Extra credit

Thousands of fictional movie characters have entertained movie audiences for more than 100 years. From the Little Tramp to Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Mr. Tibbs, Spiderman, Frankenstein, Forest Gump to Hans Solo audiences have laughed and cried and been entertained for years. For extra credit tell me which fictional movie character is the most compelling, interesting and entertaining in your opinion. I only want one. Obviously, you can only choose characters based on movies you’ve seen so your options may be limited. Do this for fun and extra credit. Write a few sentences explaining the reasons for your choice.

New extra credit

"Crash," the Academy Award winner for best picture of 2004, explored racial tensions in our society, particularly those involving the police. As you know there have been a number of racially-charged incidents involving the police this summer. For extra credit, watch "Crash" and explain in a few paragraphs if the movie accurately captures the "real-life" tensions that are going on today involving the police and race or if you think the movie does not do a good job depicting this very controversial issue.

More extra credit

WEEKLY EXTRA CREDIT: Every Friday new movies are released and the theaters are full of moviegoers. Most of the time the new big-budget movie is the big moneymaker for the week. For example, Jurasic World was released on a Friday and by Monday it had made more than $200 million in domestic box office. I want you to pick the winner each Friday, the movie you think will be the biggest moneymaker. Send me an email by Friday at 6 p.m. telling me in one or two paragraphs which movie will make the most money. Estimate how much money you think the movie will make for the weekend and why you think so. Make a copy of the email and put it in your journal. You can do this each and every week if you want to. 

EXTRA CREDIT: Best CGI Award goes to: Since you belong to the CGI generation of moviegoers I want you to choose your favorite CGI movie. I'm sure you've seen plenty of them. Anything with a man in it: Iron Man, Batman, Superman, etc.... Which movie blew you away with its use of CGI and why? Cite specific scenes that were memorable. Include this extra credit in your film journal. 

Extra Credit: It seems that many of you grew up watching Pixar movies including Toy Story, Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life, The Incredibles and others. I would like you to pick your all-time favorite Pixar movie and explain why it's your favorite in a few paragraphs. Include this very short paper in your film journal. If you're not sure if it's a Pixar movie, look it up. 

Extra Credit: Watch the movie Chaplin about silent film comedian Charlie Chaplin and write a few paragraphs about what you thought of the movie.

Extra Credit: Filmmaker and comedian Chris Rock wrote an insightful essay for Hollywood Reporter magazine on racism in the movie industry. He makes some good points from an insider's perspective. Read Chris Rock's essay for extra credit and write a few paragraphs for your film journal about your reaction to what he wrote. Do you agree or disagree with his perspective? Any surprises? 
The link to the essay is below: 
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/top-five-filmmaker-chris-rock-753223

New extra credit

Movies are made up of memorable moments, scenes, that we remember long after we leave the theater. I would like to know your favorite movie scene. You probably have many but just pick one for this extra credit assignment. Send me the link to the scene in an email and tell me in one or two paragraphs why you chose this scene as your favorite. Maybe it's for personal reasons or maybe the scene simply has your favorite actor/actress. Tell me why.

To get you started I have included the link to one of my favorite scenes. It's hard to narrow it down because I have about 5,000 favorite scenes but this is definitely one of them.

Final feature/sidebar deadline

Your final feature story and sidebar hard copies are due by noon Thursday Dec. 15. DO NOT slide your stories under my office door. You can leave your assignments in my mailbox located in DBH-105. It's your responsibility to make sure the story is given to a person in the office who will time stamp the story and put it in my box. You will not get credit for the assignment if you turn it in later than noon Thursday Dec. 15.

This is a list of what's due along with the final feature story:

1. Sidebar (hard copy)

2. Word count and semester word total broken down individually by story (hard copy)

3. List of interview sources including contact information--email and phone number (hard copy)

Link to Spartan Daily extra credit article

http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartan_daily_2016/73/

Extra credit Nov. 17

For 5 points extra credit, rewrite the lead from the front page article in Tuesday's Spartan Daily (Nov. 15) about the SJSU president's press conference. The current lead sounds like a topic lead. I want you to rewrite it and come up with a better lead. Post the rewritten lead on your blog and send me the link. You can do this assignment up until the end of the semester.

Write your own obituary

Jenna Suhl, a producer and director of the world's most powerful documentaries, passed away painlessly in her sleep at her San Diego beach house on Tuesday. She was 98.

The cause is unknown. 

Suhl spent more than 40 years filming worldwide documentaries, giving her the recognition as the "World's Greatest Storyteller." 

Suhl's career didn't start until after a few small, unimportant accomplishments, such as being a bathroom designer and the 49ers mascot " Sourdough Sam."

After her time as "Sourdough Sam," Suhl became a freelance children's books illustrator. 

She fell in love with storytelling and began to shoot small, local documentaries with the support of her husband. 

Suhl is known to have contributed to global music festivals for more than 10 years since her 30s and preached that a life without music is no life at all.

"She was always full of life," said Suhl's husband, Bob. "She found inspiration in almost anything around her. It was beautiful." 

Suhl met her husband at 25 and the two married when she was 28. 

Suhl's five children will host a "dance party" at the family's Santa Cruz beachhouse Saturday in lieu of a traditional memorial in keeping with Suhl's wishes that were outlined in her will.

Descriptive feature example

Their fists are held high above their bowed heads, pride and strength coursing through their veins. 

The azure mosaic statue glistens in the spring day sun. 

A breeze whispers past the iconic immortalization of Tommie Smith and John Carlos, two men who took a stand against racism in the 1968 Olympics. 

Towering at 22 feet tall, the statue serves as a poignant reminder to stand up for what you believe in.

Shoes the size of a big dog sit alongside the statues.

Smith and Carlos removed their shoes to represent black poverty.

Around Carlos' neck hangs a necklace of brilliant gold, green and ruby red beads.

This was a tribute to all who had been lynched or killed and not prayed for.

A weathered bronze plaque reads, "TAKE A STAND."

Around the statues is freshly cut green grass and trees that dance in the wind.

Their blue track suits with red stripes up the side blend into the pale blue sky.

On their faces are expressions of sadness and responsibility.

Smith's right hand is raised while Carlos' left is hoisted to the heavens.

Behind this powerful memorial sits a pale moon.

Carlos and Smith will live on forever through this statue, as will the message they made so clear almost 50 years ago.

Election night extra credit

For up to 25 points extra credit, write a blog post chronicling your feelings about the media's election night coverage. Watch a cable TV channel such as CNN, MSNBC or Fox and write a short column of between 150-200 words focusing on Tuesday night's coverage of this historic election. Was the media impartial or blatantly biased? Did the media do a good job of providing perspective to the election and explaining how the winning candidate was able to prevail?

Assignment deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday Nov. 9. Send me the link to your blog once you've posted the extra credit. This assignment is OPTIONAL meaning you don't have to do it. It's for extra credit only. No late posts will be considered for extra credit.

Midterm study guide

Know the differences between:

A comma-splice, sentence fragment, run-on sentence and a fused sentence.

Be able to identify a:

Parenthetical phrase, parallel structure in a sentence, subject-verb agreement.

Know how to correctly use the following words:

Affect, effect, complimented, complemented, to, with, each other, one another, advice, advise, anxious, eager.

Know the different ways that the 5 W’s of newswriting are used and the differences between a Who, what, where, when and why lead.

Be able to identify a skills-based resume versus a work-history resume and what is distinctive about each resume.

Define the “inverted pyramid” and be able to answer why it is preferred for media writing.

Be able to define “news” and the characteristics/news values that are used to classify news stories.

What considerations should you have before, during and after an interview?

Be able to define the following terms: attribution, editorializing, objective reporting, topic lead.

Know the different types of leads that should be avoided and why.

Know the differences between news and feature stories, columns and editorials.

Be able to identify the reasons a press release is issued. What should be included in a good press release and how does a public relations practioner increase the chances of getting a press release published?

Define public relations.

Read the column

Instructions: Read the column linked below and be prepared to discuss it

http://www.sjsunews.com/spartan_daily/article_13ba8370-0d85-11e6-9fb6-9748a258a7d6.html

Ruby Bridges assignment

HOMEWORK:  Write a feature story from the Ruby Bridges’ interview on The View (link to the interview below). The lead should reflect something interesting that Bridges said during the interview about the events in her childhood that made her famous. Weave in factual information in your story about Bridges' life that is readily available on the Internet. Make the lead as dynamic and interesting as possible. Use direct quotes in your story from Bridges’ interview on The View along with paraphrased quotes. You can also quote one of the other women on the show who are asking the questions.

Basically, you should pretend you are a reporter sitting in the audience the day this interview took place and you are writing the story for your publication for the following day. Length: 300-400 words. Format: Hard copy only. Due date announced in class.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kub67ZZahao

Personality portrait feature examples

Below are two examples of personality portrait features written by students. Check out these two examples before writing one of your own.

Example No. 1

The only thing Codi Mills wanted as her going away present was a bookshelf.

That was the only gift Mills asked her father for as she left for San Jose State University to follow her passion in photography.

When Mills got to SJSU, she took all of the neat little decorations and items off her dorm room shelves to make room for all the books she purchased from the Martin Luther King Jr. Library patio sale on the San Jose State University campus.

“It was the greatest Tetris game of my life,” Mills said, about fitting all the books she purchased in one bag.

Mills loves to read anything, and attributes books to the person she is now and to the career path she has chosen in photography claiming that her personality was shaped by books from a young age.

“Books made me a thoughtful person,” said Mills. “I got that sense of freedom and imagination from books.”

According to Art Mills, Codi’s father, Codi picked up reading on her own with no influence from her parents.

“Some people enjoy watching TV, but for her it was reading,” said Art Mills. “She at one point mentioned that she was going to read the dictionary.”

Codi’s family runs a self-employed business known as Mills’ Plumbing and they didn’t have much time for vacations when she was young.

“We would take Codi on things called mini-vacations where we would drive back roads,” said Art Mills.

Codi also remembers that during those mini-vacations she would climb an old oak tree in her backyard and pretend she was a heroine.

But, probably more important to Codi were her books and how they brought her so many viewpoints and interpretations on life. “It’s the ability to see life through a different lens,” said Mills.

This is where Codi ties reading into photography, the connection between telling people’s stories and yet leave them up to interpretation.
“Interestingly enough, I don’t want to be in written journalism,” said Mills. “Writing alienates sections of the world, and I would hate a universal language.”

Codi explained that this is where the value of photography lies, in the universal language of visuals.

“In photography you can freeze the truth as it is,” said Mills.

According to Codi’s boyfriend, Quenton Fletcher, photography is a subject that naturally comes to Codi. “It fits her very much because she’s an outgoing person who loves to explore new places and this is definitely something that will allow her to adventure until her heart’s content.”

Codi’s father also believes in her choice of study. “She could do anything, she is an excellent student, but I think she can change the world.”

Codi’s goal is to change the world and educate people about different cultures and show them places that they couldn’t normally see for themselves.

“If I can do one small part and educate one person, that’s enough.”

The girl who reads and imagines herself in faraway lands plans to bring those lands to people through the pictures she takes.

 Example No. 2 

Seeing him wearing a Giants baseball cap and T-shirt, it is easy to assume Nick Esposito’s greatest passion is baseball and it is easy to be wrong.

This revelation is even more of a shock considering Esposito’s father is a 27-year veteran of coaching high school baseball and both of his brothers play baseball.

Even with all of this baseball influence, for 21-year-old Esposito, classic rock is where his interest really lies.

For Esposito, baseball never held his interest because he felt it was boring.

“I played until the fourth grade,” said Esposito. “I was the one in the left field picking the grass.”

Even though Esposito is not consumed by it, baseball draws the Esposito family together.

When Esposito and his brothers, Nate and Vinny, were young, they used to go to Granite Bay High School to play with the baseball team their father, Pat Esposito, coached.

“We all support the Giants and Yankees, and the whole family (aunts, uncles and grandparents) have fun with it,” said Esposito’s mother, Julie Esposito.

Although Esposito grew up with an extensive baseball influence from his father, Pat Esposito gave more to his son than just baseball by introducing him to classic rock.

“When I was a kid, my dad played that music for us all of the time,” Esposito said.

His father’s influence on his choice in music shows up in Esposito’s favorite band, Led Zeppelin, who were what his father would play, above the protests of his mother who wanted more positive music around the kids.

“At home when they were little, we had Christian Rock most of the time,” said Julie Esposito.

This restriction never stopped Esposito from developing a much deeper appreciation in junior high school for classic rock.

He took piano and guitar lessons and went on to give a few performances in high school of classic rock.

“He’s like a jukebox for Classic Rock, and it’s awesome to see how excited he gets when a good song comes on the radio,” said Mallory McCarron, Esposito’s girlfriend of nearly two years.

In Esposito’s opinion the most important thing about the music is not the lyrics but instead is the sound of the song.

He appreciates the ingenuity of classic rock bands as they pushed back against the happy musical styles of the 1950s while dealing with Vietnam.

“The sound is in your face,” Esposito said. “You can look at a society through the music.”

Even in other genres of music like Heavy Metal and Punk, Esposito is able to set aside the intense vocals and focus on the music that is backbone of the songs.

When McCarron decided to broaden his musical horizons into Country, she made sure to take into account Esposito’s love of sound.

“I knew he loved big guitar ‘electric’ solos, so I showed him artists such as Jason Aldean and Brad Paisley,” McCarron said. “They really know how to rock a good electric guitar solo.”

Esposito’s appreciation for classic rock is deeper than just its aesthetics because he believes that it served as a gateway for the styles of music that are around today.

The classic rock style and sound eventually allowed genres like Rap, Heavy Metal and Punk to spring up, while the more acoustic music of the 1960s lead into the Easy Listening genre.

“It’s like comparing dinosaur bones to modern day birds,” Esposito said. “Classic rock was the precursor for everything that we have now.”

Although Esposito admits that he enjoys all genres of music, he has a problem with what he feels is the creation of music not for the music’s sake but for the fame of the artist.

“Mainstream music has forgotten its purpose. We’re missing the point.”

If Nick Esposito walks by dressed in his Giants fan gear with headphones in his ears, don’t be surprised if classic rock is playing instead of the latest baseball game because for him, the music is the most important part.

Opinion column example

Add fat people to the growing list of people Donald Trump doesn't like.

Who knew?

He first called Mexicans "rapists." Then he associated Muslims with being terrorists. Women have been in his crosshairs for decades.

Now it's fat people.

Twice during the first presidential debate with Hillary Clinton, Donald (may I call you, Donald?) made disparaging remarks about fat people.

He alluded to a 400-pound computer hacker sitting at home getting fatter by the minute. Then came Miss Universe 1996 Alicia Machado who Donald called "Miss Piggy" because she gained weight after winning the pageant.

Machado says she has lived with humiliation, depression and shame for 20 years because of Trump's criticism. It doesn’t matter that she’s gorgeous today and has a Miss Universe title on her resume. She has felt like fat for 20 years because of Trump.

We already knew the groups Donald didn’t like—Mexicans, Muslims, the handicapped, women—so it should come as no surprise there are others such as fat people.

Donald doesn’t dislike everyone. He loves beautiful women, as long as they’re not fat. In fact, he loves beautiful women so much that he feels "compulsively drawn" to kiss them whenever he sees them.

Now Donald’s allowed to dislike anyone he wants. We all are. Everyone has people they don’t like for either logical or very random reasons.

The problem is Donald’s name-calling.

Donald feels like he needs to call everyone a name like we’re all back in third grade. Hillary’s “Crooked Hillary.” Ted Cruz is “Lying Ted.” Sen. Marco Rubio is “Little Marco” and Sen. Elizabeth Warren is “Pocahontas.”

Sadly, the name-calling seems to resonate with the Republican base. Anyone Donald dislikes or disagrees with is belittled and chastised with some tacky moniker Donald slaps on them.

Say something often enough and people start believing it. I guess that’s Donald’s thinking.

The problem with name-calling is that it hurts people and, as in the case of Machado, it leaves scars that makes a beautiful woman feel fat and ugly when she's not.

If Donald gets elected I hope he doesn’t start calling foreign heads of state names. Russian President Vladimir Putin might not like being called “Punky Putin.”

But Donald wouldn’t call Vladimir (may I call you, Vladimir?) names. He likes him. He even admires him.

As long as Vladimir doesn’t get fat.