Blog 24: Last Presentation Reflection

1) Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your block presentation and/or your senior project? Why? 

People came up to me afterwards telling me how much they enjoyed my presentation. They all said it was very entertaining and very casual. Which, is kind of what I was going for, because I wanted people to be as interested of my project as I was. So, I think I succeeded in that aspect.


(2) Questions to Consider

a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your block presentation?  Use the component contract to defend that assessment.

AE       P          AP       CR       NC

I think I'd give myself a P. I would of gave myself an AE if I would of talked longer and didnt screw up my 2nd answer. But I made time and people learned a little about movies so I think that deserves a P.

b.     What assessment would you give yourself on your overall senior project? Use the component contract to defend that assessment.

AE       P        AP       CR       NC

I think I deserve a P, I did everything that was asked from me and I had a great time doing it.

(3) What worked for you in your senior project?

People seemed to really enjoy the activities so that definitely worked well. And I felt like I was talking very loud and enthusiastic the entire time so I feel that really helped people stay interested and because of that, they learned about my topic.

(4) (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your senior project? 

I would beef the hell out of my 2nd answer. I only talked for 5 minutes which is not very good. because of that I had to extend my third answer longer than I anticipated in order to make time.

(5) Finding Value

How has the senior project been helpful to you in your future endeavors?   Be specific and use examples.

My dream is to one day own my very own movie theater so this was very helpful to my future endeavors because I got to know a movie theater owner and I got a job at a movie theater.

Exit Interview

(1) What is your essential question, and what are your answers?  What is your best answer and why?

How can an independent movie theater manager preserve the movie viewing experience while maintaining 

profitability?

Answers:  

1. Show a mixture of smaller independent films and bigger blockbuster films. 
2. Hire employees that will create a positive film viewing environment. 
3. Create a environment that will make your customers feel comfortable.

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

I came up with these answers though a ton of mentor ship and going to a lot of different movie theaters and watching a ton of different movies. I also read and watch a lot of film reviewers who's opinions on the theater experience have helped me with this project. John Campea, Kristian Harloff, Alicia Malone. All of these film critics are ones that i follow online.

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them? 

finding research was a huge problem for me. Not only did I hate finding research, but I didn't feel it was very necessary because going to the movies and having an actual movie viewing experience, I felt, was much better research. But I had to get my research done so I just started writing about the you tube video I watch on a day to day basis that were related to movies.

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why? 

1. Collider Movie Talk: They do a daily movie talk show and I used it for research more than a few times. They talk about the film industry, upcoming movies, past movies, pretty much anything to do with movies. I've been watching them for years.
2.  Mentorship: I have about 200 hours logged but I have a lot more mentorship hours that I never logged. Working at a movie theater has given me a lot of knowledge about what makes a good movie theater and how we can keep them alive. 

P.S. Can you put Miriam in my presentation? 

Blog 22: Independent Component 2

LITERAL
(a) Include this statement: 

“I, Isaiah Leon, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 34 hours of work.”

(b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.

I would like to thank my friends for going with me to some of these movies and pointing out things about the theater that I could put in my log. 

Miriam
Jonathan
Carlos
Jose
Omar
Jordan
Chris

And to the wonderful people at Laemmle Claremont and Pasadena for allowing me to watch movies for free, making this project just that much easier.


(c) Update your Independent Component 2 Log (which should be under your Senior Project Hours link)

Independent Component 2 hours log

(d) Explain what you completed.   

I watched a total of 19 movies at 9 different theaters, I went in with the mindset of a critic of film as well as a theater critic. After visiting the theater and watching a movie or two, I proceeded to come home and write about my experience at the theater. Similar to a traditional yelp review. Then I gave the experience a rating out of 10 based on how I felt the theater provided me with a movie viewing experience.

(e) Defend your work and explain the component's significance and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.   

My favorite theater that's near my house

Harkins Chino Hills 18 at night

Cinerama Dome ticket

 

Krikorian Redlands 14 

I don't know who Dave is but Lady and the Tramp was awesome

 

(f)How did the component help you answer your EQ? Please include specific examples to illustrate how it helped. 


I'm going to be totally honest with you, I decided to do this for my independent component because I knew it would be easy and fun. But after writing my yelp reviews for the theaters I went to, It actually helped me with my third answer to my essential question which is to hire helpful and friendly employees. That really makes the experience of going to a theater that much better. And I realized how much I love Harkins Chino Hills. If I had a theater of my own, I would want it to be very similar to that.

Blog 17 - Interview 4 Reflection

Photo credits: Omar Osornio 

My Interview with Isaiah leon

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview?  

The person I interviewed was really smart, he made me realize that as much as I love formats like IMAX and 3D, they have kinds started to ruin the Film Exhibition Industry. Smaller films that don't have the budget to release their films in this format

2.  How will what I learned affect my final lesson?

I haven't made my third answer for my final presentation yet so this interview will probably influence what I end up going with.

Blog 20 - Fourth Interview Questions

1. Who do you plan to interview?  What is this person's area of expertise? 

I don't think I will interview any more managers, their boring. For my last interview I'm just going to talk to one of my coworkers. I thinking Christina because she has worked at dozens of theater in the heart of LA.

2. Intro Questions 

• Whats you name? 
• How many theaters have you worked at in the past? 
• Why do you continue to apply to theaters? 
• What's your favorite color? 
• What's your favorite tv show? 

3. Legit Questions 

1. Do you believe in miracles? 
2. Do you believe in the reptilians? 
3. What's your favorite things about working art Laemmle? 
4. What is your favorite theater you worked at, and why? 
5. What's you favorite positions at the theater? (Box, concession, door) 
6. Do you want to continue working at theaters or do you want to do something else with your life?
7. When was the last time you had to pay to go to the theaters? 
8. Have you ever been to a press screening? 
9. Would you fire me if you where a manager? 
10. Do you want a raise? 
11. Are you a movie fan or do you just like working at theaters? 
12. Where were you born?
13. Do you want to work in the film industry one day? 
14. Who's your favorite manager to work with?
15. What's your favorite movie?

Blog 19: Third Answer

Soho House West Hollywood (rich white people only)

• EQ 
• How can an independent movie theater manager preserve the movie viewing experience while maintaining profitability. 

• Answer #3 (Write in a complete sentence like a thesis statement)* 
• Make your customers feel comfortable by providing them with comfortable seats, proper lighting, easily accessible restrooms and approachable employees.

• 3 details to support the answer
• people like watching movies at home because they are comfortable there, but if you make people feel comfortable at your theater, they will want to come back.
• comfortable seats and proper lighting are crucial especially when your dealing with old folks. They don't want their scoliosis kicking in right before the plot twist. And lighting is also because if the theater is too dark before the movie starts they are going to have trouble finding a good seat and might even trip on something.v
• if a customer has an issue and needs assistance, you should make them feel like they can easily ask someone without feeling awkward or having to wait in line at the box office.

• The research source(s) to support your details and answer 
•  mentorship (lots of it)

• Concluding Sentence 
• I'm a huge nerd who likes weird movies. So a lot of the time I go to the movies by myself. Most people don't like to do this because they feel awkward. And even though I may seem like a handsome, confident, young man, I also feel awkward on occasion. So, when I go to the movies by myself, I will usually go to the theaters where I feel comfortable at. Theaters that make me feel comfortable usually have friendly employees, a lobby with warm lighting and cool standees, comfortable seats, fair prices and easy to find parking.

1.  What is your EQ?

• How can an independent movie theater manager preserve the movie viewing experience while maintaining profitability?

2.  What is your first answer? (In complete thesis statement format) 

• Show films that your intended audience will enjoy.

3.  What is your second answer? (In complete thesis statement format)

• Hire people that enjoy working with each other.

4.  List three reasons your answer is true with a real-world application for each. 

• If your employees enjoy working with each other then they will be happy and their happiness will be reflected on the customers. 
• Teamwork is a huge part of working at a theater and its a lot easier to work with you team when you have a good relationship with them. 
• Customers will want to come back if they feel the theater is filled with cool people who love movies.

5.  What printed source best supports your answer?

• This answer was made from experience.

6.  What other source supports your answer?

• My third interview. I realized that people love our theater because we genuinely love working there. And we love to get to know each other and our customers. That is all because of our chemistry with one another.

7.  Tie this together with a  concluding thought. 

• There is a lot of down time at my theater where were just chillin with each other. So, if you don't enjoy hanging out for hours with the people your working with, then your going to look bored and angry. And customers don't like bored and angry faces, they want to feel happy. Because a theater should be a happy place where people can go to escape your shitty lives.

Blog 17 - Interview 3 Reflection

Me and mah boy Izzy Lopez

Interview 3

1. What is the most important thing I learned from the interview? 

Movie theater managers have to deal with a lot more things than regular employees.

2.  How has your approach to interviewing changed over the course of your senior project? 

I'm alot more relaxed when interviewing and follow up questions are a lot easier to do.

Blog 16: Independent Component 2 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

I might just do more mentorship hours because it's easy and I don't have to worry about it. But I was thinking that just going to the movies and writing about my experience, that could be cool and force me to watch more movies. It probably sounds expensive and impractical, but I recently started going to press screenings that are free so I could write about those.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

Write down my experiences when I go to the movies, take pictures, save my tickets.

3.  Explain how this component will help you explore your topic in more depth.

'example: I saw a movie at Harkins and saw that they have a daycare there. I could put that in my final presentation because it's innovative and is helping keep the movie theaters alive.

4.  Post a log in your Senior Project Hours link and label it "Independent Component 2" log.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nfF5lsLP-H5KtpBQDF2o8OifMFgt9sT3y4f9_dXWaRY/edit?usp=sharing

Independent Component 1

• LITERAL
  (a) Write: “I, Isaiah Leon, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work.”
  (b) Cite your source regarding who or what article or book helped you complete the independent component.
• Bovis, Natalie. "Chapter 1/ Family Business." Laemmle: Not Afraid... 75 Years of Film Exhibiiton in Los Angleles. N.p.: Laemmle Theaters, LLC, 2013. 11-24. Print.
• (c) Update your hours in your Senior Project Hours link. Make sure it is clearly labeled with hours for individual sessions as well as total hours.
• done
• (d) Explain what you completed.
• For my independent component I simply did more mentorship hours at Laemmle's Claremont 5. I worked behind concession and cleaned theaters and sold tickets and got to know my co-workers and customers a lot more. 
• INTERPRETIVE 
  Defend your work and explain its significance to your project and how it demonstrates 30 hours of work.   Provide evidence (photos, transcript, art work, videos, etc) of the 30 hours of work.  
• 
  

• APPLIED
  How did the component help you understand the foundation of your topic better?  Please include specific examples to illustrate this. 
• Well my topic is starting to center around the preservation of movie theaters. So working at a movie theater is a great way to get first hand experience and lesson points for my final presentation. I honestly think that every time I go to work I learn new things about the way the theater runs and how we can change things up to be able to preserve it for as long as possible. The people who come in to the theater are always my favorite part of working there. They're are so excited and happy to be out watching a movie, this is why I think movie theaters are never going to die, they will always be around in one form or another.

Lesson 2 Reflection

1.What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 Presentation and why?

People were entertained and didn't think I was boring, which made me feel good about my presentation.

2. a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE       P          AP       CR       NC

I'd give myself a P because I feel that I really taught the class about my topic while also giving them an enjoyable presentation.

     b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.

I cited sources and quoted my mentor. 

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?

My activity really engaged my audience and everybody loved it. 

4. What didn't work? If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?

I talked too fast, and I would've talked more about the history of movie theaters. I totally forgot to mention that, as well as other stupid stuff. 

5. What do you think your answer #2 is going to be?

It's a surprise. 

Blog 14: Interview 3 Preparation

Laemmle's Playhouse Pasadena where my manager used to work.

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  What is this person's area of expertise?

I am interviewing Israel Lopez, he is a movie theater manager who has worked at Laemmle Theaters for several years now. He was a manager at Laemmle Pasadena and moved to Laemmle Claremont to work with better managers.

2.  Verify that you have called your interviewee to schedule an interview.  What is the date and time of the interview? 

I am interviewing Izzy next Wednesday during my shift.

3.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you find research resources that would help to answer the EQ.

Your job requires you to always be up to date with the crazy world of film. What kind of websites or news sources do you look at to keep up to date with the news.

4.  Phrase an open-ended question that will help you think about other useful activities you might do to help you answer the EQ (IC2, possible experts to talk to, etc).

In what ways do you go out of your way to make the movie theater experience better for your customers?

5.  Phrase two open-ended questions that help you to understand your interviewee's perspective on an aspect of your EQ. 

How can an independent movie theater manager preserve the movie viewing experience while maintaining profitability? 

As a manager what do you feel is most important aspect of running a theater smoothly?

Blog 13: 10 Hour Mentorship Check-In

movies we played on christmas

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?

Working at Laemmle Claremont 5

2.   Who is your contact?  What makes this person an expert?

Cassie Gratton, General Manager of Laemmle Claremont 5. She's been working at Laemmle since she was 18 and she worked her way up to have her own theater to manage.

3.   How many  hours have you done during the school year? (Summer Mentorship Hours and Mentorship Hours should be reflected separately in your Senior Project Hours log located on the right hand side of your blog).

I have 150 hours as of now. I didnt do much during the school year because I was meeting with people to try and get a mentorship thing going and once I got a job in august I started getting a bunch of hours.

4.   Succinctly summarize what you did, how well you and your mentor worked together, and how you plan to complete the remaining hours.

I work behind concession to sell candy and popcorn and stuff. I also clean theaters ever once in a while and take tickets. My mentor and I work very well together, in fact out of all the managers in my theater, I work the best when she is there. 

Blog 12: Holiday Project Update

The best part of my job is talking to people about movies. And this one is my favorite of the year.

1.  It is important to consistently work on your senior project, whether it is break or we are in school.  What did you do over the break with your senior project? 

I had work on 12/20/15. 3 days after star wars came out. It was hell. And i had work on christmas. Which was also hell.

2.  What was the most important thing you learned from what you did, and why?  What was the source of what you learned?

I learned that working on christmas is not worth the overtime pay. It sucks and i nearly died. I also learned that alot of people are like me and like star wars. Maybe too many people.

3.  Your third interview will be a 10 question interview related to possible answers for your EQ. Who do you plan to talk to and why? 

I dont have a plan for who I will interview. But there are a bunch of managers at my job that I could interview. Im pretty close with Israel so that would be easy but Lexi or Carlos would also be good to interview. I never really work with Chris but I could interview him as well. My mentor Cassie also has connections with managers at Laemmle Pasadena because she used to work there so I could also ask her to set me up with an interview with somebody from over there.