Representation post

 

Representation Post

For this post our teacher made us post a blog about our favorite shows, etc. Im going to be talking about my favorite show The Walking Dead, and my two favorite characters Michonne and Daryl.

Daryl Dixon, portrayed by Norman Reedus, stands out as a fascinating example of non-traditional masculinity. Early on in the series, Daryl is introduced as a rough-edged, volatile character, heavily influenced by his abusive brother, Merle. Daryl initially embodies a stereotype of toxic masculinity: emotionally distant, solitary, and prone to violence. However, as the series progresses, we witness his transformation into a protective and emotionally complex leader. He builds close bonds with the group, especially with Carol and Rick, showing a softer side that contrasts his tough exterior.

Daryl's arc illustrates the complexity of masculinity in crisis. Rather than relying solely on physical toughness, he becomes a nurturer and a protector, revealing how vulnerability and care can coexist with traditional survivalist strength. His evolution challenges the simplistic "lone wolf" archetype often portrayed in post-apocalyptic fiction.

Multimedia Integration: Below is an image of Daryl in a rare moment of tenderness, illustrating his softer side as he cradles Judith, symbolizing his growing emotional openness:

Michonne, portrayed by Danai Gurira, represents a revolutionary take on the female warrior archetype. From the moment she enters the series, wielding her katana and accompanied by two armless, jawless walkers, Michonne is a visual embodiment of both strength and autonomy. However, what makes her character more than a mere action figure is her layered personality and backstory. Michonne's strength is not limited to her combat prowess; she is also a mother, a lover, and a leader who grapples with profound personal loss and trauma.

Michonne’s journey redefines what it means to be a strong woman in a world that constantly challenges her morality and humanity. Her relationship with Rick shows a balanced partnership where she is not merely the sidekick but an equal, both in terms of leadership and emotional depth. In a landscape where strong female characters are often written as overly stoic or one-dimensional, Michonne’s vulnerability and love for her adopted family provide a refreshing and nuanced portrayal of femininity in the face of devastation.

Multimedia Integration: Here’s a short clip of Michonne’s iconic first appearance on the show, showcasing her fierce independence and unique visual identity:

Click here to watch Michonne's entrance

Both Daryl and Michonne, as well as other characters like Rick and Carol, serve as vehicles through which The Walking Dead explores larger themes of identity and community. The series consistently challenges its characters—and by extension, its audience—to redefine notions of family, leadership, and moral responsibility in a world without traditional societal structures. Daryl and Michonne’s development, from isolated survivors to integral members of a chosen family, highlights the series’ emphasis on collective survival and emotional interdependence as key to navigating a post-apocalyptic world.

In conclusion, The Walking Dead provides a compelling commentary on the fluidity of identity and the complexities of human relationships during times of extreme crisis. The evolution of characters like Daryl and Michonne shows that survival is not just about physical strength but about adaptability, compassion, and the ability to forge new bonds. The show’s diverse representations push beyond simple archetypes, offering a rich tapestry of human experience in the face of existential threats.

Sound Usage

 Hey there everyone, it's Vicente again

For today's post I wanted to share what we recently learned in class these few lessons. This one was a pretty cool lesson I wont lie, we learned about how sound is used in videos and movies. Specially the adding of special sound effects in movies, which is called "Foley". Its the process of adding sounds to a scene after its recorded, for a better explanation think of a scene of a movie where they are riding horses, the sounds you hear are not from the actual shot. They are sent to foley artists, people that specialize on sound creation, what they basically do is use props to add into the scenes, so the footsteps or running of the horses is actually made with metal objects hitting dirt or grass. It's a pretty cool but long process, as you need to record these sounds perfectly and also edit them to fit the scenes correctly. It's amazing how much of these movies need to go through foley studios to be able to be produced, and the way that they make them so accurately is truly a beautiful form of art.

So our teacher in class decided for our next project to be just about Foley. Which we had just learned about, and so we had to team up with a random partner, and create a video with only sounds. We first had to create a story board with all the little sounds and scenes of our story and we had to include every type of sounds, SPECIALLY environmental sounds if we did an outdoor scene, as those are important overall to add ambience to the scene.

For this project me and my partner felt to do something that included a bunch of sounds but that was calming. It might have been a bit boring but we decided that somewhere outdoors in the rain would be a perfect match as we could include a bunch of environmental sounds to it. We used our outline to guide the way our sounds were used so that we could properly lay them over each other and make them sound that they were happening at the same time, so that you could make out what was going on during the audio. As well for this project I used Premier Pro, as I previously mentioned I'm already familiar with so I just knew how to use it.

I think I used a pretty good sets of sounds that came together to form a pretty good audio, I think the way I also balanced the sounds for my part is something that made it much more satisfying to listen to it. As some environmental sounds needed to be louder and others lower so that you could hear whats going on nonetheless while having sounds in the background. I think I might need to manage the time of the sounds or the time in general to be able to fit more sounds, as I did go off a bit offscript from some of the sounds in my outline.

If you are interested in hearing my project here it is!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dVLubs4EprEvO3bNgi87IGk6KTeKEtPJ/view?usp=drive_link