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The Shield and the Sword (#18)

   This is the music video for the song 'The Shield and the Sword' by the British singer Clare Maguire. The music video itself is basically the singer dancing around with backup dancers and eye-candy dressed in odd outfits and standing at the back. It's an interesting music video for a song with this kind of message and power, but maybe that's what the singer wanted. Maybe she wanted to catch others off guard by doing something that no one expected.
   I think this relates to society because it shows that one shouldn't judge based on a preconceived notion. This music video is different compared to her other ones, but that doesn't mean she has to stick to the same formula her whole career. If she wants to use her creativity in different ways, she should. If this video teaches society anything, it should be that you can judge others. Nothing is just black and white, especially when it comes to how people act and feel. 
   This music video is inspiring to me as an artist because it helps me realize that I don't need to produce the 'same' work every time. I can make whatever I want, as long as
   
   

Judas (#17)

   Judas is the new song by Lady GaGa. It's about a girl who's dating a man that betrays her. It also represents different, bad things that have happened to her in her past; things she couldn't escape. The composition of the song, in general, is really no different than many of her other ones, but it still manages to bring a creepier feel to the subject matter. The song is also named after Judas Iscariot from the Bible. Judas was one of the 12 apostles that betrayed Jesus.
   This song, I feel, can be very relatable to society. Everyone, at some point has been betrayed. And when someone's betrayed, they want to somehow get rid of the hurt or anger they're feeling. Creating art can be a good way to do that. It also helps artists to become more creative and unique in their artwork.
   I find this inspiring because Lady GaGa did something different once again. It's still a pop song, but it's not like any of her others. She stuck to a genre and warped it to her liking, but was still able to grasp the positive attention of the majority. It makes me realize that most categories aren't strict. You can still honour them, but make your work original. 

Disney Dream Portraits (#16)

    Photographer Annie Leibovitz recently released three new photographs to add to her Disney Dream Portraits collection. The first photo is of Olivia Wilde playing the Evil Queen from Snow White and Alec Baldwin as the Magic Mirror. The second photo is of Queen Latifah as Ursula from The Little Mermaid and the third, Penelope Cruz and Jeff Bridges as Belle and the Beast from Beauty and the Beast.

   The photos reflect society's need to make the old, new again. What is the need or even the point of recreating scenes from famous animated Disney movies with well-known actors and actresses? Even when I went onto the Disney site, it didn't reveal why they had them made. Sometimes the treasures of the past really need to be left alone. But society is afraid of the old and seems to need it to become new again or else it can't be enjoyed.  

   These photos are more inspiring in the sense that it makes me want to be more original. How can one gain satisfaction from something that's already been done? Especially when it's almost a carbon copy. Artists are very susceptible to criticism, but the more unoriginal and nostalgic it is, the more likely it is to be accepted by the populous. That is why it inspires me. I don't want to make what everyone else is because I know I'll be accepted. I want to make something that I like; that I feel represents me. 

The Vampire Diaries (#15)

 
   This is an advertisement for the show The Vampire Diaries. It features the three main characters of the show: Stefan, Elena and Damon. On the right hand side of the ad, there's the show's logo and the date and time it's on. But above it is the most important part of the whole ad. The cathphrase: CATCH VD.
   This advertisement shows a lot about society. Normally, when VD is referred to in society, people mean venereal disease or STI. The makers of this ad probably knew this and decided to play on it. They knew that when someone saw this, they would take another look if they saw a picture of three sweaty people with the catchphrase: CATCH VD. It might even shock some at first. In fact, there were a lot of eyebrows raised at it. Some didn't think it was appropriate at all. But it did it's job. It got the attention of society with something it's interested in: sex. 
   I believe that this ad can help me with my art in many different ways. It inspires me because it uses something that all of society is familiar and it does it well. It makes people take notice, and as an artist, that's what you want. Sometimes you need something shocking to get the attention you deserve or want. It may not be the best, creative or original ad in the world, but it works. 

If Web Browsers Were Celebrities (#14)

   My inspiration is a chart showing the different web browsers and than comparing their relevancy today, to celebrities of the same status. It uses eight different browsers to accomplish this, including no browser and three different types of Internet Explorer. 

   This relates to society in many different ways. It shows the human need of finding patterns and parallels. This picture does it quite well. It also shows how in tune people are with celebrities and who they, at least think, they are. 

   It's inspiring to me because it's helpful. I realize that people can draw comparisons to almost anything, so it's important to be aware of being too similar (*cough*plagiarism*cough*) to something/someone else. People also like similarities, too (as long as they're not direct). If they can relate something you've created, it can benefit your creation by giving it extra meaning. 

Anonymous (#13)

   This is a trailer for the new movie, Anonymous, which is set to be released on September 30th, 2011. The beginning of the trailer establishes one of the places that the story will take place. It then cuts to a man walking down a hallway; later showing him standing in the middle of a stage in an auditorium. The man starts addressing the audience. His speech about the most famous author in the world: William Shakespeare. He lists the literary accomplishments Shakespeare has reached, but he states something that changes the whole initial reasoning for his lecture. The proposes the questions of, what is Shakespeare never wrote a single thing? After this, it shows clips of presumably the 1500's, letting the audience know that this movie will be taking a different approach to the conspiracy theory than other movies like National Treasure and The DaVinci Code. 
   I believe that this trailer reflects on society in that it doesn't just accept things for what they are. People would rather add mystery and intrigue to things to make them more interesting and appealing. It's fine to do it, but not everything in this world needs to have a conspiracy theory attached to it. 
   I find this trailer inspiring because it does play on what people find interesting. Most people know of Shakespeare, but can't be bothered to read or get to really understand his works because it's too complicated or boring. Making a period piece with a conspiracy theory about Shakespeare is a great idea because it can reunite the old with the new and get people interested something other than Twilight. 

Witchcraft (#12)

  
   The music video for the song Witchcraft by the band Pendulum, was directed by Barney Steele and Mike Sharpe. It starts off like the song, rather slow and peaceful. It even mirrors the lyrics in some aspects, such as: 


It’s in your eyes, a colour fade out,
Looks like a new transition.
The starting up and shaking your ground,
Turning your head to see a new day calling.

   Most of the images shown in the beginning are various different cells and close ups on eyes and other body parts. This could be a mirror of the lyric: Looks like a new transition. After that line, everything shown seems to vibrate or move soon as this one starts: The starting up and shaking your ground. It's foreshadowing what's about to happen. The song only needs to go on for another verse until it reaches 0:45 in the music video. This is the turning point in which everything is kicked into high gear. For the rest of the music video, you see things grow and expand. Also incorporated are shots of the band, and a struggling woman submersed in water. In the end, the women comes out of the water into where the band is, and is free-floating in the air. 

   How this music video relates to society is how everything is ever changing. No matter how hard we struggle, we don't have the power to change anything in the end. The harder we struggle, the further we get left behind. 

   I find this video very inspiring because I love pretty much everything about it. It's well edited for the song and the mirroring effect used in some of the shots are something you don't see very often; which I like. The quick cuts enforce the chaotic nature of what's going on, and is a technique that's often abused, but works well in this context. To top it all off, I love the song and the music video just makes it that much better. 

   

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (#11)

   This is a remastered version of the song, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) originally performed by Eurythmics. It is sung by the actress (Emily Browning) who plays the main character of the movie, Babydoll. The song is considerably more eerie and unsettling from the original version. There is also an added orchestral part to make the scene in the movie it's being used, more impactful. The scene in the movie being the opening one where you find out how Babydoll got to be in the asylum. 

   It relates to society because of how willing people are to change the old to make it 'new' again. Songs are recreated so they can make money, not because it will be beneficial to younger people or aid them. I also think that it shows how unoriginal many people are nowadays. How unwilling they are to try to be unique and creative because they don't want to fail.
   Even though it may relate to society that way, I still  find the remake of the song inspiring. It's inspiring to me because there's a stigma that comes with recreating something, especially something that already has a big fanbase, but it's finding a way to make it your own that tells if you're going to be successful. I also see that changing up how it's created, it's feel, the artist, and extending it/adding to it can change the whole meaning of the art work. Sometimes it works, others, it doesn't.       

Party Rock Anthem (#10)

 

   In this music video, Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO, the two members of the group wake up from a coma after 28 days and discover that the world is not the same anymore. It's basically become a 'danceocalypse' that one can only escape by getting away from the music with things such as ear plugs. 
   This music video impacts society because it shows how easily society will follow trends. Things like silly bands and Charlie Sheen are things that people become obsessed with because they are deemed the new 'trend.' People will follow other people, especially if it will make them become 'one of the crowd.' 
   I find it inspirational because it helps me realize that just because something is a trend or popular, doesn't actually mean that it was well done or creative. All that proves is that it provides entertainment value to the masses. It helps me think more for myself and what I'd like to accomplish, not a 100% what I think other people would like me to do. 


    

Sucker Punch (#9)

   Sucker Punch is about a girl who hatches a plan to escape from a mental asylum before she gets a lobotomy. In the poster, you can see her in the foreground and her acquaintances from the asylum, behind her, as well as human-controlled robot, an airplane and a dragon in the sky. Even further in the background is an army that the girls must defeat. The colour scheme is mostly variants of green and some yellow. 
   This poster relates to society because of how much it's changing. The poster shows a feature film that's being shown on over 3000 screens, and it's main characters are women, and those women aren't just being pushed around, they're fighting back. 
   It has become inspirational to me because it shows me how being out side of the societal norm can be a good thing. And just because it is out of the norm, doesn't mean that it's a bad thing. In fact, that's what leads people into thinking differently and changing their view on things. 
   

Kegadoru (#8)

   This photograph is by Danger Ninja Production. It is a simple photo essay of a girl who's been injured and is wrapped in gauze, standing with a pole that has a bag of blood on it. In the first photo, you can see all of the pole and the girl, so you can get a sense of her injuries and what she looks likes all together. In the second photo, it's a profile of the girl. Even though she's injured, she doesn't seem very upset or in much pain. More naive or innocent looking.
   This photo can relate to society because of its obsession with blood, gore and women. In most action and horror movies, there's always a beautiful girl who's, at some point or another, naked/semi-naked/implied to be naked. There's also a gruesome death... or twenty. It also relates with its Anime feel and is actually a homage to the Japanese street style known as Kegadoru. Kegadoru is the 'injured idol fetish,' were girls will walk around wearing bandages to get attention from guys who prefer this specific style. Which shows, yet again, societies obsession with all things violent and sexual. 
   The reason I find this photo inspiring is because of how different it is. When I was looking through Danger Ninja Production's portfolio, this immediately caught my eye. If it was a still from a video, I'd want to know how she got like that. Why would she be wandering around, bloody and covered in bandages while holding an IV pole? Why doesn't she care? Is it from drugs? Or maybe it's just a Halloween costume? Plus many other questions popped into my head. That's why it's inspiring to me. I have so many questions and scenarios running through my head, which gives me so many ideas. 

21st Century Girl (#7)

   The video is about a 21st century girl who is created and given the chance and the power to change the world. It starts with an nomadic old woman creating Willow and then pulling her from the sand. Willow and her friends proceed by pulling things out from the sand. Things like guitars and even skyscrapers which ends in them creating a whole city. 
   This relates to society with its views on women and their role in it. The meaning of a 21st century girl is a girl who is able to control her own destiny and run the world, if she so chooses, because she has the right. It shows that women and even young girls, are starting to catch up to where they belong. They realize that have the same power as any man, and accomplish just as much, if not more. 
   Why I find this video so inspirational, is because of the message. It's strong and clear and something that many people, more specifically women, will be able to relate to. It shows to me that the message is one of the key points in a piece of artwork, and without one, your artwork won't be as impactful as it could be. 

Skylar Grey (#6)

   
   These are black and white photos of an up-and-comer singer named Skylar Grey. She sang the demo version of the song Love the Way You Lie (Part II) and has been featured on songs like, I Need a Doctor by Dr Dre and Coming Home by Diddy-Dirty Money. 
   The reason I think they relate to society is because of how the photos actually look, not because of what they're trying to portray about the singer. It shows how easily something can no longer be used because of its mass popularity/over-use. It also shows that, once something becomes successful, many people will try to grab onto that success so they can get a chunk of it for themselves. The photos resemble the character Lisbeth Salander from the Millennium trilogy.

The styling and mood makes you see the similarities between the photos. This will probably not work in Skylar Grey's favour, especially if someone saw the photo and not the caption of who it was. When I first saw it, I thought it was a promotional picture for the Millennium trilogy, not for a singer. 

   This is a picture of the singer Skylar Grey. They do have some similarities (Lisbeth and Skylar) but the stylists and photographer should've been more aware. 
   It's inspirational to me because I want to try to my hardest to be as original as possible. It's almost impossible knowadays, but I definitely don't want my work to be confused with someone else. 

Howlin' For You (#5)

   The music video for Howlin' For You by The Black Keys is about a girl who becomes an assassin to take revenge against her father's killer. She pretends to fall for him, and ends up blinding him one eye, but not killing him. The music video is set up like a trailer for a feature film. So, you basically get a quick overview of her motives, her friends and enemies, but an unknown ending.
   How this relates to society is with its need for revenge and getting your way in life. The protagonist will do whatever it takes to get back at her father's killer, even if it breaks the law. She centres her whole life on it, killing anyone her stands in her way. And, if she was ever caught, she would probably get sympathy from many people because she's just trying to 'right a wrong' that's been done onto her and her family. 
   It's inspiring to me, because of how clear the goal of the movie is. It even has a very unique, recognizable style which would be synonymous with Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. It also inspires me because it shows how specific styles can add to the feel of something. Picking the wrong way to portray something can ruin the whole thing, even if everything else is done well. 

I'm Still Here (#4)

   I've not seen this mockumentary movie: I'm Still Here, directed by Casey Affleck (yep, it's Ben Affleck's brother), starring Joaquin Phoenix as himself, nor was I ever really interested in watching it. But, the poster really makes me want to change my mind. Before I get into it more, I'll explain what the movie's about. Joaquin Phoenix decides that he wants to quit his acting career and take up rapping instead, to do this he enlists the help of Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs. On this journey of supposed self-discovery, Phoenix partakes in several random acts, some thought-provoking, others... not so much (rated R, anyone?). Other than that, there's not to much to expand on.
   This can relate to society, even with this seemingly simple poster. It shows you how ready and able everyone is to just forget and throw away someone once they're deemed, 'not relevant anymore.' Joaquin Phoenix used to be a very popular actor that everyone knew about and had even been nominated for two Oscars. After he stopped churning out movies, he seemed to be forgotten about rather quickly by the populous. 
   The reason I find this inspiring is because of how the poster incorporates Phoenix's lost status of an 'it' guy in Hollywood. He's disheveled and uncaring in the poster, like his lost status has pushed him into a downward spiral. The font used with parts of the letters missing, is a play on the fact that everyone seems to be slowly forgetting about him, even though he's trying to reach out and show people he's still alive. The fact that this poster is able to convey such a message with a simple font and photo is very awe inspiring to me. It shows how powerful something that seems simple, can really be.

Dead Island (#3)

Dead Island

   The inspiration I picked is a trailer for the new game Dead Island, developed by Techland and published by Deep Silver. The plot of the game is to survive as one of the four main characters on the island of Papa New Guinea at a resort called Royal Palms. The four characters (Purna, Xian Mei, Logan and Sam B) in the game are known as 'Hero' characters because of their immunity to the zombie infection. The story officially starts with the character of your choice waking up after a party and finding out that the resort has been over-run with zombies, not with the trailer.  

   This trailer inspires me because of how it portrays humanity and society. The zombies, in essence, represent people who give in to their most basic of needs. In this case, hunger. When people are hungry, they will do whatever it takes to get food. A more recent example would be of Hurricane Katrina that struck New Orleans in 2005, people were breaking into stores and rushing to FEMA trucks and pushing people out of the way to get to some food. When people are hungry, they'll do what ever it takes to diminish their hunger, even if it means harming others. All common decency is gone. The family of the Mother, Father and Child are the victims of this need to feed. They represent those who don't know what it's like to be denied the most basic of needs: they live in a world of innocence.

   I picked it as my inspiration because of how the gaming company was able to portray zombies. Normally, especially for trailers, gaming companies try to show only blood, guts and violence of the game to get people interested in how 'realistic' it looks. They decided to try something different, more moving and emotional, showing to everyone that this game is not a gore fest, but actually has meaning.

Castle S03E13: Knockdown (#2)

S03E13: Knockdown (35:15 - 39:22)

This is kind of a weird inspiration, but I decided to choose it anyway because of how impactful it is. The .gif is from an episode of Castle called "Knockdown." In the episode, two detectives: Ryan and Esposito are captured by the antagonist at the time, Lockwood. He knows that the police have enough information on him to track him down, but what he doesn't know is how much more information, or rather, how much damning evidence they have against him. So, the only way Lockwood believes that he can get the information is by giving the detectives a choice: "[n]ow, I'm gonna make you a deal. You tell me what I need to know, one pro to another, and I will put a bullet in your brain. You don't, you jerk me around, and you will be begging me to before this night is up." These are the choices he presents to the detectives. If the .gif didn't give it away, they choose option B. You can see the affect that it has on Detective Esposito as he's forced to watch helplessly as his partner's being tortured. The reason I find it (oddly) inspiring is because of how it proves even a small part of a scene or image can portray a strong reaction. When you see the .gif and don't know what the context is, you automatically want to know more about it. That's what I believe art is: something that makes you interested or react and forces you to feel something, for better or for worse. This .gif inspires me because I realize how important a few seconds are; how much they can depict; how much they can mean.

Love the Way You Lie (#1)

Original (Demo)

Final

I've always been interested in the original versions of things. That's how I've come to love some of my most favourite shows, songs and movies. So when I was introduced to the demo version of  'Love the Way You Lie (part II)', I couldn't pass up the chance to listen to it. My first reaction to hearing it? Loved it; even more so than the final version sung by Rihanna with Eminem rapping a verse towards the end. When you first listen to the melody, it seems rather simple, especially compared to the final, but that's why I think it's better. The demo is very emotional and touches on some deep issues and the added percussion and rapping of the final version takes away some of the raw beauty of the song. Why it inspires me is because it shows me how the same thing can be done in different ways and still be good. Differences can be good and can be bad, and while I prefer the demo over the final, that doesn't mean I dislike it. It's helped me realize that just because I have a different version of  the same thing than someone else (especially if it's supposed to be the polished version), doesn't mean mine is bad or wrong.