Opera: Pjotr Sapegin's Madama Butterfly

I found Madama Butterfly to be strangely expressive for such a simplistic looking animation. The dramatic way in which the models were moved gave them a kind of life that went well with Aria playing in the background. The way in which the butterfly is formed from the woman's dismantled parts and then fly's onto the woman's head back at the beginning created an almost timeless, repeating quality to the video.

Raul Cuero

Raul Cuero grew up in poverty, but learned from a young age though his natural curiosity how to view the world in a way that allowed him to succeed as well as survive and grow against adversity. In the interview, Cuero speaks on how in order to become a creative individual you have to learn how observe nature and break away from the confines of technology. While dealing with prejudice when going to school Cuero used these negative experiences as positive motivation, if someone thinks you are inferior then work harder to prove to everyone you are just as capable as anyone else. The main thing that I took away from Cuero is that in order to achieve what we are truly capable of is by not being bound by any single cultures definition of success. That money is not the ultimate goal of life, that in order to find something more out of life you have to open your mind to possibilities and personal growth. Also I found Cueros thoughts on approaching everything activity with "intensity" to be very interesting, that if we do not fully commit ourselves to something then we run the risk of becoming afraid of failing, and thus we undermine ourselves.