RTF Extra Credit Assignment

RTF 305 was the first time I had ever used a blog. I was surprised by how easy the blog was to use. I found the blog to be a useful aspect of the course. It made turning in assignments very simple and it was helpful knowing that every assignment was due at the same time every week. Once I figured out how to work Blogger, I never encountered any technical difficulties using the blog. Conceptually, I had more trouble writing some blogs than others. I definitely found it easier and more enjoyable to write the blogs that allowed for some more creativity. I enjoyed the blog where we were required to pick a movie and then discuss the three separate acts. I also enjoyed the blog where we compared All in the Family to a modern sitcom. Perhaps these were the more interesting blogs to write because they dealt more directly with film and television. The blogs I did not enjoy as much were the blogs that required us to define terms from the readings and lecture and then provide examples, simply because these blogs were basically just rewordings of information given in class. I ultimately found the blog to be a very easy way to do homework assignments and blog postings certainly helped me learn information that was useful on tests, so I would definitely recommend using the blog in the future. The only problem I had with the blog was the grading. Despite providing answers for all of the required questions, there were several times where I did not receive all three points. Also, I constantly found myself wishing the blogs were due at midnight as opposed to 10:00, but perhaps that is just because I typically waited until late Sunday night to do them.

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

Globalization and the Media

Globalization is as term used to describe the process by which nations, cultures, and people throughout the world become increasingly connected and integrated. Globalization is facilitated by technological developments like cell phones and the internet, and other developments that make large scale communication easier. Ultimately, it has resulted in a more integrated world economy as more nations turn to market economies utilizing commercial media models. Globalization has led to marketing techniques like glocalization. A combination of the words globalization and localization, glocalization is a technique based off the concept that products with sell better in a region if they are adapted to better fit that region's culture. It is essentially taking an idea that was a success in one nation or locality and adopting it in another nation or locality. It is truly combining global ideas with local ones, and making products more specific and appealing to people of different cultures. This concept can be clearly demonstrated by looking at reality competition shows like "American Idol." Arguably the most popular show in the country, "American Idol" is actually a spinoff of the British show "Pop Idol." However, most viewers in America have probably never heard of the show "Pop Idol." Through the use of glocalization, the creators of the Idol series were able to create a show that was more appropriate and attractive for American viewers. The Idol series has actually resulted in spinoffs in 42 world territories and is one of the most successful television franchises of all time. By making shows that are specifically catered to the localities in which they are being viewed, the Idol series has become a dominant force in the world of television.

Sex in Advertising

The men's hygiene brand "Axe" is well known for its somewhat racy advertisements which can be very persuasive, especially to young men. A recent commercial for Axe body spray begins with a beautiful woman in a bikini running with great determination through the forest. Soon after, hundreds of other women in bikinis are shown running with the same determination through all types of terrain, some of them even swimming through the ocean. Eventually all of the women gather around a man who is spraying himself with an Axe product. The commercial ends with the man smiling. This is what we would call sex appeal in advertising. Sex appeal is one of the strongest and most used tools in advertising. This type of advertising uses sex to grab the viewers attention and then draws this attention to the product being advertised. A common feature in commercials using sex appeal is nudity, and scantily dressed, attractive people. Sex appeal in advertising is based around the idea that "sex sells" and when a product is connected to sexuality, people are more likely to purchase it. This is true in the case of this particular Axe commercial (and basically for all Axe commercials). The idea being portrayed in this commercial is that because this man is using Axe, all of these beautiful women must have him. Along with the fact that everyone in this commercial is practically naked, it is very clear that this commercial is using sex appeal. This type of advertisement is persuasive to young men, because although it is clearly very exaggerated, it makes them believe that women are very attracted to a man who uses Axe. This type of advertisement also works on women, because it makes them believe that they should be attracted to a man who uses Axe.

The Three Act Film Structure

Most of the films we see in today's society follow the three act film structure--that is, they feature an opening act which serves to provide introductory informations, a second act in which the film's main conflict arises, and a third act which features a climax followed by resolving action. Many of the big blockbusters that come out follow this three act structure, including James Cameron's "Avatar." The first act of Avatar provides all of the introductory information necessary for the film. We are introduced to the planet Pandora, as well as the protagonist Jake Sully, and other supporting characters. We also learn the details of the avatar process. The first act peaks as Jake Sully is discovered by the Na'vi people in the Pandora jungle and essentially becomes a part of their village. This plot point serves to bring the movie into the second act as we are introduced to the main conflict: Jake Sully must decide if his loyalty lies with the Na'vi people or with the imposing Americans. The second act develops as Jake becomes more and more understanding of the Na'vi people and their ways, learning to live the way they live. The second act ultimately peaks after the Americans have attacked the Na'vi village and Jake Sully decides that they need to bring all of the Na'vi people together to fight back. This brings about act three: the Na'vis battle against the Americans. The third act is much shorter than the second and peaks as the final showdown occurs. In the end, Jake Sully and the Na'vi defeat the antagonists. The film ends with the resolving action: the Na'vi get to keep their land, Jake Sully has found love, etc. The "happy ending" is a typical feature of the three act structure.

The American Sitcom

           Since the days of "I Love Lucy," sitcoms have become an important part of American life. For years, families all around the country have gathered around the TV at a certain time every week to watch their favorite sitcom. Within the genre of sitcoms, most television shows have a lot in common. They are comedies that tend to be episodic, meaning they introduce new plots that are resolved within the episode each week. They can be silly, often to the point of hyperbole. This is an important aspect of the genre, because it means that viewers who may not watch every week can understand and enjoy the show during those weeks they do watch, which is often not true for serialized dramas like "Lost." Many times, sitcoms are shot in front of live audiences (meaning that there are laugh tracks which essentially let the viewer know when they should be laughing) and use the multiple-camera format. Sitcoms typically follow a similar pattern throughout the show and tend to be much more predictable than dramas. A lot of the time, they feature wide indoor sets, and don't usually show outdoor shots.
           Take for instance a show that has always been a favorite of mine: NBC's "Friends" which aired from 1994-2004. Friends follows all these typical characteristics of a sitcom. It uses a multiple camera setup and is shot in front of a live audience. There is a laugh track in every scene, and whenever something particularly shocking happens, the audience will usually scream for a while. The show is episodic--every episode introduces a couple of new conflicts that are each resolved by the end of the show. Every episode follows a typical pattern. Friends differs from other sitcoms in the fact that it has six equal stars. So where as most sitcoms focus on one or two or so main characters, Friends has six actors that all get equal screen time. This leads to many different subplots throughout the show, all of which are also resolved by the end of each episode. The show is certainly hyperbolic at times, and each character has a certain persona they embody--everyone knows Chandler is the funny guy and Joey is the slightly dumb Ladies' Man. The sets in Friends are wide open rooms (apartments that are incredibly large by New York standards) and the viewer can usually not see the outdoors. Friends is a classic example of an incredibly popular American sitcom.

The Use of Shots in Film

The use of shots in films are often very significant in the context of films. Film shots set the tone of the film, and add meaning to the scenes in which they are used. There are three main types of film shots: the long shot, the medium shot, and the close up. The final scene of Slumdog Millionaire, the 2008 Academy Award winner for best picture, employs all three of these types of shots. Often times these shots are seen in a progression from the long shot to the close up, and this is the case for Slumdog Millionaire. In this scene, Jamal Malik has just won "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" However, all he cares about is finding Latika--the girl he loves. The director uses a long shot of Latika standing at the train station. This long shot provides a sense of isolation, as if she is the only person around. This is important in the context of the film, because despite everything that is taking place around him, Jamal only cares about Latika. Next the director uses a medium shot of Jamal running up to Latika, followed by a medium shot of Latika waiting for him. These shots provide a transition and allow the viewer to see where Jamal is in relation to Latika. Finally, the director uses a close up of the two as they embrace. The close up shot is used to add emotion to the already emotional scene. We see a close up of Jamal looking into Latika's eyes, allowing the viewer to more closely view his joy. The film ends with a close up shot of the two of them kissing--something the viewer has anticipated for the whole film.

The Star System of Classical Hollywood

Thanks in large part to the vertical integration used by film studios, classical Hollywood was very different from the Hollywood that exists today. As film studios gained more and more power in the 1920s, they began to employ a new system of doing things: the star system. The star system revolved around the studios use of movie stars' widespread popularity to promote all movies they would produce. Eventually it got to the point where studios could attract viewers based purely on a star's name alone. This affected studios' decisions because movies became more focused on the stars themselves, rather than the content. If a major star was known for singing, he would typically sing in every movie he was in, regardless of whether or not singing fit into the content of the movie. Studios would even begin placing the stars names above the titles of films on movie marquees. One example of this would be a movie star like Fred Astaire. Fred Astaire became a major star during the 1930s. He became famous for his dancing with partner Ginger Rogers. Once he became known for his dancing, he would continue to dance in every movie he appeared in, simply because this is what audiences expected. Studios knew that audiences would come see their movies because they loved the dancing Fred Astaire, so that is exactly what they gave them.