class evaluation: MEDP/FILMP 150, Media & Film in a Digital Age.

Coming into MEDP/FILMP 150 with only the title of the class, "Media and Film in a Digital Age", in mind, I was unsure of what to expect. Throughout the year I learned everything from film composition to basic HTML from two very informed lecturers. The idea of having a lab for a Media and Film class sounds strange to the ear, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Media and Film are both interactive mediums that demand hands-on experience, and that is what I got from the lab - everything from taking still photography to setting up lighting.

The first few lectures focused on film and were taught by Gustavo Mercado. He had everyone in the lecture constantly engaged in the material, and although I felt that I knew much of the material already, he had a way of making it interesting. The majority of the media lectures were taught by Martin Lucas, who also works in documentary filmmaking. He was engaging, for the most part, and always had his own cute little anecdotes to add to the lecture. Although he was not always successful in presenting difficult ideas or concepts in a more straightforward manner, he tried his hardest and his effort was commendable.

Sam Stalling, my section leader, was adept in her field of Film and Media Studies and assisted students when in need of help. She personally helped me a lot in Photoshop, and I thank her dearly for that.

Coming out of MEDP/FILMP 150 I know much more about Media than I did prior. I believe I will be majoring in Film Studies, so the first quarter of the course lectures will show to have helped me in the long run. All in all, I found this course to be enjoyable for the most part and look forward to the next step in my collegiate career.

design I like.

The idea of not judging a book by its cover, and other such extraneous analogies, is just a fallacy of logic. It is untrue for the majority of readers, even if they refuse to admit it. The cover is more of a draw than the words on the last page, or even the first, when first laying hands on a bound stack of pages.

House of Leaves was published in 2000 by American imprint Pantheon Books. It is, like I have previously mentioned, a labyrinthine work of epic postmodern construction and meaning. Not only a satire on academic criticism, it is also a love story, albeit an unconventional one at that. It is commonly grouped with the horror novels in bookstores, and although it is a piece that is infused with supernatural elements and is ultimately one of the most haunting works I have ever read, it is certainly not a horror novel.

The cover is not the only place of photographic visual stimulation within House of Leaves, but it will be my focus for purpose of this blog entry.

The composition of the cover is completely balanced, drawing the viewers' eyesight straight down the middle. If the reader decides to work through this cover (the 2nd edition paperback one for full disclosure) top to bottom, then they will receive the fact that it is a "National Bestseller" first and then a "Novel" last. The title of the novel and the author's name are centered and in the middle of the composition. From this vantage point, the cover design nails its primary textual function of presenting the reader with the name of the work, the name of the author, and what type of work it is (in addition to how it has sold since it has been first published).

After reading a few pages of the novel, the reader will notice that the word "house" is always printed in the color blue. The cover is no different, and the meaning, although possibly having a multitudinous quality, can only be attained by reading the book (or researching it). This could be a draw for potential readers, as could the intricate puzzle in the background. The compass in the middle is also a recurring motif throughout the novel whose meaning, like that of the color of the word "house", can only be attained by reading or researching the novel.

I like to think of House of Leaves not only as a novel, but an experience, and a pretty shattering one at that. It is too bad that the cover does not hint at the unconventional typography contained within the following pages, but I have assured myself that it is pretty hard to only look at the cover and not open it up (not to mention the ridiculous size of it is an intrigue in itself).