind the table. The girl seems about 5 years in age with golden hair knotted into two little buns on the head holding a doll with long hair which is tied into two pony tails and wearing a red frock. The girl picks up the phone and the following conversation happens with the camera shifting to the scene of the person talking from the same angle as it was before. Girl: hello Man: hey, honey, its daddy. Girl: daddy? Man: yes honey, its daddy. Girl: Hi daddy. Man: sweetie, is mommy there? Girl: no, daddy, mommys upstairsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (As the girl is talking on the phone she starts moving towards the pram to keep her doll in it. In the process the phone falls from the table and the man couldnt hear the upstairs) Man: honey? Hello, what did you say? Girl: hello Man: say, sweetie, is mommy there? Girl: mommys upstairs in the bedroom with uncle Wim. (The girl is playing with the wire of the phone as she says this. On hearing this the man starts stuttering a bit and is totally flabbergasted) Man: uncle Wim? But we dont have an uncle Wim, sweetie. Girl: yes we do. Mommys upstairs with uncle Wim. (On hearing this, the man gets restless and doesnt know what to say. The girl keeps calling him daddy on the phone. The camera focuses on his lips.) Man: honey, I want you to do something for meà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The camera then focuses on the girl as the man explains the girl what to do. She stands in one place listening intently and not moving a bit. The television noise is still there in the background. The camera moves around the girl slowly, withdrawing back from the girl. The girl leaves the phone receiver on the table and walks up the stair. The camera shifts to the man in the car who is very restless and takes one more round of his pills. The man still holding the phone to his ear is waiting for the girl to get back on the phone. The restlessness is still there as he keeps moving his hand over his head and breathing heavily. The girl comes down from the stairs. The girl picks up the phone. Girl: hello daddy? Man: what happened? The camera shifts to a room upstairs with the door bolted. The girl walks in the frame from behind and goes by the door. She hears moans and groans of her mother inside the room when she puts her ear against the door. Girl: I went upstairs and knocked on the door, like you asked me to. The girl knocks on the door and then calls mommy, mommy, but she only hears the moans getting louder. Then she says, I heard daddys car. Hes home. The door opens and a nude woman screams at the girl and then runs away into the corridor into the bathroom. Then the camera pans towards the bedroom. An obese man there was wearing his pants in a hurry and looking at the girl in her eyes. He had spiked hair and a French beard. Fear was there in his eyes. Now we hear background sound of the girl talking on the phone explaining what she saw and happened as the camera moves with the girl in what she had just done while she was gone and phone receiver was on the table. At the same time there is light music that comes in as the girl runs towards the noise she heard and the music becomes much louder as the girl sees her mother lying on the bathroom floor dead. The girl starts rolling her finger in her hair. Girl: and she ran into the bathroom and fell on the floorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and I think she is dead. The camera shifts to the man in the car. Man: dead?! No, no, noà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. The man seems to get scared and starts moving his hand over his bald head in tension. Man: and uncle Wim? The camera shifts to the girl sitting by her mother and uncle Wim in the background. When the girl looks at him, he shuffles his steps a bit and runs. Then we hear a noise of a glass breaking. The girl moves to the other room Girl: hes hurt too. Then the camera follows her to another room. She walks past some broken pieces of glass with blood around them. Girl: there was blood on the floor. Man: blood? Girl: uncle Wim wasnt there anymore. The camera gives a shot of an open window with white curtains fluttering with the snowfall outside. The view is that of a night and barren trees silhouette in the background. The camera then moves to the window and shifts slowly towards the area below the window where a figure of a man is there flat on the ground and no movement. The music is getting grimmer but still lighter in the intensity of its sound. Girl: and I looked down and I think hes dead. In the swimming pool. Man: Swimming pool? Swimming pool? What swimming pool? The man looks stunned and moves his mobile phone from his ear. He looks at the number on the mobile phone after hearing the swimming pool. And then he realizes the number he has dialed. A car honks at the back. Man: holy shit! Girl: daddy? FORM The movie has a very serious and frustrated mood in the beginning which is betrayed by the opening song which makes it sound nice and jolly. The movie focuses a lot on the close shots when the characters are talking. The movement of the camera is usually when there is no speech taking place. For example, when the man talks its focused on his face or his lips. When the phone was ringing the camera stayed on the phone till the little girl came into the scene. During the flashback the speed of the scenes goes in slow-motion and all the shots are from a stationary place. The camera just follows from where it is rather than moving with the characters. Throughout the movie the sounds of the natural surroundings are used. The music is only used once the little girl starts explaining what all happened after she did what he had told her to do. The music comes in for the back flash part of the short film. The music used is also very grim and gothic type. The music gets louder when the death of the mother is shown and church bells for both the mother and uncle Wim. Once the man realizes that it is a wrong number that he has dialed, the music stops playing in the background. Music and the slowing of the scenes happen only in the flashback. While in the present scenario natural surrounding sounds are used with more focus on close shots. CONTENT The short film was made in 2001 when the mobile phones were just growing in the world. So we see an upper class man, as he is driving a Mercedes car and his looks are that of a business man or such other job. What we see in the film is how a wrong connection

Roald Dahl was a famous British Writer :: essays research papers fc

Roald Dahl Roald Dahl was a famous British writer. He was inspired to write because of his dreams and life experiences. He enjoyed telling bedtime stories to his children. These bedtime stories were published and some were made into films. Roald Dahl was great writer and was recognized for his work. Roald Dahl was a famous British Writer. He was born in Llandeff, Wales on September 13th 1916. His parents, Harold and Sofie, came from Norway. He had four sisters, Astri, Affhild, Else and Astra, His father died when Roald was only four years old. Roald attended Repton, a private school in Derbyshire. He did not enjoy his school years, â€Å"I was appalled by the fact that masters and senior boys were allowed, literally, to wound other boys and sometimes quite severely. I couldn’t get over it. I never got over it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  These experiences inspired him to write stories in which children fight against cruel adults and authorities. When he was 18 years old, he went on expedition to Newfoundland. Upon returning to England, he worked for Shell. During World War II, he served in the Royal Air forces in Libya, Greede and Syria. Being a pilot was dangerous and Dahl had a bad crash in the desert. While he was recovering from his wounds, he had strange dreams. These dreams inspired him to write his first short stories. He wrote about his most exiting Royal Air force adventures. The Saturday Evening Post published the story, A Piece of Cake. Later, this story was included in a book called, Over To You: the Stories of flyers and flying (1946). In 1953, Roald Dahl marries Patricia Neal. They had one son and four daughters. His eldest daughter Olivia died of measles when she was eight years old. He later divorced her and remarried to Felicity Ann Crossland in 1983. Dahl’s first children’s book, The Gremlins (1943) was written for Walt Disney. The following years he wrote a collection of short stories. In 1954, the story, Someone Like You, was very successful worldwide. He wrote a sequel, KISS KISS in 1959. The two books were serialized for television in America. Some of the stories were seen in programs like Alfred Hitchcock Presents and in Tales of the Unexpected. Roald Dahl used to tell bedtime stories to his children and these became the books he is now famous for. In 1961, he published James and the Giant Peach.

Whole Foods Market Case Analysis

Whole Foods Market has received recognition as recent as January 27th 2011 when CNBC aired Supermarkets Inc: Inside a 500 Billion Money Machine. â€Å"Whole Foods is arguably the most influential, and by some measures, the most successful supermarket chain in the world. The specialty gourmet store has grown into a Fortune-300 company offering specialty foods and locally grown organic produce. † CNBC goes on to state that even â€Å"Established brands like Safeway, Giant Eagle and Kroger are cultural icons as familiar as our own street names, but they are under constant attack from brilliant upstarts like Whole Foods†¦1† From the general supermarket industry Whole Foods Market breaks down into even a smaller specific industry which is the natural and organic foods industry. This industry focused on proving customers with natural foods which is defined as â€Å"foods that are minimally processed, largely or complexly free of artificial ingredients, preservatives and other non natural occurring ingredients; and near to their whole, natural state as possible. 7. † Also â€Å"organic foods were a special subset of the natural foods category; to be labeled as organic, foods had to be grown and processed without the use of pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, synthetic chemicals, artificial fertilizers, preservatives, dyes or additives or generic engenerring. † Also from the text book CEO John Mackey believes Whole Foods Market has been highly selective for finding the highest quality, least processed, most favorable and naturally preserved foods available. Whole Foods Market is an industry leader in natural and organic food retailing. The five forces model of competition, in written form, is provided as a key analytical tool to better understand the overall attractiveness of the industry. Rivalry among competing sellers is certainly strong and is expected to become stronger as more grocery retailers compete for loyal customers who desire the healthiest foods. The threat of substitute’s products is very high from other grocery retailers. For example, Publix has branded its own natural/organics products line named Green Wise and even a few stores that have a majority of its products natural/ organic. The restaurant industry should be considered but it is a very low threat because there are very few restaurants that are only dedicated to natural/organic products. The threat of new entrants entering the industry is fairly low. This is simply because grocery retailers have already got into the market to insure they would get their share. The bargaining power of suppliers is a medium level threat to the industry because industry members are competing for products to put on their shelves from the same suppliers. The bargaining power of buyers is definitely low because conventional retailers set the price consumers must pay to obtain the goods they want. Because of these threat levels the overall attractiveness of the industry high. Consumers are becoming more conscious of the foods they are eating and will continue buying natural and organic foods. There have been many main events and performance indicators that have occurred with Whole Foods Market recently, as stated in the Epilogue to January 2009 â€Å" Whole Foods Market planned on opening 15 stores , have annual sales of about 8. 3 billion, have capital expenditures of $400 to $450 million, and incur annual interest costs of $35 to $40 million. † The main elements of Whole Foods Market strategy are providing customers with the highest quality natural/organic products. Whole Foods Market has a strong growth strategy because they have 66 store in the stages of development and have future plan of acquiring more stores to expand their company further down the road. This growth strategy has helped them achieve their financial goals. Whole Foods Market can be assessed by using a simple SWOT analysis. This assessment will begin by examining the internal strengths and weaknesses. Internal strengths Whole Foods Market has two narrow markets that it serves, organic differentiation is the key-stone of whole foods mission, this means Whole Foods Market uses a focus differentiation strategy, highest quality brand reputation, dedication to the social ethics of organics, industry best customer service strong supply chain, and developing a private label of organics. Whole Foods Market has had experience in the natural/organic retailing industry since 1980. For the past 30+ years they have built over 300 large customized stores in North America and also in the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market is known to provide the highest quality of products. Weaknesses of Whole Foods Market include the high prices for their products; this is a direct result of the company’s focus on their availability of the finest products. The majority of Whole Foods Market inventory consists of perishable items. This can sometimes pose problems because, produce, milk, eggs have a short shelf life, Produce especially needs constant maintenance to be graded as well as pulling the damaged or bruised produce off the sales floor. Working as a roduce clerk for several years I know the importance decreasing the cost of throw away products. It hurts the company’s sales especially when you are dealing with pricy high quality natural and organic foods. Another weakness the Whole Foods Market faces is the high costs associated with expanding into different locations. The third part of SWOT is external opportunities that WFM faces in the industry. Over the past couple of decades more consumers have been becoming more health conscious and eating right. WFM can take advantage of this new outlook on the health food industry by acquiring new customers. Also, Whole Foods Market should spend more money on advertising to attract these health conscious customers. The final part of the SWOT analysis is the external threats that Whole Foods Market has to face. One of these threats is the increasing competition of already established grocery retailers. It’s very easy for these competitors to add natural and organic foods into their inventory. Another threat to Whole Foods Market is that their growth relies on building new stores and acquisitions of existing favorable buildings. If Whole Foods Market does not succeed in acquiring these store then the dominating grocery retailers will take more market share and slow the company’s growth. Evaluating Whole Foods Market using (S. W. O. T. ) analysis internally and externally helps you to develop an overall assessment of the company’s current competitive situation. Whole Foods Market is in good standings with the competition they seem to have a business model that is working for them and may need to emphasis a bit more on advertising and attracting more health conscious people with pamphlets at gyms. The Internally the company looks great with not to much to worry about but externally they must act now before the Wal-Mart starts taking their profits as well as other grocery retailers. One of the Key Success Factors (KSFs) of Whole Foods Markets is that it has a strong brand name because the company is well known reputation and far superior up against its main competitors. When a consumer shops at Whole Foods Market they know they will be getting the best quality possible. Another thing that gives them a competitive advantage, is the strong network of suppliers. This KSF has been a focus of Whole Foods Market to purchase their products grown locally to their stores. Information from wholefoodsmarket. com shows that each store has their own definition of â€Å"local† but the consumer just need to check with their particular store to find out where their quality goods are coming from. Another KSF is the access to locations rich in the target market. Whole Food Market has strived to establish stores in most metropolitan areas attracting more people. The Final KSF has been the company’s effective marketing communication. There are many Key Success factors (KSF) when stacking Whole Foods Market up to the competition. It seeks out the finest natural and organic foods available, maintains the strictest quality standards in the industry, has an unshakeable commitment to sustainable agriculture, and the excitement and fun they bring to shopping for groceries, Whole Foods Market is permanently committed to buying from local farmers whose produce meet quality standards, particularly those who farm organically and are themselves dedicated to environmentally friendly, sustainable agriculture. Whole Foods Market is greatly increasing their efforts in this regard by further empowering their individual store and regional buyers to seek out locally grown produce. From Investor relations Whole Foods Market states â€Å"Our success reaches far beyond the company by contributing to a higher quality of life. By offering the highest quality food available, we are helping to transform the diet of America, helping people live longer, healthier, more pleasurable lives while responding positively to the challenge of environmental sustainability. † In Conclusion, Whole Foods Market is the leader in this niche market of natural/organic foods industry and is facing strong competition from the big superstores such as Wal-Mart, Costco and many other grocery retail chains. The company is in a position to change people lives forever and future generations as well. As many companies are doing now is finding their consumers and keeping those customers for life. Not just what they just spend at the register each time but what they may spend over each person’s life span and if you are eating healthier you will definitely live longer in return spending more money with Whole Foods Market. Works Cited http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/locally-grown/ http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/values/green-mission.php

Edsa Revolution Essay

Good day tourists! I’m ziel your tour guide for today and now where going to explore and see the beauty of the â€Å"resort province of the Philippines† welcome to LAGUNA!!! The Province of Laguna, which was formerly called La Laguna, was named after Laguna de Bay, the body of water that forms its northern boundary. Laguna de Bay, in turn, was named after the town of Bay (Laguna de Bay is Spanish which means â€Å"Lake of Bay†), the first provincial capital. Laguna (Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Laguna), is a province of the Philippines found in the CALABARZON region in Luzon. Its capital is Santa Cruz . Laguna hugs the southern shores of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. Laguna is notable as the birthplace of Jose Rizal, the country’s national hero. There’s a lot of famous attractions like , the hot spring resorts of Los Baà ±os and Calamba on the slopes of Mount Makiling, Pila historic town plaza, Taytay Falls in Majayjay, the Hidden Valley Springs in Calauan and of course the most famous waterfalls in the philiphines PAGSANJAN FALLS!! The main falls is actually located within the boundaries of Cavinti, Laguna but access by boat originates from the town of Pagsanjan. A move by the ruling body of the town of Cavinti was submitted to the Sangguniang Bayan. Pagsanjan Falls is probably the most famous natural attraction in Laguna. However, it is actually located in Cavinti, an adjacent town to Pagsanjan, and the falls’ indigenous name is Magdapio Falls. Pagsanjan, Laguna is the jump-off point to Pagsanjan Falls. You may rent a banca or small boat to take you to the falls or â€Å"shoot the rapids.† The standard rate is about PhP 800-1000 pesos per person which includes the round-trip boat ride, entrance fees, and use of life vests. Be prepared to shell out extra for tips to boatmen; although there is a standard rate for the boat ride, you are expected to give extra tip to the boatmen, about PhP 200 per person (according to tourists who already went there). Skilled and accredited boatmen will take you on a scenic boat ride at Magdapio River in order to reach the main falls, the famous Pagsanjan Falls. They used to be wooden bancas, but nowadays, the boats are made of fiberglass. On the way, you will be treated to the sight of other minor falls (approximately 20 of them), lush vegetation, and natural rock formations. Some say that monkeys occassionally appear and they throw branches or rocks to people, so you better wear a helmet just in case. Once you reach the main falls, you can take a raft ride through the falls and get a natural â€Å"back massage.† You can also explore the Devil’s Cave behind the falls, famous for its reverberating echoes. For the raft ride, you have to pay an extra PhP 90 and tip the boatmen. The highlight of this trip is the rapid descent downstream or what is known as â€Å"shooting the rapids'†. Be prepared for the thrill of a lifetime as the expert boatmen manuever the boat skillfully through turbulent waters. It is interesting to know that a boatman is required to undergo a rigid six-month training in order to acquire a license/accreditation for guiding tourists on the ride to the falls. Bangkero is a Tagalog term given to those whose job provides a means of transportation on the river using a â€Å"bangka† (boat). The â€Å"Pagsanjan Bangkero Festival† is held every first week of March and it features exciting events on water and land like the â€Å"palarong bangkero† (fluvial parade and exhibitions), street dancing, drum and lyre band competition, chorale fest, cultural night, trade fair, sports events among others. The ‘Pagsanjan Bangkero Festival’ is inspired by and dedicated to all the bangkeros (boatmen) in Pagsanjan.. These boatmen impress one with his skill and dexterity in maneuvering his boat upstream â€Å"against wild rapids and amids a pristine panorama of lush, virgin forest.† Aside from its amazing tourist’s destinations, Laguna is also known for its delicacies and appetizing food products. Almost every town has its own particular product with its distinct taste that is mainly raised in the town. Here is a list of the delicacies to look for when you happen to pass by or visit Laguna. Buko pie is a famous delicacy of Los Baà ±os town in Laguna province. Mer-Nel’s chocolate cake is the favorite cake in Los Baà ±os, Laguna. The cake is moist and light, while the icing is sweet chocolate with a hint of milk. Kesong puti or white cheese is widely produced in Santa Cruz, Laguna, and the town of its origin. Monay is widely available in local bakeries but the monay in Bay, Laguna is deliciously different. Espasol (rice pudding) is a native Filipino sweet treat made from rice flour and coconut strips cooked in coconut milk. The cooked pudding is shaped into cylinders and then rolled into toasted rice flour. It is believed that espasol originated from Laguna, Philippines. Uraro or arrowroot cookies are popular in Laguna province. These cookies are delicate and powdery, and feel dry on the mouth like puto seko (although puto seko is much drier). Usually, uraro is shaped into flowers and wrapped in a thin paper called â€Å"papel de hapon.† Bibingka. There are are many versions of bibingka in the Philippines but when you are in Laguna, the bibingka of Pagsanjan is the must-try delicacy. Just like the adobo which has many versions, there are many variants of bibingka (or rice cake) in the Philippines. But when you are in Laguna, the bibingka of Pagsanjan is the must-try delicacy. The typical ingredients of bibingka are rice flour, coconut milk and eggs usually topped with grated coconut, salted egg or white cheese. But Pagsanjan’s bibingka does not have any of these toppings at all; it may look simple but it really tastes delicious as it is. The traditional way of cooking bibingka is rather interesting. Instead of the typical gas or electric oven, a clay pot is used; banana leaves are used to line the clay pot and hot coals are put below and on top of the clay pot in order to cook the bibingka batter. So what are you waiting for? Visit Laguna and try these delicious and mouth-watering foods that you’ll surely love.