Sunday, November 4, 2012
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
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
Thursday, November 1, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
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?
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.
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.
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.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
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.
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.
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 |
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.
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.
Cult TV
"... cult TV is best thought of as a group of texts, often hailing from the genres of science-fiction, fantasy, and horror." (Hills, 2004, page 509)
In highschool, I spent a year studying the Horror Genre. It explained how the genre went from expressionism (such as in Nosferatu (1922), stemming from the expressionistic paintings such as the famous 'The Scream' painting (1893)) and grew to become post-modern, as seen in the topic for this week: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The idea of post-modernism is for the genre to be made up of several sub-genres. It is defined as "a late 20th-century style and concept in the arts, architecture, and criticism, which represents a departure from modernism and is characterized by the self-conscious use of earlier styles and conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media, and a general distrust of theories." You can see an example of the self-conscious aspect in Buffy The Vampire Slayer in the episode 'Goodbye Iowa' where Buffy is watching Wiley-E-Cyote and says "That would never happen." to which Willow replies "Well, no, Buff. That's why they call them cartoons, not documentaries." Also, you see this similar type of thing when Xander refers to them as the 'Scooby-Gang'. Their gang is a tight-knit community, which Hill (2004) describes to be one of the defining characteristics of Cult TV. The characters on Buffy are all close and trusting, which is important in this genre. "Here, relationships are often bound together through... the acceptance of characters' extraordinary status." (Hill, 2004, page 512).
Hill (2004) explains further that the unresolved narrative between episodes is a key aspect of the Cult Tv, and the unresolved narrative would allow the genre to be in a sense like a soap opera. The questions you see at the end of each episode is replaced by new questions, thus creating an exciting and addicting series.
Buffy is post-modern because it takes aspects of the 'Teen', 'Romance', 'Horror', 'Comedy' and 'Action' category, among many others.
The monster in this episode is also taking from something in the past, as Post-modernism is known for. It already has taken the Vampire/monsters idea, and now Frankenstein idea (Frankenstein's monster) and allows it to play in out a new way.
(Buffy's Monster) (Frankenstein's Monster)
These post-modern qualities that are placed into the cult-tv world allow for the fanbase to become more enthralled in the storyline that takes place.
References:
Hills, M. (2004). Defining Cult TV; Texts, Inter-texts and Fan Audiences, The Television Studies Reader, in R. C. Allen & A. Hill. London and New York: Routledge.
Goodbye Iowa (Season 4 script from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Retrieved 20 September, 2005 from: http://www.pukkie.net/reference/btvs_transcripts_season_4.pdf
Websites:
http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/postmodernism
http://www.thetvcritic.org/reviews/dramas/buffy-the-vampire-slayer/season-4/goodbye-iowa/
http://www.deadlantern.com/2008/01/09/famous-monsters-of-horrordom-1-frankensteins-monster-karloff/
In highschool, I spent a year studying the Horror Genre. It explained how the genre went from expressionism (such as in Nosferatu (1922), stemming from the expressionistic paintings such as the famous 'The Scream' painting (1893)) and grew to become post-modern, as seen in the topic for this week: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The idea of post-modernism is for the genre to be made up of several sub-genres. It is defined as "a late 20th-century style and concept in the arts, architecture, and criticism, which represents a departure from modernism and is characterized by the self-conscious use of earlier styles and conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media, and a general distrust of theories." You can see an example of the self-conscious aspect in Buffy The Vampire Slayer in the episode 'Goodbye Iowa' where Buffy is watching Wiley-E-Cyote and says "That would never happen." to which Willow replies "Well, no, Buff. That's why they call them cartoons, not documentaries." Also, you see this similar type of thing when Xander refers to them as the 'Scooby-Gang'. Their gang is a tight-knit community, which Hill (2004) describes to be one of the defining characteristics of Cult TV. The characters on Buffy are all close and trusting, which is important in this genre. "Here, relationships are often bound together through... the acceptance of characters' extraordinary status." (Hill, 2004, page 512).
Hill (2004) explains further that the unresolved narrative between episodes is a key aspect of the Cult Tv, and the unresolved narrative would allow the genre to be in a sense like a soap opera. The questions you see at the end of each episode is replaced by new questions, thus creating an exciting and addicting series.
Buffy is post-modern because it takes aspects of the 'Teen', 'Romance', 'Horror', 'Comedy' and 'Action' category, among many others.
The monster in this episode is also taking from something in the past, as Post-modernism is known for. It already has taken the Vampire/monsters idea, and now Frankenstein idea (Frankenstein's monster) and allows it to play in out a new way.
(Buffy's Monster) (Frankenstein's Monster)
These post-modern qualities that are placed into the cult-tv world allow for the fanbase to become more enthralled in the storyline that takes place.
References:
Hills, M. (2004). Defining Cult TV; Texts, Inter-texts and Fan Audiences, The Television Studies Reader, in R. C. Allen & A. Hill. London and New York: Routledge.
Goodbye Iowa (Season 4 script from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Retrieved 20 September, 2005 from: http://www.pukkie.net/reference/btvs_transcripts_season_4.pdf
Websites:
http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/postmodernism
http://www.thetvcritic.org/reviews/dramas/buffy-the-vampire-slayer/season-4/goodbye-iowa/
http://www.deadlantern.com/2008/01/09/famous-monsters-of-horrordom-1-frankensteins-monster-karloff/
Science-Fiction
"He was obsessed with the idea that the universe was only apparently real, and illusion behind which the truth might dwell." (Brown, E. (2001) Pg. vii)
This idea presented by Brown allows me to believe that there is a more speculative-fiction quality in The Man in the High Castle, rather than a science-fiction aspect, although I can see both in the novel.
Dictionary.com defines Science-Fiction as:
Jamie Todd Rubin, a Science fiction writer explains her views on the difference between 'Speculative' and 'Science' fiction. She expresses that the idea of 'Speculative' appears too broad and non-specific enough to the genre. "It is a misnomer: to speculate means to form a theory or conjecture without firm evidence." (Rubin, Jamie T. 2011 at http://www.jamierubin.net)
This idea though seems quite specific to Man in the High Castle. From what I've discovered from Brown, PKD was very speculative about the idea that other worlds, better worlds may exist outside our own. This is shown through the way he expresses the 'What If?' aspects of his writing, such as the novel that 'Hawthorn Abendsen' created (The Grasshopper Lies Heavy), which explains the alternate world that would be if the Allies had won the war. The idea of a novel within an novel, to me, focuses on the idea of other worlds, as we focus on in real life with literature and films. Dystopian novels in particular (Such as Nineteen-Eighty-Four by George Orwell) show how things would be in an alternate universe, although they are from the authors idea of what could occur.
Although I may be slightly arguing with myself here, I would conclude to say that Man in the High Castle by Phillip K. Dick would be mainly a Speculative-Fiction novel (as Speculative-Fiction is a sub-genre of many, particularly of Science-Fiction).
References:
Brown, E. (2001). Introduction. In Dick, P.K., The Man in the High Castle (p.v-xii). London: Penguin.
Websites:
Retrieved on 21/10/2012: http://www.jamierubin.net/2011/01/25/speculative-fiction-vs-science-fiction/
Retrieved on 21/10/2012: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/science+fictionRetrieved on 21/10/2012: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/speculative+fiction
This idea presented by Brown allows me to believe that there is a more speculative-fiction quality in The Man in the High Castle, rather than a science-fiction aspect, although I can see both in the novel.
Dictionary.com defines Science-Fiction as:
"a form of fiction that draws imaginatively on scientific knowledge and speculation in its plot, setting, theme, etc." (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/science+fiction)
and Defines Speculative-Fiction as:
| "a broad literary genre encompassing any fiction with supernatural, fantastical, or futuristic elements" (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/speculative+fiction) |
This idea though seems quite specific to Man in the High Castle. From what I've discovered from Brown, PKD was very speculative about the idea that other worlds, better worlds may exist outside our own. This is shown through the way he expresses the 'What If?' aspects of his writing, such as the novel that 'Hawthorn Abendsen' created (The Grasshopper Lies Heavy), which explains the alternate world that would be if the Allies had won the war. The idea of a novel within an novel, to me, focuses on the idea of other worlds, as we focus on in real life with literature and films. Dystopian novels in particular (Such as Nineteen-Eighty-Four by George Orwell) show how things would be in an alternate universe, although they are from the authors idea of what could occur.
Although I may be slightly arguing with myself here, I would conclude to say that Man in the High Castle by Phillip K. Dick would be mainly a Speculative-Fiction novel (as Speculative-Fiction is a sub-genre of many, particularly of Science-Fiction).
References:
Brown, E. (2001). Introduction. In Dick, P.K., The Man in the High Castle (p.v-xii). London: Penguin.
Websites:
Retrieved on 21/10/2012: http://www.jamierubin.net/2011/01/25/speculative-fiction-vs-science-fiction/
Retrieved on 21/10/2012: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/science+fictionRetrieved on 21/10/2012: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/speculative+fiction
Anime
Anime is something that I grew up with in the States. It is nothing new to me and I've actually been brought up with Miyazaki films such as Kiki's Delivery Service(1989) and Spirited Away(2001). Mostly these films are child-friendly and family-targeted. They are something that people can relate to, despite their non-realistic qualities. In Kiki's Delivery Service, for example, children could watch in amusement, while teenagers and adults may be able to relate to Kiki's need to find herself on her own. They can see the idea of the transition into adulthood. I find, myself, that Anime has branched out to be popular all over the world, as it is in Japan, America, New Zealand, among others.
In Princess Mononoke, although a more dark storyline, both boys and girls can place their selves in the shoes of the female characters. While still remaining feminine in the face, they go against the "cutesy-ness" that most people know Anime for. I've noticed this as a similar quality of art for the female, or "Shojo" characters in Miyazaki's films.
(Spirited Away) (Kiki's Delivery Service) (Princess Mononoke)
The way these characters are drawn show a feminine, but not over-the-top type of character.
This is very different from other well known anime characters such as:
(Inuyasha: Kagome) (Sailor Moon Characters)
Although the characters are drawn in a different style, Miyazaki's artwork goes against what comes to mind when people think about female anime characters. This also allows for the storyline and characters to be taken more seriously and realistically (despite the fantasy/supernatural qualities that are part of his stories) and not to be made into some sort of sex-icon. Even finding the images for Kagome and the Sailor Moon team, I found some unpleasant fan art-work.
Not only are the characters drawn differently than other types of anime, they are also different in the way that they are the "hero" figures in the films. In Sailor Moon, although she is meant to be the hero and the lead, she is often saved by the character Tuxedo Mask. Kagome is also frequently saved by Inuyasha in the show, although she is not necessarily meant to be the 'hero' character. In Kiki's Delivery Service, however, Kiki plays the hero and 'saves the day' at the end, saving the boy rather than vise-versa. The same can be said about the female protagonists in Princess Mononoke.
References:
Images:
(All Retrieved on 21/10/2012)
http://www.btchflcks.com/2011/12/animated-childrens-films-spirited-away.html
http://www.ifccenter.com/films/kikis-delivery-service-2/
http://www.animevice.com/princess-mononoke/13-19/all-images/84-52837/princess_8/83-364364/
http://unobtainium13.com/2012/07/06/new-sailor-moon-series-to-return-in-2013/
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/kagome-higurashi/images/15105815/title/kagome-photo
Napier, S. (2005). Anime: from Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
In Princess Mononoke, although a more dark storyline, both boys and girls can place their selves in the shoes of the female characters. While still remaining feminine in the face, they go against the "cutesy-ness" that most people know Anime for. I've noticed this as a similar quality of art for the female, or "Shojo" characters in Miyazaki's films.
(Spirited Away) (Kiki's Delivery Service) (Princess Mononoke)
The way these characters are drawn show a feminine, but not over-the-top type of character.
This is very different from other well known anime characters such as:
(Inuyasha: Kagome) (Sailor Moon Characters)
Although the characters are drawn in a different style, Miyazaki's artwork goes against what comes to mind when people think about female anime characters. This also allows for the storyline and characters to be taken more seriously and realistically (despite the fantasy/supernatural qualities that are part of his stories) and not to be made into some sort of sex-icon. Even finding the images for Kagome and the Sailor Moon team, I found some unpleasant fan art-work.
Not only are the characters drawn differently than other types of anime, they are also different in the way that they are the "hero" figures in the films. In Sailor Moon, although she is meant to be the hero and the lead, she is often saved by the character Tuxedo Mask. Kagome is also frequently saved by Inuyasha in the show, although she is not necessarily meant to be the 'hero' character. In Kiki's Delivery Service, however, Kiki plays the hero and 'saves the day' at the end, saving the boy rather than vise-versa. The same can be said about the female protagonists in Princess Mononoke.
References:
Images:
(All Retrieved on 21/10/2012)
http://www.btchflcks.com/2011/12/animated-childrens-films-spirited-away.html
http://www.ifccenter.com/films/kikis-delivery-service-2/
http://www.animevice.com/princess-mononoke/13-19/all-images/84-52837/princess_8/83-364364/
http://unobtainium13.com/2012/07/06/new-sailor-moon-series-to-return-in-2013/
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/kagome-higurashi/images/15105815/title/kagome-photo
Napier, S. (2005). Anime: from Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Weeks 11-12; Reality TV - Cathy Come Home
How does Hill define Reality tv?
From the reading, I have gathered that Hill believes there
is not one simple definition of reality programming bu t many “competing
definitions of what has come to be called the ‘reality genre’” (Hill, 2005).
This is due to it’s original influences; the variation of prominent television
genres, such as documentary and lifestyle, that reality tv, also known as ‘popular
factual programming, has emerged from.
Hills says that, reality tv is the term we all refer to,
audiences, scholars and members of the television industry included,when we
talk about the genre of reality, but really, it doesn’t differentiate the
different ‘styles and formats’ within this wide genre (2005). However, the one
characteristic that unites all programming that falls under the reailty genre,
is “the capacity to let viewers see for themselves”. Apparently, we judge the realness
of reality tv according to a ‘fact-fiction continuum’, one end being ‘docu-soaps’,
and the other ‘reality gameshows’. Hills also believes that, it is only a
matter of time before the industry begins to include other types of ‘factual
television’ into the reality genre (2005).This worries me slightly..as with many
reality programmes I see on television, the line between fact and fiction is
very blurred. A lot of what we presume to be real, is fake, scripted, and/or highly
exaggerated in order to make an entertaining episode of ‘reality tv’.To be
honest, a lot of reality television today, is complete crap in my opinion..but
it is addictive and I tend to watch it anyways!
In regards to the docu-drama Cathy Come Home we watched in
class, I can see how reality television grew from programmes such as this one.
Directed by Ken Loach and released in 1996, the show is about a couples life
together, their struggles with raising a family in poverty. It is all portrayed
as very real, as though a camera has followed them around over the years. The
show explores real life issues, with real emotion, and life like events and
problems – social realism in Britain during this time period. Although it was
an acted drama, I could definitely spot similarities between Cathy Come Home
and reality TV today. The way Cathy spoke to the audience, narrating events and
her feelings at the time of these events, reminded me of the common
confession/diary technique used in many reality shows where characters express
their thoughts to the camera/viewers.
I enjoyed watching the show, as I hadn’t ever seen anything
like it before. I am used to watching reality tv today, so I had to keep
reminding myself that it was actually a scripted drama, whether it was based on
a true story or not. Maybe I need to do the same when I am watching my crap
reality tv…remind myself that most of it is probably hyped up just for the
drama and the ratings, and that really, it isn’t that real at all!
Geordie Shore - One of my favourite 'reality' tv shows.
Terrible and cringe worthy, but I can't help myself!
References
Biressi, A. & Nunn, N.
(2005). Real Lives, documentary approaches. In Reality TV: realism and
revelation. (pp. 35-58) London: Wallflower.
Hill A. (2005). The rise of reality TV. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 15 – 40). Oxon: Routledge
Hill A. (2005). The rise of reality TV. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 15 – 40). Oxon: Routledge
Reality TV
Reality TV
Hills (2005) suggests that in reality television, camers follow people to show what they do every day, and many reality television the viewer and the camera are passive observers following people going about their daily personal and professional activities which allows audiences to watch people's private lives and all the conflicts happening in situations. Some reality television shows cover a person or group of people improving their lives. Sometimes the same group of people are covered over an entire season (as in The Swan and Celebrity Fit Club), but usually there is a new target for improvement in each episode. Other self-improvement or makeover shows include The Biggest Loser (which covers weight loss) and Extreme Makeover (entire physical appearance),
Reality television saw an explosion of global popularity starting in the early 2000s. Two reality series, Survivor and American Idol, have been the top-rated series on American television for an entire season. Documentary television has significantly influenced reality television. There are hundreds of shows based on reality, and many of them are emerged in the documentary genre. Both genres use various techniques like voice-overs which construct narrative over observational shooting, edgy, shaky camera work, fly-on-the wall/observational approach, hand-held cameras, and more. Examples are The Osbournes, The Hills, Rescue 911 and even shows like American Idol and Master Chief. These shows give viewers a chance to get a sight into events and happenings that are in characters’ lives. "Reality TV can give an audience suspenseful moments, rather than being boring" (Hill, 2005).
“Reality TV viewers classify programmes according to fact/fiction criteria.” (Hill, 2005).
'The Hills' is an example of Reality TV that uses documentary style.
Real TV genre is a way for the camera to catch every moment, and it is supposed to be like they are looking in the “mirror of realism”. Most of these reality shows are like that, but you do get the ones when it is scripted to look real. Many audiences say the show is not real because the people in the show are just ordinary people, but their lives are as fancy as celebrities in Hollywood.
References
Biressi, A. & Nunn, N. (2005). Real Lives, documentary approaches. In Reality TV: realism and revelation. (pp. 35-58) London: Wallflower.
Hill A. (2005). The rise of reality TV. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 15 – 40). Oxon: Routledge
Hills (2005) suggests that in reality television, camers follow people to show what they do every day, and many reality television the viewer and the camera are passive observers following people going about their daily personal and professional activities which allows audiences to watch people's private lives and all the conflicts happening in situations. Some reality television shows cover a person or group of people improving their lives. Sometimes the same group of people are covered over an entire season (as in The Swan and Celebrity Fit Club), but usually there is a new target for improvement in each episode. Other self-improvement or makeover shows include The Biggest Loser (which covers weight loss) and Extreme Makeover (entire physical appearance),
Reality television saw an explosion of global popularity starting in the early 2000s. Two reality series, Survivor and American Idol, have been the top-rated series on American television for an entire season. Documentary television has significantly influenced reality television. There are hundreds of shows based on reality, and many of them are emerged in the documentary genre. Both genres use various techniques like voice-overs which construct narrative over observational shooting, edgy, shaky camera work, fly-on-the wall/observational approach, hand-held cameras, and more. Examples are The Osbournes, The Hills, Rescue 911 and even shows like American Idol and Master Chief. These shows give viewers a chance to get a sight into events and happenings that are in characters’ lives. "Reality TV can give an audience suspenseful moments, rather than being boring" (Hill, 2005).
“Reality TV viewers classify programmes according to fact/fiction criteria.” (Hill, 2005).
Real TV genre is a way for the camera to catch every moment, and it is supposed to be like they are looking in the “mirror of realism”. Most of these reality shows are like that, but you do get the ones when it is scripted to look real. Many audiences say the show is not real because the people in the show are just ordinary people, but their lives are as fancy as celebrities in Hollywood.
References
Biressi, A. & Nunn, N. (2005). Real Lives, documentary approaches. In Reality TV: realism and revelation. (pp. 35-58) London: Wallflower.
Hill A. (2005). The rise of reality TV. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 15 – 40). Oxon: Routledge
Friday, October 19, 2012
A Wizard of Earthsea
Le Guinn expresses her views on the film and miniseries many times. Although there were many changes, in particular, the way the characters were changed from print to film made a huge difference to the meaning and atmosphere of her fantasy land that she was trying to convey. In particular, Ged's character, who is meant to be a red-brown, is white. This ruins what she was attempting to do in her novel, to avoid the typical white-hero archetype of fantasy. "I didn't see why everybody in science fiction had to be a honky named Bob or Joe or Bill. I didn't see why everybody in heroic fantasy had to be white" (Ursula K. Le Guinn, 2004)
In relation to relatability, perhaps an audience can relate better to white characters, although Le Guinn points out that most of the world is not white. She expresses that white people are now a minority. This idea is understandable from when she mentions "Bob or Joe or Bill." These are "average" names, therefore, people can identify with 'just your average Joe'. She explains that (although the book is over 30 years old, so now-a-days the views could be different for people) she was not sure if people would be able to relate to the character Ged right away because of his skin colour, so she wanted to allow the reader to get 'into his skin' before they discover his actual skin colour. She used more discrete descriptions to explain him until later in the novel. " I figured some white kids... might not identify straight off with a brown kid, so I kind of eased the information about skin color in by degrees" (Ursula K. Le Guinn, 2004)
This idea leads me to believe that if the views are still the same as 30 years ago, the film would be unable to describe Ged's skin colour and the audience would see it straight away. Perhaps they thought the same way Le Guinn did, and took this into consideration when casting the character. The audience would see him right away and they needed the character to be as it was in the book: Relatable. They needed the audience in his skin as much as Le Guinn needed the same result. Although this may not be applicable any more. Today people are (supposedly) more open minded about race than they were in the 60s and 70s, so it should have been more simple for the audience to see the characters, although not 'white', as something they could relate to.
"I have heard... from readers of color who told me that the Earthsea books were the only books in the genre that they felt included in" (Ursula K. Le Guinn, 2004)
Le Guinn, Ursula K. (2004). Retrieved from: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2004/12/a_whitewashed_earthsea.html on 10/20/2012
In relation to relatability, perhaps an audience can relate better to white characters, although Le Guinn points out that most of the world is not white. She expresses that white people are now a minority. This idea is understandable from when she mentions "Bob or Joe or Bill." These are "average" names, therefore, people can identify with 'just your average Joe'. She explains that (although the book is over 30 years old, so now-a-days the views could be different for people) she was not sure if people would be able to relate to the character Ged right away because of his skin colour, so she wanted to allow the reader to get 'into his skin' before they discover his actual skin colour. She used more discrete descriptions to explain him until later in the novel. " I figured some white kids... might not identify straight off with a brown kid, so I kind of eased the information about skin color in by degrees" (Ursula K. Le Guinn, 2004)
This idea leads me to believe that if the views are still the same as 30 years ago, the film would be unable to describe Ged's skin colour and the audience would see it straight away. Perhaps they thought the same way Le Guinn did, and took this into consideration when casting the character. The audience would see him right away and they needed the character to be as it was in the book: Relatable. They needed the audience in his skin as much as Le Guinn needed the same result. Although this may not be applicable any more. Today people are (supposedly) more open minded about race than they were in the 60s and 70s, so it should have been more simple for the audience to see the characters, although not 'white', as something they could relate to.
"I have heard... from readers of color who told me that the Earthsea books were the only books in the genre that they felt included in" (Ursula K. Le Guinn, 2004)
Le Guinn, Ursula K. (2004). Retrieved from: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2004/12/a_whitewashed_earthsea.html on 10/20/2012
Tin Tin
After only a few minutes of the film, and a few pages of the original
comic, I could tell that Tin Tin is an adult-directed piece of literature. When reading the content, opium was quickly mentioned, something a
child would (hopefully) not understand. People of a younger age
would enjoy the idea of a normal boy with superhero characteristics
"Comics are a way of creating a universe and populating it with characters using a secret code that works in the simplest and most direct way possible to enter the 'reader's' brain." (James Kochalka, as found in the Weelky Reader week 2, page 8)
This quote shows me that the propaganda placed into Tin Tin is done so strategically to infiltrate society's (of that time) mind. The way this is done is not only by the language and subject matter used in the comics, but also by the place the characters end up in. Herge is known to have taken special care to make certain that the images are realistic enough to be recognised, such as The Red Sea Sharks or The Black Island. They would sketch and photograph everything they could prior to creating the imagery for the comics, thus placing Tin Tin in a relatable world that could be recognized, as opposed to the secondary-world that fantasy is meant to live in. Although, this world is still considered secondary despite the background it takes place in. It is made to be more controlled than the real world would be.
Therefore, the adult topics that are discussed in Tin Tin are emphasized by the realistic qualities in the landscapes and their relatable aspects.
References:
A Critical Reader: Week 2 Comics as Graphic Novels II
Bernasconi, S. (Director). (1991). The Blue Lotus from The Adventures of Tintin. Canada: Nelvana.
Horricks, D. (2004). The Perfect Planet: Comics, Games and World-Building. In Williams, M. (Ed.), Writing at the Edge of the Universe. Christchurch: U of Canterbury Press.
- his bravery
- his relatability through minimal facial features and faults such as him being gullible and naive
- stereotypical sidekick, even better so a dog which allows him to be portrayed as an animal-lover
"Comics are a way of creating a universe and populating it with characters using a secret code that works in the simplest and most direct way possible to enter the 'reader's' brain." (James Kochalka, as found in the Weelky Reader week 2, page 8)
This quote shows me that the propaganda placed into Tin Tin is done so strategically to infiltrate society's (of that time) mind. The way this is done is not only by the language and subject matter used in the comics, but also by the place the characters end up in. Herge is known to have taken special care to make certain that the images are realistic enough to be recognised, such as The Red Sea Sharks or The Black Island. They would sketch and photograph everything they could prior to creating the imagery for the comics, thus placing Tin Tin in a relatable world that could be recognized, as opposed to the secondary-world that fantasy is meant to live in. Although, this world is still considered secondary despite the background it takes place in. It is made to be more controlled than the real world would be.
Therefore, the adult topics that are discussed in Tin Tin are emphasized by the realistic qualities in the landscapes and their relatable aspects.
References:
A Critical Reader: Week 2 Comics as Graphic Novels II
Bernasconi, S. (Director). (1991). The Blue Lotus from The Adventures of Tintin. Canada: Nelvana.
Horricks, D. (2004). The Perfect Planet: Comics, Games and World-Building. In Williams, M. (Ed.), Writing at the Edge of the Universe. Christchurch: U of Canterbury Press.
Cult TV - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Hills (2004) lists a number of defining characteristics
of cult TV that contain similarities to the defining characteristics of pop
genres (e.g. fantasy, science fiction) discussed earlier in the Pop Genres
paper. Can you identify these and discuss why you think that these
characteristics are repeatedly viewed as underpinning popular
genres.
The first defining characteristic that Hills (2004) lists is that through textual analysis, depending on the text, cult TV can be defined. We can analyse the qualities that are shared by cult TV programmes. Hills (2004) continues on to suggest that media producers are self-consciously designing cult TV through their work, adding that cult TV hails from the genres of fantasy, horror and science fiction, yet is thought of as the best of these groups.
Hills (2004) second definition of cult TV is that it is able to be defined through analyzing secondary texts. John Fiske (as cited in Hills, 2004) believes that secondary texts work to increase the circulation of certain meanings that have been selected from the primary texts and they play a significant role in influencing the audience.
Similarly, Hills' (2004) third definition of cult TV is that it can be defined by analyzing the practices and activities of fans. From that, we have to consider what dedicated and loyal fans of cult TV do in order to show their 'fandom'. Hills (2004) states that the definition provokes a question; 'what activities do fans of cult TV engage in?'. In relation to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the 'cult' factor arises with the availability of commercial fan magazines and newspaper coverage, and also fan based forums where fans can read and follow the program and discuss personal issues and/or opinions with not only the media, but also other fans themselves. Buffy-Boards is a fan based forum which discusses questions from the fans or issues with an episode. You are able to browse by season and read all posts by the fans which cover a range of topics; "Do you think Angel could have converted Faith?" to "The Industrial Song in 'Graduation day, Part 1'".
Personally, I think that these definitions continue to be viewed as underpinning popular genres because of the 'addictive' nature of them. Popular genres have become popular because of something that they involve. In my opinion, I think the main factor is the likability of popular genres. It may not be that the audience can relate to all areas of them, but something captures the audience. In relation to the cult fiction, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the element of spirituality, I think, captures the audience. It would almost seem as though the human race has become obsessed with the fictional world; vampire, werewolves, demons, and monsters. Even though, because of the fictional element of these kinds of characters, the audience cannot relate to the program, the other human characters, like Buffy, are very easy to relate to. Buffy comes across as 'the-girl-next-door' kind of girl, which I think makes the audience really engage with her, and because of that, they may even feel that the adventures that she takes part in may even be possible for themselves. It's almost as if the character of Buffy empowers the audience as they may see themselves relating to her.
Hills, M. (2004). Defining Cult TV; Texts, Inter-texts and Fan Audiences, The
Television Studies Reader, in R. C. Allen & A. Hill. London and New York:
Routledge.
The first defining characteristic that Hills (2004) lists is that through textual analysis, depending on the text, cult TV can be defined. We can analyse the qualities that are shared by cult TV programmes. Hills (2004) continues on to suggest that media producers are self-consciously designing cult TV through their work, adding that cult TV hails from the genres of fantasy, horror and science fiction, yet is thought of as the best of these groups.
Hills (2004) second definition of cult TV is that it is able to be defined through analyzing secondary texts. John Fiske (as cited in Hills, 2004) believes that secondary texts work to increase the circulation of certain meanings that have been selected from the primary texts and they play a significant role in influencing the audience.
Similarly, Hills' (2004) third definition of cult TV is that it can be defined by analyzing the practices and activities of fans. From that, we have to consider what dedicated and loyal fans of cult TV do in order to show their 'fandom'. Hills (2004) states that the definition provokes a question; 'what activities do fans of cult TV engage in?'. In relation to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the 'cult' factor arises with the availability of commercial fan magazines and newspaper coverage, and also fan based forums where fans can read and follow the program and discuss personal issues and/or opinions with not only the media, but also other fans themselves. Buffy-Boards is a fan based forum which discusses questions from the fans or issues with an episode. You are able to browse by season and read all posts by the fans which cover a range of topics; "Do you think Angel could have converted Faith?" to "The Industrial Song in 'Graduation day, Part 1'".
 |
| Buffy - Buffy the Vampire Slayer |
Personally, I think that these definitions continue to be viewed as underpinning popular genres because of the 'addictive' nature of them. Popular genres have become popular because of something that they involve. In my opinion, I think the main factor is the likability of popular genres. It may not be that the audience can relate to all areas of them, but something captures the audience. In relation to the cult fiction, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the element of spirituality, I think, captures the audience. It would almost seem as though the human race has become obsessed with the fictional world; vampire, werewolves, demons, and monsters. Even though, because of the fictional element of these kinds of characters, the audience cannot relate to the program, the other human characters, like Buffy, are very easy to relate to. Buffy comes across as 'the-girl-next-door' kind of girl, which I think makes the audience really engage with her, and because of that, they may even feel that the adventures that she takes part in may even be possible for themselves. It's almost as if the character of Buffy empowers the audience as they may see themselves relating to her.
Hills, M. (2004). Defining Cult TV; Texts, Inter-texts and Fan Audiences, The
Television Studies Reader, in R. C. Allen & A. Hill. London and New York:
Routledge.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Week 12* Reality TV
Reality TV is one of the most popular genre the audience like to watch and there are variety of styles and techniques within reality TV. It is associated with everything from people to pets and from birth to death. According to Hills (2005), the genre of Reality has changed where it was associated with on-scene footage of law and order whereas now it is about how people live their daily lives and the dramas they have. Following on Hills (2005), reality television is like following the people with cameras and showing what they do every day. Watching the reality series of 'Cathy Come Home' in tutorial showed the shaking of camera and even if it was a scripted drama it showed the reality from the circumstances that people went through and with the acting of normal people. Television producers, directors and writers increasingly aimed to depict a 'history from below' that could give a voice to the working class experience and touch the social conscience of their audience. Cathy Come Home (1996), directed by Ken Loach and produced by Tony Garnett is widely recognized as a landmark docudrama that showed the chronicling of events and social realism that characterizes British documentary. The events that happened from the time of the two young couple to their marriage and all the difficulties they had to go through, showed the audience the miserable period in the political affairs.
The big series of 'Big Brother' was a major hit, and a lot of people were involved in voting online and text messaging to eliminate each person for the episodes. According to Hills (2005), 'Big Brother' and other reality television series are scripted and edited in particular ways so that audience can enjoy and follow up with the episodes. For example, Jerry Springer show is one of the most popular talk show that deals with real life problems with relationships and family crisis that needs to be solved. However, they are usually scripted which will make the audience want to watch. It is interesting that nowadays that reality TV is popular when the audience know that they are partially scripted but still enjoying the fact that they are from ordinary people which we may see in the streets or the next door neighbor. This can be the fact that most people are tired of only seeing real actors and actresses and presuming what the hit drama series would be about. In Korea the reality TV is really popular with documentaries about ordinary people and showing how they live. There was one episode about a Indian women married to a Korean man and it was about the women moving into Korea just by herself. It was interesting to watch and their stories might have been scripted with different episodes but showing their real life home and family showed the realism of working class people. Comparing Reality TV with other genres such as Fantasy and Sci-fiction are totally the opposite way. Whereas the Fantasy is going beyond reality and is about the other world that the director creates. Reality TV focuses on showing realism that audience will agree and understand.
References
Hill, A. (2005) The reality genre. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 14 – 40). Oxon: Routledge.
Biressi, A. & Nunn, N. (2005). Real Lives, documentary approaches. In Reality TV: realism and revelation. (pp. 35-58). London: Wallflower.
The big series of 'Big Brother' was a major hit, and a lot of people were involved in voting online and text messaging to eliminate each person for the episodes. According to Hills (2005), 'Big Brother' and other reality television series are scripted and edited in particular ways so that audience can enjoy and follow up with the episodes. For example, Jerry Springer show is one of the most popular talk show that deals with real life problems with relationships and family crisis that needs to be solved. However, they are usually scripted which will make the audience want to watch. It is interesting that nowadays that reality TV is popular when the audience know that they are partially scripted but still enjoying the fact that they are from ordinary people which we may see in the streets or the next door neighbor. This can be the fact that most people are tired of only seeing real actors and actresses and presuming what the hit drama series would be about. In Korea the reality TV is really popular with documentaries about ordinary people and showing how they live. There was one episode about a Indian women married to a Korean man and it was about the women moving into Korea just by herself. It was interesting to watch and their stories might have been scripted with different episodes but showing their real life home and family showed the realism of working class people. Comparing Reality TV with other genres such as Fantasy and Sci-fiction are totally the opposite way. Whereas the Fantasy is going beyond reality and is about the other world that the director creates. Reality TV focuses on showing realism that audience will agree and understand.
References
Hill, A. (2005) The reality genre. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 14 – 40). Oxon: Routledge.
Biressi, A. & Nunn, N. (2005). Real Lives, documentary approaches. In Reality TV: realism and revelation. (pp. 35-58). London: Wallflower.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Week 12 Reality TV
How does Hill define reality TV?
In the article, The Reality Genre, Hill (2005) wrote a detailed analysis of the reality TV. The style of reality TV has changed over the past decade. He said that in the early stages of reality TV it treated more about documantary genre and some political situation as it appeared in the reality TV that we have already seen in the class, but now the range of genre of reality TV is various. Thus the author classified it into several parts; television industry, scholars and audiences perspectives.
Television industry
Hill (2005) believed that " the television industry is a good place to chart the changing genre of reality TV." because "the reality genre is made of a number of distinctive and historically based television genres, such as lifestyle, or documentary.". The people who were involved in the television industry said that reality TV has strong market value and also they called reality TV as factual entertainment, or popular factual.
Scholars
The TV scholar, Steve Neale (2003) pointed out that "there is a generic aspect to all instances of cultural production,
and that these instances are usually multiple, not single, in kind’.
In terms of reality TV, there are ‘numerous aspects’, ‘numerous
meanings’, and ‘numerous analytical uses’ of the genre within the
academic community.”. One of these various meanings and aspects that was explained in
Neales' reference is another reference to Richard Kilborn’s definition
of reality television as a mixture of characteristics all in one
package which is “‘real-life situations’, and also infotainment, or what Kilborn
calls reality programming: ‘the recording on the wing … of events in
the lives of individuals or groups, the attempt to stimulate such
real-life events through various forms of dramatized reconstruction
and the incorporation of this material … into an attractively packaged
television programme.’”
Audiences
Hill (2005) conducted a a
study and examined three different types of reality programs that is observational, informational, and creative, focusing on were the fact/fiction criteria. Corner (1995) exemplified this main point by
signifying and implying the different aspect of this type of genre is
the unique perception of each individualized member of the audience to
choose themselves by their own observation. Hill (2005) defined the result that “in
many ways, the classification of reality TV in relation to ‘reality’ is
connected with audience understanding of the performance of
non-professional actors in the programs, and the ways ‘real people’ play
up to the cameras.”
It can be summarised that Hill (2005) defined reality TV as a genre that has
dramatically transformed into this multi-industry corporation that has
given birth to sub forms of television programs, that are in constant
evolve/devolvement with no end in sight; but in the end, the common
unifying element is up to the viewer to decide on what is
factual/reality TV, based on this reoccurring idea of 'fact/fiction continuum' that the audience bases their belief on.
References
Hill, A. (2005) The reality genre. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 14 – 40). Oxon: Routledge.
R. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 14 – 40). Oxon: Routledge.
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