Applause

I'm sure most have seen the cute KIA car commercials with hamsters. Which is why i was ecstatic when i saw that not only did they make a new adorable commercial but it was to one of my new favorite songs, Applause by Lady Gaga. The KIA commercial is a very motivational advertisement. It consists of a story of 3 hamsters going through a process of losing weight, getting in shape, and in the end going to a red carpet premiere. Giving you the feeling of motivation every time you hear the song. However when you go look at the music video, it's like nothing you would expect. It's full of a bunch of weird props, costumes, and makeup. At one point, her head is on a body of a black swan. There's definitely a lot of things to pick apart in her music video because it's full of tons of symbolism. I think I might run into some problems though when it comes to finding what the music video and the commercial have in common. The commercial is motivational while the music video is full of weird symbolism. However, the lyrics can go both ways and I think i can connect the lyrics to either video.

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby soundtrack uses a blend of contemporary music and 20's jazz music because they are establishing the stylized past while glimpsing through modern beats. The hybrid comes across most clearly on retro-modern songs that fuse old and new that include people like Jay Z, Lana Del Rey, Fergie, Will.I.Am, and Amy Winehouse. The times of the 20's and the music of today go together well because some of the main interests were the same. As in the fascination with money, power, violence, and sex. Depending on what song is playing in the background, the mood from the music affects the mood in the movie. For instance, if Lana Del Rey is playing, the mood is usually solemn, gloomy, and melancholy. I think one of the main reasons why they chose Lana Del Rey's music is because her feelings in the lyrics of her songs really relate to the main girl character in the movie, Daisy. They both portray a longing romance with a certain guy in mind and no one else. All of Lana's songs are a love story with a real sadness so they relate to each other perfectly. If Jay Z or Will.I.Am. is playing, the mood is upbeat with a catchy rhythm like a party. Their music is also usually very masculine with controlling lyrics, giving you the feeling of power. These songs would probably be played in the scenes of parties and big gatherings. This unexpected music adds to the movie because it takes the audience by surprise. With the popular modern movie intertwined with this 1920's movie, an audience viewer might be a huge fan of Lana Del Rey (like me) and become even more attached and like the film even more just because their favorite song is in it. I think the modern music was a great idea and it's one of the most genius ideas. I won't be surprised to start seeing soundtracks like this with old movies more often. 

Process and Product

My writing process for Unit 1 was different than usual. This new way of writing definitely has helped me notice more strategies and ways to realize the patterns in writing. Noticing these patterns really helps you write more clearly on the topic you're discussing and also gives you more information to write about. Required drafts played a big role in my writing process and they were a big help. Without them I probably would have been really behind on my essay. It also probably wouldn't have ended up being as good because it was so last minute. This new process of having deadlines for drafts of a certain amount of pages has definitely helped me not procrastinate. If it weren't for canvas I honestly wouldn't have started my paper until last week.