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.

 

Science Fiction - The Man in the High Castle

What was does Dick (1995) himself theorise about the I Ching? 

According to Clarity (2012), the I Ching is the oldest oracle in the world and is the most revered and loved book of Chinese wisdom which has been accumulated through diviners and sages over 2,500 years, noting itself as "a well of pure water" (Clarity, 2012).  The I Ching is divided into 64 chapters of a mixture between advice, philosophy, images and poetry.  The 64 chapters are recorded by 64 hexagrams - lines of six that are either broken, or solid.

You are to ask I Ching a question, and supposedly, when you consult the book, your answer arrives in the form of a hexagram (see image to the right), which you build up line upon line coinciding with the results of tossing two or three coins.

Philip K. Dick states that he has "used [I Ching] to develop the direction of a novel" (Dick, 1995).  A book which is seen on a surface level as a book with a philosophy of history, yet deeper, I feel that the book touches more on the relationship between history, creativity and truth, and I think this is explored within The Man in the High Castle to show that there is indeed a connection, or link if you like, between the three.  The question of truth history is often asked, whether history is displayed as fact of fiction.  Even in the beginning of the book we can see the argument developing as the character Frank Frink delves into the issue of false reality, a material reality, as he falsely ages Colt Pistols as if to replica the guns from the war to create significance.  This issue of history vs. material reality is seen when Wyndham-Matson, also creates fake products, shows a girl there is no visual difference, it's all about 'historicity'.  "What is historicity?"  "When a thing has history in it.  Listen.  One of those two Zippo lighters was in Franklin D. Roosevelt's pocket when he was assassinated. And one wasn't.  One has historicity, a hell of it.  As much as any object ever had.  And one has nothing .... You can't tell which is which" .... "In the mind, not the gun" (Dick, 1962, The Man in the High Castle, pp. 65-66).  Dick's debate is whether or not history exists as a fact, or whether it only exists in the mind, in that case it's undetermined, it isn't factual at all, but is in fact, textual.

This relates back to the concept of I Ching, a state of mind perceived as reality.  The 8 fundamental processes that I Ching is build on apparently are the approach to reality and life.  However, as stated by TheJourney (2012), these fundamental processes are all "metaphors", a way of thinking, to be interpreted by each individual.  If so, how is reality obtained when each process can be interpreted differently?!

References:

Clarity (2012). "What is the I Ching." Retrieved 9 October, 2012, from
          http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/learn/begin/.

Dick, P.K. (1995). Schizophrenia and the I Ching. In Sutin, L. (Ed.), The Shifting Realities of 
          Philip K. Dick (pp.175-182). New York: Vintage. 

TheJourney (2012). "I Ching Represents Fundamental Elements of Life, Reality, and
         Consciousness." Retrieved 9 October, 2012, from
         http://forum.grasscity.com/philosophy/1106144-i-ching-represents-fundamental-elements-
         life-reality-consciousness.html.

Week 10 Cult TV

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

 According to Braum (2000), in Buffy the Vampires Slayer the traditional literary notions of good and evil is broken  because of its ambiguous perceptions of good and evil, said moral ambiguity. Additionally, the ambiguities in the TV series seem to intertwine with other factors related to sexuality and gender.

In the story, the border of evil and good are very thin and interchangeable. Buffy is a yong attractive girl who suppose to represent of 'good', slaying 'evil' vampires and put herself in a trouble by falling in love with Angel who might think of as 'evil'. Through the story it gives their audience to ponder, evil might not be so being evil probably their actions have reasons for good. Braum (2000) pointed out that "an acknowledgement of the aggression within ordinary people and tendency to explore themes of good and evil through supernatural narratives incorporating complicated relationships between morality, sexuality, and gender."



References


Braum, B. (2000). The X-files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The ambiguity of evil in supernatural representations. Retrieved 18 October, 2005 from: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0 412/is_2_28/ai_64688900
 

Week 2 Tin Tin

Do you think comics are a children's or adult genre/media? 

“There are two sides to every story". Comics are no exception. I feel that there is no question about whether these forms of media are either child or adult entertainment. Comics seem to be written in a way that appeal to people of all ages, with simple adventure plots, humor, hidden puns and many different levels of education within the text. 

Tintin is a strong example of a comic which is loved by kids as well as adults. For children, a comic such as Tintin, is loved because of the adventurous stories and the vivid images. To an adult, reading a Tintin comic is like a way to escape back to childhood, to feel some excitement and adventure. To add to this, because Hergé would thoroughly research everything that was depicted in the comic, as well as using real life events (such as in the Blue Lotus Hergé depicts the invasion of Manchuria by Japan (Viram, 2007), adults reading the comic could feel like the comic was more realistic because of the high level of accuracy. Hergé has also stated that he purposely created a character to appeal across a large range of ages and that Tintin was aimed for “young people aged from seven to seventy seven” (Farr, 2001).

As a quick side note, it’s not just comics where you see this multi-age appeal. Popular genres like as animated movies such as Shrek, which would typically be thought of as being aimed for children, are actually a lot more that what they first seem. "Shrek was seized upon as a turning point in that it had very definitely one kind of a text for kids and definitely a subtext for adults” (Rohrer, 2009).

Maybe this is the new way of making sure that kids and adults can enjoy the same stuff and that parents and kids enjoy an interest together. Personally I think that comics are for anyone who enjoys them, young or old and because of the success of popular genre medias such as Tintin comics, we are starting to see a major growth with many for ‘all-ages’ media starting to build up.

References

Farr, M. (2001). Introduction, Tintin: an imaginary hero in the real world. In M. Farr, Tintin: the complete companion (pp. 8-9). London: John Murray.

Rohrer, F. (2009, December 16). BBC News. Retrieved July 27, 2011, from How do you make children's films appeal to adults?: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8415003.stm

Viram. (2007, November 15). The Blue Lotus. Retrieved July 27, 2011, from Shvoong.com: http://www.shvoong.com/books/1706168-blue-lotus/

Week 8, Science Fiction

What is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction? Which is The Man in the High Castle?  

Science Fiction is a term based mostly on futuristic and advancements in all sorts of aspects that relate to science, technology and people as well as their world. On the other hand, the range of Speculative Fiction is much wider because it is based on highly imaginative fiction genres, including fantasy, superheroes, supernatural and alternate history (Wikipedia, 2012). Alternate History is a fiction genre  that set in the real world history so The Man in the High Castle  can be seen as a form of it as it is a rich mix of alternate history of WWll.
  
Although Speculative Fiction is more imaginative than Science Fiction regarding of possibility, Science Fiction somtimes falls under the categories of Speculative Fiction because both Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction give new outlooks on life and are capable of pushing the boundaries of our imagination.

"The world presented here is but an illusion that other better worlds might exist" (Dick, 2001, p. 5).

 The Man in the High Castle is set in a world of alternate history because it has references to the real events and involves the people from the timeframe of World War ll. The story also has introduced other aspects which could turn or change the real history and presents a rare theme of a story within a story (Brown, 2001). 


References

 Dick, P.K. (2001; 1962). The Man in the High Castle. London: Penguin.

Brown, E. (2001). Introduction. In Dick, P.K., The Man in the High Castle (p.v-xii). London: Penguin.

Weeks 9-10; Cult TV - Buffy The Vampire Slayer

What role does Hills (2004) suggest the fans play in the construction of cult TV? How is new media central to this?

In this reading, Hills explains the different arguments that claim to be the creation of 'Cult TV', how a television series becomes known as part of the cult TV genre. One of these arguments states that, it is the fans of a show and their passion that create it's 'Cult' status. Apparently, cult TV cannot be promoted by the media industry, the writer's or producer's. The power lies within the fans; their loyalty and dedication to the series. The construction of cult TV hinges vitally on audience take-up and devotion. 

Fans create fan fiction, episode guides, commentaries, and production histories that all work together to create distinctive fandom. They create a market for merchandise and memorabilia of their loved television shows, collecting long after the show has finished airing. They analyse episodes down to the very last detail, and obsess over plots and characters, often looking into things further than the creators of the show could have ever imagined. 

Most fan activities take place online; fans gather in virtual spaces dedicated to a series and discuss and debate through and through. Hills (2004) believes that the Internet plays a large part in modern fandom, making it easier for fans to connect to other devotees, however, it has also played a part in making cult TV fandom mainstream. According to Kirsten Pullen (as cited in Hills, 2004) "it has achieved this by opening up the boundaries of fandom, allowing more people to participate in fan culture, and designating more television programmes..as worthy of fan activity". 

This aspect of new media, the Internet, is central to the fan's construction of a cult TV series, as it is a place where they can find one another and form a large fanbase, sharing endless ideas, opinions, and information about the show. However, it is also affecting the generation of cult status by rendering fandom and it's practices less distinctively 'anti-mainstream', think of the way goths dress in a certain way to differentiate themselves from the crowd..similar to the way fans of cult television follow these shows in a distintive and unique way. The internet is placing fandom cult tv into the catagory of mainstream genre, because, overall, "the internet-enabled fan practices will no longer be set apart from broader cultural norms, practises, and processes" (Hills, 2004, p.21).

In relation to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the internet plays a big part in it's cult TV fanbase. Buffy is one of the biggest Cult television shows of all time, and has an enormous group of followers world wide. According to www.fanlore.org/wiki, a site about all things fandom, online fans participate in "the production and consumption of fanworks (such as fanfiction, fanart and videos), as well as activities like running and attending conventions, participating in discussion, and so on. Articles about the culture, history and experience of fan activities are welcome, too". Woah, dedication!

Fans have created many a website dedicated to Buffy, character analysis, further plot development, alternate endings..but this is only the beginning. I did a bit of research on the web to find out what kind of online activities Buffy fans participate in. The list is huuuuge! It ranges from merchandise auctions, gaming and role playing, poetry, visual art and crafts, debate and discussion, and file sharing.

I also an interesting quote online, originally from a 'Science Fiction Weekly' magazine interview Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy) participated in. Here's what he had to say about Buffy online fandom:

'You've developed quite an Internet-based following for Buffy. What do you think of that? Do you read fan comments, and do they influence your thinking about the show? Or do you ignore most of it? 

Whedon: I think it's really neat. I haven't had as much time as I used to to check in and see what people are talking about. [But] sure, I'll read the posting board. I'm always interested to see what people are responding to, and what they're not. To an extent it does [affect me]. For example, when I saw that people were rejecting the Oz character when he was first introduced, I realized how carefully I had to place him. I wrote scenes where Willow falls in love with him in a way where fans would fall in love with him too. You learn that people don't take things at face value; you have to earn them. It was clear that David was a popular figure fairly early on.'

This just goes to show how much of an impact fans can have upon their beloved television shows. In a way, they can manipulate the storyline. As Whedon says, he had to be careful about placement of a character because fans didn't like him. It fascinates me how much a viewer can impact such vital parts to a television show..just by writing about it on the internet!

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. 

'Fan Activities'. www.fanlore.org/wiki, retrieved on 8th October 2012.

'Fanworks policy and history'. http://www.fanhistory.com/wiki/Buffy:_The_Vampire_Slayer, retrieved on 8th October 2012.

Cult TV

 
How do you think Buffy has influenced the contemporary vampire drama “True Blood” and the “Twilight” series of novels and films? 

Buffy was on from 1997 to 2003 (6 years), Twilight was out in 2007 and True Blood is the most recent one. I have been familiar with Twilight series before Buffy, and at first I didn't notice similarity between two. However I soon recognised common factors that shows the influence of Buffy has affected the contemporary vampire drama "True Blood" and the "Twilight" series. 

They all had good vampires who didn't want to kill people falling in love with human women, but the obvious factor is the characteristic of the main female character in the story. The main character, Buffy and Sookie, from True Blood, both are independent and intelligent girls who goes after danger, whereas Bella in Twilight is rather develops and changes to independent character as the story goes on. 


They have common themes of love, jealousy and hatred. The common relationship between Buffy and Angel in 'Buffy', Sookie and Bill in 'True Blood', and Bella and Edward in 'Twilight'.  Of course, since True Blood is aimed at older/adolescent audience, it more draws the sexual tension, and according to Braum, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer also demonstrates adult love quite well in its exploration of the aggression that often accompanies intimate love relationships." when Twilight series are less then Buffy and True Blood (Twilight is more aimed to a younger audience).

Personally, I think Buffy has more influenced in True Blood than Twilight, as both Buffy and True Blood are darker and draw sexual relationship between female and male characters.



Braum, B. (2000) The X-files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The ambiguity of
evil in supernatural representations. Retrieved 18 October, 2005 from: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0 412/is_2_28/ai_64688900