Please post your compare/contrast papers on the videos we watched in class. Make sure that you use details and examples from the videos. Pay careful attention to how your paper is organized, spelling and vocabulary usage, and grammatical conventions.
MAKE SURE THAT YOU SAVE THIS COMPARE/CONTRAST PAPER AS A WORD DOCUMENT, TOO!!!
Here are links to the videos if you need them (if for some reason the links do not work you can search the titles on youtube.com and they should come up!):
NY Times Video "Defining the American Dream"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C48aGtPIuZo
"Will Smith Supports the American Dream"
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=will+smith+supports+the+american+dream&aq=o
"I Believe in the American Dream"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QL64pNdzLk
And if you're interested in seeing another related video for fun:
Jay-Z and the American Dream http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=halYFy9-WdU
The American Dream:
ReplyDeleteTwo videos were shown to us, about the american dream. But what is it in reality? How everyone believe the american dream is? Choosing 2 videos out of 3, I chose the ones that shows the american dream from different points of view instead of describing it from a "high class" people. The videos although very similar are also very different in many ways. Firstly the videos were made by different authors. The first one was Will Smith's film trailer "The pursuit of happyness" and his interview about it and the second was a slideshow/presentation made by unknown author (Format).
Not only the format was different, though. Te purpose was actually "different". In Will Smith's trailer, it shows how trying to achieve what someone wants is better than having everything, without even trying. In the film, in fact, Will Smith is trying to get a job with a child to take care of and he fnds "happyness" in him not in material things as he said to his child when there's the scene when the little boy looses his teddy bear. Everyone would like a great house and a perfect family, but this doesn't mean that this isn't just possible for wealthy people; but this also for everyone could be possible. Instead in the other video, the presentation's purpose it's almost similar to Will Smith's video, because it shows famous people which came from nothing and achieved their personal ideas of what the american dream is. The difference is that in the trailer is shown a man which tries to achieve what he wants with hard work, while in the other video it's shown how people that worked hard finally achieved their dreams.
The music in both videos is with a sad mood, very romantic to make sure that the message the american dream wants to give to all of us, arrives directly to your heart. In fact the american dream is something special; it is an idea which everyone can succeed through hard work, and that all people have the potential to live happy, successful lives. This is what the "real" american dream is all about; even though many forget.
Dimitrije Miskovic
ReplyDeleteIB English B2-HL
We have seen two movies that have the same idea represented in the same way. Since both movies were practically interviews, the goal of these interviews was to find the definition of the words ‘American dream’. People that were asked for these definitions were upper class people, who succeeded and who basically went trough ‘American dream’.
In the first movie people who were asked said that basically everyone can achieve whatever you want if you’re strong enough and if you have enough hope and of course strong will and character. You always need to push forward and to keep going on. You need to keep on trying every time when you think that it’s no longer possible.
If in the first movie we have a doubt or we have a question, the second movie gives us the perfect answer, example and clears all the doubts from our mind. In the second movie we saw an interview with a person who didn’t have anything, a person who started from zero, a person who was fighting for his goals and obviously a person who made a big success. He was a hard-working person and he achieved his American dream. He became rich and he describes his way as the following: FIND THE GOAL AND GO FOR IT.
Many people think that it’s impossible to achieve something just because you didn’t have anything before. In these two movies we got positive answers and these movies proved that it is possible. People think that right now it’s difficult because there is a crisis is going on. It’s true, but we have to keep on trying and we will succeed.
19/09/10
ReplyDeleteFederico Giordani
What is the American Dream:
The two videos we have chosen are the second and the third one. Both of them are based on “what is the American Dream”, for the people who were interviewed. We could define the American Dream as that dream of a better and richer life in a new country, without prejudice; a country where everyone has the same opportunities, the same rights, and is considered equal to everyone else. The American Dream can be seen as a new start, from where people are able to begin their life again from zero and it will evolve according to their decision and their work.
The first video is taken from an interview with the Hollywood actor Will Smith, that has decided to describe is version of the American Dream; how he sees it and how he thinks it should be. All this was done in order to promote his new movie. The video is a mix of various part of the interview and of the film. It is directed to everyone, trying to interest the majority of the audience. In the interview the actor expressed his ideas on the American Dream. He did not speak of what he think is the dream for each person, but instead he described how to achieve the dream, by working hard for the things we are aiming for, and if we are really interested in these things then it will not be a problem suffering in order to achieve them.
In the third video, we can see how the American Dream is not the same for each person but changes from person to person, according on their personality and interests. The format of the video was a slide show, this video too was direct to the majority of the audience, without excluding anyone. The purpose of the video was to show how the dreams we have when we are young can be achieved when we become adults. In the slide show there were in fact the photos of many children that would have later become important people; like presidents or businessmen.
In conclusion the two videos describe how we can achieve the American Dream, trough hard working, and how the dream changes according on people.
The videos I have decided to compare are the last two: “I believe in the American Dream” and “Will Smith supports the American Dream.” I chose this two videos because I believe they tell more about the American Dream than the first one. The video “I believe in the American Dream” is a slide show with some videos. The title is already significant, it suggests that the American Dream is possible and people should believe in achieving it. At the beginning of the video there is the music of a very popular song called “I believe I can fly”, maybe the author of the video made this choice to compare the possibility of achieving the American Dream to the possibility of flying. The video shows many panoramic views of famous American cities as New York and St. Francisco and ends with a video of the man on the moon, this shows that flying is possible as the American Dream. The second song that we can hear in the video is a song with an happy melody which repeats “yes we can”. Yes we can is the motto, of the president of the United States Barack Obama, who appears in the video, he says in a very strong speech, that America is a country where everybody has freedom and opportunities, he says that his family was originally poor but by studying and never give up everybody can achieve his goals. The video shows many very important American public figures which have achieved their American Dream, as Bill Gates, some sportsmen etc. Other people who appear are graduate students and children. Children represent the future, this video is probably aimed at them, they need to study and realize their dream because it’s possible. During the video you can hear a man’s voice over the music which speaks about the American Dream, more or less at the end of the video he says that the American Dream is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This links the two videos because the other one is an interview at Will Smith about his new film “The pursuit of happiness”. The two videos are very different, one is a slide show and the other is an interview to an actor to commercialize a film however, the videos are also very similar because the idea of American Dream is almost the same. Will Smith says in the interview exactly what Obama says in the speech, America is the country of opportunities. I also believe there is a relationship between the life of Obama and the life of Chris Gardner, the main character of the movie. As Gardner started from being homeless to owning a firm, Obama started from being an ordinary man to being the USA president. I believe they both personify the American Dream. Finally the last comparison of the two videos is that they both give the same message to children that the American Dream is possible because, the second video ends with a scene of the movie with the father saying to his child “If you want something go and get it.” While on the other hand the first shows a contrast images of famous American public figures and children in order to push the young to never give up and achieve their goals.
ReplyDeleteComparison between ''Defining the American Dream'' and ''Will Smith supports the American Dream''
ReplyDeleteThe two videos we watched last lesson share the same theme: The American Dream.
The first video ''Defining the American Dream'' is a report made by the New York Times, where people are interviewed on the American Dream and are asked whether they reached it or not. I noticed that in this video the persons that are being interviewed all belong to a high social class and most of them have positive opinions on the American Dream. Maybe the purpose of this report is to remind the American civilians which are going through a very tough economic crisis that the American Dream sometimes can be fulfilled, and you must never give up for what you want.
The second video we watched ‘‘Will Smith supports the American Dream'' is an interview to Will Smith on his new movie ''The Pursuit of Happyness''. This film is based on a true story of an American citizen that with great courage and determination obtains what is the ''American Dream'' for all Americans. While Will Smith is interviewed on the film and its main theme, bits of the film are shown, we can therefore say that the main purpose of this video was to advertise the new film.
Dusan Micovic
ReplyDeleteCompare/Contrast
I will try to compare 1st and 2nd video by 4 categories: format, audience, purpose and technique.
The difference in format between these two videos is that the first one is an interview with people for NY Times and what they think the American dream is, while the second one is a trailer for the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness” and Will Smith’s vision of American dream. There is only a slight difference in audience. The first one is dedicated to people who, more or less, live a good and successful life; they go on universities, study, they have a good job, and they think that they achieved, or are achieving the American dream. On the other side, the movie trailer is more for hard-working people who can relate to the movie. For these people, who are struggling in life, the American dream is something different. The purpose of the 1st video can be to idealize the picture of America and the American dream; and to “sell” people this (unrealistic) global idea/vision. The purpose of the movie trailer and Will Smith’s comment is to encourage people like Chris Gardner and to show the real picture of America and American dream. Techniques that are used in interview for NY Times are visual effects: carefully chosen place, sunny day, green grass with flowers, people sitting in the shade with the happy and satisfied face without worries; and carefully chosen people (more or less good looking, well dressed, educated, satisfied…etc.). The technique in second video is: movie choice (real life story), actor’s personal experience and opinion and different approach to the people/audience.
ANALYSIS
ReplyDeleteToday in class we saw three videos, that relate to the American Dream. The first and the second video have mostly captured my attention. This two videos are different between each other, but they still share the same dream of the American Dream.
The first video is a series of interviews done by the New York Times to some people in New York. They interviewed business men, who apparently have a successful life, but also student who dream for a prosperous future. The second video is an interview to just one person and he is the famous actor Will Smith, who describes his success. The purpose of the two videos is also different. The first video wants to idealize the picture of the American Dream, which is not just seen as a dream of success, but also of freedom and liberty. The purpose of this video is to attract the audience that may dream of a successful life and future. The purpose of the second video is to encourage people to follow him and his life, and to be inspired by Will Smith's success.
The author of the two videos used different techniques. The fist video uses the words of different people, therefore the author let the audience to focus on different point of views, and everyone in our society for all the ages my refer and may be inspired by the words of those people. For example a student who is studying economics, may be inspired by the student majored in economics who is now working in a bank. In the second video, is used a different technic. The author uses Will Smith, so that most people may be inspired by his great success and people who were poor like Smith, may now get the strength to work harder and harder in order to achieve success.
Guido Cafaggi
The two videos I decided to compare/contrast are:
ReplyDelete"Will Smith supports the American Dream" and "I Believe in the American Dream".
As we can infer from the titles of both the common theme of both is obviuosly the American Dream.
Even if they have the same main theme the two videos are structured in a totally different way. The first one is an interview to Will Smith after the shooting of the film "The Pursuit of Happiness" that talks about Chris Gardner, the example of the men who achieves the American Dream by working hard, never giving up and being confident in his potential. Will Smith believes firmly in the American Dream and considers himself a person that attained it, and for these two reasons exspecially he decided to get the part. This video is a sort of good advertisment to the film thanks to the interview and some powerful images of the film that give to the audience a strong message: if you want the American Dream to became reality watch the film , be inspired by Chris Gardner!
The second video is as well advertisment to the American Dream, it uses images,speeches and music to touch the public and as in the first video, it uses famous people to capture the attention of the audience. We had Will Smith in the first one and in this we have president Obama, Condoleeza Rice, Micheal Jordan, Bill Clinton and so many more. The biggest difference i think the two videos have to explain and advertise the American Dream is music. If in the first one there is Will Smith's voice and the commercial women's voice in this case we have "I Believe I Can Fly" that gives the message mutch better (just read the title!) and in some parts of the videos, famous and moving specches as the one of Obama when he talks about father and grandfather permitting him to give a shot to the American Dream and the renowend "I Have A Dream" by Martin Luther King.
I think that tis second video could be more impressive of the first one because the photos and the people in it are more important and well-known than Will Smith, who could be criticized by some people and loved by others, while in this video the vast majority of the people in it are considered almoust as "national heroes".
The videos i chose, are the second and the third which is the trailer of the movie with Will Smith and the third which is a brief presentation with a romantic soundtrack with the achievement of the American Dream. Starting from the trailer, it is a movie which inspires the achievement of the American Dream throughout sadness and the willm of making life look better. In the trailer we see a desperate man (Will Smith) who seeks happiness with his son, throughout a tremendous life of sadness and survival to make his son feel better. The idea of the American Dream shown in the trailer is about a man seeking happiness in the American society, fighting for his freedom and his rights to make his and the son's life better; we see the reppresentation of the real American society and the idea of the American Dream, which is hard and without any escape of success for a man witth no job.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, the brief presentation which is the third video shows the idea of the American Dream throughout important politicians and men who wanted the American society to be imagined as people thought it would be. As a result we can compare the second and third video, speaking of the American Dream with a difference, that the trailer shows a man trying to achieve the American Dream starting from ''zero'', in commmon terms, starting as poor and then achieving his future goals. In the presentation wee see important men, that spent most of their lives in richness but that still had the desire of changing the society, in what the people imagined it could be. These men reppresented were Martin Luther King who fought for a dream to obtain freedom, President Lincoln who with his great will, fortitude and honesty changed people way of thinking.
In conclusion, both trailers show different techniques to make people more interested, throughout a sad mood, but with an interesting soundtrack, most of the time ''epic'' as we have heard form the third movie.