Tutorial tasks week 4

Task 1: Book- French new wave : an artistic school

Task 2: Sources-1. Vertigo (09687904); Spring/Summer2005, Vol. 2 Issue 8, p8-10, 2p, 5bw
2. Cineaste; Apr96, Vol. 22 Issue 1, p52, 1p, 1bw
3. Sight & Sound; Jul94, Vol. 4 Issue 7, p10-12, 3p, 3bw

The purpose of the first source is to examine the relevance of the French film Alphaville. The author compares Alphaville to other science fiction films of more recent times, such as the Matrix. It also refers to utopias and dystopias, and the meanings of the words. Reading that the author has done a comparison between Alphaville and the Matrix has given me a much better understanding of the basis of Alphaville. Because we have only seen half of it I don't really understand it, and I don't really understand the Matrix either but I know the very general basis of it. and so now I can relay that to Alphaville; a world operating within extreme technological developments.

The second soure was incredibly helpful in increasing my understanding of Alphaville. It is a brief summary of the film; the storyline and issues and the characters in it. It explains how the main character, Lemmy Caution, arrives in Alphaville, which is a totalitarian city-state of the future. It is completely run by a computer system known as Alpha 60, which is erradicating Alphaville of any humanities, like emotion, making it and the people there basically robotic. The article also explains where the film was shot and the technicques used, as well as on what the film was shot and viewed.

'It all happened in Paris,' the third source, analyses and discusses Jean Luc Godard's use of Paris, France to make Alphaville. As the second source also refered to Godard's use of the city of Paris, and how most sci-fi films use set design to create their look, I figured the use of Paris alone was fairly pioneering to do. I find the use of Paris effective, because the way the film comes together is bizzare enough already, location-inclusive. The sci-fi genre and feel of Alphaville is apparent despite the basic setting, which is relevant as the third article also discusses science fiction and pulp fiction narrative in Alphaville, as well as compares Alphaville to other Godard films.

This task has greatly helped me formulate my topic, because before undertaking it I had little idea of what Alphaville was all about, not just because I've only seen half of it, but because it was generally confusing for me. The Matrix analysis was the first informant source, because like I said, I could start to understand the basis of Alphaville, and this allowed me to consider certain aspects and issues of my topic. The second source was the best to me because it was a quick but effective and informative summary of Alphaville, and now I understand the storyline of the movie. This will benefit me in the lecture when part two is shown, as I will be able to understand it and continue to build on my topic knowledge. The third source helped me formulate the topic more because I don't know anything about how sci-fi films are made, but now I have something to think about!

Task 4: Scavenger Hunt!
1. 1446 pounds http://www.backyardgardener.com/pumpkins.html
2. 'Contact Me' on the granthackettonline.com website http://granthackettonline.free.fr/?page_id=107
3. 46cm long http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-giraffe.html
4. Ontology : That department of the science of metaphysics which investigates and explains the nature and essential properties and relations of all beings, as such, or the principles and causes of being. In my own words: how we exist http://dictionary.oxid.ro/Definition/Ontology/index.html
5. 'Transfer' (1966) http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/02/cronenberg.html#film
6. January 8 1986 http://www.technozen.com/manifesto.htm
7. the prefix '555' was pretty much unused, so they started using it in Hollywood so that the public wouldn't be calling real phone numbers when they wanted to talk to a star http://www.agsd.ca/sedley/stump/stump.htm#Why%20do%20movie%20phone%20numbers%20always%20start%20with%20555
8. 120 Euros by ferry http://www.athensguide.com/ferries.html
9. 'I'll Never Find Another You' - the Seekers http://www.onmc.iinet.net.au/topspot/1965.htm
10. Black Assassins http://www.brisbanewritersfestival.com.au/2005/content/standard.asp?name=StockwellS

Q. What is a search engine?
A. A search engine is an internet tool that allows you to type in a keyword, question etc and it will do a search of the internet and bring to you the websites that match the words you used in your search.

Q. How do search engines rank the stuff they find on the internet?
A. By putting it in order of what contains the most keywords you used in your search.

Q. Who, or what, makes one page more useful than another one?
A. By having more of your keywords than the others.

Q. What's your favourite search engine? Whydo you prefer it to the others?
A. The obvious, google, is my favourite, because it retrieves so much information, and because you can narrow your searches and do an image search, or an Australia-wide only search.

Q. Can you find some current news stories about search engines?
A. I know google was used in the example but it's all I've got! It's not that recent, from last year, about google buying YouTube-a big news story because they are two extremely powerful and popular internet companies, used world-wide and worth a lot of money!