trailers and books

We all have a favorite book that we stumble on from time to time. For some reason, you really like this or that book.

It's like... you can really feel the character(s) and you almost mentally leave your present space and fold into the pages of the book. I can think of a few books that I've read in which I wanted to play the character. For whatever reason, you can just relate and that's what make's it one of your favorite books.

That's exactly what some teenagers are doing in Tucson, AZ with the help of the Pima County Public Libraries. The project is called That's My Take. Teenagers learn from professional filmmakers how to make short films. Fifty-three teens at five branch libraries and two partner locations worked with youth mentors to produce eleven trailers that dramatize their favorite books, including The Lightning Thief, Maximum Ride, Night, and World War Z.

View trailers http://www.library.pima.gov/teenzone/trailers/2009.php

Pretty awesome project I would say.

What would you do if you had the chance to do this?

Well, let's say you're not really digging the filmmaking thing. It is most definitely a lot of work if you don't have the help and support. However... what about making a trailer for you favorite book? A trailer, you know, not like the ones you camp in but the ones that are made to promote movies. A book trailer is the same thing; instead of promoting a movie you are promoting a book.
This is how it's done.

1) Think of a book you want to promote.

2) Write out a storyboard; what is going to happen in each clip. words, sounds, pictures...

3) Don't steal from the net

4) Look for images and sounds that you want to use. If you want to be really creative, take the pictures yourselves and upload them to your computer. Or download certain music from your personal collection into the computer. (I guess if they are personal they probably are already on your computer.)

If you want to get images from the Internet, you need to get creative due to copyright issues.

Yeah, unfortunately, you may not want to copy and paste that image if you are going to make a book trailer out of it and post the trailer to youtube or a social networking site. (I think we have all done the copy and paste but for this try not to.)

There are a number of sites where you can get pictures and sounds from and it's legal. They are:

shuttershock http://www.shutterstock.com/

neosounds http://www.neosounds.com/

fotolia http://us.fotolia.com/

dreamstime http://www.dreamstime.com/

5) Put it all together with a filmmaking software program that is usually already on the computer you are working on. If you have a Mac use iMovie and if you have a PC use Movie Maker.

I used windows movie maker before and it's pretty easy to use. The only advice I have to give is to be patient because a good product takes some time, you'll see.
If you are using a Mac and therefore, iMovie, make sure your Mac is working on Snow Leopard (a specific upgrade to the operating system.)

6) Take a look at what others have done.
Here are some websites that have book trailers on them
Digital Book Talk (This one is okay but you may find other sites better.)
http://digitalbooktalk.com/
WatchTheBook
(If you use this one, scroll down, look to the right of the page. Select a genre.)
http://www.watchthebook.com/
Youtube (I would use this one. In the search box, type in "YA book trailer" or "book trailer.")
http://www.youtube.com/

It's all just some thoughts to throw out. You know you want to try it out or just see for yourself.

And maybe, you'll hook a librarian into helping you.

-a highly wired lady

Battle

For the past two years our libraries have been trying to get you instrumentally gifted people into the library to show your skills. Seriously.
This year, there is going to be a "Battle of the Bands" contest @ Taylor Ranch Library which is on the Westside of town. It will be sponsored by Grandma's Music and Sounds here in 'burque.
If you are solo musician, belong to a band, dj, or a singer(s), I encourage you to bring it. Show your skillz... don't be shy. After all... we are just a bunch of librarians; that's nothing to be afraid of. Maybe you can show us something new.
There is a rule: you have to be between the ages of 12 and 18 to compete.
Of course, there are going to be some pretty good prizes awards.

If you want to know more, call a good friend of mine at the Taylor Ranch Library:
Jason @ 897-8816

-a highly wired lady

The First Penguin

These are not my words. They come from a book (our library has it); it's called

"The Last Lecture."

This professor at Carnegie Mellon University wrote this book when he was dying from cancer a few years ago. His name was Randy Pausch. He is the creator of Alice.org. It's a link on this blog. Look to the left.

This is one of my favorite passages. And I want to share it with you. Look at it however you want it. It's called Be the First Penguin.

Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted.

That's an expression I learned when I took a sabbatical at Electronic Arts, the video-game maker.

It just stuck with me, and I've ended up repeating it again and again to students.

It's a phrase worth considering at every brick wall we encounter, and at every disappointment. It's also a reminder that failure is not just acceptable, it's often essential.

When I taught the "building virtual worlds" course, I encouraged students to attempt hard things and to not worry about failing. I wanted to reward that way of thinking. So at the end of each semester, I'd present one team of students with a stuffed animal--a penguin. It was called "The First Penguin Award" and went to the team that took the biggest gamble in trying new

ideas or new technology, while failing to achieve their stated goals. In essence, it was an award for "glorious failure," and it celebrated out-of-the-box thinking and using imagination in a daring way.

The other students came to understand: "First Penguin" winners were losers who were definitely going somewhere.

The title of the award came from the notion that when penguins are about to jump into water that might contain predators, well, somebody's got to be first the first penguin. I originally called it "The Best Failure Award," but failure has so many negative connotations that students couldn't get past the word itself.

Over the years, I also made a point of telling my students that in the entertainment industry, there are countless failed products. It's not like building houses,where every house built can be lived in by someone. A video game can be created and never make it through research and development . Or else it comes out and no wants to play it. Yes, video-game creators who've had successes are greatly valued. But those who've had failures are valued, too--sometimes even more so.

Start up companies often prefer to hire a chief executive with a failed start-up in his or her background. The person who failed often knows how to avoid future failures. The person who knows only success can be more oblivious to all the pitfalls.

Experiences is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer.

-A highly wired lady

(P.S. Failure is subjective.)

you think you know it all.

I don't know about you but I get frustrated sometimes looking through the Internet's various websites relating subjects we need for school. In fact, sometimes I feel like I waste my time. The library does a pretty good job for certain subjects. But when you want to learn basic facts on a subject, you need help, no one is around, and you're staring at the Internet screen frustrated ready to throw your computer out the window...
Let me show you something I found.
Go to the library's website www.cabq.gov/library
Once you are there look under research assistance which is on the left part of the screen, you might need to scroll down a little. Once you are there, click on Internet for Kids. Yeah, I know, you are not really kid but trust me on this one.
Once you are on the next site click on Awesome Library.
Take a look at the subject links before your eyes. There a lot of different links but if you look towards the top of the links you will find a link that says teens. Click on that one.
Good... Now you have made it to the Awesome Library for Teens. Take a look at the school subjects. Pick one and take a look. I can't really explain what you will find. But most likely, you find what you are look for. YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT. Trust me on this one. You will get there easily if you just look through the subject content and the links inside the subject link.
I found the Math link to be very useful. The Math will take you up to Calculus. Also, I noticed that once I was in a subject, you could find links to news, projects, papers people have written on the topic, periodicals... you get the idea.
You'll see that some of the subject content is better than others. Think about it though, I can easily spend an hour on youtube, and so can you, so you may want to check it out for like fifteen minutes. Maybe the next time you get lost in a subject... this may be a good resource for you.

I have to end with a quote I recently found in a book I read called "Against the Stream" by Noah Levine. Yes, I am proud to say I am a quote fiend.

"...certainly don't believe me. Study the texts, study your own mind, and the highest truth will be revealed. All of what you are looking for is in your own direct experience."

-A highly wired lady

down the rabbit hole...

I'm into poetry.
And since I talk a lot about libraries, information and whatever else... I have to include some straight up classic literature.

A new "Alice in Wonderland" book just arrived the other day. It's a reprint. Probably due to the psychotic-looking movie that just came out. No, I haven't seen it yet. I'm sure I'll make it there eventually. I think I need to read the book again first though.

Here is a poem at the beginning of this book. I had to read it silently and then I had to read it aloud, and now, I'm going to have to read it a few times more because it's a little intrigueing.

All below belongs to Lewis Carroll

All in the Golden Afternoon

All in the golden afternoon
Full leisurely we glide;
For both our oars, with little skill,
By little arms are plied,
While little hands make vain pretence
Our wanderings to guide.

Ah, cruel Three! In such an hour,
Beneath such dreamy weather,
To beg a tale of breath too weak
To stir the tiniest feather!
Yet what can one poor voice avail
Against three tongues together?

Imperious Prima flashes forth
Her edict 'to begin it'--
In gentler tone Secuna hopes
'There will be nonsense in it!'--
While Tertia interrupts the tale
Not more than once a minute.

Anon, to sudden silence won,
In fancy they pursue
The dream-child moving through a land
Of wonders wild and new,
In friendly chat with bird or beast--
And half believe it true.

And ever, as the story drained
The wells of fancy dry,
And faintly strove that weary one
To put the subject by,
'The rest next time--' 'It is next time!'
The happy voices cry.

Thus grew the tale of Wonderland;
Thus slowly, one by one,
Its quaint event were hammered out--
And now the tale is done,
And home we steer, a merry crew,
Beneath the setting sun.

Alice! A childish story take,
And with a gentle hand
Lay it where Childhood's dreams are twined
In Memory's mystic band,
Like pilgrim's withered wreath of flowers
Pluck'd in a far-off land.

Down the Rabbit Hole

Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, 'and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice, 'without pictures or conversations?'"

And this is mine below:

What is the use of a book without pictures or conversations in it?

The imagination builds itself,
The dreams take a fly,
The synapses spark,
The attention becomes hard to pry,
It may be a lie,
but to you it may be the only truth you really believe inside.

-A highly wired lady.

boxpunx

The other day, a fellow I work with at the library introduced me to these things called box punx. He found them on this website: http://harlancore.com/boxpunx/

I have to admit, they are pretty interesting. They are like these little creatures made out of paper all folded in odd ways. I had a hard time making myfirst one. I thought it was a little tougher than origami but young adults/teens seem to pump them out like a mini box punx factory.

If you decide to make one, you have to print out the template first. It prints out as a piece of paper with one odd shape on it. The instructions are towards the bottom of the paper. You cut this odd shape out and fold it according to the instruction and voila... you've created a box punx.

Don't ask me, I just work here.

-a highly wired lady

Can you teach yourself?

The other day I was speaking to a friend of mine on the phone. It was a usual conversation with this friend since. We spend a lot of our time talking about engineering, math, computer science, physcis and what some people would "nerdy" stuff. As we kept talking he told me if I had ever heard of MIT OpenCourseWare. And I said no. He began to explain what it is and he also gave me the website, which I will share with you.
MIT OpenCourseWare is this website (published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) is for those who are looking to bone up on specific subjects or, if you are ambitious, dedicated and self-motivated... to go through an entire course online. Now, it's not like you are signed up for the course or you pay anything (yes, it's free.) It is courses that were offered in the past to MIT students, undergraduate and graduate level that are now posted to the public. Now, almost all of the coursework, including the syllabus, video lectures, lecture notes from the professors, exams, assignments, texts needed... it's pretty much all there. Just download it and work. There are no time constraints, you work at your own pace
I couldn't believe it when I found it. I was looking through the various majors, the coursework... it just seemed surreal. Now, it's not really an online course if that's what you may be thinking. There's no credit. And, I would be pretty sure that MIT is not going to offer any course online for free. There are a lot of reasons to use the site. For example, say you are an older young adult and you are looking to test out of a certain course. If you study and do the coursework, you can test out of it without having to pay for a class at the university or community college.
I guess it just depends on your style of learning. If you can learn this way and retain what you've learned through this methodology... then I would say, go for it. Especially if you are strapped for cash and time.
I had to mention it because it is an amazing resource, totally unbelievable.
I remember my friend saying "well you're the librarian, you should know about this." And I just shook my head because I knew it was true. It wasn't meant as an offense (what my friend said) but it just made me think.
So, you want to know how to find this... put in your address bar... ocw.mit.edu
Look to the left of the page. And, like I said, this is probably for the older young adults, but it's also for those who want to peek.
And that's about all.
-a highly wired lady