March 9, 2009
Homework Post #7: The 7 Elements
Common Ground by Scott Strazzante
Post #7
March 9, 2009
The 7 Elements
The 7 Elements: Common Ground by Scott Strazzante – Media Storm
1. A Point of View
- The story is told from the families point of view. Both the Cagwin family and Grabenhofer family tell the story via audio and video. However, they are not documenting the story themselves, Strazzante takes on that role.
2. A Dramatic Question
- The dramatic question in Strazzante’s media presentation is “How has someone’s former home evolved since they left?” The Cagwin’s lived on the family farm for years together. Mr. Cagwin was born on the farm and inherited the property. However, a new family moves in when they are forced to sell the land to real-estate developers.
3. Emotional Content
- The most emotional content came from the photographs of the two families living on the same land but at different times. Of course the Cagwin’s photos depicted misery, hardship, hard work and tough times. The Grabenhofer’s pictures illustrated a sense of family and chasing the American dream.
4. The Gift of Your Voice
- Strazzante does not narrate the story, instead he uses minimal text and relies on soundbites to tell the story aurally. Mrs. Cagwin and Mrs. Grabenhofer dominate most of the story, they offer the most heartfelt sentiments regarding their homes. Their husbands contribute to the story as well, but provide less memorable commentary.
5. The Power of the Soundtrack
- The music selected in Strazzante’s story provided a nostalgic feel to the piece. It was never fast paced and was only occassionally featured. The music served as a background for the photos that did not have narration from the families.
6. Economy
- The piece is more than seven minutes long and after about five minutes of this package, the viewer’s mind might wander. The story features side-by-side comparisons of the land when the Cagwins lived there and how it looks now. Strazzante used great pictures featuring similiarities that tie into each other. It could have been a bit shorter, but the message of the piece is not lost because of the length.
7. Pacing
- Strazzante used a steady pace throughout the story. The viewer is not rushed through facts or images, they all are given adequate air time.
