#also this has been in my drafts since sep 22 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

dru-reblogs-stuff · 3 years ago

Text

Check in tag!

Thanks for the tag @corkytheguar :D

1. Why did you choose your url?

My main is DruidX, which has been my handle on nearly every single platform ever since.... well, since the World Wide Web became a feasible thing to have in one’s home ^.^; Because this is the blog to which all other random interesting things are thrown, I thought I’d keep in theme with “Dru reblogs stuff”, for I am Dru... and I am reblogging stuff XD

2. Any sideblogs? If you have them name them and why you have them?

Technically @/dru-reblogs-stuff is a sideblog already. It gets more personal stuff, and also everything I like that’s interesting to me. I keep thinking I should narrow it down further though, and make seperate fashion & star wars blogs, because I rb that stuff on the regular...

@/druidx is my main, and is my Writeblr blog, for, well, all my writing, other people’s writing, and writing related advice/ resources.

@/dru-plays-starbound is the blog I used to rb Starbound stuff, and also post my starbound builds to. I haven’t updated it in a while, thought there’s lots of stuff still to post... I just haven’t had the inclination to fight with a graphics program and screenshots.

@/nine-blessed-hero breaks my naming scheme sadly, but this is now my dedicated Elder Scrolls blog, for art and fanfic. It’s also not as well kept as I would like it to be (I’ve got 600 items in draft to read though and comment on, so it’s slow going).

Finally there is the essentially abandoned @/things-my-rm-says-to-her-lego. This started as an out-of-context quote blog for things my roommate muttered while sorting/ building the old Lego her parents dropped off ~October 2020. I have no idea what to do with it now said roommate is no longer saying strange things to her Lego...

3. How long have you’ve been on tumblr?

I’ve just passed my one year anniversary, 18 May -- or at least, the anniversary of my first post which I’m sure was made only a week or so after I joined. Basically I joined up not long after the Lockdown was made official in the UK.

4. Do you have a queue tag?

Yes! It’s just “q”, because I am both lazy and basic.

5. Why did you start your blog in the first place?

As mentioned above, I joined not long after the Lockdown was made official in the UK. Because I had more time, I was looking back at old works and wanting both to share them and to get advice on how to get better. I’d heard somewhere that Tumblr was to writing as DeviantArt is to art, so I figured I may as well join and see what I could get out of the experience. Again, because I suddenly had more time, I bought TESIV: Oblivion on Steam and started to get into TESblr as well as Writeblr (which incidentally, is how I met the wonderful Corky ^.^).

6. Why did you choose your icon?

I wanted something that reflected my interests (boy do I love Tea :D), but also wasn’t fussy, so I found a site filled with free SVG icons and picked this one out. I’ve had a lot of complements on it, so clearly it was a good choice ^.^ I’ve tried to keep the theme of teapots over all my blogs.

7. Why did you choose your header?

I don’t think any of my blogs have a header because I just couldn’t find anything I liked?

8. What’s your post with the most notes?

Across them all, it’s a “Last Line Tag” game one, posted Sep 22 2020 with 328 notes.

9. How many mutuals do you have?

28, across the board.

10. How many followers do you have?

I feel that’s somewhat defeating the point of not having them public. Let’s just say I have enough.

11. How many people do you follow?

181; just enough to keep things interesting, but not enough to be overwhelmed.

12. Have you ever made a shitpost?

No; the most I’ve done would have been an incorrect quote.

13. How often do you use tumblr each day?

I’m currently working from home, so it’s a permanent fixture on one of my background virtual desktops, ready to be flipped over to when work is dull or when I’m procrastinating writing.

14. Did you have a fight/argument with another blog once? Who won?

I think someone tried to insinuate I’d offended them once, but they hid in the tags and I could never work out if it was my tags they were arguing against, or the post in general (it was a rb). But generally no; I’m Internet Old and just done with the Drama so I don’t engage.

15. How do you feel about “you need to reblog this” posts?

They can jog on. If I think it’s important, then I will chose to rb it, but telling me I’m a horrible person if I don’t? That’s a surefire way to ensure I dislike you and your cause, and will ignore you out of spite.

16. Do you like tag games?

<Points to this post> I fuckin’ love tag game, my dude. I’m bad at doing them sometimes, but I honestly adore when people are thinking about enough to say “You know who’d want to do this? Dru!”.

17. Do you like ask games?

Slightly less so, because again, I’m bad at keeping up with these things, and a full askbox hangs over my head like the sword of Damocles. But that you chose to poke me with a question about me or my writing that you’re curious about, well; it does warm my heart.

18. Which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

im-a-seraph-winging-it, rewrit, adelinewriting (though she’s no longer on Tumblr) maybe? idk ^.^; I guess not knowing is one of the nicer things about Tumblr; it makes everything a little more personal.

19. Do I have a crush on a mutual?

Yes. I’m not saying who (it’s sort of embarrassing to be the age I am and have a crush), but they have a unique and exquisite writing style, and I care for it very much.

20. Tags?

I’ll do my usual bods: @aquadestinyswriting @alias-levi , but I’m also curious about @homesteadchronicles @writtenbyrain and @scribeofred (0 pressure tho! I know this is an unsolicited tag)

#tag game #personal

4 notes · View notes

junker-town · 5 years ago

Text

What to know about Kyle Allen, the Panthers’ QB for now

Kyle Allen is filling in as the Panthers’ starting quarterback while Cam Newton is injured.

Allen is a former five-star recruit who’s had to come a long way to get to backing up Cam Newton.

Kyle Allen probably didn’t expect to be Carolina’s starting quarterback. But that’s exactly where he finds himself for the second week in a row, this time heading into the Panthers’ matchup on the road against the Houston Texans. Cam Newton suffered a foot injury in the preseason that he re-aggravated during Week 2 against the Buccaneers, leaving Allen in control of the offense for at least another week.

During his first start against the Arizona Cardinals, Allen went 19-of-26 passing for 261 yards and a whopping four touchdowns while leading his team to their first win of the season. One of his most impressive highlights came when he avoided pressure and completed this back-shoulder touchdown throw:

Curtco leaves him in the dust here #CARvsAZ | #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/GIxlPJcYR4

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 22, 2019

Even after his big performance in that game, Allen still might not be a familiar name to NFL fans. But he has a unique backstory that makes his journey to starting quarterback pretty cool.

Allen, a former five-star prospect, crossed paths with NFL starting QBs before making it to the league.

Allen, out of Scottsdale, Arizona, was the No. 1 pro-style prospect from the 2014 class. Despite holding offers from blue bloods like Alabama, Ohio State, and Notre Dame, he committed to Texas A&M, where Kevin Sumlin was the head coach at the time.

Allen and current Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson were in the same recruiting class together. Watson was the No. 1 dual-threat QB prospect from their class, and they were both in the Elite 11 QB class.

During Allen’s true freshman season in 2014, he started the Aggies’ final five games of the season, replacing Kenny Hill. As a starter, he threw for 1,058 yards, 13 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He won the Liberty Bowl MVP Award with his performance against WVU at the end of the season, too.

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

In 2015, Allen earned the starting job at the beginning of the season, but ended up splitting time with fellow Aggie Kyler Murray (who yes, later transferred to Oklahoma). Murray, a true freshman at the time, started two games before Allen took back the job late in the season. Both QBs ended up transferring out of College Station, with Allen moving on to Houston.

Allen’s tenure in Houston went less than ideally, and his draft stock wasn’t very high as a result.

He sat out in 2016 due to NCAA transfer rules, and played in just five games for the Cougars, throwing four touchdowns and four interceptions before getting benched for backup Kyle Postma in 2017. With three years of playing under his belt, Allen opted to declare for the 2018 NFL Draft.

His decision to come out early came as a bit of a surprise, but D’Eriq King was already on Houston’s roster as a sophomore that same year, so Allen likely wouldn’t have gotten much playing time if he stuck around. Rather than take the grad transfer route, Allen decided to forgo his remaining eligibility, despite his college career never matching the hype he had as a recruit.

Here was Underdog Dynasty on what his strengths were as a prospect:

There’s a reason why he was a top recruit coming out of high school: his arm. Allen possesses a strong arm and is capable of making any throw. He made a number of throws that were put where only his receiver could get it, including many deep shots placed perfectly. His arm strength also allows him to make off balance throws when pressure is in his face. When he’s given the time to make a play downfield, he can make accurate throws at any level. Even when pressured, he still showed the ability to make tough throws and not panic.

Allen doesn’t get too antsy in the pocket, and his body seems calm when scanning the field. There isn’t a ton of wasted movement in his throwing motion. He does a good job of squaring his shoulders when rolling out, but also isn’t afraid to tuck and run. He doesn’t have blazing speed, but has enough to gain yards when in trouble.

Allen didn’t earn an invite to the NFL Combine and with three sparingly played years experience, going undrafted seemed like the most likely outcome for him. As expected, Allen didn’t hear his named called in the draft, but he signed with Carolina as a free agent in May 2018.

His time with the Panthers has had its ups and downs.

Allen was released and then re-signed by the Panthers (mostly on the practice squad) five times before being brought up to the active roster in December while Newton dealt with a shoulder injury. He got his first start in the final game of the season after Newton’s backup, Taylor Heinicke, got hurt the week prior.

“I think as an undrafted quarterback in this league, you got to keep betting on yourself because no one else is going to,” Allen said of his journey. “For me, it was just about betting on myself, coming in, playing as consistently as possible every single day. Practice, games, preseason, whatever it was.”

He made his starting debut during Carolina’s Week 17 win over New Orleans in 2018. Although the Saints were resting their starters before the playoffs, Allen played well and threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns.

Allen wasn’t guaranteed a roster spot heading into the offseason, though. He had to beat out third-round draft pick Will Grier, who the Panthers selected in April. Grier had a much more successful college career than Allen while at West Virginia, but Allen had a leg up in terms of NFL experience.

“This year, it’s more like, I’ve been preparing for this,” Allen said of stepping into his role via the Charlotte Observer. “This is my job. I’m a No. 2 quarterback. If I have to go in and play, this is literally what I get paid for.

Allen started the preseason as the No. 2 QB, and he managed to hang on to the job.

Just how far Allen has to take Carolina depends on just how long Newton remains injured.

There’s no timetable for Newton’s return, though some reports suggest he could be out upwards of at least a month. SB Nation’s Geoff Schwartz believes there could potentially be a QB controversy if Allen keeps performing the way he did, but still thinks it’s unlikely:

While Allen has now started and won two games in his career (including Week 17 last season) and has thrown six touchdowns and zero interceptions, I’m going to hold off on the hype train for him. He’s only played a half-effort Saints team last year and one of the worst teams in the NFL this year.

However, if Allen keeps this up, there will be a quarterback issue in Carolina. Do the Panthers go back to Newton or stick with the youngster? I think Newton will get the job back whenever he’s ready to return, which won’t be in Week 4.

Allen showed good ball placement on some key throws against the Cardinals. On the other hand, Panthers blog Cat Scratch Reader points out that Arizona’s defense is pretty terrible, so his big performance should be taken with a slight grain of salt.

It’s not impossible for Allen to overtake Newton, especially since his contract is up after the 2020 season (and the Panthers would only be on the hook for $2 million if they cut him after this season). But that would take a lot more of Allen getting hotter and Newton struggling significantly.

Newton is supporting Allen in the meantime:

View this post on Instagram

A message from Cam #KeepPounding

A post shared by Carolina Panthers (@panthers) on Sep 25, 2019 at 5:15pm PDT

For now, it’s Allen’s team until Newton can return, and he can help his cause with another good game in Week 4. Allen will be back in Houston going up against Watson a week after going up against other former teammates, Murray and Christian Kirk, last week.

View this post on Instagram

This time last year, I was watching this guy play the Seahawks from the nosebleeds of Cardinals Stadium. ⁣ ⁣ Finally got to be back on the same field again ✊ ⁣ ⁣ All love 13!⁣ #NeverGiveUp ⁣ ⁣ ⁣

A post shared by Kyle Allen (@kyleallen_10) on Sep 23, 2019 at 5:48pm PDT

Watson and Allen are still friendly with one another, even today, and it should be a treat to see them together

“I actually was throwing with him this summer in Los Angeles,” Allen said via the Panthers.

“Honestly, I look up to him as a quarterback,” Allen said of Watson. “I think he’s got it really figured out.”

Unlike Watson, Allen may have been thrown into the fire unexpectedly, but he’s had confidence since he was younger:

Kyle Allen was a big fan of Roger Staubach growing up. His dad knew him. Staubach sent him an autographed picture. “And my cocky 10-year-old butt sent him a signed picture back.”

— Joe Person (@josephperson) September 18, 2019

We’ll see how far that confidence can take him this season.

0 notes

elizabethcariasa · 6 years ago

Text

New filing season + new tax law = new Form 1040, schedules

Just like the Highlander character of film and television fame, the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act under which we're now filing our 2018 tax returns says there can be only one. One Form 1040, that is.

The Internal Revenue Service today begins processing millions, if you go by the agency's prior filing season data, of early-filed tax returns.

IRS staff are going to face more than the usual filing season chaos since most of them are coming back to work after 35 days of being shutout. (Short story: Get ready for some delays.)

Filers, too, are in for some challenges.

Now only did the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) make the most changes to the tax code in more than 30 years, the documents we use to comply with the tax laws have been revised, too.

I took a look at the Schedule A that itemizing taxpayers use in my earlier filing checklist post. Today, here's a review of the new — and now only — Form 1040.

There can be only one: Yes, Highlander fans, the "only one" catch phrase also now applies to the form that we use to report our annual income to the IRS.

In the past, we had a choice of three 1040s: the long 1040, which has been around since the dawn of what we call the modern tax code in 1913; the slightly shorter 1040A; and, as the name implied, easiest to complete 1040EZ.

Now everyone one, regardless of how simple or complicated their tax situation, will use Form 1040.

And despite decades of promising a postcard-size tax return, the TCJA didn't quite get us there.

Rather, the new 1040 is about the size of an over-sized postcard. OK, so the politicians sort of kept their promise. Sorta.

But it has lines to complete on both sides. So it really can't be sent in like a postcard.

And that also-promised tax simplification? It doesn't show up in the new 1040.

This reduction in Form 1040 tax entries — the new document goes from the prior form's 79 numbered lines to 23 — means that many taxpayers will have to use one or more of the new schedules associated with the revised Form 1040.

3 1040 forms 1040 - 2 = 6 new tax documents: How many new schedules?

By consolidating three prior 1040 forms into one, the TCJA new forms math means the IRS has created six new numbered schedules. I'll get to these a bit later, promise!

And these new forms are in addition to the existing lettered schedules like Schedules A, B, C, D, E and F.

Now you're starting to realize why you use tax software or take your taxes to a professional for preparation and filing. And that federal lawmakers don't know the definition of simple.

Realistically, the good news is that a lot of us will only need to file the new Form 1040 without any added schedules. (Not the hubby and me. Our taxes, like our life together, is way too complicated, but that's for another post. Maybe even another whole blog. But I digress.)

So why, you probably are asking right about now, should you keep reading?

Because I'm still somewhat old-school when it comes to taxes. I long ago learned that by examining the forms, you get a good idea of the tax laws and sometimes even a glimpse into the tax policy that created them.

If that interests you — and I hope, since you're here at the ol' blog, it does — buckle up. Here goes!

Form 1040: First, a look at the new 1040 itself. The IRS released a draft version last summer to generally scathing reviews.

After taking that criticism and additional comments into account, the tax agency gave us an early Christmas present (yes, that holiday is kind of weird in our house) with last December's release of the new tax year 2018 Form 1040.

That's the new 1040 atop the older version below.

If you want an up-close-and-personal look, you can download the new Form 1040 and its instructions.

Here are some highlights.

New Form 1040 Page 1: There are several items that are the same on the new Form 1040. Most notably, atop this revised tax return are the same blocks, although resized in some cases, you've always seen.

They are where you enter your name, your spouse's name if you're married and filing a joint return and your Social Security number(s).

You still choose a filing status.

And you still tell Uncle Sam about the folks you can claim as tax dependents.

Your health care coverage info now goes on page 1. Yes, that Affordable Care Act (ACA), aka Obamacare, requirement is still there. The Republican removal of the reporting requirement didn't take effect until this year, so you won't have to worry about it when you file your 2019 taxes next year.

But for 2018, you still have to mark the checkbox that's moved from page 2 to page 1 to tell Uncle Sam that you had acceptable medical coverage last year or were exempt from having to buy a policy.

A quick tip here. If you're still searching the new Form 1040 for where to enter your personal exemptions amount, stop. These write-offs were eliminated by the TCJA. Tax law change advocates say that most of us won't miss these amounts thanks to the new, larger standard deductions. We'll see.

After entering all that info, the new 1040 has a place for your signature (and your spouse's if you're married filing jointly), along with the date, your occupation and your Identity Protection PIN if you got one of these identifying numbers in connection with tax identity theft.

There's also the block for your paid tax preparer, if you used one, to enter his or her information and sign and date.

These signature blocks and associated info used to be on page 2.

A quick tip here. Even though this filing requirement now is on page 1, don't fill out these sections — that is, don't sign your return — until you've finished filing. An incomplete form that has a signature is like a blank check for an unscrupulous tax preparer.

As for the new 1040 page 2 …

New Form 1040 Page 2: All your income information that used to be on page 1 of Form 1040 now is on page 2, aka the back of the form if you printed it out.

The IRS still wants you to report on your 1040 all your wage and salary income, which generally is on the W-2 you get from your employer. This goes on line 1 of page 2.

You'll also enter on this line any tips, etc. you got. The specific "etc." considerations are detailed in the 1040 instructions.

A quick tip here. Don't add any earnings you got as a sole proprietor, contractor, freelancer or from gig jobs — basically the information you report on Schedule C or C-EZ, which are still around — on this first line of page 2. These amounts now are reported on Schedule 1 (more on all the new schedules in a minute), which essentially looks like the bulk of the page 1 lines on the old Form 1040, and go on the new Form 1040 line 6. Again, yay software and tax pros!

Some other sundry income items, such as tax-exempt interest, qualified and ordinary dividends, Social Security and other retirement benefits, are reported here, now on lines 2 through 5.

Small businesses will note line 9 is for the new qualified business income, aka Section 199A, deduction.

The TCJA enhanced child tax credit and new one for other dependents is on line 12. The still-in-place Earned Income Tax Credit and other credits for which you might qualify go on line 17.

And, oh yeah, the option to claim the tax-reform increased standard deduction amount is on line 8.

Amid all these entries and directions to subtract or add are places for your taxable income computation, as well as for any taxes you already paid, either through payroll withholding and/or estimated taxes and your ultimate total tax amount.

That tax figure will determine, based on how much you had withheld or submitted as 1040-ES quarterly payments, whether you'll get a refund (which will show up on line 19) or have to write the U.S. Treasury a check (that's now on line 22).

Migrating adjustments: Wait! What happened to those above-the-line deductions that used to be at the end of the old 1040 and helped cut your gross income to a lower adjusted gross income (AGI) amount, which is now line 7 on the new Form 1040?

Some of these write-offs are still around. But now they've moved to the new Schedule 1 (again, more on 2018 schedules in a minute).

You'll find on Schedule 1 this filing season the option to claim:

Educator expenses

Certain business expenses of reservists, performing artists, and fee-basis government officials (you'll still need to fill out Form 2106)

Health savings account deduction (and Form 8889)

Moving expenses for members of the Armed Forces (and Form 3903)

Deductible part of self-employment tax (and Schedule SE)

Self-employed SEP, SIMPLE and qualified plans

Self-employed health insurance deduction (NOT the ACA health insurance you checked off on page 1)

Penalty on early withdrawal of savings

Alimony paid and the spousal support recipient's Social Security number (yes, this isn't changed by the TCJA until 2019)

IRA deduction

Student loan interest deduction

A couple of lines are reserved in case Congress gets around to renewed some of these deductions, which were part of the tax extenders package that expired.

Whew! It's good to know these still are around, albeit on another form.

Six new schedules: Schedule 1 has gotten a couple of mentions in this discussion of the new Form 1040.

It's likely to be the most used of the new forms attached to the revised tax return lone form.

But we can't ignore the others. As threatened promised, the table below offers a quick synopsis, courtesy the IRS, of what's on all the new TCJA Form 1040 schedules. If you want to see specifics, just click the schedule name links to see the forms (in PDF format).

If you …

Then use …

Have additional income, such as capital gains, unemployment compensation, prize or award money, gambling winnings. Have any deductions to claim, such as student loan interest deduction, self-employment tax, educator expenses.

Schedule 1

Owe Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) or need to make an excess advance premium tax credit repayment.

Schedule 2

Can claim a nonrefundable credit other than the child tax credit or the credit for other dependents, such as the foreign tax credit, education credits, general business credit.

Schedule 3

Owe other taxes, such as self-employment tax, household employment taxes, additional tax on IRAs or other qualified retirement plans and tax-favored accounts.

Schedule 4

Can claim a refundable credit other than the earned income credit, American Opportunity Credit, or additional child tax credit. Have other payments, such as an amount paid with a request for an extension to file or excess social security tax withheld.

Schedule 5

Have a foreign address or a third-party designee other than your paid preparer.

Schedule 6

Are you ready to file now? Probably more like overwhelmed.

Final filing tips: But things should be manageable, especially if your use tax software or have a tax pro on retainer.

All you tax software users, just make sure that when you open it you do let it update so that you have all these and other IRS forms you might need this first year of filing under the new tax laws.

If instead you turn over your taxes to a professional, make sure you gather all the information that your tax preparer asks you to bring so he or she can get your return done properly and quickly.

And to all, taxpayers and the IRS alike, take a breath and be patient.

Advertisements

// &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ // &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;![CDATA[ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; // ]]&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

from Tax News By Christopher https://www.dontmesswithtaxes.com/2019/01/2019-filing-season-means-new-tax-laws-and-new-form-1040-and-schedulesllions-if-you-go-by-the-agencys-prior-filing-season-dat.html

0 notes

kenhattenbach-blog · 4 years ago

Text

As the Boulter House

PHILADELPHIA after being signed to a one year contract with the Eagles, quarterback Tim Tebow admitted to reporters Wednesday that firmly ingraining himself in Philadelphia charity scene probably constitutes his best shot of remaining with the team long term. I want to still be here beyond training camp, I have to be seriously involved with as many charities and nonprofits as possible right from the get go nfl jerseys, said Tebow, noting that he plans on committing his time to various children hospitals and food banks, as well as to every single one of the city Ronald McDonald House locations, in hopes of becoming a beloved, indispensable member of the Philadelphia community. No way this will last for more than a few preseason games unless I driving out to the local Boys and Girls Club with a box of signed youth size Tim Tebow jerseys every afternoon.

nfl jerseys Vote people, and get your heads out of your butts. I don't like Obama, and I don't like McCain, we shouldn't have to choose the lesser of two evils. We should have some common frickin sense and support people who try to walk the middle of both sides and is honestly interested in the country, not themselves. nfl jerseys

wholesale nfl jerseys from china For the pleasure of stamp collectors around the world, the United Nations issues its own stamps which can be used to mail cards and letters deposited inside UN Headquarters. Visitors can purchase official stamps and cards at the UN Stamp Shop located in the Visitor Centre. Visitors can also create their own UN stamps with photos taken at the Personalized Stamp Shop also located in the Visitor Centre. wholesale nfl jerseys from china

Cheap Jerseys free shipping This can open up space in the backcourt for your next play https://www.cheapjerseys168.com. This move can be played either forehand or backhand, and usually has a lot of wrist movement to it. 6. It hit us hard because we're generally about a 50 50 split between bar and restaurant. Fortunately, the Steelers aren't the only game in town. We get a lot of college basketball fans, hockey is big around here and the Penguins have been going deep into the playoffs, and then there's the Pirates well, maybe not so much the Pirates.. Cheap Jerseys free shipping

nfl jerseys "I'm sure their barn will be rocking," said UConn goalie Rob Nichols, who made 35 saves Nov. 5. "The first game, it's cool to look back on, but we know it's not going to be the same game. With 10 foot tall doors that lead out to a terrace that wraps around the house, hard to tell whether you are inside or outside, says owner Chuck Lohre, that was one of Mr. Wright signature styles. As the Boulter House, the structure falls under FLW moniker, meaning it simple, yet sleek. nfl jerseys

J aim cette partie de ma vie beaucoup. En fait, je tourne mon prochain louboutin shoes for women film ce sujet avec Valeria Bruni Tedeschi. A va tre une histoire d dit elle.. Define our post season challenge as finding narratives that takes our tremendous season long, local audiences, and draws them into the post season, even if their team is not there in the post season, Manfred said. Think that the narrative surrounding 68 years in Cleveland and 108 years in Chicago is exactly the recipe that we need to take that tremendous local fan interest that goes on all season long and draws it into the post season. And the rating last night was a first indication that that narrative is going to be powerful. wholesale jerseys from china

wholesale nfl jerseys Over the past two years it had looked like cooler, wiser heads had been prevailing in Dallas when they been presented with choices between flash and substance. This was most famously shown when the Cowboys passed on Johnny Manziel for some offensive lineman in the 2014 NFL draft, a pick that still annoyed Jerry Jones even after Manziel began his downward spiral in Cleveland. Meanwhile, that offensive lineman, Zack Martin, is now two for two in Pro Bowls and has a first team All Pro honor as well.. wholesale nfl jerseys

wholesale jerseys from china Big bottles means more space for vegetables and stronger roots. Those bottles are from office water cooler. Try recycling center for free!You mention the use of felt material but unless i missed something the material I see wrapped around the containers is Burlap, rough, open weave material. wholesale jerseys from china

Cheap Jerseys free shipping (Cindy Lozier), Dr. Maureen A. (Rogelio) Villageliu, Kathleen M. SEAT Ibiza gets a faceliftThe sharp new compact SEAT Ibiza is a pleasure to drive11:32 https://www.cheapjerseysaleusa.com, 18 MAY 2012Updated12:22, 27 SEP 2012Facelift: The front end has been freshened up Get daily updates directly to your inbox+ SubscribeThank you for subscribing!Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid EmailThe word joy should be banned in all marketing department meetings. First there was "Joy is BMW" and now SEAT has joined in with "Enjoyneering".Oh dear. Enjoyneering is plastered all over the brochure for the new SEAT Ibiza but, fortunately, I'd already driven the car and made up my mind about it before this corny marketing utterance could put me off the actual car.The new Ibiza is really a facelift, but since there wasn't much wrong with the previous car and the cosmetic job is rather good, that's not a problem. Cheap Jerseys free shipping

II A Brea Olinda Boys' Soccer Div. III Woodbridge Girls' Soccer Div. I Marina Wrestling (Individual Team) Div. At the time, Amnesty International wrote of the continued deterioration in the treatment of human rights advocates, journalists and lawyers in the run up to the Games, Human Rights Watch called the Beijing Olympics a catalyst for human rights abuses, and there were a few indignant grumbles when some foreigners were arrested for carrying signs about Tibet. But most of the politicians, celebrities and journalists in attendance said nothing about any of that. Foreign newspapers were as full of praise for China TMs Show of Power and Beijing TMs Exceptional Games as the Chinese press, and it is still generally accepted that the Beijing TMs Olympics inaugurated, somehow, China TMs entry onto the world stage wholesale jerseys.

0 notes

s0021858a2film · 7 years ago

Text

Post U. Creative Investigation Final Draft

Creative Investigation

This essay will focus on director Jim Jarmusch, an American independent filmmaker whose vast catalogue of films have been influential to the development of cinema as an art form and has inspired a myriad of artists. Journalist Peter Keogh outlines Jarmusch’s influence in an interview, stating to the director that ‘Since ‘Stranger Than Paradise’ your sensibility and style seem to be dominant in American independent film-making, and also in film-making around the world’. (Keogh, 1992). Despite Jarmusch’s critical acclaim he has not achieved the commercial acclaim he arguably deserves. His subversion of mainstream cinema in his films, such as in the vignette based Coffee and Cigarettes (2003), the culturally underground Stranger Than Paradise (1984), and the unconventional vampire genre piece Only Lovers Left Alive (2014), have led the way in countercultural filmmaking. Richard Dyer outlined the aspects of art films; they are edifying, elitist, refined and difficult to understand (Dyer, 1992). It’s Jarmusch’s sensibility as an artist and an auteur which has led to this overshadowing of critical acclaim over commercial acclaim.

Auteur theory was first introduced, by the Cahiers de Cinema critics such as Andre Bazin and Alexandra Astruc, as a way to distinguish the filmmaker as an author/auteur. French filmmaker Francois Truffaut coined the term ‘’la politique des auteurs’’ in ‘Une Certaine Tendance du Cinema Francais’, arguing that auteurs have a distinctive style established by consistent themes and ideas. The theory has been adopted by many critics, including American Andrew Sarris who, in Notes on Auteur Theory in 1962, established three circular premises of auteur theory: ‘the outer circle as technique; the middle circle, personal style; and the inner circle, interior meaning’ (Sarris, Keith Grant, 2008) .

Aims of Research

In this essay I will attempt to answer whether Jarmusch can claim full authorship of his films based on the research I have conducted. The subtopics I will look at are distinguishable style, consistent themes and the influence of collaborators. I will use auteur theory, mainly Andrew Sarris’ premises of auteur theory, and analysis of Jarmusch’s filmography to explore Jarmusch’s claim to authorship.

Annotated primary Sources

Stranger Than Paradise. (1984). [film] Directed by J. Jarmusch. USA: Cinesthesia Productions, Grokenberger Film Produktion, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF). Stranger than paradise is Jarmusch first substantial film and received mass critical acclaim, winning the Camera D’Or at the 1984 Cannes film festival. The film is an exploration of three bohemian character’s lives. Some of Jarmusch’s signature stylistic techniques emerge in this early film.

Coffee and Cigarettes. (2003). [film] Directed by J. Jarmusch. USA: Asmik Ace Entertainment, BIM Distribuzione, Smokescreen Inc. Coffee and Cigarettes is a film consisting of a series of vignettes with the thematic device of Coffee and Cigarettes in common. The film includes actors and musicians playing semi-autobiographical versions of themselves.

Only Lovers Left Alive. (2013). [film] Directed by J. Jarmusch.USA. Recorded Picture Company (RPC), Pandora Filmproduktion, Snow Wolf Produktion. Only Lovers Left Alive is one of Jarmusch’s most recent films. It is described by Jarmusch as a ‘crypto-vampire love story’.

Broken Flowers. (2005). [film] Directed by J. Jarmusch. USA: Focus Features, Five Roses, Bac Films.

Permanent Vacation. (1980). [film] Directed by J. Jarmusch. USA: Cinesthesia Productions.

Down By Law. (1986). [film] Directed by J. Jarmusch. USA: Black Snake, Grokenberger Film Produktion, Island Pictures.

Annotated Secondary Sources

Pinkerton, N. (2014). Interview: Jim Jarmusch. Sight and Sound, (Volume 24 Issue 3), pp.50-56. The article is an interview with Jim Jarmusch about the themes of Only Lovers Left Alive (2014).

Hattenstone, S. (2004). A Talk On The Wild Side. The Guardian Website. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/nov/13/features.weekend[Accessed 1 Oct. 2017]. The article is an interview with Jim Jarmusch.

A, G. (1999). Guardian Interviews at the BFI. The Guardian Website, [online] pp.1-4. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/series/guardian-interviews-at-the-bfi?page=8 [Accessed 1 Oct. 2017]. A series of interviews with Jarmusch about his early work and career.

Evans, G. (2017). All About Jim Jarmusch’s Leading Men. BFI Website. [online] Available at: http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/lists/jim-jarmusch-leading-actors-tom-waits-bill-murray [Accessed 11 Oct. 2017]. The article overviews Jarmusch’s leading men, giving insight into Jarmusch’s collaborations with his actors.

Andrew, G. (2015). Why ‘cool’ doesn’t do Jim Jarmusch justice. BFI Website. [online] Available at: http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/why-cool-doesnt-jim-jarmusch-justice [Accessed 12 Oct. 2017]. Exploring the description of Jim Jarmusch and his movies using the affectation ‘cool’.

Keogh, P. (2017) Jim Jarmusch: Home and Away. (2017). Sight and Sound, (4), pp.8-9. “Jim Jarmusch talks with Peter Keogh about actors, filmic style and classical story-telling’’

Keogh, P. (2014). Jim Jarmusch: How the film world’s maverick stayed true to his roots. Sight and Sound. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/22/jim-jarmusch-only-lovers-left-alive [Accessed 16 Oct. 2017].

Jim Jarmusch: Women are my leaders’. (2014). The Guardian Website. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/20/jim-jarmusch-women-leaders-only-lovers-left-alive [Accessed 16 Oct. 2017]. An interview with Jarmusch about Only Lovers Left Alive (2014).

Grant, B. and Sarris, A. (2008). Auteurs and authorship. Oxford: Blackwell, pp.561-564.

Petković, R. and Vuković, K. (2011). Postmodern Philosophy and the Impact of the Other in Jim Jarmusch’s Films. [sic] - a journal of literature, culture and literary translation, (2.1). The Journal looks at Jarmush from a postmodern perspective, focusing mainly on the theme of the Other (Outsiders) in postmodern and Jarmusch films.

Jenny McDonell, J. (2014). Only Lovers Left Alive. The Irish Journal of Gothic and Horror Studies, 13, pp.127-129.

Glbey, R. (2017). How Jim Jarmusch used music to put a spell on Hollywood. The Guardian Website. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/sep/21/jim-jarmusch-revisited-hollywood-film-soundtracks [Accessed 22 Oct. 2017]. The article is an exploration of music in Jarmusch’s movies, as well as a review of a live concert of Jarmusch’s movies.

Dyer, R. (1992). Only entertainment. London u.a.: Routledge.

Gledhill, C. (1990). Guide to the stars. New York: Routledge.

Wood, R (1977) Ideology, Genre, Auteur. Pp.1.16.18 from Film Comment 13, no. 1 (January-February 1977)

Brooke, M. (2015). A-list meets arthouse: when megastar actors work for auteurs. BFI. [online] Available at: http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/lists/list-meets-arthouse-when-megastar-actors-work-auteurs [Accessed 28 Jan. 2018].

Does Jarmusch have a recognisable style, which distinguishes his movies as authored by him?

As part of my auteur study of Jim Jarmusch I have analysed the films Stranger than Paradise (1984), Coffee and Cigarettes (2003), and Only Lovers Left Alive (2014). I have analysed the stylistic elements of these movies in order to establish Jarmusch’s signature style, and to establish that this style makes his filmography distinguishable as a Jim Jarmusch film. According to film theorist Andrew Sarris, stylistic characteristics are important to establish a filmmaker as an auteur. A director’s film must be distinguishable and “must exhibit certain recurrent characteristics of style, which serve as his signature” (Grant and Sarris, 2008). Jarmusch’s films definitely have an individual style. They are minimalist, experimental, and reserved, yet also deeply emotional. Jarmusch’s style is his own. As critic Jonathan Romney states, “Jarmusch can’t be easily pinned down to any cinematic wave or category” (Romney, 2014). In every film Jarmusch stamps his personality onto it, through such things as referencing his influences and conveying his ideas through his characters’ subtly philosophical dialogue.

Jarmusch’s signature style came into fruition in his first feature, Stranger Than Paradise (1984). An example of a signature micro technique Jarmusch uses in the film is black and white cinematography. The black and white colours create a sense of similarity between locations, in order to create a feeling that the characters are lost in a country where all locations seem to have a uniform lack of emotion. This can also be seen in the dialogue, such as when Willie remarks “It’s the same Chesterfields, all over America”, and when Eddie states “You know, it’s funny. You come to someplace new, and everything looks just the same”. Jarmusch would go on to use this monochrome filter in his films Down By Law (1986) and Dead Man (1995), other pictures that display outsiders losing themselves in a black and white conformist America. This is a common motif in Jarmusch films and demonstrates how Jarmusch subverts the ideological conventions of genre outlined by Robin Wood (1977). Jarmusch subverts the ideological conventions of American Capitalism, specifically ‘America as the land where everyone is or can be happy’, by presenting the audience with an America of lost outsiders who are searching for the happiness promised to them, and ultimately just finding more of the same.

Jarmusch’s consistency of style can be seen in his collection of vignettes, Coffee and Cigarettes (2003). Jarmusch’s collection all have a standardised technique which creates a consistent style, which stylistically links the vignettes. The vignettes all use the same shots: a wide shot, a two shot, two one shots, and an overhead shot. In terms of shot syntax theses shots are not necessarily in the same order, however they have the same technical use, such as overhead shot being used to edit dialogue and the wide shot establishing the location. The use of this standardised procedure makes the vignettes instantly recognisable as part of the collection.

In Only Lovers Left Alive (2014) Jarmusch explores the vampire genre, however he actively avoids the genre’s stylistic conventions. This can be seen in the film’s final scene, and evidently it’s final shot. Adam and Eve go to attack their victims, and the shot is edited to slow motion as they approach. As they approach, the film’s score, which Jarmusch himself wrote with his band SQURL, is calming, instead of suspenseful. The sound is completely opposite to the generic sounds of horror, Jarmusch uses contrapuntal sound to subvert genre expectations. Finally, as Adam and Eve bare their fangs in order to attack their victims, the shot cuts and the credits roll. The action of the vampire genre comes from the scenes in which they attack their victims, however as this is a Jarmusch movie the focus is not on the action, but the meditative nature of the vampires stalking their prey.

However, there are some critics who would argue that Jarmusch belongs to a group of postmodern American filmmakers, including Quentin Tarantino, The Coen Brothers, Spike Lee and David Lynch. Jarmusch is paired with these postmodern filmmakers as his filmography “presents us with stories that disrupt the clear unified and causal structure of Hollywood films”; and “breakup the generic structures, overthrowing the need for closure, one of the main characteristics of classic Hollywood.” (Petkovic, Vukovic, 2011). This attributes Jarmusch’s style to postmodernism and not his individual personality, disputing the idea that his style stems from his authorship. Countering this critical view, although Jarmusch’s films do have aspects of postmodern filmmaking, his style is too engraved into his individual influences and personality. Referring to Jarmusch’s style as ‘postmodern’ is a tenuous description as it ignores a lot of what is included in his stylistic vocabulary.

Jarmusch’s direction on these three films establish a distinct style that is recognisable and individualistic. Jarmusch’s ‘distinguishable personality’ (Grant and Sarris, 2008) is stamped onto his films through stylistic elements. This adds to the argument for Jarmusch’s authorship, as his films have a distinguishable style that is expressive of his personality, and that the audience can recognise as his.

What are the themes that Jarmusch consistently explores in his films?

Jarmusch’s films are all linked by running themes. These include such themes and motifs as foreign perspectives of American culture, outsiders, underground music, and existential crises. The inclusion of these themes show that Jarmusch is an auteur. Themes create meaning in film, they express the director’s thoughts. They contribute to what Andrew Sarris describes as “interior meaning” (Grant and Sarris, 2008), the director putting personal meaning into the film. A prominent theme that runs through Jarmusch’s movies is outsiders, and in terms of ideology Jarmusch is definitely ‘rooted in opposition to the ideology of the country in which it is produced’ (Wood, 1977). All of Jarmusch’s protagonists are somehow outsiders of their society, critic Simon Hattenstone describes Jarmusch’s characters as tending to be “losers, drifters and strays” (Hattenstone, 2004).

In Stranger Than Paradise (1984), Eva and Willie are outsiders to American society, their Hungarian roots making them inherently outsiders, as they live in a society which is foreign to them. However, instead of portraying this difference of these characters as negative, Jarmusch uses their outsider nature to celebrate individualism. This can be seen when Eva comments on the dress Willie has bought her to help her to conform to American society. In her dialogue Eva remarks “I think it’s kinda ugly, don’t you?” and “I don’t really wear this style”. Eva rejects the American culture as by conforming to it she will lose her ‘style’ and individualism. Through doing this she is rejecting an ideology in which ‘Subversive systems are assimilated wherever possible to serve the dominate ideology’ (Robin Wood, 1977) Compared to Eva, Willie has rejected his Hungarian roots, changing his name to fit in. Yet he is still an outsider and is much more lost than Eva. Willie gives the symbolic prop of the dress to Eva in order for her to join him in conformity, as he is alone. A few scenes before he gives her the dress, Willie is prominently playing solitaire in the foreground of the shot, a lonely game for a lonely character.

In Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) Jarmusch casts a range of counter cultural characters as outsider nicotine and caffeine addicts. Their behaviour is constantly questioned, such as in the piece of dialogue Jarmusch repeats in multiple of his vignettes, “Coffee and Cigarettes, that isn’t a very healthy lunch”. Their behaviour is seen as abnormal to the ‘normal’ character, who usually take the form of waiters such as in the vignettes ‘Renee’ and ‘Twins’.

In Only Lovers Left Alive (2014) the characters are outcasts to the society of the humans, who they refer to as ‘Zombies’. This can be seen in the last scene, where the two ageless lovers look at the young couple with disdain. Swinton’s performance shows how the character of Eve views the couple as something she does not understand. The lovers then decide to use them as a means of survival, literally taking their life from them and using it so they can carry on living as immortal outsiders.

Jarmusch’s characters are outsiders who are not dictated by the rules of their society. This theme is present in all of Jarmusch’s movies, regardless of the genre or concept, Jarmusch is able to make an outsider of any character, be it a bohemian, cigarette smoker, or vampire, and he is able to create meaning with his themes. The inclusion of the outsider, along with a multitude of other identifiable themes, in Jarmusch’s films show how Jarmusch is able to place his personality within the DNA of his films. Sarris claimed that ‘The way a film looks and moves should have some relationship to the way a director thinks and feels’ (Grant and Sarris, 2008), and Jarmusch is able to place the theme of the outsider into his movies possibly in order to reflect his own feelings of being an outsider, as he is himself an independent filmmaker and part of an underground, outsider culture. Jarmusch himself outlines his alienation with American culture and demonstrates his own feelings as an outsider by describing his films as a ‘reaction to things being glossy and quick cut’ (Keogh, 1992). Jarmusch references how his films subvert mainstream American media, and consequently subvert American ideology. Through thematic devices Jarmusch is able to reflect his ideals, his culture, his experiences and even his musical tastes in his films. This helps prove that Jarmusch has full authorship, as his personality is part of his films.

Can Jarmusch be considered the auteur of his films despite his collaborations?

Jarmusch works with a multitude of culturally significant collaborators, such as actors whose individual personalities influence his films. In terms of the argument that Jarmusch’s collaborators partly have a claim to the authorship of his filmography, the actors in his movies are the collaborators with the largest influence over his films. Jarmusch’s films are heavily dependent on the characters and subsequently the actors who play them. Although Jarmusch creates the characters and writes the dialogues, actors often improvise their lines. In relation to Star Theory (Gledhill,1990) Jarmusch is also aided by his actor’s star power, he usually casts recognisable actors with existing acclaim and fan bases. This in turn contributes to the success of his movies as audience can expected high quality performances from Jarmusch’s films. Jarmusch himself describes the influence of his actors, stating “Usually I write for specific actors and have an idea of a character. I want to collaborate with them on. The story is suggested by those characters.” (Keogh, 1992)

Meaning in Stranger Than Paradise (1984) is mainly shaped by Willie and his interactions with American culture, Eva and Eddie. Willie is played by John Lurie, a Jazz musician who also wrote the score for the film. A lot of the film’s droning feel relies on the score, often faded into in the cuts to black in between scenes and is abruptly stopped before the next cut. Lurie also appears in Jarmusch’s films that preceded Stranger Than Paradise (1984), Permanent Vacation (1980), and the film that proceeded it, Down By Law (1986).

In Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) the actors often play fictionalised versions of themselves, the characters are based on exaggerated versions of the actors’ personality. This adds to the collection’s meaning as a lot of the humour relies on the context of the actors, such as the ridiculousness of actor Bill Murray drinking too much coffee and going off the grid in ‘Delirium’. Improvisation was used frequently in the vignettes with these actors as they were practically playing themselves, and the use of the overhead shot allows Jarmusch to then edit the dialogue to fit with the improvisation. Murray in his later career has been known for making critically acclaimed independent films, such as Lost in Translation (2003) and Jarmusch’s film Broken Flowers (2005), at which point critic Michael brook points out ‘he was by far the biggest star to appear in a Jarmusch film’ (Michael Brooke,2015). Murray’s association with successful independent films may contribute to the success of the Jarmusch films he stars in as he has ‘Capital Value’ (Gledhill, 1990) in relation to independent films.

In Only Lovers Left Alive (2014), the film is heavily reliant on the two lead’s performances, and a lot of the films meaning comes from these performances. Hiddleston and Swinton’s performances influence the film immensely. A lot of meaning is created in the film by the contrast between the characters of Adam and Eve. The effect of the actors’ performances is apparent in their body language, in the final scene the actors lean on each other as they are dying together, reflecting how they both rely on each other. Their ability to create meaning through performance shows their strong influence over the film. Both actors are big names who have had multiple acclaimed performances. This may have influenced the success of the movie as audience members will have had positive expectations in relation to the performances in the film.

Jarmusch’s movies often rely on the context, performance and personality of the actors. This means that the actors have some claim to authorship as they have noticeable influence over the film. Furthermore, due to the statuses of Jarmusch’s actors, they have influence as they are able to use their ‘capital value’ (Gledhill, 1990) as culturally significant and critically acclaimed actors to contribute to the success of Jarmusch’s movies.

Collaborations are an integral part of Jarmusch’s filmography and are a convincing counterargument to him being the ‘true author’. However, aside from argument of the strong influence of actors, Jarmusch does seem to have control over the other aspects of his filmmaking. A notable aspect is writing, Jarmusch writes all of his movies. This gives him a stronger claim to authorship as he is able to create a world within the script and then transfer it to the medium of film, overseeing the process the entire way. Furthermore parts of star theory (Gledhill, 1990) could be considered irrelevant in relation to arguing against Jarmusch’s authorship, for example ‘capital value’ only contributing to the success of a film and not the actual content of the film. Film is claimed to be a collaborative medium, but Jarmusch has such control over his films that authorship could not be claimed by anyone else.

Evaluation of Research

I think I have found sufficient evidence to support the claim that Jim Jarmusch is the Auteur of his films. Jarmusch is able to successfully fulfil all three premises of Sarris’ auteur theory: ‘technique’, ‘personal style’, and ‘interior meaning’. Looking at Jarmusch through this theoretical perspective made the arguments for and against Jarmusch’s authorship much clearer, and if I was to revise my research I would focus more on theoretical perspectives as they were essential in evaluating my analysis of Jarmusch’s work. In terms of my research I think I found a lot of evidence, just through evaluating critical perspectives of Jarmusch’s career alone I was able create a vivid picture of Jarmusch’s authorship. However, I could have used more theoretical perspectives as these proved the most useful in evaluating my analysis of Jarmusch’s work. I think the three focal films I focused on were appropriated as allowed me to analyse Jarmusch’s work across stages of his career, with the chronology of each films release being 1984, 2003, and 2014. Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) was the focal film I found most useful due to the fact that each vignette was filmed at different stages of Jarmusch’s career, allowing me to view which elements of his style had changed and which elements were consistent throughout his work.

Unannotated Sources

1. Stranger Than Paradise. (1984). [film] Directed by J. Jarmusch. USA: Cinesthesia Productions, Grokenberger Film Produktion, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF).

2. Coffee and Cigarettes. (2003). [film] Directed by J. Jarmusch. USA: Asmik Ace Entertainment, BIM Distribuzione, Smokescreen Inc.

3. Only Lovers Left Alive. (2013). [film] Directed by J. Jarmusch.USA. Recorded Picture Company (RPC), Pandora Filmproduktion, Snow Wolf Produktion.

4. Pinkerton, N. (2014). Interview: Jim Jarmusch. Sight and Sound, (Volume 24 Issue 3), pp.50-56.

5. Hattenstone, S. (2004). A Talk On The Wild Side. The Guardian Website. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/nov/13/features.weekend[Accessed 1 Oct. 2017].

6. A, G. (1999). Guardian Interviews at the BFI. The Guardian Website, [online] pp.1-4. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/series/guardian-interviews-at-the-bfi?page=8 [Accessed 1 Oct. 2017].

7. Evans, G. (2017). All About Jim Jarmusch’s Leading Men. BFI Website. [online] Available at: http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/lists/jim-jarmusch-leading-actors-tom-waits-bill-murray [Accessed 11 Oct. 2017].

8. Andrew, G. (2015). Why ‘cool’ doesn’t do Jim Jarmusch justice. BFI Website. [online] Available at: http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/features/why-cool-doesnt-jim-jarmusch-justice [Accessed 12 Oct. 2017].

9. Keogh, P. (2017) Jim Jarmusch: Home and Away. (2017). Sight and Sound, (4), pp.8-9.

10. Keogh, P. (2014). Jim Jarmusch: Hoe the film world’s maverick stayed true to his roots. Sight and Sound. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/22/jim-jarmusch-only-lovers-left-alive [Accessed 16 Oct. 2017].

11. Jim Jarmusch: Women are my leaders’. (2014). The Guardian Website. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/20/jim-jarmusch-women-leaders-only-lovers-left-alive [Accessed 16 Oct. 2017].

12. Grant, B. and Sarris, A. (2008). Auteurs and authorship. Oxford: Blackwell, pp.561-564.

13. Petković, R. and Vuković, K. (2011). Postmodern Philosophy and the Impact of the Other in Jim Jarmusch’s Films. [sic] - a journal of literature, culture and literary translation, (2.1).

14. Jenny McDonell, J. (2014). Only Lovers Left Alive. The Irish Journal of Gothic and Horror Studies, 13, pp.127-129.

15. Glbey, R. (2017). How Jim Jarmusch used music to put a spell on Hollywood. The Guardian Website. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/sep/21/jim-jarmusch-revisited-hollywood-film-soundtracks [Accessed 22 Oct. 2017].

16. Dyer, R. (1992). Only entertainment. London u.a.: Routledge.

17. Gledhill, C. (1990). Guide to the stars. New York: Routledge.

18. Wood, R (1977) Ideology, Genre, Auteur. Pp.1.16.18 from Film Comment 13, no. 1 (January-February 1977)

19. Brooke, M. (2015). A-list meets arthouse: when megastar actors work for auteurs. BFI. [online] Available at: http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/lists/list-meets-arthouse-when-megastar-actors-work-auteurs [Accessed 28 Jan. 2018].

20. Lost in Translation. (2003). [film] Directed by S. Coppola. Focus Featuresm, TFC, American Zoetrope, Elemental Films.

21. Broken flowers. (2005). [film] Directed by J. Jarmusch. USA: Focus Features, Five Roses, Bac Films.

22. Permanent Vacation. (1980). [film] Directed by J. Jarmusch. USA: Cinesthesia Productions.

23. Down By Law. (1986). [film] Directed by J. Jarmusch. USA: Black Snake, Grokenberger Film Produktion, Island Pictures.

0 notes

frontstreet1 · 7 years ago

Text

Immigrants Line Up To Renew Work Permits As Program Ends

This Sept. 28, 2017 photo shows people waiting in line at CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles) for help with immigration paperwork, including renewing work permits for expiring Obama-era program for immigrants brought to the country as children. After Oct. 5, 2017, no one else can renew under the program that has let nearly 800,000 immigrants brought to the United States as children work in the country even though they lack legal papers. (AP Photo/Amy Taxin)

LOS ANGELES — The line stretches down the block before the sun rises in Los Angeles, made up of immigrants seeking help to renew their work permits under a program that has shielded them from deportation but is now nearing its end.

Ivan Vizueta, a 25-year-old from Long Beach, California, brought a folding chair and music to pass the time while waiting to renew his papers and get a new two-year permit that lets him work for a plumbing company and earn nearly double the amount he made at his old job. The lines have been a regular occurrence in recent days, with some people camping out as early as 3 a.m.

“I have to do this so I have another two years of safety,” said Vizueta, who was brought to the country nearly two decades ago from Mexico and hopes to run his own plumbing business someday.

For immigrants like Vizueta, it’s a race against the clock as they rush to renew their permits ahead of a looming Oct. 5 deadline set by the Trump administration. After that date, no one else can renew under a program that has let nearly 800,000 immigrants brought to the United States as children work even though they lack legal papers.

The work permits have been a lifeline for many young immigrants who have been educated in American schools and know no other home than the United States. The program created by President Barack Obama in 2012 also protected these immigrants, many of them in their 20s, from being deported to countries they hardly remember. Critics call it an illegal amnesty program that is taking jobs from U.S. citizens.

When President Donald Trump rescinded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program this month, he gave Congress six months to draft a more lasting fix. Democratic leaders and Trump said they have reached a deal to protect the immigrants, but Congress has since turned its focus to overhauling the tax code. Democratic congressional leaders say they are waiting on the White House to craft a legislative proposal.

Meanwhile, immigrant advocates around the country have been urging the Trump administration to extend the Oct. 5 deadline and holding legal clinics and donating money to help immigrants cover the $500 renewal fee.

Jesus Perez of Phoenix says he’s not sure he would have been able to come up with the cash in time to renew were it not for the financial help of an advocacy group that is among several giving financial aid and helping people fill out their paperwork in time. The 30-year-old father of three, with one on the way, was just approved to buy a home but can’t complete the purchase until his renewal comes through.

“You’re in limbo,” said Perez, who works at a car wash and hopes to open his own business soon.

In Las Vegas, fewer than 30 people have asked for a service provided by the Immigration Clinic at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, causing alarm among organizers who are fearful immigrants are staying in the shadows or waiting too close to the deadline. The government must receive the renewal paperwork by Oct. 5, meaning it needs to be sent in most cases by this weekend.

“If you are not at the post office with an express mail envelope in your hand on the morning of Oct. 2, you are too late,” said Michael Kagan, director of the Las Vegas clinic.

Only immigrants whose permits are expiring before March 5, 2018, are eligible to apply for renewals. Those whose permits expire starting on March 6 will not be able to renew. The government estimates there are about 154,000 recipients whose permits expire between Sept. 5, 2017, when the Trump administration announced the end of the program, and March 5.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services said Friday that it had received 39,400 renewal applications since Sept. 5. The agency said it aims to have a 120-day turnaround to complete the applications.

At the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles, advocates have helped about 40 immigrants a day renew their permits for free. Immigrants began lining up outside before dawn to ensure they were seen quickly, as some have had to wait until the afternoon or the next day for assistance due to the demand, said Jorge-Mario Cabrera, a spokesman for the organization.

Maria Moreno, 23, lined up at 3 a.m. outside the group’s offices on a recent morning to renew under the program, which has made it easier for her to work as a cashier and attend college to eventually become a special education teacher. She said her parents brought her to this country from Mexico when she was 10 months old.

“I’ve been here all my life,” said Moreno, who lives in Los Angeles. “I’ve never been back there, and I’m hoping not to go.”

Oscar Gaytan, a 22-year-old history and Chicano Studies student at University of California, Los Angeles, was also among those waiting in line. He said his permit under the program is valid until the end of next year but was stolen from his gym locker, forcing him to refile paperwork.

Gaytan said he hopes to go on to become a professor or immigration lawyer after graduation but knows he’ll need a work permit to do so.

“When Trump rescinded DACA, I was pretty upset,” said Gaytan, who was brought here from Mexico when he was 4. “But I feel like everything happens for a reason — so hopefully Congress acts.”

By AMY TAXIN and ASTRID GALVAN - Sep 29 2:50 PM EDT

___

Associated Press Writer Regina Garcia Cano contributed to this report from Las Vegas. Galvan reported in Phoenix.

#Childhood Arrivals Program #deferred action #Immigrants #President Donald Trump #Renew Work Permits

0 notes