Glocalization in The Office

 Globalization in the context of media is the process of connecting nations, cultures, and peoples through digital convergence, technological developments, and the expansion of media. It allowed for the increase in opportunities for communication, exchange of material and symbolic goods, and migration of people across national borders. 

Glocalization is the process in which a formula or idea that has proven to be successful in one area is adapted in another area.  

A good example of glocalization is my favorite show The Office. Starting in the United Kingdom, comedian Ricky Gervais created a new type of mockumentary style to fit the sitcom genre. In The Office, the actors were more conventional as opposed to exceptionally attractive, broke the fourth wall, and used dark humor to carry most of the show through. These unique features of the show contributed to its success in the United Kingdom. Because this formula proved to be successful, American production companies attempted to adapt this idea (with Ricky Gervais on board as a producer) hoping that they would achieve the same success of the original series. The Office has gone now for seven hilarious seasons, four more seasons than the original version. This is a perfect example of glocalization: the original series was successful in the United Kingdom, so the United States adapted the same format to make the adaptation. This resulted in the smash hit it has become today.

Yum!

When it comes to advertisements, the ones that attract me the most are ones for food. Anytime I'm casually watching T.V., the fast paced images of sizzling food, unrealistically and perfectly prepared catch my attention, and whether or not I'm hungry, I've suddenly got an intense craving that must be satisfied within the next couple hours. Many times, I'm not able to get that Whopper or order that pizza, but a lot of times it works. The advertisement that I find myself succumbing to recently is Pizza Hut ads.

Filled with vibrant images of sizzling pizza and melting cheese, these ads use the appeals of physiological needs and nourishment to persuade the hungry viewer to buy their product. The physiological needs refers to human needs that are required to sustain life, which in this case would be food. This ad uses that appeal by emphasizing the quantity of pizza they serve to show that the viewer will be fully nourished and satisfied. The ad will also show hungry people successfully filling their appetite. Furthermore these ads contain fantastic claims of limited time only deal and seemingly low prices. How could the hungry viewer resist? Even if one is not hungry at the time, it is certain that they'll eventually succumb to their physiological needs, so why not with this delicious and easily attainable meal? I think I should order some soon.

3 Act Structure in "Little Miss Sunshine"

Little Miss Sunshine  makes very good use of the 3 Act Structure that many movies in Hollywood follow today. The script uses a "happy ending structure" and applies a quest in the plot, making the 3 Act Structure all the more suitable.

The movie begins with Act I, where we are introduced to the individual members of the Hoover family. We see the father,  Richard, a one-dimensional motivational speaker trying to promote his guaranteed to work "Nine Steps to Success." Then there's Sheryl, his wife who must pick up her homosexual brother Frank,who has just failed at an attempted suicide after his lover left him for an academic rival, from the hospital. They have a son Dwayne, who has sworn himself into silence until he is admitted into the Air Force, and a young daughter, Olive, a rather average looking girl who dreams of winning the Little Miss Sunshine Beauty Pageant. Finally, there is Edwin, Richard's cocaine sniffing, foul-mouthed father. Together, this dysfunctional family sits at a painfully awkward dinner, as conflicting personalities collide. This act introduces the characters and provides a look at their life, before plot point #1 occurs. Olive gets a call from California stating that she has a place in the beauty pageant and must get their immediately if she wants to participate. As a result, the dysfunctional, awkward family must drop everything they're doing and try to deal with each other and drive Olive to her beauty pageant.

Act II is my favorite part of the movie, because I found the family's attempts to get along with each other very entertaining. Many little complications are brought up, including Richard's book deal falling through, the troubles of traveling on a Volkswagen bus that must be pushed every time when first put into drive, Frank awkwardly running into an ex-lover, and the family forgetting Olive at a Gas Station. This act is the longest, dealing with the family's journey together as personalities conflict and sometimes bond over Olive's cause. Complications get more intense when Edwin dies in a motel the family stays at overnight. When the hospital will not let them take Edwin's body, the family protects his honor by smuggling it from the hospital and into their trunk. The family is even stopped by a state trooper who checks the trunk, but is fortunately distracted by Edwin's porn collection and does not see his body. The situation worsens when Olive gives Dwayne an eye test that reveals that he is colorblind. Dwayne is enraged, knowing that he cannot join the Air Force if he is colorblind. The car is forced to halt, when Dwayne loses his composure and runs out of the car screaming and cursing the family and refusing to continue the journey with them. He is finally convinced to get back in the car after Olive gives him a hug. Finally they arrive to the beauty pageant. As the parents check Olive into the pageant, Frank and Dwayne explore the area and are disgusted by the fake overdone make up and tanned little girls strutting around. They both agree that they cannot let Olive compete in such a pageant with those little girls. Not wanting to see her get hurt, they attempt to get through to the parents who decide that they cannot do anything, and they must "let Olive be Olive." The act ends with the family nervously watching the pageant take place.

Act III is the shortest and contains the climax and resolution, which in this case is Olive's highly anticipated routine. No one has seen it except for Edwin who choreographed it. After seeing all the perfect little girls routines, the family anxiously awaits Olive's. Finally she gets on stage and begins performing a strip-burlesque routine to "Superfreak"completely unaware of its meanings. The audience is shocked and the pageant makes moves to stop the routine. But before they can, the Hoovers immediately step up in support of Olive. They begin by cheering loudly, but end up running one after the other on stage and dancing obnoxiously with her. I would define this moment as the climax. Olive is in joy dancing alongside her family. Although the police have banned Olive from ever participating in a California beauty pageant again, the family has bonded deeply and are completely content with themselves and their accomplished goal: taking Olive to the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. The movie is ended on a sweet note as the family gets back inside their volkswagen bus, of course having to push it first, and embark on a sweet journey home.

Aspects of TV Sitcoms

No matter what they're into, most people have followed a sitcom in some point in their life, and continue to do so today. Sitcoms are fun shows that don't really bring up deep, controversial issues, but instead provide easy entertainment that everyone can enjoy. The main aspects of sitcoms include that it is episodic, thirty minutes long, funny, and hyperbolic.

Sitcoms are episodic, meaning that the shows end where they begin. No serious change is developed within characters or plot from episode to episode. For example, if a character is very sick in one episode, they will not still be sick in the following episode. Furthermore, until recently, Bonnie of Family Guy was pregnant for maybe six seasons or more. Each episode of a sitcom is usually only half an hour, explaining why there is not much character growth and plot development between episodes. As a result, writers must instead rely on a funny storyline to keep the episodes entertaining. Of course, the sitcoms are always funny, but they are due to the hyperbolism and absurdity shown in each episode. Characters are put into exaggerated and unrealistic situations, creating absurd conflicts that provide for entertainment. This hyperbolism and absurdity leads to a sort of predictable and repeated pattern visible in every sitcom. While watching a sitcom episode, one is able to predict the conflicts that will arise before they occur. However, all this put aside, sitcoms are still incredibly entertaining for all.

One particular sitcom that I've always enjoyed is Everybody Loves Raymond. It is a sitcom characterized by Raymond's struggle to deal with his hyperbolic nosy, in-your-face mother who just doesn't get it, his jealous brother always moping over Raymond's success, and his wife who he manages to piss off in almost every episode. Raymond is always put in hyperbolic situations, in which he attempts to please everyone in his family and their conflicting views. In one episode he may have to sneak around both his mother and wife, or in another his parents would drive a car through his living room. Episodes were each a half hour long, and none of the conflicts between characters would carry from one episode to another. Deborah and Raymond's mother would fight like never before, but would be back to peace by the end of each episode. The absurdity, hyperbolic situations, and episodic format made this show is one of my favorite sitcoms.

The Final Scene of "Remember Me"

I think the final scenes in “Remember Me” portray very well how the three basic shots work and what kind of connotations they evoke.  It is a film about the 9/11 tragedy and its effect on Tyler Hawkins’s family, and more importantly on the thousands of other families affected. However the tragic date is not revealed until the final scenes, when you see Tyler waiting for his father in his office in the World Trade Center.

The scene begins as Tyler looks upon the seemingly beautiful day through the window of the building and sighs. There, the director uses a close up of Tyler’s face.

As stated in Professor Ramirez-Berg’s lecture, the close up shot evokes feelings and emotions, which is exactly what is stirred up when I see this shot. It seems as though all of Tyler’s recent struggles and grievances that have gotten him to this point can be summed up into this one shot, this one look out of the window.

The scene then shifts to Tyler’s little sister, and a close up of Caroline in class. Then a medium shot is used to show the teacher walk past the board.

This shot for me was the most climatic shot of the scene, because it reveals the date: September 11, 2001. According to our lecture, the medium shot is used to reveal information, which is exactly what this shot has done.

The scene continues with a pan out, and long shot of Tyler Hawkins and his location in the World Trade Center.

This shot reveals that Tyler is in the World Trade Center. Long shots are supposed to evoke sadness, loneliness, and isolation. This is especially true in this shot, because the film has just confirmed that Tyler is in the World Trade Center during the September 11 attacks.

I think that the three types of shots are used very well in this scene, perfectly capturing the historical tragic event.

Here is the full scene of the film.

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

The Star System of Classical Hollywood

If we look back at Classical Hollywood we would find it to be very different from the Hollywood we know today. The studio system of Hollywood between the 1920s and 1940s were characterized by vertical integration, monopoly, a factory based system of production, contract talent, and the star system. I find the star system to be the most significant aspect of the studio system that affected the kinds of films produced in those days.

In the star system, stars were basically products of immaterial production; they were the best representation of what the studios did. The studios discovered the stars, signed them on contract (so they were bound to the movies the studio made), and were then paid to sell the studio’s products. As a result, stars were associated with genres and studios. MGM studios for example, discovered Judy Garland as a child and began to use her in the Andy Hardy series. Like other studio stars, Judy Garland would have a consistent set of character traits in every movie, further limiting the potential diversity of storylines. In the days of Classical Hollywood people would go see movies depending on who was starring in it, rather than looking into the storyline, director, or the usual things we look for today. As a result, studios spent less energy and effort on the script and cinematography, and more on getting stars signed onto their contracts. For example, MGM studio would show off the amount of actors they had on contract,  i.e. "all the stars of heaven."  As the stars became well known, the studios could produce any kind of movie and know that it will be watched because of the star role. Furthermore, the studios could then use their star to sell their products. Another example is Warner Brother’s use of Bogart, and his transition from gangster film, to police film, to detective film. He too had a set of star traits that moved from movie to movie. He set the traditional symbols for his genre, like the raincoat and fedora. Casablanca is an example of a star vehicle film, using Bogart as a war hero, for which it was considered a propaganda war film. Another aspect of the star system was their contracts. Stars were signed onto contracts with the studios, therefore forcing them to star in the studio's movies for many years, no matter what kind of movies they were, further empowering the studios. This contrasts greatly from Hollywood today, where actors audition for whatever role they want, and get signed on to movies from there. The star system of Classical Hollywood significantly affect the films of that day. Studios produced films starring repetitive and consistent characters, in stories that slightly varied one another, following the trending genre of the time. 

"All in the Family" and contemporary sitcoms

If we compare the much loved 60s show “All in the Family” to a contemporary family-based TV situation comedy, we could find many differences. For starters, “All in the Family” was based on the emerging controversial issues and conflicts of the 1960’s. For example, the episode we watched in the screening dealt with the issue of homosexuality. Archie, who is represented as a stereotypical bigot father, is having trouble handling the fact that one of his close friends could be a homosexual, and in addition that a very feminine man is not a homosexual. Similarly, episodes of “All in the Family” display  other significant characteristics of the 1960s, like gender roles. The show represented a family in which the father knows best and has the say, while the wife is simply a domestic caretaker. The main issues of the show were represented through the father's bigot eyes. But if we compare to contemporary sitcoms like “Everybody Loves Raymond,” different and less controversial issues are represented. “Everybody Loves Raymond” episodes are based on issues like dealing with annoying in-laws, a fed-up wife, a lazy husband, a jealous brother, etc. Episodes dealt with more individual family problems based on the characters’ relationships with each other, rather than global issues like homosexuality. It seems as though in "All the Family" global issues are faced by a stereotypical family (i.e idyllic family life vs. the outside world), where as in contemporary shows, many divers issues are brought up as a product of conflicting complex personalities and relationships.

The whole representation of family in "All the Family" is different from contemporary shows. Take for example “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Unlike “All in the Family,” in this situational comedy the wife, Debra has more say. In fact, in many episodes it seems as though her opinion has more power over her husband, Raymond's. In the episode of “All in the Family,” Archie seemed to making all the decisions and saying what he pleased, while Jean stood aside, keeping her opinion to herself. But if you ever watch an episode of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” you can see that it’s usually Raymond ltrying to get what she wants. It basically comes down to the power wives have in both shows. In “All in the Family,” the wife is very limited, and is only there to laugh and watch her husband’s shenanigans, but in “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Raymond for the most part must comply with Debra’s wishes, or else he will be walking on thin ice. Furthermore the characters of "Everybody Loves Raymond," and most other contemporary shows are more complex, and less stereotypical. Archie, for example, is a stereotypical bigot, whereas Raymond plays a husband with a more complex personality.

However, there are many characteristics that “All in the Family” and contemporary sitcoms like “Everybody Loves Raymond” share. For example, in both shows, the wives stay home and take care of the kids, and the husbands work and make the money. Furthermore, in both shows, the husband is into the stereotypical manly activities, like sports, and beer, and hanging with the men, while the wife spends more time cooking, cleaning, and hanging out at home. 

With differences and similarities in mind, it's safe to conclude that both shows represent their day and age; "All in the Family" in the 1960s, and "Everybody Loves Raymond" of the 1990s/2000s.

Technological Changes and the Radio

   Starting in 1896, when Guglielmo Marconi invented the “wireless telegraph” that used radio waves to carry messages, the radio industry has been an essential part of the media, constantly progressing as a result of technological change. In fact technological change is the main force that shaped the evolving radio industry in the 1920s.  Technological changes in the 1920s and the years that followed strengthened the radio industry, allowing it to become a phenomenon that is still a part of our everyday lives.

Technological progress is an important factor of every potential industry. Improvements and changes in technology allow for an industry to grow in any circumstance. From less costly and faster ways of production, to a more improved resulting product, technological change is necessary for any industry's success.

Marconi’s invention kicked off the radio industry’s intensive play in media. Starting as a form of communication between radio stations and oceangoing ships, the radio soon became a part of everyday life. Lee de Forest speeded this process by inventing the vacuum tube, which allowed for radio transmission and reception of sound, voice, and music. Soon many more technological improvements would make the radio as David Sarnoff once saw it: “a household utility” that would bring music into the house by wireless. However it wasn’t only music that dominated the radio, it also included news, variety shows, soap operas, dramas, and sports. The radio progressed even further through the FM, which has high-fidelity sound, that allows for more stations in each market. As music diversified, more FM stations were developed in order to satisfy the many different tastes. As a result, marketers were able to target different subcultures through specific radio formats. This is yet another example of radio progress through the technological developments; these developments reduced the price of recordings and the cost establishing radio stations. This pattern of progress continued with the development of satellite radio, which offers hundreds more channels, and Internet radio, which list thousands of radio stations for listening. Furthermore, podcasting allows individuals to create audio programs that can be downloaded. High definition radio further improved the quality of broadcasting, making the whole listening process more enjoyable.

Although the radio industry has to compete with other technologically developed industries like television and the Internet, it is still a prominent aspect of media and a part of many people’s lives.

Social Learning

 Social learning is the idea that society imitates behavior they see in the media, reflecting the effects that media has on society. Theorists concentrate on the violence, drug use, and sex shown in media of which young girls and boys are exposed to and tend to imitate. This imitation at a young age progresses as they grow up, and consequently they develop certain traits and characteristics as a reflection of the media. The textbook and Tough Guise show many examples of the effects of social learning on society. 

Experiments explained in the textbook and examples in the movie, Tough Guise, help me understand the concept of social learning and its effects on the relationship between media and society.

  

The first example comes from the textbook. Albert Bandura conducted a media effects experiment that reflected process of social learning in media. He showed preschoolers a short film in which an actor behaved aggressively toward a Bobo doll, punching it, hitting it with a mallet, kicking it around, and throwing balls at it. Although all the children saw the same film, there were three alternate endings, and the children were randomly divided into three groups, each of which saw a different ending. In one ending, an adult actor praised and awarded the child actor for his/her behavior. In another, the adult actor scolded and spanked the child actor, and in the third, only the opening sequence was shown. After the screening, the children were taken to a room with the Bobo dolls, and the props from the film. The results showed that children who had seen only the opening sequence or the on which the child was praised imitated the aggression that they had seen, as opposed to the children who had seen the actor get punished, who tended not to do so. This experiment represents social learning, because the children had specifically imitated the aggressive behaviors they had seen in the film. Even some of the children who had seen the actor get punished for his behavior imitated the violent acts shown.

The textbook provides many more examples of social learning in its analysis of media impacts. For instance, it declares that experimental studies show that children imitate the violence they see, predisposing them to choose violent resolutions to conflicts in their daily lives. Furthermore, the textbook states that adolescents who watch a lot of television sex are more likely to engage in sexual intercourse within the year following their exposure.

 Tough Guise had many examples of social learning, the main one being, men in society imitating the masculinity and violence they see in the media. The movie showed pictures of men posing as gangsters, holding weapons and/or showing off their muscles, imitating the tough men of the slums who gain power through their violence.

These examples gave me a clear understanding of the concept of social learning and how it affects society. It also opened me up to an aspect of the relationship between media and society, emphasizing the powerful influence media has on society. The products of media have obvious influence on young kids and even adults. The imitation in social learning affects how individuals will behave and thus how society will behave as a whole. It's power over the young individuals gives media a hand in society's future as they young kids grow up. Social learning represents the easily adaptable society and its compliance to the media.

 

(Pictures from http://www.freedomforum.org &

http://www.bluecorncomics.com)

Media and Hegemony in Calvin Klein Advertisements

After studying the hegemony of the media and the relationship it has with  society, and watching Killing Us Softly/Tough Guise, I have been thinking about the advertisements we see everyday on television and billboards and how they affect the way society thinks. I’ve been looking at Calvin Klein advertisements and the ideas they evoke. Studying hegemony helps me understand how the media shapes our society, and in this case, normalizes the ideas of sex, male masculinity, and the objectification of women.  Hegemony is the use of media to create a consensus around certain ideas, so that they come to be accepted as common sense. In this way I believe the Calvin Klein advertisements have used their imagery to create a consensus on the normality of sex and objectification of women.  

The first picture I have attached is an example of the objectification of women by Calvin Klein. The women modeling for the perfume, Obsession, is completely naked, lying uncomfortably on a couch. Her pose suggests that she is ready to submit to any man that wants to have her. “Obsession for Men” evokes the idea that men should be heterosexual and be attracted women like her. The women’s identity and character is ignored and only her body is emphasized.  Her uncomfortable position on the couch shows her lack of voice and any say. She is specifically an object of sex for the first man who wants her.

The next couple pictures I have attached encourage and evoke the idea of sex, and male superiority/women objectification.

In this photo, the models are once again half naked, encouraging themes of sex. The male model is shown twice in different poses, while the woman is shown only once, submitting to the strong hold of the man. Her limp posture shows her lack of strength and opinion. Once again the male model is dominant while the woman is objectified and show as inferior.

I have attached similar Calvin Klein photoshoots that similarly evoke ideas of sex and objectification. In all of these photos the man is very fit, normalizing the masculinity and dominance of men. Furthermore, the women are all shown with skinny and flawless body, suggesting the necessity of women to be perfectly built and “sexy.” This image of perfect bodies by both the male and female models normalize the image of how young women and men should look in society.

The Calvin Klein advertisements help demonstrate the affect media has on society, and how it has the power to normalize certain ideas and concepts in society. The images I have analyzed show the power of hegemony and its effect on society. Hegemony

I have also attached a video clip about a racy billboard advertisement of Calvin Klein.

********watch**************

Why RTF 305?

Ever since my elementary days I’ve dreamed of becoming a filmmaker. Of course back then, I was allowed to assume that when I grow up I’d be a star, writing, producing, and directing those epic movies that become household names. But even as I grew older and it was time to choose a career to pursue, the childhood ambition had remained planted in my head. It wasn’t soon until I realized that pursuing a career in film was the only thing I wanted to do. I'd like to say that registering for RTF 305 in June was the first step towards my ultimate filmmaking stardom. However in all seriousness, I do believe it will provide for me a perfect introduction into the media world I wish to soon be a part of. I hope to gain insight into the evolving world of media and the impact it has on our society.  I am very excited about this course and where it shall take me in my pursuit of filmmaking.

I hope that I can one day make movies like this :)

One of my favorite blogs :)