S M A S H C A S T

Smashcast Documentary

Smashcast Guest — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:54:05 +0000

Hi my name is Hillary Streeter and I am a senior (or I guess now graduate) of the Head-Royce School in Oakland, California. For the last month of school, all the seniors are officially done with school, with the exception of completing a senior project. The purpose of the senior project is to allow the seniors to get a taste of the working world in a fun, interactive way. The projects vary, from hands-on activities such as working at a restaurant or on a farm, to more observant activities such as shadowing a doctor or an architect. For my project, I decided to do something connected to filmmaking.

When I was first thinking about my project, I considered shadowing a doctor. I’m interested in taking premed courses in college so doing such an activity would expose me to my potential future. However, I thought that would be too typical of me. Instead, I wanted to try something completely different that connected to any of my other interests. Since I enjoyed my video production class at Head-Royce, I asked my teacher, Mr. Key, if he knew any filmmakers I could work with. Incidentally, one of his former students supervised a senior project last year, and so he referred me to him. Turns out that person was Trevor.
Since I’ve made three documentaries in the past, one each year addressing a racial topic for black history month, I was assigned to make another documentary specifically about SMASHCAST. It was really helpful to come in, not knowing much about the program and hear the students’ opinions. They all had lots of great things to say about the program, and I enjoyed filming them as they were working on their projects that day. I was very impressed by the skill and creativity of the students’ work, and I honestly felt a bit intimidated. Everyone in SMASHCAST is just so incredibly talented!

Anyways, my movie really allowed me to experiment as I tried new ways to express ideas based off effects that I learned from Trevor. Firstly, for the interviews, I used special lights, a microphone, and an HD camera, all of which I have never used before. I also learned about how to position to the camera to get the interviewee at a certain area of the shot. I found later that I was able to make use of the window off to the right of the interviewees to show more visuals, whether it be text or a video. Secondly, having learned a bit more about Final Cut Express, I was able to experiment with the editing, such as when I added text to a blank computer screen during the ending credits. The one surprise that I found challenging was the time consumption. I’ve made videos in the past and know how long they take to complete. Nevertheless, I didn’t fully realize how long this video would take, mainly because it was so much longer than any other movie I have made. I felt so pressed for time and would often work on the video during every free moment I got. One time, I even pulled out my computer to continue editing while I was out with friends! But honestly, I didn’t mind because I like to multitask anyways. But in the end, the whole product was a fun challenge for me to complete!

In all, the whole experience allowed for me to get a better sense of what it is like to make movies as a career. Obviously, my video is nothing compared to any big time movie, but I got to use similar equipment such as lights and a microphone, and I learned how to do some the special effects that are sometimes used in movies. Everything I learned, I can definitely use in the future if I plan on making any other movies in college or beyond.

In the fall, I will be attending Stanford University, and so I plan on majoring in Human Biology. Nevertheless, after this experience, I will definitely keep an open mind about other possible careers. I know that I will be exposed to many different courses at Stanford, and so my view on my future may change. I’m really glad I got this experience to learn so much more about making videos!
If you have read this far, I thank you! The movie you are about to watch is a shorter version of the 30-minute film I completed. The longer version includes several videos done by SMASHCAST students and further in depth interviews about the students’ and staff’s views on technology, opportunities for minorities, and memorable moments. Hope you enjoy the film!

Identification Crisis

megangage — Sat, 15 May 2010 22:30:37 +0000

We here at smashcast have come across a little problem.

When we work at conferences, what will be our identifying features? Will it be our charisma? Will it be our t-shirts? Will we have i.d. badges? Or, will we just blend in?

Hopefully, with the launch of our new campaign, we will be more readily recognized. We are working on creating t-shirts, business cards, flyers and i.d. badges. I was in charge of creating the latter. I knew that I originally wanted a paint splatter with “smashcast” going across. I knew that I had to put our logo and url somewhere on the card as well, so I went onto photoshop to work some magic. In the end, this is the version I liked the best. Let us know what you think in the comment section below.

School after School

Amanda — Sat, 15 May 2010 18:43:42 +0000

School can be really overwhelming at times. Especially when your trying to make yourself stand out to colleges with sports, community service, and other extra curriculars, while maintaining good grades, and taking a million different mandatory test for individual classes and the ones colleges want (SAT, etc.), all while trying to have some sort of social life. This period in life is really daunting, but millions of people make it out of this chaotic high school life. How do they do it, I have no idea. Though, I have found my own escape from this hectic school life by throwing myself into more work. I know it my sound like I’m a workaholic, but the type of work that eases all my worry from school is actually really fun. My after school program Techbridge gives me work that I enjoy doing, so in a sense it doesn’t really feel like work at all. It’s a mini school I attend that teaches some of the things that I want to learn.

Techbridge is an after school program for girls that allows them to explore the vast engineering field through hands on projects and by visiting actual engineering companies. They want to increase the number of women in the engineering field by informing and having high school girls do some of the things that actual engineers do. It gives me a chance to socialize outside of my grade level, meet executives at company’s like Cisco, and to explore possible college majors relating to the vast field of engineering. Techbridge has given me and many other girls in the program a chance to do group work and hands on projects that school can sometimes lack.

All of the projects that I have done in Techbridge are hands on and relate to a field of engineering. Techbridge has shown me some mechanical engineering by teaching me how to solder a circuit board for a model car and how a computer works by letting me disassemble one. I also made a Tilt-Box that uses a tilt switch to turn the LED light that it is attached to on and off by tilting the box. I was able to use a sort of programming helper system called Scratch, that made programing manageable and much easier than the programing in the Robotics class we had last year at Smash, though both were just as equally fun. Scratch has a basic program already set up, so that you don’t have to write out everything. Techbridge has shown me some of the practical everyday uses of chemical engineering in the common store item, lip balm. I actually got to make lip balm and the best part was that when I was done I got to keep it.

In a way, Techbridge is a lot like Smashcast for me because they both teach me things that cater to my inerest. Both are showing me how to use, understand, and to be apart of the world around me. And when I finish a project I get to keep it forever.

Smashcast at the Goldman Environmental Awards

Virgil — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:40:49 +0000

Hola,

On April 19, 2010 the 20th annual Goldman Environmental Awards were held in San Francisco, California. Smashcast got the chance to check it out and we asked the youth about what they that young people could do to contribute to the Green Movement.By Kevin Madrigal and Virgil Almeda

Smashcast Intro 2.0

Virgil — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:10:30 +0000

Hey guys,

I have been quiet for awhile, but I can assure you it was for good reason. The past month or two, I have been learning a program called 3D Studio Max. Things got complicated fast, but after some trial and error and a little more trial and error, I was able to make something presentable.

Should Senior Year Be Optional?

Kim — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 00:02:18 +0000

Freshman year. Your first year of high school. The year when everything and every one is new and scary. Sophomore year is when you start to get the hang of things. Junior year is the year when you work yourself to death getting your transcript perfectly polished for college. Then Senior year rolls around. Senioritis sets in, and you get ready to graduate. Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior. Everyone knows that’s how it goes. But what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if the last year of high school was optional? What if you could go straight to college after just three years of high school? Would you?

In Utah, this idea could become a reality. Republican State Senator Chris Buttars put forth a bill that proposed making the 12th grade optional in the effort to reduce Utah’s $700 million dollar budget deficit. Buttars projected this proposal to save $60 million dollars if put into practice by the 2010-2011 school year. Within the educational community, there’s a bit of controversy over the bill. Supporters of the bill believe that students will benefit from the optional last year of high school. Those who have fulfilled their requirements can graduate early, eliminating Senioritis and saving the state money. Those who oppose the bill believe that the 12th grade is a fundamental and necessary step in high school. John Balden, president of the Utah chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, called the bill “very shortsighted.” Others believe that by eliminating the 12th grade, some students will enter college at 17 and not be ready to face the real world.

Personally, I think making Senior year optional is a wonderful idea. When applying to college, admissions officers look at the applicants grades up to their Junior year. By the time senior year comes around, most students have gotten all of their core classes out of the way. They spend their last year fulfilling performing arts or P.E. credits. If a student has completed all necessary classes, I think they have earned the option of skipping 12th grade. I myself am currently in an alternative high school. I currently attend Independence High School in San Francisco. Here, I attend class once a week and I independent study all of my classes. I have also recently passes the California High School Proficiency Exam, which in the state of California is equivalent to earning a high school diploma. If I have the equivalent of a high school diploma and I can teach myself my high school curriculum, shouldn’t that mean I’m ready for college?

College Bound

megangage — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 21:53:40 +0000

March 27, 2009

Hello all,

This post is going to serve as more of a journal entry rather than the expositive writing you have gotten used to from me (don’t worry, if you’re looking for an editorial, check out The Healthcare Scare) Well, this Sunday, a group of SMASH scholars are embarking upon an adventure to Southern California. We have a set of schools we are going to visit, as well as other interesting activities along the way. This coming week is definitely going to shape up into an awesome time with intelligent people and important information. Among the schools we are planned to visit are Harvey Mudd, UCLA, California Institute of Technology, and California Polytechnic University at San Obispo Luis. The most exciting part: everything planned for the following week was planned for the utmost relevancy to our lives. We will be looking at school with a special interest in STEM related fields (science, technology, engineering and math). We have events planned with people of color (just like us) who work in these fields of interest as well! The staff here definitely planned this with the students in mind. I promise to keep you updated with the happenings of the gang along the way. Look for more updates as the adventure continues!

This is Megan, signing out.

The Healthcare Scare

megangage — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 21:36:57 +0000

This last Sunday, legislature of historic proportions passed through the Senate. Universal healthcare, which has been one of our president’s chief campaign promises, took one giant step towards becoming reality with a vote of 219-212. While it still had to undergo some minor revisions, this bill represented the largest reform in healthcare since Johnson’s formation of the medicare and medicaid programs.

Now, as with any major change in America’s society or politics, this new measure was faced with vehement opposition, both in the political arena and in the public eye. In the popular opinion of America, I believe disapproval stems mainly from misunderstanding. When the bill was first proposed, rumors of socialism and government takeovers ran rampant among the masses. Misinformed and disillusioned, people began to form opinions based on faulty and misleading information. Before we can continue any further, we must first clarify any misconceptions about the healthcare bill:

This healthcare bill is not a government handout. One of the major misconceptions of this bill is that it, by itself, gives every United States citizen heath coverage. This is false. Rather than fund uninsured Americans, this measure simply reduces prices of healthcare by putting price caps and restrictions on health care companies. It only provides monetary assistance for those who earn between 100 to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level and are not eligible for medicaid. This means that although some subsidies will be distributed, the majority of the power in this piece of legislature comes not from government funding, but by regulation.
This is not a government takeover of the healthcare industry. The government will not assume all healthcare corporations into a government run agency. This new system will allow existing healthcare companies to continue doing business, simply with new “rules,” such as the inability to decline clients due to preexisting conditions.

With that out of the way, we can now discuss what this piece of legislature means for you, as a citizen. Above all, this bill mandates all citizens to purchase healthcare. Of course, you have the freedom to choose whether or not to purchase healthcare, but a fine of approximately $700 will be added to those who choose against it. Healthcare companies cannot refuse coverage to individuals due to preexisting conditions, which makes obtaining healthcare easier than ever for those who have been labelled healthcare “risks”. In addition to that, those same companies are required to extend coverage of dependents until age 26. This bill expands medicare and medicaid programs, while encouraging companies to provide corporate health insurance. It will be paid for by excise taxes on indoor tanning salons and corporate businesses.

When put in these terms, one realizes the difference between the public’s conception of the bill, and the actuality of it. It has been revealed as a anti-capitalist program, but upon further research, it is simply government regulation, which is necessary in a world where capitalism cannot be purely exercised. America has undergone this process many a time, from The Sherman Anti-trust Act, to Teddy Roosevelt’s “trust busting,” to Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society. This measure is just another step America needs to take in order to continue on the path of success. Let’s see how this path unfolds!

What do you think about the new healthcare plan? Leave a comment below letting us know your opinion!

T.V. Series Voting Scandal!

Glen — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:14:15 +0000

The television reality show America’s Best Dance Crew is a competitive series that is climbing the charts in popularity for best dance show. This show has great crews from all over the United States, and most recently Puerto Rico and Canada also. It captures the art of dance, music mixing, and costume design. The winner is all up to the citizens of the United States to vote for their favorite dancers and help them become America’s Best Dance Crew. The show has been running for four seasons and now going on the fifth season. This show has been known to be accurate when it comes to a winner being announced. However, for the first time, an error in the voting calculations has caused an uproar in America.

During the end of the show on February 25, 2010 (Music Video Challenge), the numbers to vote for the crews were not changed from crew to crew. Here is what was shown during the show:

Poreotix: 1-877-96-CREW-1 (1-877-962-7391) or Text 1 to 22444
Jungle Boogie: 1-877-96-CREW-2 (1-877-962-7392) or Text 2 to 22444
Static Noyze: 1-877-96-CREW-2 (1-877-962-7393) or Text 3 to 22444
Saltare: 1-877-96-CREW-2 (1-877-962-7394) or Text 4 to 22444
Heavy Impact: 1-877-96-CREW-2 (1-877-962-7395) or Text 5 to 22444
Hype 5-0: 1-877-96-CREW-2 (1-877-962-7396) or Text 6 to 22444
Blueprint Cru: 1-877-96-CREW-2 (1-877-962-7397) or Text 7 to 22444

The problem was that the “1-877-96-CREW-2″ number did not change from crew to crew after Jungle Boogie. Naturally, MTV hoped that America would notice the problem and see the correct number in the parentheses. Unfortunately, the voters had not noticed and some of the crews did not receive any votes. So, the show announced, in the beginning of the March 4th episode (Lady Gaga Challenge), that none of the crews would be eliminated, yet two crews would be eliminated next week. Also, one crew would receive immunity from being eliminated during the double elimination. This is where another problem arose.

Many people were upset about the double elimination and the immunity that would be given out. Most of the crews were very shocked and very surprised about the double elimination. Especially one crew in particular that was sure that they were gonna go home. The fans especially were sort of outraged because of BluePrint Cru who received immunity. Many fans were upset because BluePrint Cru did horrible the week before and thought that they should have went home, but now they are immune from being eliminated for another week. This event caused much uproar in the show and may have lost many viewers due to the fact that people think that the voting system is now rigged.

Surprisingly, this is not the first controversy in which voting has been questioned. Their are many occurrences in which a voting issue has gone into question. American Idol is one case in which many people think is rigged due to the fact that many people believe that only the people who are famous win, not so much the good singers. Another case is Bush’s presidency votes. Many have questioned whether previous president George W. Bush had actually won because of votes or because this was also rigged. Many other reality shows and competition shows are in question of being rigged, but most are proven to be false but others are still in question in the viewers eyes.

Whether the voting error was actually an error or just rigged, the decision to not eliminate anyone was the right choice. Even though this error has happened, this mistake has made the show more interesting and provided a twist in which will make the show more intriguing to watch.

Smashcast Intro 2.0

Smashcast Logo

Bernice — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:32:07 +0000

This is one of my ideas for the Smashcast logo. I created it using Adobe Photo shop. This was my first time using Photoshop, and trying to find out the functions and how everything worked was a little frustrating. Eventually, i figured out the basics, and found out that Photoshop was an excellent tool for showing your creativity and imagination.