September, 2012

DP Outreach blogspot shares how the DP videos online are designed and what kind of decisions are made in the process.  This blog is also intended to update my progress in creating the PowerPoints that will hopefully soon be completed for people to purchase.

Why the 'Keyhole' Concept?

All of the DP videos begin and end with a keyhole-shaped image pictured above.  I would like to share some of the inspiration that guided me to choose this particular design.  The shape comes from a circle and a skewered elongated square.  The circle and the square are used by Leonardo daVinci in his drawing of a perfectly designed man.  I used that daVinci drawing to articulate the human mind and body in  Video 40 below.

In this analogy, the circle always represented more to me than just the mind.  It also represented the spirit and heaven.  The square too represents more: the physical body and the earth.  According to the DP, the number 4 represents earth. Since the square has 4 sides and 4 points, it seems reasonable to me to equate the square with the physical world (earth).  Many of us seek the harmony and unity of this heavenly 'circle' and earthly 'square' in our own lives.  The circle however is the subject partner which radiates down to earth its triangular beam of inspiration -which materializes into  the earthly 'square' or trapezoid (see illustration below).

Before the keyhole idea, I was intent on creating a heavenly orb of truth radiating down its penetrating beam of God's Word into a dark world.  At this point, I was already aware of the circle and square dynamic at work here: heaven (circle) imparting its light down into the earthly realm (square). The image naturally created what I then perceived as the keyhole shape and new inspirations came to me with the keyhole metaphor.

Looking through the keyhole in a door, one can perceive what is on the other side.  But it remains unreachable without the key.  The key is the truth.  With the Divine Principle truth, we can unlock the door that has blocked humanity from reaching 'the other side' which is the ideal of creation.  Of course the DP also states it was Jesus the Messiah rather than the Bible that fully embodies the truth.  So the key is more than the Divine Principle.  It is the Messiah.  Thus the messiah is 'the key' to unlock the door that has kept humanity trapped in the dark sinful place of suffering and separation from God.

Jesus' Haircut

As I redesign old videos, I am replacing the long-haired Jesus with a new Jesus image.  The initial reason for this makeover was the white robe.  In the new version, the white robe has more realism.  You can compare the difference in the two Jesus images below.  So why the hair change?  Of course we don't know what Jesus' hair looked like.  Palestinian Jews wore their hair long.  It was a cultural thing.  The Greeks and Romans on the other hand, who represented the culture of Hellenism, wore short hair.  From our study of the DP, we learned that both cultures of Hebraism (internal preparation to receive the Messiah) and Hellenism (external preparation to create a social environment) were to unite and support Jesus.  

In other words, Jesus came not only for the Jews but for the Gentiles.  We can only imagine how Jesus prepared himself internally and externally to be well-received by each of these cultures.  But more than that, he had the very challenging mission to harmonize these rival cultures that nurtured hostility and disrespect towards each other.  Jesus had to teach the Jews to love their 'enemy.'  I created a hairstyle for Jesus that was not too long (not only 'Hebraic') and not too short (not too "Hellenic").  Hopefully, it would be appealing to both cultural expectations.  

Remodeling the Kitchen

This past August and September, I was busy redesigning videos 14 (Adam & Eve), 21 (True Parents), 54 & 55 (World Preparations for the Second & Third Blessing).  When I create pictures for these videos, I don't just copy and paste pictures found on the internet.  Often times there are copyright issues involved.  Thus, I usually modify an image so that it morphs into my own creation.  Below is an example of this.  In video 55, which explains the DP viewpoint about Man's third blessing of dominion over the creation, I created the kitchen scene below.   Underneath this picture is the original kitchen picture. 

Can you find 13 differences between the two? The answers are on the bottom of the page.

One Final Note

Sometimes, I deliberately create images that have a deeper significance.  For example, in the recently modified video 54, there is an image of Jesus and the UN building.  The intent here was to give homage to a famous painting of Jesus at the UN.

Kitchen Comparison Answers

1.    Big plant (right side)
2.    Wall extended behind the big plant
3.    Outdoor scenery
4.    Middle sky window expanded
5.    Flat screen TV on wall
6.    Wall behind TV lengthened (and the cabinets below)
7.    Window shades
8.    Flower wall paper
9.    Water faucet
10.  Light fixture over sink
11.  Cut flowers in vase
12.  Kitchen utensils in a container by the TV
13.  New face on the blonde woman 
14.  OK, if you want to point out the missing plant box on the kitchen window over the sink.

June 3, 2012

I've been working on the website design recently.  The DP videos will also be available there.  A page for each chapter of Part I is being designed in which the viewer can select which video to watch.  Initially, I created a title list but this was NOT interesting to look at; it was not 'eye-catching.'  I then switched to creating images like the ones pictured below.  Each video will have a different image button (icon) to click on -in order to watch the video.  Since there are around 90 videos for Exposition of the Divine Principle Part 1, I still have a lot of icon-making work to do.

Creating the Clothes in the DP Outreach Videos / PowerPoints

Many of the clothes (and people) have been created.  Jesus' outer brown robe and inner garment was created by my wife.  We purchased the fabrics at a retail store.  My wife then cut and sewed garments for a doll (Charlton Heston from the Planet of the Apes).  I took several camera pictures of the doll wearing Jesus clothes (see below).  These pictures were then modified on a computer to help create the Jesus that appears in the DP videos.

Creating John the Baptist's clothes came from a photograph of a camel (pictured).  I took pieces of the camel's hairy body and 'stitched' them together for John's garment.

In the older version of Jesus on the left, what prompted an 'upgrade,' was the unrealistic appearance of the robe.  The newer version on the right, has a more luxurious and realistic Roman robe.   It is hard to imagine the earthly historical Jesus wearing such clothing.  I include it because this is a very popular version of Jesus' clothes assumed by many.  I use this Roman clothing to depict the resurrected Jesus in his spiritual form.

The face of Jesus has also been revised. Features like the eyeballs were created separately so they can be moved around to make Jesus look to the right, left, up, down and forward. 

These revisions mean going back over many PowerPoint files and replacing the images and then recording the video once more.  The updated versions will always appear on the vimeo website and the new future website where the DP Outreach PowerPoints will be available to purchase (website address not yet released).  

May 29, 2012

May 29, 2012

Chapter 1, section 2 of Exposition of the Divine Principle is so unlike any other section!  It is loaded with abstract underlying dynamics to existence, life and well-being.  It is by far the largest PowerPoint section in the DP Outreach PowerPoint series to be released soon.

This poses a challenge for both the artist and the educator.  Can this material be recognized as relevant to every day life?  And if Universal Prime Energy is so important, then why is it only mentioned here in this section?

A lot of my attention this past month has been redesigning videos from this section.  This is part of a larger endeavor - to create a transcript of each section to include in the DP Outreach Powerpoint discs.

Newly Revised Videos 9 & 10

One of my personal delights for redesigning the DP information in section 2 was expanding the presence of Universal Prime Energy in videos 8, 9 & 10.  Previously, UPE was featured in video 6 only.

Now that all of Part 1 is finished, I can go back and include new images created later or include ideas that will only be formally introduced later.  For example, the two forces within God are shown in videos 9 & 10.  These two forces are the Power of Love and the Force of the Principle.  They are artistically visualized as the orange and blue 'swooshes.'

Video 10 almost creates a Four Position Foundation but I resisted creating one since the next video formally introduces it.

The music used in video 9 is called "the Waterwheel" by John Adorney.
The music used in video 10 is called "In Bloom" by John Adorney

In the PowerPoint creation of video 9 (above), this particular slide had over 3000 pieces compiled into more than 2200 groups!

What's that Blue 'Swoosh' for?

The blue 'swoosh' is explained well in Video 40.  Having said that, it appears in many videos before number 40.  It looks like some kind of wind or aurora.  There is a blue swoosh and an orange one.  The Blue swoosh represents the Power of the Principle.  The orange swoosh represents the Force of Love.  

The blue 'swoosh' (Power of the Principle) is often used in the backgrounds of the images.  Artistically speaking, the color blue is passive and supportive and does not compete with the primary images.  The more intense orange Love 'swoosh' is used less often for artistic reasons because its color is too strong and competes for the eye's attention.

May 19, 2012

Hello Lovers of DP,

My name is Michael Callahan and the creator of the short DP videos online (Facebook, Vimeo & YouTube).


I have been busy everyday getting the DP Outreach PowerPoints available for purchase.  I felt it was important to give you updates about this endeavor through this blog.  The PowerPoint version of the online videos are not completed yet.  In their final form, each disc will cover one chapter of Exposition of the Divine Principle and will include the following:

• One PowerPoint file for each section (Chapter 1 will have 6 PowerPoint files covering 6 sections)
• Each disc will have follow-up quiz-type reviews and discussion questions that relate the abstract concepts to everyday life.
• Each disc will have English transcripts of the sentences and words used in the PowerPoint presentation.
  
  
  

Transcipt Files

Included on the discs will be several Microsoft Word files.  These are the English transcripts for the PowerPoints as a word document.  This editable files can be useful for translation purposes. 

For example, someone in France may want to use these English DP Outreach PowerPoints but their guests can only understand French.  What to do?  Since the PowerPoint files are not editable the transcripts are useful as speaker translation notes.  In the transcripts, space is provided to type another language translation into the file. The speaker can then read out the French equivalent of the English words projected on the slide.

Another reason I am making these transcript files will be for the future production of the DP online videos into Korean.  The Korean headquarters church will work with me to do this. I will use the Korean translation in the transcripts to create Korean versions of the videos.  This endeavor is still in the planning stages.

In creating these transcripts, I am  provided once again with an opportunity to re-evaluate the slides overall message and make any improvements.  New inspirations come and push me to upgrade the existing words and images.  Video 8 is an example of this.

Newly Revised Videos #8

Video number 8 is being reintroduced with a some visuals and music.  In this video, the conscience is introduced for the first time.  Unique to human beings, it is innate and ever active and influenced by Universal Prime Energy.  Without it, God could not communicate with us.  This revision makes the link between GTA and conscience much more smoother. 

More DP sentences were included such as the Human Fall, an issue avoided in earlier versions perhaps because of an intention to focus on the original plan.  But this time, being true to the DP approach, the Human Fall is always tucked in and included everywhere in the DP.

In this video, there is also an upbeat view of Christianity that introduces Jesus and salvation through GTA.  DP states, "When we unite with Jesus... we can recover our original God-given nature" (page 23).  I think this is a good way to outreach Jesus' value.  But to make our point valid, we Unificationists have to believe in it by making the statement true in our own lives.

Which Place is Best to View the DP Videos?

The most-updated versions are always at www.vimeo.com/unification

Vimeo will always let me replace an older version with a new version.  The downside about Vimeo is that Google no longer lists these videos in a Google video search.

Facebook has some videos too but they are older versions.  It is still good to view and share them however since the content is timeless and easy for facebook friends to navigate to.

CompletedTestamentTV uploads both the new and older versions so Pierre Tardy's channel has many videos!  The older ones were created in low resolution so the images and words are more fuzzy.

I hope to have the videos uploaded to my new website when it is created where DP lovers can also purchase the PowerPoints and find other DP Outreach materials.  Prices aren't yet decided.

The God Picture

Some Unificationists may not appreciate Michelangelo's interpretation of God as an old wise man.  On the other hand, Father Moon is God's visible self to many of us and he too is an old wise man.

Of course, God is also the source of  femininity -and does not have a physical body of His own.  Nonetheless, it seems emotionally satisfying to many to use an image of some kind that reminds us that God has emotions.  God is a willful being.   God is a desirous being.  If I used a circle with the three letters G-O-D inside the circle, we may forget how much God wants some things to happen.  Finally, I chose this image because of its iconic status; everyone knows this represents what we call God.  Any comments?

The image of God on the left-side of the above picture is created by Michael Callahan.  It is based on a composite of two paintings by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel which are pictured on the right-side.