My last blog...

Now, in all the blogs I've read from classes prior and even blogs within my own class, the cliché for this blog is to talk about how excited you are about ending blogging as well as tie in helpful ideas from the semester. I wanted to diverge from this, but realized that its cliché for a reason, it works.

My overall sense of media literacy has developed throughout this semester. I have to thank careful observation and helpful principles in developing my skills as a media literate individual. The branch of media literacy that I became most interested with this semester is the Politics of Production. I am fascinated at the integral roles each player has. Vertical integration has to be one of the most intelligent and useful tools that gets people by in the media industry. The ability to unite the different levels of production under one company name is incredible. This tool expedites efficiency.

I feel as though I have a better understanding of intention in cinematography now from our brief overview of cinema tools. The idea that the director can associate good feelings with a particular character based off of all the other objects that show up on one side of the screen is incredible.

I believe that this course has strengthened my understanding of the relationship between today’s global community and the media that governs it. I have made changes in my life based off of information I have learned in class.

Here is where some great summarizing statement should go. Unfortunately, I have nothing profound to say, except I am now a producer of media.

The Sinful Compass

A dear friend of mine is joining a campaign to discourage Christians from viewing the film The Golden Compass. His talking points consist of misquoted scripture and murky premises. However, his passion on this subject would make you believe that if this movie gained enough popularity, it would bring about the demise of Christianity as we know it. According to him, neither children nor adults are capable of identifying truth from fiction when it comes to serious spiritual issues like these. He claims that his current studies toward a bachelor's degree in youth ministry gives him the background needed to critique this film.

I would like to disagree. Based off of what we discussed in class in regards to the book Eyes Wide Open, to shelter a child’s mind would be to put them at a severe disadvantage when it comes time to expose them to the real world. I must say, ‘protecting’ our kids by refusing to expose them to movies like this only hurts them later on when parents are not there to provide a truthful outlook on the media text. Also, I have a hard time believing that children will be won over to the Atheist side through this movie. Even young children are capable of deciphering truth from fiction. Children are going to see this movie because it’s an adventure movie with cute furry computer generated animals, not to examine the potential deep-rooted symbolism regarding religion and truth.

In the end, I believe that fearing this movie is equivalent to having weak faith. If you are shaken by the notion of a movie stealing believers away from the church, then your idea of the power of truth is miniscule. I do not believe that we should continue to limit our children’s exposure to all types of media supplemented with a biblical worldview.

Macy's March...

As discussed in class, vertical integration is a powerful tool used by media. I observed this during the Macy’s Day Parade. Primarily in the relationship to the floats in the parade, as well as the commercials that came on during the break. I found myself wondering if they had actually taken a commercial break, or if the balloon was still on the screen.
Of course, I do not mean that literally. I can tell the difference between a commercial and ‘programming’. But what happens when the programming has become an advertisement in itself? That is clearly what has happened in the Macy’s Day parade and I believe it is working to the advantage of everyone involved.
The first profit-eer is Macy’s itself. This department store carries all of the products featured during commercials AND featured characters and bands in the floats. So, as viewers gather in front of the television for some pre-dining entertainment while the turkey cooks, they’re receiving prompting to purchase items that can be found in the sponsor’s store.
Secondly, advertising is found not only in the commercials, but throughout the program. Each float features a product, like the Pillsbury dough boy. And if the float has no commercial theme, they slap an up and coming artist who is preparing a new album release in the coming holiday season. So, it is clear that the advertising is taking place on multiple levels.
Lastly, the commercials reflect the very same products that are featured on the floats as well as products that Macy’s themselves feature. It is essentially some large Macy’s fetish. Self-gratifying and vertically integrated. So next time you’re watching featured programming, just remember who’s sponsoring it and how many advertisements you spot.

Turkey Time...

Thanksgiving is the one holiday that commercialism did not take over. Although media has got its grimy hands on everything, Thanksgiving has seemed to be the holiday least-touched. And I for one am thankful for that.
I believe it has to do with the lack of gift giving, yet it still appears that in spite of this, ‘holiday’ gifts are advertised on the television non-stop. It seems as though Thanksgiving provides a safe holiday buffer between Halloween, buying massive quantities of candy, and Christmas, buying massive amounts of everything anyone could ever want.
Thanksgiving is a time for families, which are often forgotten in the business of buying that comes with other holidays. The only markets that receive Thanksgiving revenue are potato farms, turkey farms, and stuffing farms, but I have my doubts about the latter.
As is clear from advertisers, Thanksgiving is somewhat of a break that has been granted to prospective buyers. It is the so called ‘lull before the storm’. Thanksgiving is the calm before the rush, exactly what shoppers need, time to visit with family and receive pre-prepared lists of Christmas wishes. The needs that Santa cannot fill are then passed on to aunts and uncles, grandmas and grandpas, friends and neighbors. Commercialism has not destroyed Thanksgiving, and it is for these reasons that Thanksgiving will continue to be unaffected, yet still used as a way to manipulate the market.

A Whole New World

The Movie Mcluhan’s Wake is a film that is both confusing and complex. Through understanding his speeches and his life, Marshall Mcluhan’s impact on the communication realm is clear. The four ideas presented in this film are ones that are held true today. By understanding these, we can better understand how the world interacts. One that I’d like to focus on is how he talks about stopping the growth of modern technology.

By following Mcluhan’s plan, ending mass media would stop negative human interaction. This, however, would not solve the problem. The core issue here is what individuals do with media. The politics of production are the most influential level of media literacy involved here and express that we cannot give up mass media simply for the sake of what some people are using it in a negative manner for. Instead of regulation and censoring media, we should only encourage individuals to produce their own media, which is why the internet is so influential.

Mcluhan only saw the beginnings of what was to come. If he was able to see today’s communication world, he would understand that things have worked out for the better and that the global society in which we live today is positive and encouraging.

New Technology

Stumbling into the dark classroom, we watched the movie Mcluhan's wake. I still don’t seem to comprehend the main arguments of the film, since it is based more on a visual level than a contextual level. Regardless, I have determined that one of Mcluhan’s arguments was that technological advancement is detrimental to society. I would disagree.

Mcluhan would die to know the integration of technology and daily life that exists today. He found the television to be incredibly invasive to daily life. But if he saw how the internet has spread and become a primary form of communication for some, he would not be able to fathom the great depth that the internet has taken society. The dependency so many have on the internet is unfounded. To think that some people survive uniquely on the internet, ordering and receiving products through the mail, is incredible. It has created the village again out of a global society. It is remarkable to see the growth with which this new realm of communication is expanding.

Mcluhan was wrong. Communication through mass media is a positive example of human interaction and the television will not lead to the downfall of democracy. Instead it will be used as an influential tool to help shape the masses and spread ideals.

Dammit, Janet.

Arguably, the Rocky Horror Picture Show is the best-known and longest-running cult film. It’s still on limited release in theaters more than thirty years after its initial debut. The film mocks conventions of science fiction and horror movies, but has a serious lack of plot. What was the attraction, then, to this film? Was it a “so-bad-its-good” outlook? What spawned the obsessive fandom that resembles cult activity? It seems that the popularity of the film was created more from the fan base rather than the success of the movie itself.

Perhaps the appeal is the way that the films address topics that are not usually considered appropriate or mainstream. Maybe it’s the controversial nature and unconventional techniques used to create the diagesis. Perhaps the characters are so drastically unique and unrealistic that they give adults a rare opportunity to play.

As the fans perpetuate the success of these movies, new features are incorporated as their involvement in the text deepens: they didn’t just wake up one morning and decide to throw toast at the screen. Regardless, eventually a “script” of interactions with the movie has been created and mysteriously maintained. This intrigue draws in the younger folk with a sense of mystery and a need to understand traditions from the past. Cult films, especially in the case of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, have come to transcend generations.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show has proven itself to be a timeless piece of cinema history. Engaging young and old, male and female, expert and novice, it’s a unique experience for all. We expect this affinity group to continue to grow, not only in number, but also in design grammar – developing more interactive activity with each viewing.

So what upcoming or present films will resonate or offer some new, innovative idea different from that of the mainstream market? Since the concept of cult films appears to be relatively young, it will be fascinating to examine what common elements will spawn other obsessive, cult fan bases.

Co-written by Alyssa Pearson and Phill Demarest