Welcome to our club website!
The Study of Modern Visual Culture
The Study of Modern Visual Culture (SMVC for short) is a club based off of one depicted in an anime series called Genshiken. In the series SMVC is a group of people, that share the same interests, who get together in a laid back enviorment and do what they love to do best. Be it gaming, drawing, cosplaying, or even just watching different anime series, it was an enviorment where you did not have to like EVERYTHING everybody did, but one where you could come and spend time with those who have similar interests, while you do your own thing. This created a niche which was open to a much broader group than most of the other, more narrow clubs.
The Club Plan
While Genshiken is based mostly on the "anime" theme (which is a huge part of japanese culture), the SMVC which i wish to create will be open to an even broader group than that. Gamers, Artists, Writers, soon-to-be movie critics, or just plain ol' average people, there is a place for everyone.
Gamers- On a day-to-day basis, those whose enjoy gaming the most will be able to play the latest games, discuss their opinions on it, and work on their reviews. Their main "commitment" to the club is to find out about the latest gaming news, and write a review, or preview on a bi-weekly basis.
Artists- As an artist in SMVC, there are many options on what you can do. For, as all the others in the club, we do not wish for you to feel "restricted". From working on art for comics, to painting miniature figures, to even just sketching out ideas, your "creative buzz" is not disrupted. Whereas we do not wish for you to feel restricted, we do ask for you to finish a project if you have started it. For nothing good comes from those who quit halfway. While we do promote finishing what you have started, exceptions can be made.
Writers- Writers, out of all people, have the widest choice on activites. Working together with artists to create storylines for comics, writing out review on games, new anime series, or even testing their creative writing abilites by creating their own characters. As being somewhat of a writer myself, i know the pain of having a timeframe, and being forced to write when those creative juices just arent flowing. So writers have the choice of picking their own assignment, and giving the club an estimated timeframe. Although you are allowed to set your own, it is requested that progress will be shown along the way. At least 1500 words per month is requested. But as stated before, exceptions can be made.
Movie Critics- For those who love to watch movies, and are interested in the cinema business, than you too have a spot in SMVC. While we all have our own more narrow interests, we realize that nobody can put down a good movie. Although this may be a smaller group of people, there are those whom would rather research, and review movies among all else.
IMPORTANT NOTE: These are the broadest types of people that SMVC is aimed to appeal to. That does not mean you have to be one or the other! I actually recommend trying out some of the different activites. If you want to write about a movie one week, then paint a miniature figure the next week, go ahead! The choice is yours.
While the club is going to be a laid-back community. It is neccessary that the I am notified about the progress on your projects. This does not have to be a stressful "I have to get it done" sort of thing, but more of a "I want to get it done." We stress the importance of having a work ethic, and being able to commit.
Links
The SMVC blog: http://somvc.blogspot.com/
The SMVC Forum (this is a long one) : http://studyofmodernvisualculture.freeforums.org
About Me
Alright, where do we begin.... My name is Bryan Bartley, and i am currently 14, finishing off the 8th grade school year at Kruger Middle School, in San Antonio, TX. Next year i will be attending Mac Arthur highschool as a freshman. My intrests are Anime, Japanese culture, motorcycles, and metal art. Although i have always wanted to pursue a career involving the things i have come to enjoy, it has always seemed just out of my reach. I am not particularly "good" at anything, and the gaming industry is a "specialist" industry. While I am in search of a career that will be possible, i am hoping to enjoy the last few years of freedom, doing the things i love to do.
Why did i decide to create SMVC?
I am appauled by the thought of being stuck into one "click". And, no matter how much i say that, or how much i dislike "clicks" they will always exist. So, my solution? Extend the click into one so wide, that no one can be put below another. For if it is one, which people from all social groups from the school become a part of. So this, in itself, will be the downfall of "clicks" and the "social ladder".
Although i realize that the social ladder will never dissapear, it is very easy to make the image more blurry. And that is what i attempt to do.
And on top of that, this creates a place for people like me to bond, form friendships, and work our best to better ourselves while doing the things we love.
