Deus ex machina

Deus ex machine is a term meaning that throughout a plot of a story there is an unattainable problem. Yet, suddenly, a greater form saves the day. This could either be a piece of technology, a character, or some higher form in nature. To put it in simpler terms as professor Echeverry said, "Technology saves the day."

After browsing online, I was able to find many good examples of this in various pop culture movies, comics, television shows, and animations. 

First, there is Toy Story 3. At the end of the movie, out of nowhere, the claw appears saving the day and many of the characters. Taken quite literally as a deus ex machina example, "its arrival is accompanied by a choir of angelic voice on the soundtrack" (1). 

Scene from Toy Story 3

Secondly, The Wizard of Oz is another great example of the use of deus ex machina. Again, at the end of the movie, there seems to be nothing left for the heroes of the movie to do besides fall to their death. Yet, due to Dorothy accidentally spilling some water on the wicked witch, the villain ended up "melting" to her death. In this case, the water acts as the saving force (2).  

Witch melting in The Wizard of Oz

Finally, my last example is from my favorite movie Jurassic Park. Just when it seems there is no hope for all the characters due to the number of raptors they are surrounded with, a t-rex appears out of nowhere, leaving time for the distressed heroes to run away. 

"When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth"

Overall, this is a great technique to use and it always leaves the audience excited and surprised when a force that one does not expect, saves the day. 

1. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeusExMachina

2. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeusExMachina

3. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeusExMachina

Raúl Cuero

I highly enjoyed the video about Cuero and his life. From struggle to triumph, he used creativity to make a name for himself.

I like how he defines creativity and explains that everyone has it yet in many different ways. By sitting inside and obsessing over different forms of media we are wasting time. Yet, Cuero said that going outside and being and interacting with nature and our surroundings, we could find out how creative we are.

I like how the video showed the background of his life and the struggles he had to overcome to be who  he is today. From discrimination and other various obstacles to a highly smart inventor, Cuero should be someone we look up to and we should take into consideration his creativity motto and explanation to find our creative sides.

Juan Carlos Delgado

The work of Delgado is something I have never seen before. When I think of art and the many different  ways it can be manipulated and created, I would still not expect this kind of art work.

It's so interesting to see art in this kind of way. The fact he took such a simple object and transformed it into a fascinating piece of multimedia is outstanding. I was not sure what the captions to the pictures were saying, yet there were many photos I liked and that caught my eye. I really like how, when moving through the page, there was a transformation of the statue from a solid, warm object to a cool and icy piece. And, the close up photos gave me a greater understanding to the detail and time it took to transform the multimedia work.

Overall, the art is amazing and showed me how art can be a majority of different things.

First Feelings

Honestly, I'm not exactly sure what to think about this class. So far, Professor Echeverry seems like a fun guy and I enjoy his presence. His jokes are funny and the way he teaches the class really seems to grab my attention. It seems like there is going to have to be a lot of work put into this class and the projects, yet I know in the end that it will all pay off and I will have a greater understanding about the vast concepts of art and technology.

As for myself...

To start off simply, my name is Gina Bartolone. I am 19 years old and I am currently a sophomore at the University of Tampa. When I first arrived here I was planning on receiving my degree with a double major in marine science and biology. I unfortunately found out later (the end of my first semester, sophomore year) all of the chemistry involved in my favorite subject. I had to make the hard decision to switch my major due to the difficulty of all of the chemistry courses. As of right now, I am a communications major with a focus on communication studies with a double minor in public relations and environmental science. Though my major is not in marine biology anymore, I would still love to take this new major and work for a marine science or environmental company, seeing as my heart still lies in science.

I am from Brookfield, Wisconsin, a small suburb of Milwaukee, yet I am Florida born at heart. Coming to Tampa was one of the best decisions I have ever made and I plan to stay in Florida after college.

As a closing note,
When I think of art, my mind immediately goes to painting, photographs, and drawings. I have never viewed or looked at art from a technology standpoint. I think this will be one of the most difficult classes I will take due to the unknown of the subject. Yet, I am anxious and eager to learn and see where my creativity takes me.