Year 13 - English - Staney Kubrick and Baz Luhrmann

1. How would you characterise Stanley Kubrick's style as a director?
Stanley Kubrick is a film director with a particular sense of style and is known for his use of multiple film techniques throughout his career. He has become a world-renowned director for his very abstract and serious themes in his films, and how he incorporates his film techniques to portray his artistic ideas and views. Kubrick's film often follows the same limited colour palette which reinforces an ominous, uneasy feel. His use of colours, camera shots and music creates aan abstract image.


2. Why would Luhrmann be called the anti-Kubrick?
   
   Luhrmann could be called the anti-Kubrick because the themes and ideas in his films are the opposite of what Kubrick includes in his films. Luhrmann's films quite often include a "Red Curtain" theme, which was coined from Luhrmann himself, is a film that includes a simple narrative in a highly theatric setting. Films like Moulin Rouge! and Romeo and Juliet are good examples of the Red Curtain theme in effect. The simple love story narrative implemented inside of a world of drama and theatrics is a trademark in most of his films. Kubrick, on the other hand, has a film sense that is contrary to Luhrmann. Kubrick's films are generally very serious and abstract, and have a dark underlying theme and have a constant feeling of dread behind them. Kubrick's films like The Shining, with its abstract ideas and serious tones, and Full Metal Jacket, with the film being as serious as can be to stay true to it's setting. Lurhmann's way of directing acts as a polar opposite to Kubrick, earning him the title of anti-Kubrick.

References: 

DuraSpace. (2016). The Auteurism of Baz Luhrmann
Retrieved from https://tamiu-ir.tdl.org/handle/2152.4/93

Year 13 - English - Character Strengths

My top three character strengths were Teamwork, Humour, and Judgement.

Teamwork:
- What is most gratifying to me about being a part of a team?
I am most grateful for the ability and the opportunity to work with a variety of people with different personalities and methods of thinking. It opens up different perspectives on a topic and enables you to come up with creative ideas.

- How do I feel and act if I carry more than my fair share of the weight for the team?
It's not often that you have to do more than you are tasked with. When I have to carry more, I just get the job done and move on.

- How does teamwork extend into your personal life; for example, parenting, family, partner, and friendship?
Being able to work well with other people teaches you valuable people skills which can help in social situations with friends and family.

Humour:
- How do you initiate playfulness, and how does that change from situation to situation?
I normally get to know the person and see how they initiate humour before I start, to avoid potentially offending people. The situation changes when I'm talking to different people who have different tastes and styles, so I like to take note of people's sense of humour to match theirs.

- How do other people express playfulness, and what have I learnt from observing playfulness in others?
The more you talk to someone, the more you start to learn their style and their sense of humour. By observing someone else's sense of humour, I'm able to start conversations and get along with them more efficiently.

- In what situations has humour been a barrier for you connecting with others?
Humour has been a barrier in connecting with others when the person I'm talking to either don't have a keen sense of humour or the situation isn't suitable for humour. Since I try to include humour in a lot of my conversations, being in a situation that doesn't warrant any can be a challenge.

Judgement:
- How do you express judgement/critical thinking to others?
I express judgement/critical thinking when I'm making a decision by weighing all the options and considering all the benefits and consequences, then evaluating which option best suits me.

- When you are trying to make decisions, what leads you to lose perspective of the big picture?
When making decisions, I sometimes get caught up in looking at the benefits, rather than also considering the consequences of my actions, sometimes resulting in a Pyrrhic victory, where the consequences sometimes outweigh the benefits.

- With what people and in what circumstances is it difficult to for you to think rationally without being confused by strong emotions?
Sometimes, making decisions with close friends can make coming to a conclusion a bit difficult because they can either be a distraction and make choosing an outcome difficult, or they can influence my decision and cloud my judgement so I make a decision that might not be what I want.