Thursday, January 10, 2013

Oscar Nominations Announced!

Dang, Lincoln!

Given this, I'm adding Lincoln, Life of Pi, and Zero Dark Thirty to the list of movies you can review for Monday. Just remember: you need to freshly view whichever film you choose to review for class.

More sass less irony

Someone besides me is calling for a moratorium on irony.

Is the age of hipsterdom finally over?
When do you feel you can get to your honest opinion and share it? When do you feel it's stifled?

Literary website The Omnivore recently founded a prize to reward the "angriest, funniest, most trenchant" review published in a newspaper or magazine. It aims is to raise the profile of book critics and "promote integrity and wit in literary journalism."

Just a little inspiration to get your budding sass and honest opinions flowing for your first assignment due Monday.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

NYTimes Defense Lineup

200 words on blogs written collaboratively. 10-15 minute class presentation/discussion. Read the links presented ahead of time.

Week 2: Jon and Zac, Ben and Aidan

Week 3: Britt and Maggie, Joe and Patricia

Week 6: Isa and Ana, Kelsey and Steph

Week 7: Alaina and Guy, Mara and Colin

Week 9: Aliera and Nicole

Welcome to Arts Journalism

If you are checking out this blog, you are more than likely registered for the arts journalism class offered at Kalamazoo College this term. Welcome!

Here's what you need to do before next week's class:

1. Thoroughly reread the syllabus and email me with questions. Note: my regular office hours will start 2nd week.

2. Continue working on your blog for this class.
Make sure you title it something appropriately professional and arts journalism-ish, put up a photo of yourself that is in no way compromising were a potential employer (or your professor) to see it, become a follower of my blog, create a class blogroll in which you can link to others in the class, and consider adding an RSS feed or other gadget in addition to tweaking its design.

3. Go see a movie!
Your options are: Les Miserable, The Hobbit, or The Ganster Squad. All three are (or will be by Thursday) showing in the Kalamazoo area, though since the Rave downtown closed, you'll either need to drive, ride with someone who drives, or take the bus to Kalamazoo Goodrich 10 or Crossroads Celebration Cinema.

4. Write about the movie you saw.
In order to do this, you need to take notes during the viewing (so if you've already seen the film, go see it again, or choose a different film to write about). Your review should be 400 words long, and it is due Monday, Jan. 14 at 8 a.m. Email it to me at heinritz@kzoo.edu (embedded in the body rather than as an attachment) AND post it to your blog.

5. Read each others' reviews on the blogs (check and comment on them by Wednesday morning).

6. Start picking up your New York Times subscription on Monday and thoroughly read the Arts Section every Monday through Friday.  This is your main written text for this class and is required. The only way you're getting out of it is if you're required in another class to subscribe.

7. Read the introduction and Chapter One of McLeese.

8. Most importantly, have fun with it!