"In More Ways Than One": Part I

This short film is meant to be documentary in the expository mode...

Here's the film...


Narration Transcripts...

I have lived in Milwaukee all my life, so the scenery of tall buildings and smoke-spewing factories is something I am quite used to. As a kid, I would love to visit the public parks as a way to escape the redundancy of the city. However, just a few weeks ago, I came to a very cynical realization. While we see the parks as “nature in the city”, we fail to notice that the concept of a park is anything but natural. County parks are really just synthesized nature that are home to very few plants and animals that are actually native to these lands. In addition, parks are filled with paved roads, golf courses, barbeque grills, and other features that are anything but natural. All in all, we are really just fooling ourselves.

However, I will be the first to admit that the parks are still beautiful and enjoyable. And they do act as a home to some magnificent wildlife. So, in a way, county parks are nature’s last stand within the city. Keeping this in mind, doesn’t it then make logical sense to want to keep these parks clean and safe? So why is it that we, as a society, seem to do the exact opposite? Why to the county politicians constantly cut funding to the parks? And why do those who use the parks leave nothing behind but trash? And while, in a year, 1.5 million car accidents are caused by deer, why is it that the city paves roads right through their home?

I guess the point of all these questions is that I do not like seeing nature being destroyed. And even with these parks, we are still destroying nature, piece by piece. And that happens, because we are trashing the parks… In More Ways than One.

Afterthoughts...
Going out and filming this was quite enjoyable. It took only about an hour and the weather was quite nice at Grant Park, which was where I was filming. The editing process was not all that difficult, except that Windows Movie Maker was constantly acting up on me, which stretched out the process for over four hours. All in all, the film is a little rough, but I am very happy with it. I am also happy for the opportunity to get such good footage.

-Joseph Kay, April 24 2008

"In More Ways than One" Proposal

Part A:
While just enjoying a nature hike in Grant Park in Cudahy, I couldn't help but notice the excessive pollution that takes so much away from the natural beauty that is the park. Cynicism sunk in and I realized a deeper flaw about our parks. Parks are not natural, they are man-made creations meant to "bring nature to the city". They drive out almost all natural inhabitants and synthesize actual nature. In addition, it seems like we couldn't treat them much worse. Pollution and funding cuts are the obvious offense to the Milwaukee area park system, but there are problems much worse and much more fundamental to nature itself. Roads paved right through the middle simply for convenience's sake is a clear indicator that the parks are anything but "nature". But considering just how industrial and overpopulated cities have become, it really is the closest thing that your average American can get. In way, this makes parks "nature's last stand". And given just how little of nature we have in the city, why do we make it worse with less funding and so much pollution?

I decided to choose the pollution in Grant Park as my subject, and I will use it to explore just how flawed mentality surrounding parks has become.

Part B:
Here is just some introductory video...



Also, some stills...

We pollute the ground...

We pollute the trees...

We pollute the lake...

But, perhaps the most damning image of all is a still of something that, to your average American, is not terribly offensive...

Doesn't this display just how absurd the theory of "nature" within a city is?

Part C:
For the three parts to this assignment, I intend to use "Expository Mode" for Post 2, "Poetic Mode" for Post 3, and "Observational" for Post 4.

Part D:
For Post 2, I intend to use "Expository", so that I can use video and photo evidence to show my theory on the absurdity of parks, in addition to the blatant abuse (both hidden and obvious) to the park system. I plan to show images of roads going through the parks, golf courses taking up park space, and other evidence that parks are simply not "natural". In addition, I will show the complete and utter disrespect that people treat the parks with. Pollution, trash, and industry are the obvious examples of this.

For Post 3, I intend to use "Poetic" to give a different perspective about the parks. I want to show that even though the parks are a form of synthesized nature, they are still beautiful. And they must be protected. I intend to show this by using footage of the lake, trees, and animals all in their natural state. Using interesting filming tools such as extreme close ups or perhaps split-screen, I will make an artistically creative film showing the beauty, yet peril of our parks.

For Post 4, I intend to use "Observational" by simply picking a specific subject (such as a deer or the coast of the lake) and focusing on it and how it is affected by pollution. I intend to use minimal editing and as little interference from myself as possible. This will be the clearest indicator of how pollution has negatively affected our parks and our society.

-Joseph Kay (04/21/08)