Sci Fi

Philip k dick was interesting in the sense that he was still coming to terms with his own life style as he went through it. I believe that his I-ching was all about his changes from a lost boy to someone who saw the darkness and tried to teach others. he has grown to this one point in his life where everything is linked and time for himself is only an illusion. the character robert childan i feel in some ways represents a part of this. i can't explain it but the feel of this character is the essence of his I-ching

Earth sea archetypes

generally there is a hero in the fantasy genre
someone who can battle and triumph through all the wickedness
also i've noticed that most fantasy stories involve magic of some sorts
usually when i think of fantasy and magic i associate the character most likely to dwelve into the arts to be the mentor, guiding and all seeing.
theres a love interest who always hinders or pushes the hero in some way and then you have the shadow
the shadow is the darkest of all evils which gives the hero a reason to go on the quest.
in earth sea the shadow comes after, and is in himself but also part of the kingdom he lives in

Brief Two; Tin Tin FanFiction

The Adventures of Tin Tin; Sky Tower Turmoil

Tin Tin steered through the window pane and into the distance, trying to make out the city’s edge. He had no such hope, as thick grey fog consumed everything further than the apartment block across the street. Tin Tin sighed and returned to sit on his bed. His plans for a day of exploring Auckland were looking slightly grim.

“Wouah! Wouah!” Snowy barked, tugging at Tin Tin’s trouser pant.

“Calm down, Snowy! We can’t go outside just yet. This isn’t India! It’s a temperamental place Chang said, it’s cold, hot, wet, dry, calm and windy all in one day. Now be patient boy, and hopefully soon the rain will clear!”

“Wouah! Wouah! Wouah!”

Snowy just wasn’t giving up this morning, and rightfully so…

“Snowy! Leave me alone!” Tin Tin growled back.

Snowy, and Tin Tin too, were having a few self-worth issues lately. It’d been a while since the pair’s presence had been requested by a Majesty or a Your Highness of some sort. However, they were making the most of their time off, and visiting parts of the world they’d never seen before. Their last mission was almost exactly a year ago, when they had been in India attempting to have a well-earned rest, but ended up leaving for Shanghai and busting a dangerous lot of opium traffickers. Auckland, New Zealand was their last stop before returning home. It had been suggested to them by Chang, Tin Tin’s great friend he’d made on the Blue Lotus mission, who was now carrying out an exchange at a University in Auckland city.

“Wouah!” Snowy barked, giving it one final go. Tin Tin didn’t budge.

Suit yourself, don’t listen to me, I’m just a dog! Thought Snowy. A dog with a much better sense for danger than you! Snowy growled. 

Tin Tin had always listened to Snowy in the past, but since the demand for their greatness had dried up, it seemed their bond had weakened too. Snowy left Tin Tin’s leg and curled up in the corner of the room, staring at the door that had now been ajar for quite some time.

Finally, Tin Tin came to his senses. He realised the door to his hotel room was open, when he’d locked it the night before.

“Snowy, did you open the door?!” Tin Tin questioned, getting up on his feet.
Snowy rolled his eyes, giving his owner a ‘now you acknowledge me’ look.

Tin Tin jumped towards the door and peered into the hallway. Not a soul in sight.

“How peculiar”, he thought out loud.

Snowy appeared between his feet, coaxing Tin Tin to look at the floor. A familiar white envelope lay untouched on the carpet. Hesitantly, Tin Tin reached for it, and began to break it’s seal. It’d been a while since he’d seen one of those; he’d almost forgotten what to do with it!

Unraveling the piece of white paper, Tin Tin read in hand written words,

“Sorry for this inconvenience?! I’m going on an adventure!”

It was 3:56pm. Tin Tin waited patiently with Snowy sat obediently by his side. And then, just as 4 o’clock came around, a black Mercedes pulled up at the curb. Out of the passenger door, rose an ordinary looking man in a black suit.

The man in the suit extended his hand.

“Ah, Tin Tin, pleasure to meet you. My name is John Key,” he said as they shook hands.  

“Thank you for showing up! Not that I doubted you would.” He added with a smile.

“No, it is my pleasure, Sir! Thank you for requesting my services.” Tin proclaimed. Snowy yelped in agreement.

Mr Key guided Tin Tin into the building, Snowy followed closely behind.

“Sorry, no dogs allowed.” grunted a large security guard. Tin Tin looked at the security guard, then across to Mr Key, and then back to the security guard. Their faces showed little remorse.

“Sorry, boy” said Tin Tin, shrugging his shoulders. Hurt, Snowy walked back outside, and again, curled up into a ball.

Time passed slowly, Snowy wasn’t sure how long he’d sat there for. Long enough for the sky to turn a much darker shade of grey…fifty shades darker even. The Mercedes was still parked in the same spot beside the curb. That driver must be blimming bored, Snowy thought to himself.

Suddenly, a black van pulled up behind the Mercedes. Out of the back jumped a broad shouldered woman, with short dark hair and stocky legs. She pounced onto the pavement, carrying a large weapon in her left hand.

Snowy barked and barked. He knew this lady was trouble, and she was headed straight toward the building’s entrance!

Nobody took notice of Snowy’s frantic barking. He was just a silly little yelping dog, hungry or taunting a bird, they assumed. With a name like mine, who could take me seriously anyways? Snowy thought, feeling ignored and upset.

But the woman didn’t turn into the entrance as Snowy expected. She continued down the footpath…she seemed to be headed straight towards him.

Me? Snowy thought, what does she want with me?! He jumped to his paws and attempted to scramble away, but it was too late. He found himself being scooped up into the women’s ‘weapon’, unable to escape the net surrounding him, forcing him into a squished bundle.

“Gotcha, pup!” the woman exclaimed in a rather manly tone. Snowy yelped.

“You should know better than to lurk around these city streets. This is my territory, and I keep it stray-free!” she continued, and Snowy found himself being lumped into the back of the van.

Meanwhile, Tin Tin walked down the stairs to the front entrance, accompanied by Mr Key.

“So be there at 12am tonight, Chang will give you the signal, and it’ll all fall into place from there.” Mr Key repeated, Tin Tin nodding obediently.

“Snowy? Where are ya, boy?” Tin Tin scanned the street, Snowy was nowhere to be seen.

The van engine rattled, and began to reverse out of its parked spot. Tin Tin gasped, reading the side of the van,

‘DOG CONTROL’

Tin Tin ran, but it was too late. The van sped off down the street, with Snowy yelping in the back.

“Sorry, Mister Prime Minister, this terrorist business will have to wait, you’ll have to save your own Sky Tower. I’ve got my best friend to rescue!”

*TO BE CONTINUED*

To what extent does your fanfiction replicate a component of, or all of Vogler’s plot points?

I originally planned for my fanfiction to be about another one of TinTin’s adventure’s, where he saves the day, preventing a terrorist attack on the Sky Tower. However, due to the 1000 word limit, I found it difficult to cover this plot with a strong three act structure in such little words. So, I focused my story on the relationship between Snowy and TinTin, creating a minor plot within the longer story, as I feel this is an aspect that has not been covered in depth before in Herge’s work.

In the end of my fanfic, we realise it was about Snowy all along. I chose a ‘to be continued’ ending to my story because I want to write this further, however did not have enough words for this particular project. I also feel it gives it the typical comic like cliff hanger ending, making you want to read what happens next. I have written the story so it could be translated into comic form, however unfortunately I don’t have the artistic skills for this myself!

I focused on the Act One component of my story, replicating Vogler’s ‘mythic structure’ (1998). The hero, TinTin, is ‘introduced in the ordinary world’, his hotel room, where he ‘receives a call to adventure’, in the form of a letter (a commonly used motif in many Tin Tin stories). Vogler (1998) states that in the first act, “the central question of the story is raised, the complication, which will be answered in the climax”. The underlying question we are proposed with in Act One is one of Snowy and Tin Tin’s relationship; will they strengthen their bond again? Will they be called upon again and work together to save the day? This question is answered in the climax, when, after ignoring Snowy throughout the entire story, Tin Tin realises what is most important to him, and sets off to rescue his beloved Snowy, instead of carrying out the mission at hand.

In regards to Vogler’s ‘seven archetypes’, Tin Tin of course plays the ‘Hero’, typically willing to “serve and sacrifice” (Vogler, 1998). I created a neutral ‘Herald’ archetype in Prime Minister John Key. Replicating Vogler’s plot points, Mister Key appears in Act One to “bring challenge to the hero”. He is also a new person, brings valuable information, and changes Tin Tin’s view point about being out of work and feeling un-needed, all aspects seen in Voglers ‘Herald’ archetype. As Vogler puts it, he is “psychologically the call to change” (1998).

If I were to extend the story, the dog catcher would represent the Threshold Guardian archetype, a “gateway” figure representing an obstacle. This character is testing the Hero, therefore advancing his powers – in this scenario, making Tin Tin realise how important Snowy is to him, by taking him away. However, since my story is in shortened version, the dog catcher could be considered the bad guy, a Shadow archetype, who challenges the Hero, represents what the Hero must ultimately overcome.

Reality TV

To be honest, "Modern" Reality TV is one of those genres that I simply CAN'T STAND.  It has been done to death and a number of shows that exist are created to appeal to the lowest common denominator.  They are usually focussed around elements such as a facade of friendship that devolves into backstabbing and arguments, often over the most petty of matters, the basic formula often being repeated over and over no matter the show.  But I digress, that isn't what I'm meant to be writing about. 


How does Hill define Reality TV?

The term "reality TV" has become so broad these days that the term "can be applied to any type of popular factual programming the industry wants to sell  to channels and viewers at home or abroad" (Hill, 2005). While Reality TV has become very popular, shows that can be classified as such can be traced back as far as the 1940s, with the show Candid Camera (Debuted in 1948), moving into the 60's and 70's with shows like An American Family (1973), The Family (1974), The Gong Show, and continuing into the new millenium with shows such as Changing Rooms (1996),  Survivor (which in fact originated as a show in 1997 called "Expedition Robinson"), American Idol, The GC and many, MANY more.  All different, but in some way all carrying similarities.

Hill also states that  "reality' TV" now is used usually to categorize programming as "cheap, tasteless, and compelling" (Hill, 2005). As much as I hate the genre myself, I must agree with this fact.  Reality shows are more and more being created to cater to the lowest common denominator and focus more on drama, arguments, backstabbing and the like, as I mentioned in my introduction.  I think the term "Train Wreck" fits quite nicely with some shows - it is the sort of situation where you WANT to look away, but sometimes you simply can't make yourself.

Cult TV

How does Buffy deconstruct traditional literary notions of good and evil?

The traditional sense of "Good vs Evil" is portrayed in a very much different sense as compared to more traditional works.  Most works typically tend to use your everyday "Black and White" Good vs Evil scenario, whereas in Buffy there is many shades of grey inbetween, characters that are good but have dark aspects to them ("Skeletons in their closet") and characters that are evil but have developed what would be considered "good" traits, whether it is by force or by voluntary will.

The biggest example of a character moving through almost the entire scale, plus how his traits are changed to an extent by force, would be Angel,  who when he experiences pure happiness, reverts to his polar opposite and becomes the demonic Angelus.

An example of a character who became good more out of obligation would be Spike, who has a microchip implanted in him by The Initiative, rendering him incapable of harming humans, as a result he helps the Scooby gang, even if it is a little reluctantly and eventually sides with them.

In contrast a prime example of a character who started out good, while becoming corrupted over the course of time, would be Willow, as she starts out casting spells that are beneficial to her friends but becomes more and more dependant on her magic and consumed by it until it reaches a point where she becomes a major villain, threatening to destroy the world.

Reality TV

How does Hill define reality TV?


Hill (2005) defines reality TV as a way to describe a range of factual programming that is popular.  He goes on to say that there are number of variations of styles as well as techniques that are associated with reality TV.  Some of these include; non-professional actors, surveillance footage, unscripted dialogue, seeing events unfold as seen through the camera, and hand-held cameras (to give the 'authentic' look).  The genre of reality has changed and has developed over the past decade.  Reality TV, in the early stages, was associated with on-scene footage.  However, more recently, reality TV is associated with a variety of things - there seems to be no limits.  

Reg and Cathy with two of their children - Cathy Come Home

Watching the early reality TV program Cathy Come Home, directed by Ken Loach, in class, I found it strange that it was classified as 'reality TV', simply because I had a different perception of the genre because of what I am exposed to today.  Cathy Come Home features the use of a handheld camera, and 'real life' issues that people face - in their case, poverty in Britain.  Even though, the program was scripted, the place of reality took place within the concept and meaning of the show rather than the 'actuality' or 'reality' of it.  

Robert Allen (as cited in Hill, 2005) discusses the limits of reality TV as a genre due to the blurred boundaries between fact and fiction.  Given this point, I think personally, watching Cathy Come Home I was able to distinguish between fact and fiction, but was able to also look at the base of reality with the story line.  Just because there was a script used and there were professional actors as the character roles, the filming technique and black-and-white effect on film naturally leans towards a reality TV genre.  


Hill, A. (2005) The reality genre. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular
        Factual Television. (pp. 14 – 40). Oxon: Routledge.

Reality TV

Reality TV is a guilty pleasure of mine, as it is of many other people's. I know my parents are addicted to shows like American Idol, America's Got Talent, and Judge Judy. I find myself watching often the 'fly-on-the-wall' type of things such as Geordie Shore, which follow a documentary type of Reality-TV.


Documentary film making in the realist-approach was initiated in the 1920s and 1930s (Biressi, A. & Nunn, N., 2005). "The aim was to involve viewers in the general social process both at the micro level of the community and the macro level of the life of the nation." (Biressi, A. & Nunn, N., 2005, pg. 36).
Hill explains that Documentary television gave news and humorous or eccentric stories in the 1960s and 1970s (2005). When the genre collided with the tabloid-obsessed society, reality TV rose and the Documentary-genre of television had met it's 'demise'. When television shows focusing on emergencies and crimes, such as Rescue 911 became popular, a new type of trend appeared. It is referred to as 'infotainment' (Hill, 2005). This created a new form of television in the same documentary-style, as people became curious and gained the 'human-interest' aspect, halting the obsession with action-packed television (Hill, 2005).

You can see evidence of the human-interest in shows such as Survivor, which my parents watch frequently. This show allows you to view how people react in a "stranded on and island" situation, and what they would do to win 'the big money'. It combines the idea of a documentary-styled television with the Game-show subgenre of reality TV. You follow the people - real people - around and they include their comments on certain events, allowing you to get inside of their head in a video-diary type of way. This is a similar format to the one that was used in the screening of Cathy Come Home(1996), directed by Ken Loach, that we watched in the tutorial. The idea of her narration to the camera is evidently used in today's television. The scripted docu-soap had more of a sense of realism to it than most of reality TV today.

The most difficult thing I find about reality-television is when you can blatantly tell that the piece is scripted. It ruins the foundation for what reality-tv became famous for: the idea of factualism... realism behind what you see. Although I like the documentary-styled reality shows (particularly the "fly-on-the-wall" ones, because it gives you a feeling that the cameras are not there and this is how the people would normally act and live), when I watch the new "reality-television" that is on channels like MTV now-a-days, I feel like they assume I'm a fool. I understand the entertaining aspect of the silly shows like "Date My Mom" or the dating shows such as "A Shot At Love with Tila Tequila", I can't count the number of scripted lines they so obviously say. The way they speak infront of the "invisable" cameras on the dating shows allows me to believe for about 0.5 seconds that it is real, which breaks the whole idea of "reality" TV, as they quote out comebacks and silly lines.



           Hill, A. (2005) The rise of reality TV. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 15 – 40). Oxon: Routledge.


           Biressi, A. & Nunn, N. (2005). Real Lives, documentary approaches. In Reality TV: realism and revelation. (pp. 35-58) London: Wallflower.