Extra Credit Post

The last time I used a blog was in middle school. A bunch of my friends had started posting their personal ramblings online and I followed suit. The trend died out after a few years, though, and I haven’t kept up a blog since.


Using a blog, I could compare my answers with other students. The blogs were a quick but useful way to review topics from the previous week. It was nice to be able to respond in writing without all of the stress of an essay.


It wasn't very difficult to use the blog. Sometimes it took me a while to find a topic I could talk about, but the blog was very easy to use and set up.


My favorite blogs were the ones that asked you to find and examine an example in some form of media. Often they were more difficult, because they required a bit of research and thinking, but they also allowed for better understanding of the topic. For example, the blog where we analyzed the three act structure in a Hollywood movie took a bit of work – you had to look through the movie, find major events and note the time – but it was also very interesting and showed how the structure works.

The blogs are extremely useful in RTF 305. As for other courses, it would work if there was a lack of writing and a regular assignment was needed. But in a class where there are already essays or quizzes it might overload the students. It works well in RTF 305 because there aren’t very many other assignments, and writing the blog helps keep you up with the class.

Sometimes the prompts aren’t sent out on Wednesday as scheduled, and it would be nice if we had the most time possible to work on them.

Yes, you can use my blog in a paper or report.

Globalization: A New Imperialism?

According to Professor Starubhaars’ lecture, globalization is a process of increasing interconnectedness among nations, cultures and people. It is supported and accelerated by technological development. While worldwide interaction has been on the rise through the 20^th century, it took off in the 21^st century as digital media rose to the forefront of communication. However, many of these communications have been one-way, suggesting a new form of cultural imperialism.

Across the world, cultures are beginning to feel the presence of the America-dominated media system. Western free market culture is business-driven, and it is designed to turn viewers into consumers. Film, music and television industries all have an American presence that is noticeable, if not dominant, in even the remotest locations.

However, local cultures are not entirely wiped out by foreign media. Often, they will have their own strong national media. But it will still be in competition with foreign, most likely American, companies. For example, while 4-5 Anglo-U.S. companies dominate the music recording and distribution industry, the companies themselves do not hesitate to diversify their products. Universal Music Publishing Group estimates that as much as 80% of the company’s revenue comes from “non Anglo-American repertoire.” While Western and American powers are dominant in media industries, they do not hold exclusive power over the continuing development of culture. 

Number 9: Advertising

Craig's Ford Fiesta Ad

"The internet makes me sound smart! YES!"

Recently Craig Benzine, a YouTube vlogger with a significant following, did an advertisement for the Ford Fiesta specifically for YouTube. Personally, I found the ads amusing because of my familiarity with Craig (or wheezywaiter, as he’s known to YouTube.) I imagine this effect was similar for other viewers. In addition, Craig’s casual, silly style felt appropriate wedged between my usual sampling of YouTube videos. The combination of this familiar style and the familiar face made me much more willing to accept these ads rather than to dismiss them, as I usually do.

Kellner’s “Adverising and Consumer Culture” describes how ads “’address’ individuals and invite them to identify with certain products, images and behavior.” Ads are effective if they include a character that represents the target audience in a way that is both sympathetic and attractive. As an example, the text cites the famous figure of a cigarette campaign, the Virginia Slims woman who is sexy and independent.

Craig serves this role through accessibility and comedy. He is bumbling but amusing, an average guy whose self-deprecating humor adds to his appeal. Particularly for someone who recognizes him as a vlogger, his character is presented as trustworthy. He makes the ad simply more watchable, and as a result, makes a persuasive salesman.

wheezywaiter on Urban Dictionary

wheezywaiter 's YouTube Channel

Three Act Structure - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Elizabeth (and the Medallion) taken aboard the Black Pearl

The first climax is 41 minutes in after Elizabeth requests ‘parlay’ and agrees to be taken to the Black Pearl. Her surrender and transfer of the medallion effectively ends the attack on Port Royal, but her imprisonment by Captain Barbossa raises the two questions: What will happen to her, and why is the medallion so important? Her capture escalates the stakes for the other characters, and the plot moves from Port Royal to the seas.

Jack and Elizabeth marooned, Will captured

The second act responds quickly, sending Will and Jack after her in the ‘commandeered’ Interceptor, along with a newly-recruited team of pirates and a bit of backstory. This is followed by a long sequence where Barbossa monologues to Elizabeth and reveals the undead nature of his crew. After a brief climax at Isla de Muerta where Will rescues Elizaebth but abandons Jack, the reshuffled crews convene at a battle at sea. The end of this battle comes at 1:35 when Barbossa defeats the crew of the Interceptor, taking Will and the medallion and abandoning Jack and Elizabeth. The next question posed is: how will Elizabeth and Jack escape? Will they be able to stop Barbossa from killing Will and ending the curse?

Barbossa's death and his crew's defeat mark the end of the third act

The climax of the third act answers: yes, yes and no. After joining with the lawful forces of Norrington, Jack and Elizabeth successfully engineer an encounter that saves Will’s life and corners Barbossa’s crew in a battle that proves unwinnable after the lifted curse reverts them to their mortal states. This victory comes at 2:03, but after the 2-hour mark Pirates indulges in a short epilogue that does not fit with the rest of the three act structure. While the main threat has been defeated at the end of the third act, Will and Elizabeth's relationship and Jack’s fate are not resolved until approximately ten minutes later. After two acts at sea, the characters return to Port Royal, where Jack's criminal statues as a pirate is resolved in an escape with help from Will and Elizabeth.

Post-third act, the characters finally receive closure

First Act: approx. 41 minutes long, 0:00 - 0:41

Second Act: approx. 54 minutes long, 0:41 – 1:35

Third Act: approx. 28 minutes long, 1:35 – 2:03

Plus 10 minute long ending segment, 2:03 – 2:13


Images from ScreenMusings.org

Sitcoms: Serial/Episodic Strategy

The sitcom generally follows one of two narrative strategies: serial or episodic. An episodic sitcom uses a formula where no lasting changes occur to its characters or situation. At the end of each episode, everything is ‘reset’. Serial narrative is very similar; while nearly everything remains stable from episode to episode, larger changes may carry over. (For example, a character going to college or a new character being added to the cast.)

These strategies look very alike in sitcoms. Each episode is dedicated to one theme, problem, or lesson; a small cast of characters operates in the same world each episode; few significant lasting changes occur. This style is clear in many of the pre-teen-aimed sitcoms of Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. In that context, a common example of the stagnancy of the sitcom world is the reluctance to initiate romantic relationships between characters.

 

Relationships remain stable in this situation in order to milk the most out of friendships, rivalries, and romantic tension. No matter what happens during an episode of Lizzie McGuire, at the end, Lizzie and Kate are still enemies, her brother is still annoying, and her best friends are still Miranda and Gordo. This allows viewers to watch the series without having to catch every single episode. The audience is comfortable jumping in because they know what to expect from this world. It isn’t until the post-series movie that Kate regrets her ways and Gordo and Lizzie admit their feelings for each other. The writers don’t have to deal with the consequences of these changes, and the audience still (eventually) gets the satisfaction of resolution.

Pictures:

http://www.impawards.com/tv/posters/zoey_101.jpg

http://images.tvrage.com/shows/5/4269.jpg

http://oi27.tinypic.com/14scl7n.jpg

More discussion about this idea:

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LastMinuteHookup

Scenes and Shots: The Lord of the Rings

"The Choices of Master Samwise" 0:00 - 1:10

The scene starts with medium shots of Frodo running through the dark cliffs just outside the tunnel where we were first introduced to Shelob. Having only just narrowly escaped the spider, Frodo now wanders through a labyrinth of rock. This scene doesn’t focus on building tension with the rising music and quick chases used before. Instead, it is eerily quiet; the music will not pick up again until the moment that Frodo falls to the ground. (Spoilers!) 

The first wide shot reveals Shelob crawling out of a crack in the cliffs. As a wide shot, it shows Frodo’s powerlessness compared to the giant spider. It also reveals that the place he has stumbled into is enclosed, further establishing his inability to save himself.

After another medium shot of Frodo, the audience receives the iconic horror image of the monster creeping up behind the protagonist. This shot is slightly tilted, reflecting the eeriness of the situation. It is also a low-angle shot, used ironically to show that Frodo is unaware of the spider approaching behind him. It grows more and more tilted, turning nearly 90 degrees, with Shelob’s screen presence continuing to grow. This escalates the danger.

The next few shots are also very specific in their angles: for example, the shots from Frodo’s perspective as he scans the area and the medium shot that shows Shelob’s stinger drop right behind the hobbit.

The most drama, however, is saved for the close-up reaction shot after Frodo is stung. The audience sees exactly what happens to him after the initial shock transitions to confusion and pain. We even get a nice view of his foaming mouth as the shot lingers. This shot capitalizes on Frodo’s emotions and physical reactions.

All photos from Arwen-Undomiel.com

The Studio System: MGM and Musicals

The studio system of Hollywood’s Golden Age was defined by an oligopoly of major studios that used vertical integration to control the entire moviemaking process. In the same way, these studios contracted major stars, directors, and other key players to work specifically for them. As a result of this system, each studio cornered its own portion of the market by establishing itself in a certain genre.

The reliance on certain stars and certain filmmaking teams caused studios to specialize in a single genre. Each part of production, from writing to acting to sets, was recycled, making it easy to reuse them for similar films. For example, MGM’s employment of Judy Garland and other performers made it logical for them to make musical after musical.

MGM embraced Technicolor with movies such as Gone With the Wind (1939) and The Wizard of Oz (1939), and continued making films of musical spectacle after World War II. The harnessed their star power in musicals such as Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) with Judy Garland and Singin’ in the Rain (1952) with Gene Kelly. However, while MGM’s chosen genre proved profitable for a time, it had clearly lost much of its audience to television by the 1960s. In addition with the government’s ultimatum to cease concentration of ownership in 1948, the competition from television was enough to prevent studios such as MGM from making expensive movies on a regular basis. As MGM evolved to fit the changing demands for entertainment, its adherence to genre was lost.

http://blogs.tcpalm.com/marilyn_bauer/the-wizard-of-oz.jpg