36th Annual Science Fiction Marathon
Jacky Martin
| Jan/25 | Sat | 07:00PM-07:00AM | 26-100 |
Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)
Fee: $8.00
for Admission
Admission is $8, and drops to $5 after Pacific Rim.
The 2014 Marathon features four full-length films, one surprise hour-long feature, many short subjects, and a special selection of refreshments! Pizza pre-orders will be taken between Tremors and Pacific Rim for pickup before midnight, and breakfast foods will be available after Aliens.
| 7:00 pm | - Tremors |
| 9:00 pm | - Pacific Rim |
| 11:45 pm | - pizza break |
| 12:30 am | - Aliens |
| 3:10 am | - a special surprise! |
| 4:00 am |
- Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie |
Read the full film descriptions and watch trailers at lsc.mit.edu!
Sponsor(s): LSC
Contact: Jacky Martin, 617-253-3791, lsc@mit.edu
3D Animation with Blender
Loren Sherman
Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: no programming or drawing experience required
Ever wondered how computer-generated imagery could be realistic enough that it's seamlessly integrated into films? How Pixar and Dreamworks generate entire lifelike movies without any live footage at all?
Well, it's easier than one would expect! And with Blender, a powerful open-source 3D animation and modeliing program, it's also free.
This course will cover the basics of using Blender in three sessions. Each one stands on its own, but if you attend all of them you'll be fully-equipped to start making your own CGI movies and special effects.
Please bring a charged laptop to class.
Sponsor(s): Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Contact: Loren Sherman, lsherman@mit.edu
| Jan/21 | Tue | 05:00PM-07:00PM | 12-142 |
Learn how to create 3D Models in Blender.
Loren Sherman
| Jan/24 | Fri | 05:00PM-07:00PM | 12-142 |
Learn how to work with textures and material properties.
Loren Sherman
| Jan/28 | Tue | 05:00PM-07:00PM | 12-142 |
Learn how to animate your models and integrate them with live-action footage.
Loren Sherman
ATS Movie Night
Staly Chin, Norman Cao
| Jan/15 | Wed | 07:00PM-11:00PM | Next House TFL |
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Come out and chill with us for ATS's midwinter movie marathon! Take a break from the intensity of IAP and relax while watching popular Asian movies! Don't understand Chinese? It's okay! English subtitles will be provided! Drop by anytime between 7pm-10pm at the Next House TFL!
Sponsor(s): Association of Taiwanese Students
Contact: Staly Chin, Next House TFL, (415) 308-4789, STALYC@MIT.EDU
Best of the 2013 European Short Film Festival at MIT
Kurt Fendt
| Jan/29 | Wed | 07:00PM-09:00PM | 6-120 |
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Watch a rarely seen selection of the best European short films from MIT's 2013 European Short Film Festival. These films give you a glimpse into contemporary short film productions from European film schools, young and established independent filmmakers, and European festivals. 12 films - many of them US premiers - that reflect the most compelling fiction, animation, documentary and experimental film from the 3-day festival in October 2013. A brief introduction will precede the screening.
Sponsor(s): Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Contact: Gabriella Horvath, 617-715-4480, ghorvath@mit.edu
Creating a Video Abstract of Your Research
John Freidah, Multimedia Specialist
| Jan/23 | Thu | 09:30AM-01:00PM | Room 3-333 |
Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Learn the basic skills to product a 3-minute video presenting your scientific research. This workshop is open to PhD students looking to produce a Dissertation Defense video summary, but is applicable to all those looking to communicate their research work. Topics will include: building concise narratives, using imagery effectively, the basics of photography and videography, studio lighting tips, recording clear sound, and editing examples using Adobe Premier CS6.
Please sign-up for the workshop by emailing John Freidah (jfreidah@mit.edu).
Sponsor(s): Mechanical Engineering
Contact: John Freidah, jfreidah@mit.edu
Documentary Screening: Passion for Life with Sir David Attenborough
Alexandra Krawiec, Documentary director
| Jan/22 | Wed | 05:30PM-07:30PM | 3-133 |
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
A documentary presenting Sir David Attenborough - a legendary BBC natural history film presenter, conservationist, and one of the world's greatest advocates for natural world preservation.
The screening will be followed by a discussion with director Alexandra Krawiec, who will reveal some of the most interesting moments of working on the film, and talk about the importance of role models in everyday life.
Sponsor(s): SpousesandPartners@mit
Contact: Alexandra Krawiec, al.krawiec@gmail.com
Ender's Game
Jacky Martin
Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Join Ender's Game Director Gavin Hood and VFX Supervisor (and MIT alum!) Matt Butler at 3pm in 32-123 for a lecture, "The Making of Ender's Game," followed by a screening of the film in 26-100 at 4pm sharp! Lecture attendees will receive a voucher for FREE admission to the film plus popcorn! General admission to the film is $4. Sponsored by MIT Space Systems Lab Zero Robotics.
In the near future, a hostile alien race has attacked Earth. If not for the legendary heroics of International Fleet Commander Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley), all would have been lost. In preparation for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Military are training only the best young children to find the future Mazer. Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy, but strategically brilliant boy is pulled out of his school to join the elite. Arriving at Battle School, Ender quickly and easily masters increasingly difficult war games, distinguishing himself and winning respect amongst his peers. Ender is soon ordained by Graff as the military's next great hope, resulting in his promotion to Command School. Once there, he's trained by Mazer Rackham, himself, to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and save the human race. Based on the best-selling, award winning novel by Orson Scott Card, also starring Hailee Steinfeld, Viola Davis, and Abigail Breslin.
Sponsor(s): LSC
Contact: Jacky Martin, W20-469, 617-253-3791, lsc@mit.edu
| Jan/17 | Fri | 03:00PM-03:45PM | 32-123 |
Join Ender's Game Director Gavin Hood and VFX Supervisor (and MIT alum!) Matt Butler at 3pm in 32-123 for a lecture, "The Making of Ender's Game," followed by a screening of the film in 26-100 at 4pm sharp! Lecture attendees will receive a voucher for FREE admission to the film plus popcorn! General admission to the film is $4. Sponsored by MIT Space Systems Lab Zero Robotics.
| Jan/17 | Fri | 04:00PM-06:00PM | 26-100 |
Join Ender's Game Director Gavin Hood and VFX Supervisor (and MIT alum!) Matt Butler at 3pm in 32-123 for a lecture, "The Making of Ender's Game," followed by a screening of the film in 26-100 at 4pm sharp! Lecture attendees will receive a voucher for FREE admission to the film plus popcorn! General admission to the film is $4. Sponsored by MIT Space Systems Lab Zero Robotics.
FILMIT: Engineer you Entertainment
Kate Wymbs, Theater Arts Minor 2014, FILMIT Producer
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: None
Participate in FILMIT: Engineer your Entertainment, an IAP Film Festival!
Part 1: Create short films.
Films should be 7-15 minutes in length, created by students, faculty, and affiliates. For more details, check out the website:
https://sites.google.com/site/filmfestmit/
Part 2: Watch and Judge Short Films
The best films will be shown in 1-190 and 10-250 in the third week of IAP (January 23-24, respectively) and judged by the audience. (Audience please bring a phone for electronic voting. )
Contact: Kate Wymbs, (609) 661-0671, FILMIT@mit.edu
| Jan/23 | Thu | 07:00PM-09:30PM | 1-190 |
Depending on submission volume, either the first half of films will be shown on Day 1, or the films will be shown for the first time. An announcement will be made, closer to the date of premier.
Kate Wymbs - Theater Arts Minor 2014, FILMIT Producer
| Jan/24 | Fri | 07:00PM-09:30PM | 10-250 |
Depending on submission volume, either the second half of films will be shown on Day 2, or the films will be shown for the second time. An announcement will be made, closer to the date of premier.
Kate Wymbs - Theater Arts Minor 2014, FILMIT Producer
Harry Potter Movie Mash
MIT Marauders, Quidditch team
| Jan/25 | Sat | 07:00PM-10:00PM | 26-152, we might need to borrow laptops to project from |
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Don't you wish you could rewatch all 8 Harry Potter movies without it taking 17h29min (without counting food and bathroom breaks)!
The Quidditch team is organizing a movie mash to solve that problem. What's that? Exactly what it sounds like.
We'll be playing all 8 movies at once on different screens, and you can watch whichever one (or two or three) have something interesting happening at that moment. We're also hoping to find some weird coincidences - musics that match, scenes that mirror each other...
Dinner (and snacks) will be provided
Sponsor(s): MIT Quidditch
Contact: Delphine Kaiser, DSKAISER@MIT.EDU
Harry Potter Trivia Challenge
MIT Marauders, Quidditch Team
| Feb/01 | Sat | 05:00PM-07:00PM | 1-246 |
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Think you know everything there is to know about the Harry Potter world?
Come test your trivia knowledge against other Potterheads!
Feel free to join late or leave early.
There will be butterbeer and snacks.
Sponsor(s): MIT Quidditch
Contact: Delphine Kaiser, DSKAISER@MIT.EDU
Harry Potter, World War II & and War on Terror
Amanda Rothschild, PhD Student Political Science
Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/14
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Are the Harry Potter books just a fictional account of a fantastical wizarding world, or do the books offer a more nuanced political commentary on current and past international events? This course explores the political implications of the Harry Potter series, with a particular focus on parallels to World War II and the War on Terror. Topics explored include the sorting process, minority persecution, resistance movements, historical parallels to Death Eaters, and similarities between violence in the Harry Potter series and terrorism today. All students are welcome, but ideally students would have read all seven books or be familiar with the films. Wizarding robes are optional, but encouraged.
Sponsor(s): Political Science
Contact: Amanda Rothschild, rothscaa@mit.edu
| Jan/27 | Mon | 06:30PM-08:00PM | Location TBD |
The series begins and ends with significant emphasis on the sorting process. How does Rowling define courage and why might that definition be important? What does Dumbledore mean when he says we must choose between what is right and what is easy? Why do readers assume Hufflepuffs are not as capable as others? Why is ambition the quality associated with the darkest house and what are the implications of that association?
| Jan/29 | Wed | 06:30PM-08:00PM | Location TBD |
We discuss parallels between Muggle-borns and other persecuted minorities throughout history with a particular focus on the persecution of Jews during the Holocaust. Discussion may include the Muggle-born registry, racial purity in the series, ideology of Lord Voldemort, Grindelwald and "the greater good," racially derogatory terminology, Snatchers and the Gestapo, Death Eaters and the Nazi Party, and other topics.
| Jan/30 | Thu | 06:30PM-08:00PM | Location TBD |
Are the tactical axioms of Death Eaters similar to those of terrorist organizations? How do attacks by Death Eaters mirror terrorist attacks? How does the Ministry of Magic's response to the return of Lord Voldemort, under both Minister Fudge and Minister Scrimgeour, parallel the response of governments to terrorist attacks?
| Jan/31 | Fri | 06:30PM-08:00PM | Location TBD |
Is moral courage a central theme? Who are the courageous in the series? Which characters resist evil and how do they do it? What does it mean to value courage, fairness, wit, or ambition most? Is Dumbledore correct that we are defined not by our abilities, but by our choices? How do we apply this lesson to our life at MIT and beyond?
I love the 80s & 90s - Cult Classics: When Women Ruled the Big Screen
Heidy Gonzalez, WGS Program Manager
Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/13
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: Register at http://wgsiap.weebly.com
Before Sex in the City, Twilight and The Hunger Games became movie franchises, we had a long history of strong, complicated, and kick-ass leading women in film. Feminist film critics often lament the end of the "good old days" when women were presented as strong, capable, intelligent and complex characters (you know…human). During this IAP series we will examine the portrayal of women in cult classic films of the 80s and 90s. After the films we will ask: How were women portrayed in these films? What messages did we receive about what it meant to be a young woman during that time? What are the major themes of the films? Has anything changed since then? How are people of color portrayed in these films? Um, are there people of color in these films? What stereotypes are maintained and/or challenged in these films? Did these film break any barriers? Finally, why do these films have such a strong cult following?
Sponsor(s): Women's and Gender Studies, Student Activities Office
Contact: Heidy Gonzalez, 14E-316, 617 253-2642, HEIDY@MIT.EDU
| Jan/15 | Wed | 05:00PM-08:00PM | Cheney Room (3-310) |
- When Molly Ringwald ruled the world.
Sixteen Candles (1984) and The Breakfast Club (1985)
| Jan/17 | Fri | 05:00PM-08:00PM | Cheney Room (3-310) |
- The Dangers of Babysitting.
Adventures in Babysitting (1987) and Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991)
| Jan/22 | Wed | 05:00PM-08:00PM | Cheney Room (3-310) |
- What do young women want?
Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985) and Teen Witch (1989)
| Jan/24 | Fri | 05:00PM-08:00PM | Cheney Room (3-310) |
-Kicking ass and taking names.
The Terminator (1984) and Alien (1979)
| Jan/27 | Mon | 05:00PM-08:00PM | Cheney Room (3-310) |
-Going rogue: female assassins.
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) and Point of No Return (1993)
| Jan/29 | Wed | 05:00PM-08:00PM | Cheney Room (3-310) |
-The beginning of the end?
Thelma and Louise (1991) and Wonder Women: The Untold Story of American Superheroines (2012)
Jerusalem: Movie and Dinner
Marissa Feinman, Director of Student Life and Programming, Hillel, Ora Gladstone, Coordinator of the Addir Fellows Program
| Jan/30 | Thu | 03:45PM-07:30PM | Museum of Science, Meet at the museum, travel together to dinner |
Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Prereq: must pre register for ticket price to be covered
Enjoy this film in the company of an interfaith MIT field trip! After viewing the film at the Museum of Science we'll travel back to MIT and discuss our experience over a delicious free dinner.
Please click here to register in advance.
Film Description: The Promised Land for the Jews, the Holy Land to Christians, and the Land of the Prophets to the Muslim world.
Explore for the first time in IMAX this crossroads of civilization and faith. Jerusalem is an historic media initiative that comprises a spectacular giant screen film and a multi-year, multi component public education programme.
The film will convey the story of Jerusalem in all its beauty and diversity, illuminating global public opinion and understanding about Jerusalem on a vast scale. We seek to present an exceptional vision of Jerusalem – as a city of universal historical, spiritual, cultural and archaeological importance – and to promote, with unprecedented impact, tolerance and goodwill between Jews, Christians and Muslims.
Sponsor(s): Hillel, Addir Fellows Interfaith Dialogue, MIT - Israel
Contact: Marissa Feinman, (617) 253-2982, mfeinman@mit.edu
Making a TV Show Without the TV
Dazza Greenwood, Visiting Scientist
Enrollment: Come to 1st session or please contact project lead to join later
Limited to 10 participants
Attendance: Attend relevant sessions and we can schedule flexibly in advance.
This project is to create a web-based participatory "show" in the style of a television variety show. The content focus is "Social Physics and the New Field of Data Science" featuring ideas of Media Lab Professor Sandy Pentland's new Social Physics site and book. The show will be made of short segments, including mini interviews with experts, fun segments like "person on the street views on big data" and a design challenge engaging participants in design and innovation.
The IAP project will be led by Dazza Greenwood of the MIT Media Lab and co-led by Stephanie Rowe of the Sloan School. In-person sessions will be hosted at the Media Lab but most sessions will be conducted online.
Participatory functions and features of the show will be melded with the content and the intended user experience path. The collaborative services and tools initially expected include Google Hangouts, TouchCast, Twitter, GitHub and a CMS such as Wordpress or Drupal to act as a front end frame for the show. The design challenge will focus on the process of innovation and exploring methods and mechanisms that catalyze creativity.
This project is appropriate for people interested in developing a) web-based tv production and online engagement, b) the topic of data science and "Social Physics", which is the substantive content of the show, or c) engaging people in design and innovation.
For more information on this project, see: ecitizen.mit.edu/TheShow
Sponsor(s): Media Arts and Sciences
Contact: Daniel "Dazza" Greenwood, JD, E15-384b, 617-500-3644, dazza@media.mit.edu
| Jan/08 | Wed | 01:30PM-02:30PM | E15-384b / Lounge, Bring laptop |
| Jan/14 | Tue | 03:30PM-04:15PM | Online, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready |
| Jan/21 | Tue | 03:30PM-04:15PM | Online, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready |
| Jan/28 | Tue | 03:30PM-04:15PM | E15-384b / Lounge, Bring laptop |
The weekly project standup meetings focus on production planning and review. The kickoff meeting is for introductions, questions/ideas/discussion, selection of project roles and we will demo an ultra-fast example of a complete production cycle showing how a segment is created, published and managed in a minimal prototype format. Our workflow enables project and production work to happen mostly online.
Stephanie Rowe - Sloan Fellow, Dazza Greenwood - Visiting Scientist
| Jan/10 | Fri | 01:30PM-02:30PM | Online Session, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready |
| Jan/17 | Fri | 01:30PM-02:30PM | Online Session, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready |
| Jan/24 | Fri | 01:30PM-02:30PM | Online Session, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready |
| Jan/29 | Wed | 01:30PM-02:30PM | Online Session, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready |
| Jan/30 | Thu | 01:30PM-02:30PM | Online Session, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready |
| Jan/31 | Fri | 01:30PM-02:30PM | Online Session, Have High bandwidth, mic/headphones & apps ready |
The Video/Web Content Production Sessions focus on a) producing, post-producing and provisioning video and other media assets for the show, b) managing participant questions/contributions and c) administering/managing the online sites, apps and services comprising the show. The show workflow enables all these activities to be conducted online allowing participants to be physically dispersed.
Stephanie Rowe - Sloan Fellow, Dazza Greenwood - Visiting Scientist
Media and Ethics
Mine Gencel Bek, Visiting Fulbright Professor
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Sign-up and continuous attendance appreciated but not required
Seminar focusing on media and ethics will cover the most prominent issues such as the philosophical foundations, theoretical approaches and journalistic guidelines. Each session will consist of 50 minutes of presentation, followed by discussion. In the final session, participants will have the opportunity to present their own case studies.
Taught by Visiting Fulbright Professor Mine Gencel Bek, professor at the Department of Journalism, Faculty of Communication, Ankara University. Her publications cover a wide range of issues: the political economy of Turkish media; the media policies in the European Union and Turkey; media professionals and textual analysis of news in press and TV on issues such as tabloidization and representation of women and children. Common to all of her work is criticism of unethical practices of irresponsible media and the call for the democratization of societies for freedom and equality, and the democratization of the media, with a special focus on journalism.
Sponsor(s): Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Contact: Rebecca Shepardson, BSHEP@MIT.EDU
| Jan/08 | Wed | 02:00PM-04:00PM | 4-144 |
Philosophical foundations of ethics and communication ethics
| Jan/15 | Wed | 02:00PM-04:00PM | 4-144 |
Journalism ethics: Theoretical approaches (classical, dialogical and social responsibility)
| Jan/22 | Wed | 02:00PM-04:00PM | 4-144 |
Journalism guidelines. Peace journalism and ethics.
| Jan/29 | Wed | 02:00PM-04:00PM | 4-144 |
Presentation and discussion of case studies of participants
Participatory and Interactive Documentary Workshop, Taught by Emmy Award Winning Pioneer Kat Cizek
Katerina Cizek, Visiting Artist
Enrollment: Please submit the following form: http://goo.gl/6AanUQ
Limited to 21 participants
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
Explore how technology enables new forms of storytelling and public engagement.
This 4 day workshop, intended for anyone with an interest in collaborative storytelling and innovative research methods, will cover participatory methods, social and digital tools, and best practices in cross-disciplinary approaches of digital documentary.
The workshop covers the basics of building media projects with partners that aim to change worldviews, lives, policies, conditions, and tell good stories too. In this highly interactive workshop, you’ll learn about proven methods, projects and experiences, and we’ll brainstorm your own ideas and projects to develop concrete strategic plans.
You’ll focus on:
Developing deep partnerships/collaborations
Reviewing the scope of what's possible in digital storytelling
Turning ideas into awesome projects
Identifying political and social goals
Understanding audiences and communities
Telling hyper-local documentary stories with universal appeal
Web-docs 101 - where to start
Creative financing and outreach
Sustainability
The mornings will feature lectures, screening and presentations: Visiting Artist Kat Cizek will share research findings and tool-kits around ethics and methodologies from over 8 years of practice, including the most recent project, a collaboration with the New York Times, “A Short History of the Highrise.” The afternoons feature structured break outs into small groups to discuss/develop your own ideas for collaborative projects.
Sponsor(s): Comparative Media Studies/Writing, Office of the Arts
Contact: Meg Rotzel, mrotzel@mit.edu
| Jan/27 | Mon | 10:00AM-12:00PM | E15-335 |
| Jan/28 | Tue | 10:00AM-12:00PM | E15-335 |
| Jan/29 | Wed | 10:00AM-12:00PM | E15-335 |
| Jan/30 | Thu | 10:00AM-12:00PM | E15-335 |
Katerina Cizek - Visiting Artist
| Jan/27 | Mon | 02:00PM-05:00PM | E15-335 |
| Jan/28 | Tue | 02:00PM-05:00PM | E15-335 |
| Jan/29 | Wed | 02:00PM-05:00PM | E15-335 |
| Jan/30 | Thu | 02:00PM-05:00PM | E15-335 |
Katerina Cizek - Visiting Artist
Project Mars: Screening and Panel Discussion
Alexandra Krawiec, Documentary film director
| Jan/29 | Wed | 02:30PM-05:00PM | 3-133 |
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Screening of “Project Mars” a documentary presenting analogue field mission which took place in the northern Sahara near Erfud Morroco. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with film director Alexandra Krawiec and Gernot Gromer, the Austrian Space Forum President, who will join live via the Internet connection to talk about space exploration.
Sponsor(s): SpousesandPartners@mit
Contact: Alexandra Krawiec, al.krawiec@gmail.com
Quidditch!
MIT Marauders, Quidditch team
| Jan/08 | Wed | 02:00PM-04:00PM | (CANCELED) | |
| Jan/12 | Sun | 02:00PM-04:00PM | Z center MAC courts | |
| Jan/15 | Wed | 02:00PM-04:00PM | (CANCELED) | |
| Jan/22 | Wed | 02:00PM-04:00PM | Z center MAC courts | |
| Jan/26 | Sun | 02:00PM-04:00PM | Z center MAC courts | |
| Jan/29 | Wed | 02:00PM-04:00PM | Z center MAC courts |
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Repeating event, particpants welcome at any session
Have you ever wanted to play Quidditch, the magical sport from Harry Potter? Now's your chance! Come play with us, no experience necessary!
Sundays and Wednesdays 2-4pm. Feel free to choose a day, or come to more than one! There might even be butterbeer...
This year, we're playing inside, and away from the cold! There will be signs pointing you to the courts from the Z-center entrance.
Sponsor(s): MIT Quidditch
Contact: Delphine Kaiser, DSKAISER@MIT.EDU
Rock the Lab Coat Video Contest Info-session
Fabiola Hernandez, IHP / RPP Assistant Officer, EHS
| Jan/06 | Mon | 03:00PM-04:00PM | N52-496A |
Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)
Help our MIT community embrace lab coat use, and earn some cash, by making a lab coat safety video! The MIT EHS Office is sponsoring a video contest open to the whole MIT community. The maximum video length is 4 minutes, yet an effective video could be of less duration. Videos will be judged by MIT Faculty and Staff on content, engagement, and entertainment. Awards will be presented at a screening show during the first week in February (first place $1000 and second place $500).
For more detailed information and registration visit his page: http://labcoats.mit.edu/contest
An info-session will be held on Monday, the 6th of January.
Be creative and have some fun while helping our MIT community foster a culture of safety and rock the lab coat.
Sponsor(s): Environment, Health and Safety Office
Contact: Fabiola Hernandez, N52-496, 617-253-9494, fabiolah@mit.edu
Scientists and other Primates in Films
Shira Shmuely
| Jan/28 | Tue | 04:00PM-07:00PM | E17-128 |
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
One three hours session on the topic of primates and scientists in films. We'll watch and discuss selected scenes from the films: Primate, directed by Frederick Wiseman (1974); Rise of the Planet of the Apes, by Rupert Wyantt (2011)and Project Nim, by James Marsh (2011). We'll examine the way human-animal dichotomy is constructed in these films, with a special attention given to the role played by science and scientists.
Addressing these questions, we'll pay attention to the peculiarities of the cinematic medium in reinforcing, or challenging the cultural borders between humans and other animals. For example, how the distance of the camera from its subjects, the close uups and the cuts produce an effect of closeness or alienation of the human spectator from the nonhuman animal "actor"?
Sponsor(s): Science, Technology, and Society
Contact: Shira Dina Shmuely, 917-912-2036, sshmuely@mit.edu
Surveillance in Cultural Context: seven films
Jim Paradis, Professor of Comparative Media Studies and Writing
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Explore the culture of surveillance in modern society in a series of brilliant films about surveillance and modernity. Brief introductions and after-viewing discussions explore the rise of surveillance in the framework of shifting media regimes. Light snacks will be served.
Sponsor(s): Comparative Media Studies/Writing
Contact: Jim Paradis, jparadis@mit.edu
| Jan/07 | Tue | 06:00PM-08:30PM | 56-114 |
Futuristic sci-fi film of crime detection in a PreCrime Department (Tom Cruise) that apprehends criminals before they commit crimes. (2002), directed by Steven Spielberg (145 min)
| Jan/14 | Tue | 06:00PM-08:30PM | 56-114 |
Pursuit of a compulsive child killer (Peter Lorre) in pre-WWII Berlin in a growing web of police, neighborhood, and underworld surveillance practices concludes with an injunction to "keep closer watch over the children." (1931), directed by Fritz Lang (111 min)
| Jan/16 | Thu | 06:00PM-08:30PM | 56-114 |
East German Stasi officer (Ulrich Muhne) oversees the surveillance of a state-approved playwright's East Berlin apartment and becomes emotionally entangled with his subject in a milieu in which everyone monitors everyone. (2006), directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmark (138 min)
| Jan/21 | Tue | 06:00PM-08:30PM | 56-114 |
Professional photographer (James Stewart), incapacitated with an injury, passes the time monitoring neighbors with binoculars during a summer heatwave and stumbles on what seems to be a murder scene in a milieu of suspicious neighbors. (1954), directed by Alfred Hitchcock, (112 min)
| Jan/23 | Thu | 06:00PM-08:30PM | 56-114 |
Surveillance expert (Gene Hackman) descends into a informational hall of mirrors, as he misinterprets a conversation and unwittingly sets the stage for a murder. (1974), directed by Francis Ford Coppola (113 min)
| Jan/28 | Tue | 06:00PM-08:30PM | 56-114 |
Out of control NSA agents engage in political assassination, which is inadvertently recorded and then followed by a surveillance/counter surveillance extravaganza that entangles a lawyer (Will Smith) whose identity and reputation are destroyed. (1998), directed by Tony Scott (132 min)
| Jan/30 | Thu | 06:00PM-08:30PM | 56-114 |
Documentary exploration of the hacktavist culture of Anonymous and its modeling of surveillance and action by the many against organizations and state-supported institutions. (2012), directed by Brian Knappenberger (93 min)
The Films of Michelangelo Frammartino
Generoso Fierro
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: None
Before each feature we will screen a selected short from director Frammartino
including a segment from of his most recent short, "Alberi".
Saturday January 11th at 7PM.
Il Dono (The Gift) 73 minutes
Frammartino's first feature's is notable for its measured pace and subtle
approach to storytelling. The long, largely static shots first appear reluctant
to divulge anything beyond what we see: a Calabrian village, the surrounding
countryside, old farmhouses, a car or bike climbing a hill, people walking
slowly along narrow streets, faces.
No dialog
Aspect ration: 4:3
Sunday January 12th at 7PM
Le Quattro Volte (The Four Times) 88 minutes
Frammartino's second feature film, Le Quattro Volte ("The Four Times"), is a
sort of documentary about life in the awesomely beautiful but impoverished
southern area of Calabria from where his family originally moved north.
Specifically it's about the remote mountain town of Caulonia, though it is only
named in the final credits.
No dialog
Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1
Event is FREE, no signup required and sponsored by The European Short Film
Festival at MIT
Contact: Generoso Fierro, generoso@mit.edu
| Jan/11 | Sat | 07:00PM-09:00PM | 6-120 |
| Jan/12 | Sun | 07:00PM-09:00PM | 6-120 |
Generoso Fierro
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