Why is Pixar successful?

The history of animation has new chapter with PIXAR just like Disney at his time; PIXAR has reinvented the art of animation. PIXAR is now one of the most important animation studios in the entire world, it has done hit after hit, something that was unimaginable for anyone but PIXAR did it; PIXAR is different, indeed, but what is the PIXAR’s secret to be successful?

The secret of PIXAR is have a good story, the people from PIXAR doesn’t care if the movie will be a blockbuster the most important thing for them is to do a good movie, a movie that they would love to see. The movies from PIXAR are not just sequence of events that doesn’t express anything; their movies have feelings, advices and lessons for the live.

Another secret is their creative process at PIXAR. All the stories they have done into a movie came from PIXAR’s people, they don’t buy or get the stories or the scripts from outside, all the stories, worlds, characters are create by the PIXAR’s artists. PIXAR’s people are very open to advices and critics from themselves; for every sequence the animator have done the producers and directors make a projection of the animation and the animator has to listen the good and bad things about it in order to do a better job with it.

And the last secret and for me the most important is the people they work with. The people from PIXAR are like a real family, the support, help and critic each other, they are like a unit, anyone needs help and anyone helps. The people are respectful with anyone’s work and anyone knows that the people who work there are people they can trust. And no matter who you are or what you do at PIXAR, you’re part of the project and you are important like anyone else, at PIXAR the egos are not allowed.

PIXAR is not just an animation studio, PIXAR is a family of creative people, people who love movies and made movies for people. The movies from PIXAR are art. And the movies are blockbuster not because their creators made them to be, they are blockbusters because of the stories, characters with human characteristics, the animation, the message, the music, etc. The movies from PIXAR are complete they have everything a movie has to have; they are not just a bunch of effects and dialogue without meaning, the movies from PIXAR always have a lesson or an idea behind.

Image from: http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=pixar#/d2d663t

Info from: Jochen's course and the Pixar story

Run Lola Run

"Man... probably the most mysterious species on our planet. A mystery of unanswered questions. Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going? How do we know what we think we know? Why do we believe anything at all? Countless questions in search of an answer... an answer that will give rise to a new question... and the next answer will give rise to the next question and so on. But, in the end, isn't it always the same question? And always the same answer? "

A redhead and runner girl that’s the premise of Run Lola Run, a German film about a girl who try to help her boyfriend the story is simple, the boyfriend lost a bag with the money he has to give to the mafia and Lola has to run to his father to get the money. But the film doesn’t have a unique version; this film has 3 possible endings because of the little events that surround Lola’s race. In this essay I’m going to talk about the events and how they connect the story and make it change.

The beginning of the film is in the 3 versions the same Lola answering the phone, talk to her boyfriend, Manni, and she drops the phone and leave the apartment while her mom is talking on the phone and asks to her for shampoo. She goes down to the spiral stairs and suddenly she meets a boy and his dog and depend of Lola’s reaction the beginning of the race change. First version Lola gets scared because of the dog growl and she leave the building faster. The second version the boy makes Lola tripping and she falls down stairs and her leg gets hurt so she goes slower. In the third version Lola keeps her velocity because she doesn’t got scared.

Later Lola hit a woman and her baby and the woman and we can see her future because of a sequence of photos we can see she get drunk, lost her baby and stole one or she win the lottery or she get very religious. Later Lola meet a boy who try to sell to her a bike, Lola in the 2 first version reject his offer and we can see his future in one he get married and the other one he dies; in the third version he sell the bike to a homeless guy, who have the bag with the money. Lola hit her father friend’s car and makes him lost his concentration and he crush to another car or he avoid the car and picks up Lola’s dad. That events make Lola lost or increase her velocity and depend of that she arrive to the bank a different moment of the conversation of her father and his mistress and that determinate her father’s mood.

In the first version Lola knows that her father is not her real dad and he is going to leaver her and her mom so she didn’t get the money. In the second she became really angry because her father hit her and she stole the money. And in the third her father leaves the bank before she arrives and she doesn’t get the money. The endings are really different, in the first version Manni stole a store with the help of Lola but the police arrive and one of them kill Lola. In the second Lola get the money but an ambulance crashes Manni. In the third one Manni get the money back because he found the homeless guy while Lola won at the casino and get the money so everything goes well they have a happy open ending.

Run Lola Run is a film where we can see the different endings but the characters live the 3 story and learn about them for example Lola know how to unlock the gun in the second version because in the first one Manni teaches her how to. The 3 stories begin because Lola or Manni say “STOP” like if they could change the story because the conversation they have, the decide their future, and maybe we can change our future because every action we do have a reaction and not only in ours lives in everyone lives because even we don’t like we are connect to another person. The most interesting thong about the money is the narrative because the story has repetitive elements but depends of the way they develop or act after the crush with Lola like the ambulance they can change the entire ending.

Character Map Night on Earth

My explanation about the characters:

Yoyo: I think he is a good person because his family are together, but because the place he live he has to became hard and look like a bad ass in order to protect himself and be respected by others. The people of USA believe in stereotypes and they pay attention in the place you live, how you're dressed, how you talk and that's why the taxi drivers don't want to get Yoyo to home. Yoyo knows that the only way he can be accepted by other is because he has money or because of his clothes and maybe that's why he want to be different and unique because for everyone is a bad person from Brooklyn because bad person are form Brooklyn.

Helmut: I think is an emigrant who can't support the pressure he has in his country and that's why is doesn't have family at USA and because he had to follow the rules in Germany is has fear of his boss because he could loss his job or lost the taxi or have problems. For him USA was a new opportunity, a different country where everything was perfect that's why he was horrified when he saw Brooklyn. Maybe his family didn't attention to him that's why we was amazed with the passion Yoyo take care of his family and he said they were a beautiful family.

Character Map

Let's have fun at Universum

Universum is one of the most entertaining museums at Mexico city because every child andadult can have some fun even if you're not interested in science. Now I'm going to talk about two expositions:

BODY WORLDS & Un Viaje por el Corazón:

This exposition showplasticized bodies and you can see all the organs, muscles and bones. It's a travel across the human body, a unique opportunity to see the human body of course sensitive people shouldn't go because more than an amazing experience can turn it into an unpleasant experience.

R3 reduce, reutiliza, recicla:

This exposition is dedicated to criticize our consumerism and promote the practice of the 3 r's: reduce, reuse and recycle. Also

the exposition show practical ways to conserve the environment and realize that the solution is a shared responsibility between individuals, institutions, businesses and governments.

For more information:

http://www.universum.unam.mx/bodyworlds/

http://www.universum.unam.mx/temp/r3.php

Mercutio is my favorite character.

If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking and you beat love down.-Mercutio

Romeo and Juliet always has been the favorite tragic love for decades and all the attention goes to Romeo or Juliet but what happens with the others characters? In my opinion Mercutio is one of the most important character in all the play and movie and he's my favorite character because if he wouldn’t invite Romeo to the party Romero and Juliet would never felt in love or he wouldn’t fight with Tybalt and die the tragic love story would never exist.

The first reason I like Mercutio is because he was as a common person because even he was Romeo’s friend and relative of the Prince he didn’t hate the Capulet family or the Montegue family so he was “neutral” in the conflict obviously he didn’t like very much Tybald that’s why he fight against him and in my opinion the only fault he had was his passion because he didn’t controlled himself.

The second reason is because he was the only funny and nice character that’s why he took everything as a joke but when he arrived to the scene he took away the tension and in some boring scenes he captured the attention and made the play funny. In my opinion he was the only natural and a good friend character that’s why he captured my attention and he wasn’t bad or good he just was a human being.

The third reasion I like him is because he was the reason the story occurred. First because Mercutio invited and made Romeo go to the party and that’s why Romeo met Juliet and felt in love with each other and that’s made Romeo forget Rosaline.Second because he supported Romeo when he needed and he fight with Tybald for him and when he died Romeo had to kill Tybald and that’s why Romes has to run away and the tragic love story began. He was an important character and almost anyone notices.

Although In the movie the personality of Mercutio was exaggerated, unrealistic and he was turned into a “Gay Queen” but in the fight scene he was very brave and had Mercutio play’s spirit. The character of Mercutio should be more notice by the people who read the play because he is the reason of the play and not just Romeo and Juliet and that’s why Mercutio is my favorite character.

Drama Pyramid: Cinema Paradiso

Cinema Paradiso is a 1988 Italian film written and directed by Giuseppe Tornatore. The movie tells the story of Salvatore, Toto, and the story includes his childhood, his first love and the friendship with Alfredo the worker of the Cinema Paradiso, the town cinema.

• Exposition: Salvatore's mom call to Rome in order to find Salvatore.
• Inciting Action: Salvatore's couple say to Salvatore that his mom and said Alfredo has died and Salvatore begin to remember who was Alfredo.
• Rising Action: Salvatore loves the cinema specially the cabin where Alfredo works and we know how much they appreciate each other. Specially after the cinema fire where Alfredo went blind and Salvatore had to take Alfredo's job.
• Complication: Salvatore fall in love with Elena, a new girl in town, but she isn't interested in Salvatore.
• Climax: Salvatore said to Elena that he'll wait until she fall in love with him. Months later he lost all hope but Elena go to the cinema and they begin their relationship.
• Reversal: Elena had to leave the town but the still love each other but when Salvatore has to begin his military service they lost contact.
• Falling action: Salvatore returns to his town and he has lost Elena. Alfredo said to him that he has to leave the town in order to be a greatest person because he deserves better thing. Salvatore leaves the town he never come back.
• Turning point: Salvatore returns to his town and goes to Alfredo's funeral.
• Resolution: Salvatore talks to his mom and he ask forgiveness for abandoning her and she says she doesn't have to forgive him for anything, he did what he had to do.
• Last suspense: We finally know that Salvatore is a great director and Salvatore see that Alfredo's gift is the kiss montage he asked to Alfredo when he was a kid.

• Internal conflict: Salvatore has the conflict of keep the promise he did with Alfredo of not to come back to his town or go to town and face the consequences of his decisions.
• External conflict: follow the rule of not to go to the cinema or follow his passion for the cinema, including the movies and all the technology of it.

James Dean

James Byron Dean

"The only greatness for man is immortality". -James Dean

He was born on February 8, 1931 and died on September 30, 1955. He was an American film actor, his most famous movies are Rebel Without a Cause and Giant. He always loved theater and he took courses at California University. He'd work on different movie before his first important role on Broadway in the play The Immoralist in which he received good critics. Later he filmed East of Eden for this movie he received a posthumous nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role, the first official posthumous acting nomination in the Academy Awards. Dean filmed Rebel Without a Cause and Gigant before he died. He had a mortal accident in his Porsche Spyder 550, The little bastard. He became a cultural icon because the roles the played in his last 3 films.

Filmography

1951 Fixed Bayonets!

1952 Sailor Beware

Has Anybody Seen My Gal?

1953 Trouble Along the Way

1955 East of Eden

Rebel Without a Cause

1956 Giant

Broadway

See the Jaguar, (1952)

The Immoralist (1954)

"Being a good actor isn't easy. Being a man is even harder. I want to be both before I'm done". -James Dean

"Biography." James Dean. 2007. Web. 15 Jan 2011.

A Little Princess is a great movie

“I am a princess. All girls are… even if they aren't pretty, or smart, or young. They're still princesses”

A Little Princess is a movie who everyone has to watch, it’ll remind us how important were are and give us hope that everything can finish well doesn't matter if the problem is really difficult or hard. The movie has a connection with the audience’s feelings, the music and photography are beautiful and finally it’s perfectly directed. That’s why “A Little Princess” is a great movie.

The first reason why “A Little Princess” is a great movie is because it connects with the people specially who have lost a family member, friend or someone important in their lives. That connection is made because the movie shows the relationship between the girl and dad and how important they are for each other and everyone has lived a relationship with people who support us or change our lives. And the movie show how important we are for the world because everyone has a unique and special talent as Sara (the protagonist) who can tell interesting stories.

The second reason is the music and photography. First the music is a mix between Indian and occidental music, it's not common so the music becomes really different and unique. Patrick Doyle made an awesome job with the music because it fits perfectly with every scene and become an active characteristic and without the music the movie doesn’t have a conection between Sara Indian past and the right now Sara. Also the photography match perfectly with the time the movie shows, the colors are brown, green, white, earth tones and all the scenes have a old photo tone.

The third one is the direction, the actors become the characters they play and they behave like 1915’s people. The camera direction is awesome because of that the audience can be part of the filme like if they were a character, specially in the scene where Sara and Miss Minchin argue over who is a princess.

A Little Princess is a movie that was directed by Alfonso Cuaron and it has been my favorite movie since I was a kid because it gives a beutiful message to all the girls an women, all are princesses doesn’t matter who we are.

My story

He was the best friend that a girl could want... well I thought so…

The day was cold and stressful… every first day of school is stressful but that year I felt it more maybe because my holidays with my parents weren't nice, I wasn't happy I had already known it but I had to do something to find happiness in my life I'd already decided it.

Everything in my life was in the wrong direction, I didn't feel myself… I was just living because I have to but I didn't want to. I had to forget all my problems… I had to leave them at home, I had to...I had to… I repeated it to myself all the time at the time I walked into the classroom he was there with that beautiful smile I noticed since the last year but I never pay attention to him, he was just the boy who I share class and friends… he was just a guy. He said hello to me I answer him with my fake smile that smile I used all days of the past summer… the truth is that I didn't want to talk or be to anyone, I just wanted to be alone and far away.

The class finished of course I didn't pay attention to anything my mind was so tired because of all my feelings, problems, my life in general… I didn't mind what the teacher said or needed. When I realized that I needed something for the next class I decided to ask him what the homework was… obviously he helped me out, he asked me how my holidays were and if I was ok …I thought he was so sweet to ask me… I said I was ok and my holidays were nice… I lied to him of course why would I say the truth… he was just a guy.

The days passed and I began to talk to him more and more, unfortunately I didn't have classes with my friends so I decided to meet him more besides he had always looked so mysterious to me and I thought he was very interesting person… and I wasn't wrong. We began to be together all the time and I saw the sweetness guy he was… I needed some love and kindness in my life and he used to be the right friend for that moment in my life.

We started to share beautiful moments together, he told me his secrets… I told him mine, he deserved to know what's going on in my life… now he was part of it. He supported me in a really unique way… a way I'd never experienced in that moment he turned into my best friend. Both of us needed someone who support us… we're together in the right moment that's why we became best friends and I was so happy when I was with him… maybe that's the reason I let him did everything he wanted… I was happy if he was happy. At the time I was with him I found myself, I realized what I wanted and needed, he made me find myself in the darkness… he was my light in the darkest moment of my life, he was the key of my resurrection and that's why I'll be grateful with him all my life.

At some point we began to have problems… I knew anything is perfect and maybe I did everything I could to make him happy… I thought that's the right thing to do… that worked for some time. He began to change with me, he tried to make me feel bad with myself and did awful things to me maybe he wanted to be different but anyone can't try to change what you are, I didn't know at that moment because I trusted him so much that I let him did with him whatever he wanted.

One day I realized how much he was hurting me well that was my fault because I let him and I forgot myself and all the respect I deserve because I am the only protagonist in my life anyone has the right to make me feel sad or bad with myself… I am the only one who can change what I want and need. And don't matter how much you love him or be grateful with him, you always have to be sure about who you are and you can't change in order to be with someone.

Ximena Beatriz Martinez Moreno 1161915