Extra Credit Assignment- Blogs

     Before taking RTF 305 I have not written previous blogs.  There were several positive aspects of writing the blogs throughout this course.  For instance, the blogs allowed me to be more focused on the key points of the material in the course.  I was able to express my own opinion over the main ideas and was able to share my input with fellow classmates by using the blog website.  The prompts given by our T.A’s were straight forward and easy to comprehend.  In doing so, I did not come across any difficulties in using the blog.  When I did have difficulty finding sources of information in order to answer the blog prompts, I was able to read other peoples’ blogs in my classes which allowed me to see what directions they took towards answering the given prompt.

     One of the types of blog prompts that was more interesting and less difficult were prompts that focused on key historical points in the film world.   These prompts seemed to be the most interesting because they covered issues dealing with how the use of film evolved over time.  For example, the fifth blog assignment dealt with understanding how a studio system functioned.  After almost completing RTF 305, it is easy to understand how important it is to know about the history of Hollywood, and what stages Hollywood went through to become what it is today.  The power points created by our instructors were extremely helpful by providing me with sources of information over the main ideas of the material covered.  The availability of this information made it much easier for me to complete the blog assignments accordingly. 

     One thing that could be improved in the blogging experience is to focus on more prompts dealing with types of film in today’s world, such as the growing market of independent films.  It would be interesting to analyze how independent film makers strategize and produce low budgeted films.  Yes, you can use my blog in a paper or report.

RTF Blog Assignment #10- Globalization

     According to Berg’s lecture, globalization can be defined as a process of increasing interconnectedness among nations, cultures, and people.   This allows “increased opportunities for communication, exchange of material, symbolic goods, and migration of people across national borders” (Berg).  Although globalization may lead to several positive outcomes economically, there is a loss of national culture in nations due to the increased flow of western culture across these nations.

     Cultural imperialism is a concept that explains the increased movement of western culture across nations.  This movement causes cultures to become the same or “westernized.”  Cultural imperialism creates a “loss of cultural autonomy and national sovereignty” (Berg).  Furthermore, there is an imbalance in global power structure due to cultural imperialism.

     Cultural imperialism can be seen in American cinema.  For example, film movement across cultures have somewhat   been dominated by Hollywood since the 1930s.  The film history lecture by Colin Tait emphasizes the globalization of American cinema and how cultural imperialism was involved.  Hollywood originally dominated film in the 1930s due to the studio powers that were in control at that time.  Professor Tait explained Hollywood as a destination for international talent.  Therefore directors, actors, and crew of this era were people who had fled from Europe.  The studio system is a prime example of how the flow of media through Hollywood film became Americanized.  Globalization has affected several media sources due to cultural imperialism.  Early Hollywood film aided the film industry into having a loss of cultural autonomy because of the increased international flow of non-American cultures into American Culture.

RTF Blog Assignment #9- Advertising Appeals

     One of the popular Gatorade commercials in 2009 exemplifies a powerful message of becoming a star athlete.  I feel this advertisement serves as a primary motivator to get out and play the sport you love.  This commercial draws attention due to the rapidly changing scenes of different professional athletes succeeding at what they do.  The other main, attention giver is the use of a drum beat that plays the role of synchronizing with what goes on in the various scenes in the commercial.  The beat enables the viewer to be on edge of what is to come.  During the duration of quick transitioning between scenes bottles of Gatorade are shown.  It is easy to observe the main message the advertisers are putting forth.  The ad implies that Gatorade can get you to the top level of whatever sport you play.  The intriguing display of athletes performing at what they do best gives the viewer a sense of motivation into becoming a star sports player.

     One of the advertising appeals used in this commercial is achievement.  An achievement can be described as something accomplished or something earned due to a superior effort.  Ads which use this special appeal engrave a message into the viewer that whatever product is being advertised can possibly lead to something being accomplished or achieved.  

     As I mentioned in the previous texts, there is a rapid transition between scenes of professional athletes performing in the different sports they pursue.  Some of the scenes shown include a soccer player scoring, a football player running the ball into the end zone, and a volleyball player making a superb spike.  Each of these actions displayed by the athletes is one way or another forms of achievement in what they do.  The appeal of achievement enables the product Gatorade to be seen as a primary tool for achievement in any specific sport. 

-here is the link to the Gatorade commercial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwhTYFwfACA  

RTF Blog Assignment #8- Three-Act Structure

     The adventure-comedy film, The Goonies, demonstrates the use of a three-act structure.  The first act serves as an introduction to the main characters of the film and as well establishes the goals and motives of the characters for the rest of the film.  In the first act of The Goonies most of the main characters are shown inside Mikey’s house.  Mikey later turns out to be the main protagonist of the film.  The main characters are a group of teenage friends whom are in a predicament due to each of their homes facing foreclosure.  During one of their last days of being able to spend time with one another before the foreclosure of their homes, the characters are shown hanging out in Mikey’s home.  Later on in this first act some of the characters are wondering through Mikey’s attic checking out different things.  Suddenly, they come across an old newspaper clipping about a supposed treasure in their area.  This finding takes place at the end of the first act in which plot point one occurs.  Realizing this possible treasure could save their families’ homes from foreclosure, this group of teenage friends as known as the “Goonies” are called to adventure one last time before having to move to different towns away from each other.

     In the second act of The Goonies, the treasure map found in Mikey’s attic leads the characters to an old restaurant.  Nervously entering the restaurant, the characters soon realize they got themselves into a dangerous situation dealing with alleged criminals.  In order to escape these criminals, the Goonies are forced to enter into the unknown which is an underground cavern below the restaurant.  Mikey, who has possession of their treasure map, figures out they are on the right path into finding the treasure.  After facing life threatening obstacles and traps, the Goonies arrived at the bottom of a wishing well.  Plot point number two happens in the wishing well scene.  Mikey’s companions have their mind set on getting out of the underground cavern to safety while Mikey is determined to accomplish what no one else has done before, to seek the treasure.  Mikey gives an inspiring speech to his friends at the bottom of the wishing well by stating over and over again that it is their time to do what’s right for them.  Mikey’s speech causes each of his friends to stay and help him find the treasure.  This transitioning point leads to the third act of the film which is the battle between the Goonies and the alleged criminals over seeking the treasure and making it out alive.

     The third act of the three-act film structure consists of a resolution to the story.  Towards the end of the movie, the Goonies are shown defending themselves from the antagonists.  The cavern in which they are all in begins to collapse and creates an opening for the pirate’s ship which contains the treasure, and the rest of the characters to make it out alive and into safety.  The characters are shown at the end of the film rejoicing and reuniting with each of their families.  Their homes facing foreclosure was completely out of the picture once the group of teenage friends pulled out some of the valuable treasures they found.  The criminals are arrested in this act as well.  This three-act structure the film carried resulted in a happy ending due to fight and determination put forth by the main protagonist Mickey and the rest of his friends.  Despite the several obstacles put forth, each of the characters learned what they were capable of accomplishing and capitalized on their main ambitions.

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RTF Blog Assignment # 7- Sitcoms

     TV is a shared delivery system among each of the members of our society.  It creates unification within a diverse group of individuals.  One way TV influences its viewers is through narrative fiction.  Narrative fiction can be broken down into three important aspects; serial, series, and episodic.  I would like to go into detail with episodic narrative fictions.  Episodic narrative fictions usually consist of a show that lasts for about a half hour.  A key distinction between episodic narrative fictions and series/ serial narrative fictions is that episodic narrative fictions display issues/conflicts that occur only once in each of its episodes.  In other words, you do not usually have to watch a certain previous episode in order to figure out what is happening in the present episode you are watching.  Things do not carry over.  More importantly episodic narrative fictions contain TV sitcoms.  A sitcom is short for “situation comedy.”  This means sitcoms are TV shows that have reoccurring settings and characters in order to maintain the same “situation” in each of its episodes.  The interactions among characters in these situations are comedic. 

     One specific characteristic of TV sitcoms in which I find important is the modified three-act structure.  A three-act structure consists of an introduction to main characters.  Often the main protagonist is introduced in the first act of the episode.  The second act which is the longest segment of the show deals with a main conflict that comes about, and the protagonist in this act tries to come up with ways to resolve the conflict he/she is dealing with.  The third and final act of the sitcom is the final resolution to the conflict.  The three-act structure is mainly used as a way to maintain the attention of its viewers from one episode to the next.  Comedic dialogue is often used between each of the characters during the progression of the three-act structure in each episode.  The three-act structure also allows a TV sitcom to not have episodes that are too cumulative since a new conflict is usually introduced in each separate episode.

     For example, consider the TV sitcom The Office.  The Office displays the everyday scenarios that could occur in an office work setting.  A three-act structure outlines each of its episodes.  For instance, one episode of The Office covers a series of different problems some of the main characters are dealing with.  Michael, who is the regional manager of their company, accidently hits one of his employees on the way to work.  Another character, Dwight, informed another employee that he had to kill her cat since it was suffering.  Michael then assumed that his office was cursed due to the several problems occurring all at once.  As a resolution to his problem, Michael decided to organize a charity fun run in order to raise awareness on the dangers of rabies.  In the end of the episode Michael is forgiven by the employee he sent to the hospital.  The three-act structure used in this specific sitcom helps attract viewers by resembling the lives of typical office employees, and the problems they face.  

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RTF Blog Assignment # 6- The Shawshank Redemption

     A phenomenal film, The Shawshank Redemption, starring Tim Robins and Morgan Freeman displays a variety of camera shots in which help the viewers perceive certain qualities of the characters.  One of the most influential camera shots used in the beginning of this film is the close-up.  A close-up is a shot that mainly serves as an introduction to an important character in a film.  The shot frames a character showing his/her details of appearance and emotion.  This shot as well signifies the importance of the character in the movie.  One of the first scenes in The Shawshank Redemption is set in a courtroom.  Tim Robins’ character, “Andy” is being accused of murdering his wife and her lover.  Due to the substantial evidence presented in the case Andy is plead guilty and has to serve two life sentences.  The close-up shot is used in this early scene of the movie as the judge gives Andy his punishments.  The camera zooms in on Tim Robins’ character and shows the audience his reaction of disbelief.  The use of this camera shot was a great aid in introducing his character in the film because it gave the audience an idea of what obstacles his character would have to face in the rest of the movie.

     Another camera shot used in this film was a low-angle shot.  A low-angle shot is a camera angle which the camera is pointed upward at an object or person.  This shot gives a person power and also creates a psychological effect on its viewers.  The viewers may develop a sense of insecurity and fear as the low-angle shot can portray power onto a particular character.  In the very beginning of The Shawshank Redemption during the court case as I described earlier, the prosecutor is explaining his theory of what happened during the murdering of Andy’s wife and her lover.  A low-angle shot is used on the prosecutor as he explains what he thought went through Andy’s mind during the murdering he supposedly committed.  Therefore, this low-angled shot gave power and dominance towards the prosecutor in this scene.  This power exerted on the prosecutor eventually led him to persuade the jury that Andy was in fact guilty.

     After the court scene a long-shot is used in order to give a big picture of the Shawshank prison.  This camera shot allowed the audience to observe massive size of the prison and as well several prisoners walking and talking amongst themselves from far away.  This shot may serve as an introduction as to what Andy will be dealing with once he begins his sentence in the Shawshank prison.  This shot also establishes the main setting for the rest of the movie.

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RTF Blog Assignment # 5- The Star System

     The misfortunes of the Great Depression in the early 20^th century strengthened control of a few big film studios due to the elimination of small independent producers.  In doing so, these few remaining studios were economically stronger and were in the hands of a small number of studio executives.  Thus, the creation of the studio system emerged.  There are a number of aspects by which the studio system functioned.  One aspect that I feel is crucial to the contribution of success in the studio system is the star system.  Throughout the development of films in this time period certain stars began to attract various viewers of different genres.  These stars eventually became the best representation of what studios accomplished.

     The use of the star system affected the types of films studios produced in a number of ways.  Certain stars began to associate with specific genres and studios.  Therefore, stars in gangster films are likely to appear in future gangster films.  This same concept applies to comedies, horrors, suspense and ect.  Moreover, stars carried a consistent set of character traits. Later on films started to lure viewers no matter what the film was about due to certain stars appearing in these films.  According to professor Tait’s lecture, stars were tangible products of immaterial production.  These stars are then paid to sell the studio’s products/films.

     Consider the example, actress Judy Garland.  Judy Garland was a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM star who appeared in works like the Andy Hardy series, The Wizard of OZ and Babes in Arms.  Throughout her success she carried a consistent set of character traits, associated with different genres and even promoted other MGM stars.  Judy Garland was therefore a clear representation of the MGM studio, and contributed greatly to the success of the MGM studio.

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