Sundance on the Social Media

Each time society is paving its own way within the technological world. Technologies are a really important part of our daily lives and social media, specifically, let us be connected and participate of every service that the network provide us. Every aspect of life can now take part of this world, also cinema, trough the usage os social media platforms. 

For Americas cinema the network has meant the increase of audience to whom direct their messages and suggestions, the introduction of platforms where they can be in contact with people and tell them about their films…  after all they are the ones who are going to watch their films. Thus, for actors, producers and even film festivals its really important to be connected with people, and let them take part of important decisions as users and consumers, and its what social media its letting nowadays. 

One of American cinemas most acclaimed section and which has benefited the most of this immersion in the social media are the film festivals. They are benefitting themselves of many social media websites the internet provides, as for example the  Sundance Film Festival, one of the most “Connected” film festival in the world. 

 This festivals most used media platform is Facebook, which allows producers to have and immediate contact with its followers, ask them questions, inform them with new updates about the ceremony, show them pictures of latest edition, and also let them comment on their personal timeline leaving their opinions. 

Other platform its Twitter, which allows easy accessibility between the user and the organizing comitee. It also allows followers to stay updated with the latest news, latest events, or new american films premiers. User can directly and instantly communicate with the festival and make suggestions, about who to nominate, which was the most well dressed, opinions about the winners.. 

The festival also has Youtube channel, where they upload videos with interviews to the nominates, to directors, to actors or actresses, also trailers, unseen scenes…  

Its Instagram account its also a really frequented one, it has more than 27k followers, which can see pictures and videos about the preparation of the festival, the ceremony itself, funny selfies took by actors during the ceremony, the awards before the delivery…

The festival its also on Pinterest, Kickstarter, Tumblr, Google+,… Which show us that in this technologized world its really important to introduce ourselves in the net, just to let people introduce themselves in the project and create an experience, which would let people enjoy with their contents.  

Paula Ezcurra
Audiovisual Communication

11 sport's platforms not to be missed

There's a wide range of different sources and references related to sports in the States. Their online platforms are one of the ways they use to spread information. Here there are comprised only official websites that are a must to be updated in every single sport. There is an online representation of newspapers, radio programmes, USA's most important leagues...

CBS Sports is one of the most seen programs in the country. They obviously have a official website, and they expanded in 2008 within Twitter (@CBSSsports). They're an important source due to the fact that they have specialists in a variety of areas of main interest. As its slogan says: "Connecting you to the sports content you crave".

ABC Sports is the online website that is concerned about the sports news in USA. With equall importance to almost every practised sport, they also have political, economical and social news. They're also on Twitter since 2012 (@ABCSports), they are described as a Television network in their profile.

ESPN ins't just viral in the US but also in South America. The main difference with the rest of platforms is that this one is just focused on sports. In the other hand, the other examples are the sport's branch of a bigger news setting. ESPN not only talks about USA, but also about european football. They're the main channel that broadcast matches in all the continent. Since 2007 they're also on Twitter "talking about sports, sports and well... sports" (@ESPN).

NBC Sports is assembled to CBS or ABC, because NBC is a massive mean that converges in NBC Sports, NBC News, NBC Nightly news... The trending topic it's usually football, not soccer, but one of the most practised sports in the USA. They joined Twitter in 2008 under the name @NBCSports. Since they're one of the largest networks, they had to be here.

NPR Sports is the online website for a radio programme which is the most listened in the States. It's the Nation Public Radio and his reputation is worlwide known. They're currently updating in social networks such as Twitter (@nprsports).

Fox Sports is a TV channel that is engaged to several sports. They only focus on sports, having accounts not only for sports in general, but for them in particular, or live matches. The main one is @FOXSports, as they say: "We spike footballs, swing bats, scream, wave and spin towels at the same time".

Other than that, they're 4 websites dedicated not only to a single sport, but to a championship in particular. USA TODAY englobes them all, most accurately USA TODAY Sports. It is also known because of the news they have, sports isn't the central topic, but they have specialists like in every other network. They sports section is also in Twitter (@USATODAYsports) since 2008.

NBA is a championship with its own website dedicated fully to basketball. Indeed, the acronyms mean National Basketball Association. They cover all the news dedicated to the championship and the Playoffs. It's the most important basketball tournament in the world. Tons of the best players of the world have played there: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Chamberlain, Larry Bird... The other basketball tournaments don't overshadow at all NBA. In Twitter since 2009 (@NBA), they update daily.

NFL (National Football League) limitates to football, and covers the latest news on the most important football tournament in the world. They count with the best players, and it's widely played all over the world. It's the perfect source to get to know this sport better. It's also a good source their Twitter account (@nfl) available since 2009. 

MLS (Major League Soccer) it's the official soccer championship. They cover the information related to soccer in the States, they don't focus on any other tournament. It's worlwide known because of the european players that go to there to finish their careers. @MLS also covers the USA National Soccer Team. It's a must to be in tone with what's going on about soccer in that country.

NHL (National Hockey League) shares importance with Canada, they're the two places were they play this sport. This website is the best reference possible due to the fact that they just talk about hockey. @NHL is always tweeting the latest news and the important matches.

So, this is it, 11 sources you have to know by heart to deep into USA's sports and most importantly, USA's culture.

Tomás Orihuela

Journalism

The achilles heel of Pelé

Everybody knows that when it comes to sports, USA has a lot of individual cases to be showed as an example. From Michael Jordan in the Chicago Bulls to the most successful swimmer of all times; Michael Phelps not forgetting Muhammad Ali and his amazing boxing skills. On the other side of the coin, there are athletes that didn't succeed. It's the case of Lance Armstrong due to his doping issues, the same as Justin Gatling. However, all theses cases, good ones and not so good one, are widely known by everyone.

For that reason, we're going to analyze a relevant case that not so much people have ever been informed about. That case has a huge name: Pelé. For the last years of his successful career, he decided to play for New York Cosmos, in order to get soccer a more powerful sport in the States.

Pelé making a flip in the air while he kicks the ball (september1968). Source: Creative Commons Search

The expectations placed in the 3 times World Cup winner with Brazil were high. He thought of retiring. Therefore, Clive Toye; manager of the New York Cosmos, had other plans for him. After several years of attempting to sign him, he achieve itin 1975. Toye had Pelé as the perfect missionary of soccer to the country. Although he was the most known player all over the world, there he was a stranger, people didn't even know how to pronounce his name accurately. That was the main objective: to get soccer to be 'trending topic'.

It was a tremendous step for the brazilian player, not only in his career ambitions but in his life outside the pitch. He didn't knew the language, he had to take his children away from their schools and their roots to go to a different country. A completely start over. Nevertheless, O' Rei remained positive about it, finally he could walk in the street without being recognized. Unfortunately, he also had to deal with his whole country treating him as a national traitor.

Pelé playing for New York Cosmos. Source: Creative Commons Search

When he signed, he wasn't in good shape, that's why his yield was poor. He predicted 15 goals, and unbelievably he only scored 5. From the 1225 goals he scored in his entire career, only 5 were for New York Cosmos in the League Games. In fact, he didn't play too much games for that team, because of his injuries. It's widely know that he has a physically gifted athlete. However, surprisingly, in his years in USA he had injuries and he wasn't in a good shape. Probably because soccer wasn't the most important thing is his life, as it was when we played for Santos in Brazil.

Although he managed to fill stadiums with his performances, he never could compete with basketball, football, hockey, baseball... The truth is that he failed. Nowadays, the most important soccer championship is The Major League Soccer (MLS), which doesn't overshadow other ones such as NBA, NFL or NHL. It's not a competitive league, indeed players who aren't in their best time anymore or those who are aging go to play there. David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Frank Lampard or Rafa Márquez are a few example of that. The challenge is still unachieved, the question is: will somebody be able to put soccer in the USA's spotlight? Doubtless, Pelé is still one of the best players in history, but this challenge overcame him.

Tomás Orihuela

Journalism

Barack and "How to kill a Mockingbird"

On the 5th of april 2012, Barack Obama, the actual president of the USA made a tribute to the very known american film “How to kill a Mockingbird”. This film which its one of the best american films in history, was really important in the 1960s (the years we are talking about in this blog) because it was a shout for respecting the black people rights, it broadcasted a message of tolerance, and it was an anti-racist defense statement, an statement full of courage which travelled around the world. It was a beginning in the history of cinema, a new cinema was starting, a cinema which respected color people, and treated them as equals.

Ton Robinson an adro-american man, in court. Being judged for raping a white woman.  Next to him , Finch, his lawyer. Source: Creative Commons Search

Flinch children with Robinson's family. Together as a sign of respect and tolerance.  Source: Creative Commons Search 

Now on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the releasement of the film, Barack Obama, the first black president of the united states, wanted to recognize all the importance that this film had have in americans life. Barack made a private pass and invited a group of people, among those were students of Washington-Lee High School of Virginia and familiars of the film main character. The film, which was retransmitted on channel USA network for every american citizen, was visualized by those special guests in the theater of the White House.    

The special thing of these visualization was the contribution of the president, making an introduction to the film before it started. Every american could watch Obama talking about the film, about the importance of “how to kill a mockingbird” for history and the message it transmites.   

Barack Obama, the actual president of the USA, an also  afro-american. He is the first color president of America. Source: Biography.com

This film which was shot in the 1962 talked about Atticus Finch a lawyer in a small town which defends Tom Robinson, an Afro- American man, accused unjustly of having raped a white woman. Scout, Finch's daughter, who stills being a girl, also has to confront the racism of its neighbors and realize that the justice not always triumphs over the prejudices and the fear. 

Paula Ezcurra
Audiovisual Communication

"Music gives life to everything"

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination

and life to everything.”

-Plato

For many people, music gives a sense to their lives, it is what keeps them living. I bet that you link the best times in your life to a song and every time you hear it, it is like you were there again, living it, living the time of your life.

Music is the soundtrack of our lives, it accompanies each experience, there will always exist a song which expresses what are you feeling.

Is in the USA where the most important songs have born and they have become our friends when everything is going bad, a shoulder where we can cry, and it is when we are cry in' or laughing out loud with music playing, when everything turns to be alright.

If you talk to someone and ask him what the music is, you will get as response a lot of things such as "it is a way to manage our feelings" or "it is the opportunity that gives a song to turn off the world". Some will remember a certain moment like an stadium full of people or the way his/her mum dances her favorite song.

Queen - We Are the Champions (Live Aid, Wembley Stadium, 1985) (Source: Youtube)

And that's why I think that music gives you something that nothing else could give. Because music is not only playing some instruments and sing, music is turn that musical note and that voice to a feeling and show the way we see the world. 

I think I have only one more thing to say: Please, "don't stop the music", show must go on.

"I wanna take you away 
lets escape into the music 
Keep on rockin to it 
Please don't stop the music"

-Rihanna

Loreto Sesma Gotor.

Journalism.

"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world"

Cinema it’s an art, its a way of expression. Its a way of telling stories which inspire the human being. The capacity of directors to reach so many people and change their lives is something that have always impress me. We are on a really technological era where multimedia and audiovisual communication are in the spotlight. People prefer to watch a film rather than read a book, that’s why cinemas role in our century and the past one its really important. Cinema has the power of changing peoples way of thinking in a matter of time, the power of controlling people's mind and people's personality. This power has to be used in a correct way, which differentiates a good film and a good director from mediocres ones. A good director knows the consequences a bad movie can have and avoid this kind of cinema, in order to educate people and make them enjoy. As the title of this entry says (it's an inspiring quote from "The dead Poets society"), ideas can change the world! Just develop them in order to make a better world. 

As you could see in my future entries or posts, the topic im going to talk about its cinema. I’ve always love this seventh art. There’s something in the movies that makes me feel really attracted to them and love everything in relation with this mysterious and fascinating world. Many people say that all this likes and hobbies came from surrounding people. People in contact with you are the ones which transmit their own passion to you. They hand over the baton to us. And i really think that’s, in a way, true. I believe that this passion towards the cinema it’s something I carry on the blood. I love watching films and reading reviews about any kind of them, and the most important fact in the development of this hobby was that I have really huge people, professionally talking, in my family which fortunately had passed me over this precious baton.  My aunt Cristina acts for a living, and my uncle, even though he doesn't act any more, he used to shot films too.

             

My aunt Cristina it’s a really professional actress, I’ve aways admire her determination and hard-work and I really would love to be at least half as professional as she is when I get older. She never seems to get tired (at least she never outlines it) and she really enjoys what she does, which is reflected on her work. I would sound like a really proud niece but this perseverance had led her many times to be nominated for some prices, and even won a Goya Price (one of the most important national prices nowadays). 

But this is my connection to the world of cinema in general, to be more concrete I also love american cinema, I used to watch lots of american films with my aunt when I was little, and this is something which has grown with me. The american cinema it's a nearly perfect art, its a really complete cinema, which has stand out in every genre. From comedies to action films, from Science fiction films to cartoons. Even though they weren’t the fathers of this art, the americans started throughout the years to dominate the sector, until becoming nowadays the principal cinematographic potency. In this very interesting process I'm going to focus my posts in the latest 40 years but all this process over the time is briefly explained on an spanish blog I saw last monday. I copy the link in case you want to read a  summary about american cinema to have a general idea. 

http://laestaciondelfotogramaperdido.blogspot.com/2013/08/breve-historia-cine-americano-estadounidense-eeuu.html

 

                     

I think and believe that if something is taught to you with love and passion this start to be really important in your life, if someone transmits you through their words all her love to the spoken subject, that love starts to grow in you and it never stops. This is something that my aunt has given to me, I’ve never heard anyone talking about anything with such a tact and passion at the same time. Admiration and respect. Love and fear. Expectation and hope. Wisdom and inquisitiveness. And well, all those things that my aunt mades me feel while talking with her about cinema, are the things that I want to make you feel too while reading this posts, so I hope you’ll enjoy all this entries as much as I know I will do while writing them. Never stop believing in the power of dreams and passion. 


Paula Ezcurra
Audiovisual Communication 

Jumping to fame

USA isn't Spain. Football, soccer wrongly called, isn't the daily bread. In the States, not even Pelé; one of the best football players in history, was able to make this country focus away from basketball, baseball and 'their football'. Sport is above all, and englobles them all. Someone defined it as the most important thing of the less important things in life. Impossible to be more accurate.

The truth is that sports in the US are organized in such a proper way that it isn't a surprise the fact that every four years they are fighting against China and Russia in the Olympics for medals. Wide range of different modalities, more of the same of americans posing for photos kissing medals. They actually are an example worth to follow. Good management, better athletes: Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Joe Montana, Tiger Woods, Zack Greinke, Landon Donovan, Tyson Gay... 

  

Michael Jordan and his famous dunk which earned him the nickname of 'Air Jordan'. Source: Creative Commons Search


But, why sports? First of all, because I'm passionate about it and I'm fond of sports: I love practicing, I enjoy watching it in TV, listening to it in the radio, reading about it in the papers; everything. I've been attached to them since I learnt to speak. It all starts with football, then you get interested by other sport, later on you practice another one, and finally you end up watching Eurosport weekly. The second reason is that I'm curious about it, I reckon that it's required to be curious not only to one, but to sports in general. If you really like something, you should be willing to keep learning more and more, it's never enough. The more the merrier.
I started playing all sort of games at the age of 5, and it was a matter of time that I wrote about them. So asking the question, my connection to this topic is that I'm keen on writing about it, and give my personal view over different aspects. Furthermore, I have some experience in this, proof of that are the blogs I've been trying to get updated in order to learn and to tell people stuff I consider remarkable.


Tomás Orihuela.
Journalism

We are what we wear

Fashion. It's a way of living to many. It's an art. It's a peek into our personalities. It's playfulness. It's an escape or a disguise. Fashion is the mean people use to express who they really are, or it is also the way to hide their true personalities.

There is not a right definition to what fashion is, fashion is what you want it to be. Fashion is you.

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." (french fashion designer, Coco Channel)

The question is, who sets the schemes of fashion? Some people may say that celebrities, others that the media but really, the one who sets the schemes is you. Each of us have our own style and tastes which according to our personalities may vary considerably. All that matters is that you like it and that it is an expression of who you really are. That is fashion.

I chose this topic for my blog because I´m extremely interested in fashion, its origins and the way its constantly changing as time goes by. What really surprises me is the way fashion comes and goes, the way some things go behind the times and suddenly are fashionable again four years later.

Personally, Im in love with fashion. I love following the latest trends, checking out what celebrities have worn and what is on at that moment. I believe that nowadays everything spins around it and new generations should take this into consideration.

As i have already said, there are different aspects of fashion. It is not only what you wear but it is also essential how you wear it and how it makes you feel. Fashion determines your personality and who you are in the eyes of others. This may sound superficial and it is in a way but, what are we supposed to do if we live in a superficial society?

Source: YouTube

Carmen Salaverri
Advertising and PR