In considering the current debate on whether music or the image dominates on screen, it is important to ask the question: would a text have the same effect on us if music was absent? Consider thriller films for example. Without the high-pitched violins etc, we would not be nearly as much on edge. Commentators of Hitchcock's Psycho have even contended that such shrill music is the essence of the film. This is supported by the fact that Hitchcock determined his music, before he did the rest of the film.
This raises the point which I wish to convey, that music determines our reactions to a text, and in particular, our emotive response. I believe that music in films (in particular) appeal directly to our emotions. It determines how we respond to particular characters, situations, and scenes. Gushy music in melodramas and romantic comedies help us fall in love with the characters; a fast-paced, usually popular culture song in action films gets us excited about a big, chaotic sequence; and eerie off-key music in horrors foreshadow danger is ahead. Not only this, music is the most powerful indicator of genre. We can identify which genre we are watching purely from the music.
One final point to consider: why, in the silent film era, were films accompanied by live music? Why were true "silent films" never popular? The answer is, music makes a film. It manipulates our response to a film. It attracts people to a film they ordinarily wouldn't be interested in. It heightens drama, mystery or tension. Thus, is a film without music a film worth watching???
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Just a thought on the importance of music and sound
Over the past few weeks I have had the chance to watch films for other courses that I would otherwise not watch. It occurred to me as I was watching them just how important sound, including both the music and the sound effects, is in how we interpret what is happening. In one of the first lectures we were shown a clip about the music in Psycho and the effect of the music in explaining the emotional state of the characters. I started to think how different our understanding of films, and TV shows, would be if the sound was different. The idea that sound is secondary to the image I don’t see as being true. It may be ignored a lot of the time but I think that sound is just as important if not more so as it gives us as the viewer the ability to interpret the images that we see. Comparing older films with more recent films, for me at least, sound has become more important over time as the technology has improved over the years in how easy it is to understand the film and also how the film pulls you into the filmic world. I think that the importance of sound should not be over looked any more as it is vital for the enjoyment of film and TV.
Hip Hop is Dead?
Rap started out being controversial as a medium of artistic, political and national expression for black people. Its success was based on stories and protest of the black African community through the art form most pervasive and accessible to them, music. But now rap has taken on a new meaning where its controversy is a prerequisite for any successful rap album, such as 50 cent, Eminem and other “hard” rappers that seem to be bound to the notion of hip hop containing controversial and subversive elements to attract media attention, and consequentially, big dollars! People ask, “What happened to hip hop??”
Essentially it is now geared towards money and superficial displays of gangster rap personas and images of success, boasting about their money, diamonds & “bling bling”. I believe recent hip hop or “Hip-Pop” has exploited the historical importance that rap played in the 70’s and 80’s of rebellion against the status quo, racism and the ‘black revolution’, to make a lot of money. Essentially it has boiled down to “selling out” and being globally successful, or “keeping it real” and sticking to hip hops original purpose (in turn, losing out on the money & global appeal of the typecast glamorous, misogynistic & materialistic “Hip hop” and “rap”).
The rappers who debate political issues are now only appealing to smaller subcultures but never to the masses. There seem to be very little grey areas, where politically powerful hip-hop messages are promoted globally. It seems the hip hop music industry is, for lack of a better phrase - Black and White: A lot of money globally VS Integrity/respect towards the black community. Appealing either to the black audiences that had spawned the art form, or reinforcing the negative stereotypes they had once fought so strongly against (promoting these stereotypes to a now more globally diverse and young audience). Hip hop is now counterproductive, not “dead”; as stated by ‘Nas’ the rapper who claims that “hip hop is dead”.
Essentially it is now geared towards money and superficial displays of gangster rap personas and images of success, boasting about their money, diamonds & “bling bling”. I believe recent hip hop or “Hip-Pop” has exploited the historical importance that rap played in the 70’s and 80’s of rebellion against the status quo, racism and the ‘black revolution’, to make a lot of money. Essentially it has boiled down to “selling out” and being globally successful, or “keeping it real” and sticking to hip hops original purpose (in turn, losing out on the money & global appeal of the typecast glamorous, misogynistic & materialistic “Hip hop” and “rap”).
The rappers who debate political issues are now only appealing to smaller subcultures but never to the masses. There seem to be very little grey areas, where politically powerful hip-hop messages are promoted globally. It seems the hip hop music industry is, for lack of a better phrase - Black and White: A lot of money globally VS Integrity/respect towards the black community. Appealing either to the black audiences that had spawned the art form, or reinforcing the negative stereotypes they had once fought so strongly against (promoting these stereotypes to a now more globally diverse and young audience). Hip hop is now counterproductive, not “dead”; as stated by ‘Nas’ the rapper who claims that “hip hop is dead”.
Andy Warhol & Rock music?
Andy Warhol is actually neither a rock star nor a musician. However his name is one of the top names in rock music or film industry. Andy Warhol has always been known as a ‘pop artist’. His main job was painting (and designing) but he also took an active part in any media field such as music, film, performance art etc- any media field that he thought he could outstretch his artistic presentation. He painted things that we can see easily around us (eg. in supermarket) such as can of Cambell soup or bottle of Coca-cola, or faces of well known stars like Marlin Monroe. He called his workshop as ‘factory’, and here he stayed not only with some artists like him but also the hippies, beatniks, rock musicians etc. Andy taught them drugs and pushed them to join in the new artistic trend. At that time there was an odd rock band called “The Velvet Underground”, who was much influenced by New York style avant-garde music. This group was also influenced by Andy Warhol, spending much of their times in Andy’s ‘factory ’. Later, they were introduced a woman named Nico, and she joined their band to make a new album called “The Velvet Underground & Nico”. This album is the one with the famous Andy’s banana painting drawn on its jacket. Andy took the charge of this album as a producer, as well as the jacket designer. This album tells much about Andy’s world of artistic work. Just to have a quick look at this album, the first song “Sunday Morning” gives lazy and peaceful feelings. But the lyrics are quite different from the song title, as it talks about a life addicted in drugs and days that have gone by meaninglessly. Likewise, Andy’s paintings give familiar and comfortable feelings when you see them, but in reality for those who accept them as a piece of art work but not as a section of life, his works are shocking and unfamiliar. In this song, such unfamiliarity is concentrated in it beyond the comfort feeling that it gives. There are many simple songs make you to think they are not really like avant-garde music. But the anxious words or dangerous contents in the songs, and repetition of the unfamiliar tunes which might sounds like psychedelic show such characteristics. The huge influence of Andy Warhol on New York still appears in contemporary rock music in many formats. The honest and humane artistic view of Warhol would be continued in popular music in the future.
Some thoughts about “pirated DVD” issue in China.
Some thoughts about “pirated DVD” issue in China.
Although going to the cinema is becoming a part of local peoples’ life, every year the film company still loses a lot of money because of the pirated DVD market. Undoubtfully, the price of film ticket is the first aspect to be regarded. On the one hand, in China, it will usually cost you 50-60 yuan to buy a ticket, which is about 9-10 NZD. Cheap? Maybe. But this price is only available at some casual times. What about prime times? It will cost you much more, even double sometimes. (So in china, it is not a wise choice to take your girlfriend to the cinema, unless you have to. J ) Otherwise, we do have some half- price shifts. But all of them are available on the morning of a certain weekday. Jesus! Who’s gonna see the film at that time??? On the other hand, the price of the pirated DVD is extremely low. You can buy two pirated DVD with a 2 dollar NZ coin. And the point is, all of them are in very good conditions, just like the official ones. If not, you can exchange with the seller until you are satisfied with your choices. Furthermore, an official DVD is about 20-30 yuan. Of course, it is cheaper than going to the cinema. But, with that amount of money, you can purchase 4-6 pirated DVD.
Secondly, in China, the audiences do not have many choices in the film market. Only a few American and European commercial films will be released in China each year. For example, the audiences have no opportunity to view the whole Lord of The Rings trilogy, if they don’t buy the pirated DVDS. Because the first two film of the trilogy is never being shown on the big screen in China. What if a film you are really interested in is not gonna released in the cinema, what are you going to do??? Obviously, most of the people will go to the pirated DVD shop. On some level, this is one of the motivations of purchasing pirated DVDs. Almost all the people know supporting pirated DVD market is not a right thing to do. But they don’t have choice. The quantity of official released film in China is not able to meet the public demand. There is still a long way to go. We have to be patient.
Jxu063
Although going to the cinema is becoming a part of local peoples’ life, every year the film company still loses a lot of money because of the pirated DVD market. Undoubtfully, the price of film ticket is the first aspect to be regarded. On the one hand, in China, it will usually cost you 50-60 yuan to buy a ticket, which is about 9-10 NZD. Cheap? Maybe. But this price is only available at some casual times. What about prime times? It will cost you much more, even double sometimes. (So in china, it is not a wise choice to take your girlfriend to the cinema, unless you have to. J ) Otherwise, we do have some half- price shifts. But all of them are available on the morning of a certain weekday. Jesus! Who’s gonna see the film at that time??? On the other hand, the price of the pirated DVD is extremely low. You can buy two pirated DVD with a 2 dollar NZ coin. And the point is, all of them are in very good conditions, just like the official ones. If not, you can exchange with the seller until you are satisfied with your choices. Furthermore, an official DVD is about 20-30 yuan. Of course, it is cheaper than going to the cinema. But, with that amount of money, you can purchase 4-6 pirated DVD.
Secondly, in China, the audiences do not have many choices in the film market. Only a few American and European commercial films will be released in China each year. For example, the audiences have no opportunity to view the whole Lord of The Rings trilogy, if they don’t buy the pirated DVDS. Because the first two film of the trilogy is never being shown on the big screen in China. What if a film you are really interested in is not gonna released in the cinema, what are you going to do??? Obviously, most of the people will go to the pirated DVD shop. On some level, this is one of the motivations of purchasing pirated DVDs. Almost all the people know supporting pirated DVD market is not a right thing to do. But they don’t have choice. The quantity of official released film in China is not able to meet the public demand. There is still a long way to go. We have to be patient.
Jxu063
Friday, April 27, 2007
Last.fm : Where Myspace Meets Ipod.
Last.fm is a social networking site like Myspace or Facebook, however it is uniquely focused on music. The idea is that you install software on your PC (and even ipod) which then uploads your listening habits to your profile. With these statistics the site shows you other artists you should like, other users that you are ‘highly compatible’ with, and assesses your compatibility with your existing friends.
The important distinction between this site and others is how it literally uses the music. The user doesn’t pick and choose which songs they ‘like’ or are displayed; the software gets that information directly from your listening habits. So if you secretly listen to MandyMoore but tell everyone you dig Sufjan Stevens then you’re going to get found out.
Which leads to what I find most fascinating about the site: it provides an insight into listening habits that negates to a large extent the sales and radio charts we’re too often hammered over the head with. Last weeks most played artists on the site, for example, include The Beatles and Coldplay; this shows new releases don’t necessarily impact our listening habits as much as the radio would like us to think.
Given the potential use for such information, the final thoughts I have on the site relate to privacy. If this data seems so accurate in predicting tastes should we be worried about making it public? Is it just trivial information that’s fun to look at or does it say enough about an individual that we should want to protect it? Given the prevalence of spyware and tracking software on websites this sort of data could potentially become a target in future. From my experiences with the site, it seems accurate enough that we would want to protect it from being used without consent; though I’m enjoying the site far too much to withdraw my consent and log off.
The important distinction between this site and others is how it literally uses the music. The user doesn’t pick and choose which songs they ‘like’ or are displayed; the software gets that information directly from your listening habits. So if you secretly listen to MandyMoore but tell everyone you dig Sufjan Stevens then you’re going to get found out.
Which leads to what I find most fascinating about the site: it provides an insight into listening habits that negates to a large extent the sales and radio charts we’re too often hammered over the head with. Last weeks most played artists on the site, for example, include The Beatles and Coldplay; this shows new releases don’t necessarily impact our listening habits as much as the radio would like us to think.
Given the potential use for such information, the final thoughts I have on the site relate to privacy. If this data seems so accurate in predicting tastes should we be worried about making it public? Is it just trivial information that’s fun to look at or does it say enough about an individual that we should want to protect it? Given the prevalence of spyware and tracking software on websites this sort of data could potentially become a target in future. From my experiences with the site, it seems accurate enough that we would want to protect it from being used without consent; though I’m enjoying the site far too much to withdraw my consent and log off.
Last minute advice for research essays
Hi everyone,
Just to clarify a few points for your essays (based on some frequently asked questions over the last week or so)
You should have a clear thesis statement in a few sentences/paragraph. That should explain what you will argue in your paper. It's not enough to say that you will be examining such and such or looking at this or that. You have to let the reader know what you think about that topic. You must give the reader a clear sense of what your argument is and how you will proceed to make your case (a brief 'road map' for the essay is a good idea and will help to orient the reader as to what will follow).
This thesis statement should also indicate the kind of research materials you've looked at (books, articles, music, DVDs, films, videos, websites, whatever etc.).
The research question was there to help you formulate a thesis. You don't have to put the question in the essay if you don't want to. The thesis statement is what's important. The reader wants to know what you have to say about the topic. The reader wants a sense of your voice and perspective.
Remember to cite all sources including websites, recordings, DVDs etc. I prefer APA or MLA citation style. You can find information on referencing out at this website.
Don't forget to submit to turnitin.com as well as submit a hard copy by Tuesday 1 May, 5 pm.
Before you finish and submit the assignment, check the guidelines and criteria for assessment on page 6 of your course outline (available on CECIL if you've lost it). The turnitin ID and password are listed there.
Don't worry too much if you can't find much academic writing about your topic. Some issues haven't been written about that much. As long as you make a carefully reasoned case with supporting evidence it is likely to be a good essay.
Try to write as clearly and directly as possible. Don't use jargon if it's just there to make your essay sound academic. Only use it if it's helpful. Proof read everything. Format and style are important.
We're looking forward to reading the essays.
Just to clarify a few points for your essays (based on some frequently asked questions over the last week or so)
You should have a clear thesis statement in a few sentences/paragraph. That should explain what you will argue in your paper. It's not enough to say that you will be examining such and such or looking at this or that. You have to let the reader know what you think about that topic. You must give the reader a clear sense of what your argument is and how you will proceed to make your case (a brief 'road map' for the essay is a good idea and will help to orient the reader as to what will follow).
This thesis statement should also indicate the kind of research materials you've looked at (books, articles, music, DVDs, films, videos, websites, whatever etc.).
The research question was there to help you formulate a thesis. You don't have to put the question in the essay if you don't want to. The thesis statement is what's important. The reader wants to know what you have to say about the topic. The reader wants a sense of your voice and perspective.
Remember to cite all sources including websites, recordings, DVDs etc. I prefer APA or MLA citation style. You can find information on referencing out at this website.
Don't forget to submit to turnitin.com as well as submit a hard copy by Tuesday 1 May, 5 pm.
Before you finish and submit the assignment, check the guidelines and criteria for assessment on page 6 of your course outline (available on CECIL if you've lost it). The turnitin ID and password are listed there.
Don't worry too much if you can't find much academic writing about your topic. Some issues haven't been written about that much. As long as you make a carefully reasoned case with supporting evidence it is likely to be a good essay.
Try to write as clearly and directly as possible. Don't use jargon if it's just there to make your essay sound academic. Only use it if it's helpful. Proof read everything. Format and style are important.
We're looking forward to reading the essays.
In response to "New Zealand music and provincial identification"
This is just my response to the post by Rebecca C earlier this week, detailing provincial music genre divisions, or something.
I am hesitant to agree with your particular provincial musical classifications. While I agree generally with some of your statements, I think they ignore a number of great Dub bands in
Also, I would disagree that any provincial genre focus would be stifling to music – I would say that any city where there is a high concentration of Dub bands is going to lead to an atmosphere beneficial to the production of Dub music, as the various Dub fans ideas bounce off of each other, exhorting the Dub scene up to new heights.
I’m not sure what has happened to the
Also, to say that there seems to be regional music centres is to ignore the scene for smaller bands, which allow varied music scenes to develop all over - even in cultural black holes such as
Further! Given that this IS in fact such a small country, surmounting such regional musical hubs would be trifling for the dedicated band or artist. Witness the regular tours up and down the country organised by A Low Hum, etc. In fact, another perfect example is the album release gig, which, as I have witnessed it, leads to special guest’s bands making the trek Wellington-wards from here or Auckland-wards from there. I would go so far as to say that, especially in the age of Myspace, Bittorrent, and other Interweb related phenomenon that are mentioned as “What the kids are into" in over-simplified Listener articles, that a small country such as ours cannot help but develop what essentially is a nation-wide local music scene. Examine any moderately respectable
Ah to be a Scenester. Anyway, I’m spent.
t.v series and music
Hi everyone
I was just thinking how some t.v series like Sex and the City which I adore contains hardly any music in the show. For example, the opening music sequence is probably the only bit of music that is used besides some instrumental stuff to convey emotions in the scenes of the characters. It was just interesting because the opening musical piece with the credits is such a recognised tune and people download it as their ringtone on their phones yet the show itself includes no incorporation of any musical artists or anything. It would have been interesting to see the rise of music sales if artists/bands had been featured in the series since the show was such a huge hit. Although, the series was filmed from around 1997 - 2004 - its interesting to see the comparison with t.v shows now such as grey's anatomy which has given rise to bands such as Snowpatrol. Just something I was thinking about....
I was just thinking how some t.v series like Sex and the City which I adore contains hardly any music in the show. For example, the opening music sequence is probably the only bit of music that is used besides some instrumental stuff to convey emotions in the scenes of the characters. It was just interesting because the opening musical piece with the credits is such a recognised tune and people download it as their ringtone on their phones yet the show itself includes no incorporation of any musical artists or anything. It would have been interesting to see the rise of music sales if artists/bands had been featured in the series since the show was such a huge hit. Although, the series was filmed from around 1997 - 2004 - its interesting to see the comparison with t.v shows now such as grey's anatomy which has given rise to bands such as Snowpatrol. Just something I was thinking about....
Singer come “”actress””
I was actually here to write about something else but having seen the post by Dian titled ‘Music artist-actor’ I decided I would reply to that instead because I have always pondered the same idea!
Before I get on to my main point I would just like to note that although I totally agree that there is a double standard when it comes to this as there are very few actors/actresses come singers that we recognize on a majority scale for being famous for their music, there is once exception – Christina Milian from “Be Cool”. Although she had singles before her appearance on the film, it was not until after that she really became a well-known celebrity, as a singer.
The way singers can become actors or actresses at the click of their fingers just because they are what is “hot” right now does not necessarily make it right… Some of them really should just stick to singing! Yes they get some experience in an acting environment due to video clips because of the director and so-on and so-on, BUT this doesn’t really give them the ability to act on-screen without their song debut being dubbed over it once the clip has been edited. Also, three minutes and an hour and a half or more on-screen = not the same thing!
Lets take Jessica Simpson for example, whether I like her or not as a person portrayed in the media, the girl can’t act! Why is she therefore cast in roles just because she has an alright voice (when using all the electronics etc I might add!!) and has a good body doesn’t mean she automatically suits the part. I think maybe directors know this but think they’ll do it once anyway cause the first time no-one will know and come along just to see what she’s like! Notice how she hasn’t really been considered for any major role since Dukes of Hazard?? Just something to think about!
- Lydia M
Before I get on to my main point I would just like to note that although I totally agree that there is a double standard when it comes to this as there are very few actors/actresses come singers that we recognize on a majority scale for being famous for their music, there is once exception – Christina Milian from “Be Cool”. Although she had singles before her appearance on the film, it was not until after that she really became a well-known celebrity, as a singer.
The way singers can become actors or actresses at the click of their fingers just because they are what is “hot” right now does not necessarily make it right… Some of them really should just stick to singing! Yes they get some experience in an acting environment due to video clips because of the director and so-on and so-on, BUT this doesn’t really give them the ability to act on-screen without their song debut being dubbed over it once the clip has been edited. Also, three minutes and an hour and a half or more on-screen = not the same thing!
Lets take Jessica Simpson for example, whether I like her or not as a person portrayed in the media, the girl can’t act! Why is she therefore cast in roles just because she has an alright voice (when using all the electronics etc I might add!!) and has a good body doesn’t mean she automatically suits the part. I think maybe directors know this but think they’ll do it once anyway cause the first time no-one will know and come along just to see what she’s like! Notice how she hasn’t really been considered for any major role since Dukes of Hazard?? Just something to think about!
- Lydia M
Thursday, April 26, 2007
The Grey’s Anatomy launching ground
With the rising popularity of Grey’s Anatomy in
“Chasing Cars” was also featured in the season finale of One Tree Hill, which aired nearly two weeks before the Grey’s Anatomy episode, yet its appearance was overshadowed by the more popular programme, and Grey’s Anatomy was given the credit for elevating Snow Patrol’s success. Snow Patrol now sees their music used regularly throughout American television, appearing in shows which include Smallville, ER and The 4400.
Grey’s Anatomy has also raised the popularity of other artists such as Anna Nalick and The Fray. Nalick’s song, “Breathe (2am)”, was featured during an episode centred on a bomb threat, and later discovered success on the charts. The Fray’s song “How to Save a Life” was featured during an episode of the second season, as well as American promos for the show. Like “Chasing Cars”, the song later found substantial radio play and success.
With all this exposure, one could debate all this new found success could lead to negative effects on the band. Certainly it has helped such artists find more mainstream commercial success, but has it led to them becoming over-exposed? Has Snow Patrol’s music become so widely distributed that the initial appeal has been lost? I, for one, cringe when I hear “Chasing Cars” or “How to Save a Life” come on the radio, as their constant radio repetition has lead them to achieve the same level of annoyance in my mind that can be equated with the “Crazy Frog” song.
....MUSIC AS SCREENED ON ‘TV-ONE’!
Blog Title: TV CHANNEL PROMO, ADS & POP SONGS… AS SCREENED ON ‘TV-ONE’!
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the many interesting Blog Posts about Music Video Production and the Kiwi Music Industry etc…!
Continuing on with my central Research essay theme… ‘Popular Music and TV Adverts’… I have been finding the best source for analysing Pop Music and TV is by watching TV! As well as the internet and media studies texts on television and music (there are a few in the UOA General Library and in the UOA Music Library).
Thanks to ‘Michelle H’ for contributing a comment to my last blog, and for the handy web addy of the Christchurch City Library’s compiled list of ‘Music Used in New Zealand Television Commercials’.
See: http://library.christchurch.org.nz/music/AdvertMusic/
The website gives an ‘A-Z’ list (which is periodically updated) of Pop Music that features in Kiwi TTV Ads – that is, TV Ads that have been screened on New Zealand Television, however, this is not to say the Ads were produced in New Zealand.
Examples include the well-known TV Car Advert for ‘FORD FOCUS’ with people singing and not knowing the words (i.e., they are singing to the chorus)… the music track is called ‘Bohemian Like You’ by the alternative-pop group ‘The Dandy Warhols’… and anther TV Advert listed is ‘Can-teen National Bandana Week’ which uses the popular song ‘Ma-nah-ma-nah’ which is sung by ‘The Muppets’!
Another helpful website addy for reference purposes is (again) Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipediea.org/wiki/Television_commercial#music
Wikipedia has a global list of TV Adverts and Pop Music tracks.
At this stage I am recording current TV Adverts which feature Pop Music Tracks. A clear example of this is the new Television One Network ‘Channel Promo’ which uses the song called ‘Light Surrounding You’ by the pop group ‘Evermore’.
I’ll post more about TVNZ’s Latest Channel Promo in my next blog.
Bests,
Andrea Francesca
Student – FTVMS 323
Fame or Shame: Reality TV & Music
Reality TV has somewhat made a name for itself in the mainstream industry. Flick on the television and there’s people starving on Survivor, people fighting on the Contender, people gossiping on Laguna Beach, people strutting on America’s Next Top Model and nerds fighting for love on Beauty and the Geek. However when it comes to music and reality television some may see it as something popular or notorious. Take American Idol where mostly normal people, like you and me, have the opportunity to expose our musical talent. Put us on screen and what do you get? Fame or shame or nothing at all.
Is reality TV all about exploitation of the people featured in it? To some extent, yes. However with shows such as American Idol and X-Factor their main aim is to find the one, the idol, the star. Most of the episodes do concentrate on narrowing down the best of the best. But then why make audition rejects sing and dance at a season finale? Or why give unique performers such as William Hung a debut CD? It’s entertainment and it sells. What it comes down to is the simple audition of the individual. The audition does not just judge their singing ability but their personality, sense of dress, and an idea of what sort of person they are. By bringing them to the forefront of national TV requires a blunt judgement on what is acceptable. Not just musically acceptable but ‘marketable’ (in the words of Simon Cowell).
But then again there's someone like William Hung, an American Idol audition reject, who unusually due to his poor singing and unconventional looks led him to have a cult following. His optimistic attitude and eagerness can be seen as a reason for being marketable. It can be seen that the mix of reality TV and music opens up the boundaries of viewing and gives insight into many other facets of entertainment where normal is abnormal. Since reality is distorted in these types of shows some can actually take advantage of it.
Reality TV is simply not that realistic and just a form of entertainment – a place where first impressions generally do last. Reality is distorted to create people generally act differently when watched distorts the representation of ‘real’ reality. What it really is is a fully fabricated world in which everyone is a participant playing a game. Take, for example, Survivor, where participants are specifically selected in order to instigate particular behaviours and conflicts with the help of strategically designed scenarios. Quoting Mark Burnett, creator of Survivor, he states that "I tell good stories. It really is not reality television. It really is unscripted drama."
American Idol can somewhat be compared to the American Dream – fame to fortune, unknown to known. And with that idea entwined into the heads of media junkies some may believe “that they got what it takes”. However for some it could just be the American nightmare.
Dan L
Is reality TV all about exploitation of the people featured in it? To some extent, yes. However with shows such as American Idol and X-Factor their main aim is to find the one, the idol, the star. Most of the episodes do concentrate on narrowing down the best of the best. But then why make audition rejects sing and dance at a season finale? Or why give unique performers such as William Hung a debut CD? It’s entertainment and it sells. What it comes down to is the simple audition of the individual. The audition does not just judge their singing ability but their personality, sense of dress, and an idea of what sort of person they are. By bringing them to the forefront of national TV requires a blunt judgement on what is acceptable. Not just musically acceptable but ‘marketable’ (in the words of Simon Cowell).
But then again there's someone like William Hung, an American Idol audition reject, who unusually due to his poor singing and unconventional looks led him to have a cult following. His optimistic attitude and eagerness can be seen as a reason for being marketable. It can be seen that the mix of reality TV and music opens up the boundaries of viewing and gives insight into many other facets of entertainment where normal is abnormal. Since reality is distorted in these types of shows some can actually take advantage of it.
Reality TV is simply not that realistic and just a form of entertainment – a place where first impressions generally do last. Reality is distorted to create people generally act differently when watched distorts the representation of ‘real’ reality. What it really is is a fully fabricated world in which everyone is a participant playing a game. Take, for example, Survivor, where participants are specifically selected in order to instigate particular behaviours and conflicts with the help of strategically designed scenarios. Quoting Mark Burnett, creator of Survivor, he states that "I tell good stories. It really is not reality television. It really is unscripted drama."
American Idol can somewhat be compared to the American Dream – fame to fortune, unknown to known. And with that idea entwined into the heads of media junkies some may believe “that they got what it takes”. However for some it could just be the American nightmare.
Dan L
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Music artist-actor
Many Music videos nowdays are like minimovies. By watching so many music videos on television, I noticed that being a musician gives you the privilege to be in films too but it hardly works the other way round.
Why and why not? Well like I said, music videos are like minimovies. Therefore, it involves at least some sort of acting. I’m not saying that all musicians are great actors, but they get to work with directors and other actors by making music videos. Many music artists have had leading roles in films after their success in music. Jennifer Lopez (Wedding Planner and Maid in Manhattan), Beyonce (the Pink Panther, and Dreamgirls) are two well-known recent examples. They do not only record music in their movies but also use their success in music to sell the movies. Music videos give music artists the privilege to develop a film career at the same time. Interestingly, it does not work the other way round, not equally anyway. I mean I know that Jamie Foxx had a Grammy nomination but he is still known as an actor not a singer.
Why and why not? Well like I said, music videos are like minimovies. Therefore, it involves at least some sort of acting. I’m not saying that all musicians are great actors, but they get to work with directors and other actors by making music videos. Many music artists have had leading roles in films after their success in music. Jennifer Lopez (Wedding Planner and Maid in Manhattan), Beyonce (the Pink Panther, and Dreamgirls) are two well-known recent examples. They do not only record music in their movies but also use their success in music to sell the movies. Music videos give music artists the privilege to develop a film career at the same time. Interestingly, it does not work the other way round, not equally anyway. I mean I know that Jamie Foxx had a Grammy nomination but he is still known as an actor not a singer.
Across the Universe
Hi everyone, not sure if this has been posted yet, so apologies if it's been mentioned already.
On the subject of compilation soundtracks and Beatles films, here is a new musical featuring covers of Beatles songs:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Across_the_Universe_(film)
While visiting the film's IMDb page I came across an interesting review (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445922/, scroll down to read). An excerpt:
"It would be cruel to call "Across the Universe" a two hour music video because it tries so hard to be more than that, but it wouldn't be entirely inaccurate either. The movie can be summed up as a series of punctuated scenes and characters each represented by a Beatles song and strung together by a boilerplate love story."
This reminds me of the compilation score phenomenon of recent years, in which certain films/tv programmes have moved so far into the spectrum of music videos that the story and the characters serve to support and punctuate the music (whereas in a traditional film the songs would be used to support the drama and the narrative). An example of this is Garden State, a film that has been praised for its indie soundtrack selections. I remember when I first saw the film, I literally came out of the cinema finding the songs more memorable than the film itself (by the way, this comment is nothing against the movie, I really like it).
A good example can be a comparison of The O.C. and One Tree Hill, two teen shows aimed at the same audience. On careful analysis, one will be able to see the difference - in The O.C., the soundtrack, while prominent, is very much a supporting (although important) aesthetic tool, while in One Tree Hill, the integration of the musical montages feels much more contrived - watch out for the musical cues and the difference is clear. Perhaps this is due to the experience/expertise of the O.C./Grey's Anatomy Music Supervisor Alexandra Patsavas, but it is certainly interesting to see that there are more instances these days of the latter, and to see that audiences seem to have readily embraced these films/shows.
Dennis
ID: 3977394
On the subject of compilation soundtracks and Beatles films, here is a new musical featuring covers of Beatles songs:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Across_the_Universe_(film)
While visiting the film's IMDb page I came across an interesting review (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445922/, scroll down to read). An excerpt:
"It would be cruel to call "Across the Universe" a two hour music video because it tries so hard to be more than that, but it wouldn't be entirely inaccurate either. The movie can be summed up as a series of punctuated scenes and characters each represented by a Beatles song and strung together by a boilerplate love story."
This reminds me of the compilation score phenomenon of recent years, in which certain films/tv programmes have moved so far into the spectrum of music videos that the story and the characters serve to support and punctuate the music (whereas in a traditional film the songs would be used to support the drama and the narrative). An example of this is Garden State, a film that has been praised for its indie soundtrack selections. I remember when I first saw the film, I literally came out of the cinema finding the songs more memorable than the film itself (by the way, this comment is nothing against the movie, I really like it).
A good example can be a comparison of The O.C. and One Tree Hill, two teen shows aimed at the same audience. On careful analysis, one will be able to see the difference - in The O.C., the soundtrack, while prominent, is very much a supporting (although important) aesthetic tool, while in One Tree Hill, the integration of the musical montages feels much more contrived - watch out for the musical cues and the difference is clear. Perhaps this is due to the experience/expertise of the O.C./Grey's Anatomy Music Supervisor Alexandra Patsavas, but it is certainly interesting to see that there are more instances these days of the latter, and to see that audiences seem to have readily embraced these films/shows.
Dennis
ID: 3977394
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
If real life was a Bollywood film
In response to the earlier post about Bollywood films, I think they are not to be taken too seriously, I know alot of people who can't stand them. I've heard complaints that the colours are over saturated and make the film look painted in some scenes, the acting, unrealistic and the narrative, repetitive. This is where the song and dance sequences come in to use, and make the films watchable. Some would argue that these items are cheesy, but I admit, the whole reason why my friends and I decide to hire out and watch Bollywood films are to have a good laugh at each other, trying to sing and copy the dance moves of the songs (and none of us are Indian). These films allow us to enter a colourful, well choreographed, fantasy world, one that I would think is an escape from a not so colourful, non dancing/ singing and at times, pessimistic reality. Some people actually want to rest from seeing the sexual promiscuity many Hollywood films bring (and even in real life), and this is likely to be one of the rare genres in cinema where sex scenes and sometimes even kissing scenes are often a 'no-no'. So, here is another advantage of Bollywood.
Also, without trying to sound too dorky, there are a few things that would benefit us today which can be taken from these films. For example, just imagine if in real life, a whole group of people broke out into song accompanied by a "pat the dog, screw the lightbulb" dance, whenever someone fell in love. It could be a good remedy for creating peace and unity between violent gangs, war ridden countries or conflicting persons. And if only, after being thrown to the ground by a huge explosion, like in the film, Krish, (the Bollywood version of the Matrix/ Superman), my hair and make up would be flawless and I would look unscathed, as the women did.
But of course, these are only fantasies, and although Bollywood films may contain some elements of truth, this is what they do best-present fantasy.
Also, without trying to sound too dorky, there are a few things that would benefit us today which can be taken from these films. For example, just imagine if in real life, a whole group of people broke out into song accompanied by a "pat the dog, screw the lightbulb" dance, whenever someone fell in love. It could be a good remedy for creating peace and unity between violent gangs, war ridden countries or conflicting persons. And if only, after being thrown to the ground by a huge explosion, like in the film, Krish, (the Bollywood version of the Matrix/ Superman), my hair and make up would be flawless and I would look unscathed, as the women did.
But of course, these are only fantasies, and although Bollywood films may contain some elements of truth, this is what they do best-present fantasy.
Idol Competitions Conundrum- A Singing Competition Only?
After reading a few of Nabeel’s posts on the current American Idol competition and the controversies associated with it, e.g. the relative disharmony of Sanjaya’s voice, I wanted to discuss a few of the "cracks" in the Idol competition vaneer.
The audience/performer relationship traditionally experienced through live concert going, and merchandise purchasing or downloading etc.,now channelled into mediated viewing with the extra dimension of weekly voting for your favourite is somehow experiencing ‘speed-wobbles’. The format that has kept the show alive and funded and seen its worldwide popularity grow is also encountering problems according to those unhappy with it. In their opinion the hype that feeds the competition is conversely "destroying" the foundations that fuel its success. Well you can’t have it both ways!
On the one hand we are encouraged as viewers to engage with the performers. Besides the actual live weekly performances, which is expertly lit and managed like a "real" gig on-stage, a major device used by the show is the 40-60 sec vignettes screened before each potential idol’s performances. Every week the content is different but the formula is the same. We see our idols experiencing the rigours of the competition throughout the week, focusing on comments from idols, judges and other industry experts on things like song-choice, arranging, rehearsing, and styling. This is teamed with personal stories and further emotive moments like singing in front of, and receiving tips from a "STAR" (Diana Ross, J-Lo etc.). In turn as viewers and members of the voting public, we are shown shots of the live audience throughout the playing of the weekly shows that explicitly highlight the support for each idol and his or her performance. One particularly overt example of this was the image of a singular overwhelmed young fan, who in great ‘Beatleesque’ form cried her heart out and screamed uncontrollably throughout the entire show (not kidding). This ‘idolising of the idols’ was something of a marketer’s dream and by the end of the show she was actually "rewarded". The trembling girl was pulled up on-stage (the ‘hallowed ground’) by the angelic host (the mediator between the dizzying fantasy of the idol and our own sad reality), to meet every one of her god-like heroes.- The pinnacle in cherished moments for every hardcore fan. The intense "business" of being an idol is very much that, designed to grab our attention and ultimately open our wallet to VOTE.
At the same time (see Nabeel’s post " Sanjaya &his Fanjayas") notorious Idol judge Simon, - the judge that seems most aggravated by Sanjaya and has even threatened to leave Idol forever if "out-of-tune" Sanjaya wins the competition, constantly demands that this is "a singing competition!!!". Is it really only a singing competition? C’mon stop the pretence!!
The voting catch that "lets the audience in on the production process" (see above post) has forced an uncomfortable exposure around the mechanics of what goes into creating a pop sensation, to the apparent alarm of the shows producers/judges and critics. Its as much about personality, image, sharp performances, the correct song-choice (by heartthrob idols for their own viewing fan-base), and clever marketing tactics, as amazing vocal performances. The phenomenon that is Sanjaya proves this.
Its also happened in other shows of similar fashion. Take local "Dancing with the Stars" show which saw ‘challenged’ dancers like Mayor Tim Shadbolt or Rodney Hide get through on the power of something else. For example, Mayor Tim used his political nouse in seeking ‘the vote’. The story was that he campaigned for votes by blatantly offering ‘sweetners’ to his local constituents. I.e., a waiver on their parking fines if they text a vote for him to the show’s voting lines!
But hey its nothing new and everyone knows that! This kind of commodification of pop idols…its as old as hat. The new power of interactive voting muscle just seems to bring it into more immediate focus and add another layer of complexity. The kind of power that media has traditionally had in all types of formats in organising everyone’s buying power is definitely diminishing. In this age of Myspace.com, do-it-yourself film-makers and music makers, the strong hold of the media industries is being wrestled with and at the moment, seems to be a worry for many. In my opinion the games are just going to have to get trickier to literally get the buy-in from the audience. -And if you’re an idol? You better wake-up and be prepared to use every bullet in your ammunition to get through. It ain’t jus’ how you sing baby!
Peace
fiFA
The audience/performer relationship traditionally experienced through live concert going, and merchandise purchasing or downloading etc.,now channelled into mediated viewing with the extra dimension of weekly voting for your favourite is somehow experiencing ‘speed-wobbles’. The format that has kept the show alive and funded and seen its worldwide popularity grow is also encountering problems according to those unhappy with it. In their opinion the hype that feeds the competition is conversely "destroying" the foundations that fuel its success. Well you can’t have it both ways!
On the one hand we are encouraged as viewers to engage with the performers. Besides the actual live weekly performances, which is expertly lit and managed like a "real" gig on-stage, a major device used by the show is the 40-60 sec vignettes screened before each potential idol’s performances. Every week the content is different but the formula is the same. We see our idols experiencing the rigours of the competition throughout the week, focusing on comments from idols, judges and other industry experts on things like song-choice, arranging, rehearsing, and styling. This is teamed with personal stories and further emotive moments like singing in front of, and receiving tips from a "STAR" (Diana Ross, J-Lo etc.). In turn as viewers and members of the voting public, we are shown shots of the live audience throughout the playing of the weekly shows that explicitly highlight the support for each idol and his or her performance. One particularly overt example of this was the image of a singular overwhelmed young fan, who in great ‘Beatleesque’ form cried her heart out and screamed uncontrollably throughout the entire show (not kidding). This ‘idolising of the idols’ was something of a marketer’s dream and by the end of the show she was actually "rewarded". The trembling girl was pulled up on-stage (the ‘hallowed ground’) by the angelic host (the mediator between the dizzying fantasy of the idol and our own sad reality), to meet every one of her god-like heroes.- The pinnacle in cherished moments for every hardcore fan. The intense "business" of being an idol is very much that, designed to grab our attention and ultimately open our wallet to VOTE.
At the same time (see Nabeel’s post " Sanjaya &his Fanjayas") notorious Idol judge Simon, - the judge that seems most aggravated by Sanjaya and has even threatened to leave Idol forever if "out-of-tune" Sanjaya wins the competition, constantly demands that this is "a singing competition!!!". Is it really only a singing competition? C’mon stop the pretence!!
The voting catch that "lets the audience in on the production process" (see above post) has forced an uncomfortable exposure around the mechanics of what goes into creating a pop sensation, to the apparent alarm of the shows producers/judges and critics. Its as much about personality, image, sharp performances, the correct song-choice (by heartthrob idols for their own viewing fan-base), and clever marketing tactics, as amazing vocal performances. The phenomenon that is Sanjaya proves this.
Its also happened in other shows of similar fashion. Take local "Dancing with the Stars" show which saw ‘challenged’ dancers like Mayor Tim Shadbolt or Rodney Hide get through on the power of something else. For example, Mayor Tim used his political nouse in seeking ‘the vote’. The story was that he campaigned for votes by blatantly offering ‘sweetners’ to his local constituents. I.e., a waiver on their parking fines if they text a vote for him to the show’s voting lines!
But hey its nothing new and everyone knows that! This kind of commodification of pop idols…its as old as hat. The new power of interactive voting muscle just seems to bring it into more immediate focus and add another layer of complexity. The kind of power that media has traditionally had in all types of formats in organising everyone’s buying power is definitely diminishing. In this age of Myspace.com, do-it-yourself film-makers and music makers, the strong hold of the media industries is being wrestled with and at the moment, seems to be a worry for many. In my opinion the games are just going to have to get trickier to literally get the buy-in from the audience. -And if you’re an idol? You better wake-up and be prepared to use every bullet in your ammunition to get through. It ain’t jus’ how you sing baby!
Peace
fiFA
Bollywood Cinema
I have never been able to understand Bollywood movies. All the movies have the same sorts of narrative and i must say very predictable. But this is not what bothers me most, perhaps Bollywood has gained a reputation for its unique style in terms of having at least five or six songs and dancing scenes in each movie. But in my opinion this unique style kills the essence of movies. In today's world we listen to music almost everywhere we go, at home, at work, uni, shopping mall, and supermarkets and etc...sometimes this easy access to music gets too much and we need to escape to a place that does not just make us listen to songs and that place is cinema where you use the film to escape from your own world if not the real world. But unfortunately having songs played in a movie brings you back to the world that you just tried to escape from.
May the First.
Hello everybody.
A good number of people have talked to me over email or in office-hours about the research essay.
My email address is kveale AT gmail.com if anyone wants to talk questions through, and my office hours are:
1-3 Friday this week, and 12-2 Monday next week. The email is mentioned in case anyone finds that'd be cutting things a little fine.
Other than that, I hope you enjoyed the break and good luck for the assignment!
- Kevin.
A good number of people have talked to me over email or in office-hours about the research essay.
My email address is kveale AT gmail.com if anyone wants to talk questions through, and my office hours are:
1-3 Friday this week, and 12-2 Monday next week. The email is mentioned in case anyone finds that'd be cutting things a little fine.
Other than that, I hope you enjoyed the break and good luck for the assignment!
- Kevin.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Eminem meets World of Warcraft
I have never been a huge visitor to youtube.com (mainly because I get so frustrated with how long it takes to download) but this last week I have put that behind me waited patiently. To my surprise I came across some interesting new media styles. For example…
I am not a huge ‘gamer’ but I have enjoyed the odd Eminem track and therefore had a look. I found it interesting how a video game would incorporate such accessibility to character and camera movements, which can be so easily cut out and re-edited together using accessible and affordable editing software to create an entirely new text. After watching a few, I found that most of them rely heavily on the lyrics of the song to match up with the images in the game (or vice versa). While this might be an obvious observation and possibly a very simplistic technique it didn’t hinder me finding it to be aesthetically interesting even for someone who has never seen the game before.
At the end of the day this sort of material will probably appeal mostly to those who associate themselves with the game World of Warcraft but perhaps it may lead to more experimentation and creativity that will appeal more across the board.
I am not a huge ‘gamer’ but I have enjoyed the odd Eminem track and therefore had a look. I found it interesting how a video game would incorporate such accessibility to character and camera movements, which can be so easily cut out and re-edited together using accessible and affordable editing software to create an entirely new text. After watching a few, I found that most of them rely heavily on the lyrics of the song to match up with the images in the game (or vice versa). While this might be an obvious observation and possibly a very simplistic technique it didn’t hinder me finding it to be aesthetically interesting even for someone who has never seen the game before.
At the end of the day this sort of material will probably appeal mostly to those who associate themselves with the game World of Warcraft but perhaps it may lead to more experimentation and creativity that will appeal more across the board.
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