MST 226
Presentation of Objectivity
asserting date -- realistic, truth, focus
Encoding
construction of message using signs that receiver might understand * preferred meaning
Rule of Thirds
dividing the frame into thirds both horizontally and vertically attempt to balance and unify the image
Realism -- two main visual approaches
dramatic look at the real documentary feel
Which of the following is NOT a critique of advertising? a. Promotes only the most profitable companies b. It ignores the realities of production. c. Advertisers skew the information towards their own interest d. Larger companies will dominate the system e. It is informative
e. It is informative
Construction
nonfiction approach continuity of narratives
What does Fiske say about ending content?
resolution -- reestablishing realism
Hegemonic ideology
"In liberal capitalism, hegemonic ideology develops by domesticating opposition, absorbing it into forms compatible with the core ideological structure. Consent is managed by absorption as well as by exclusion. The hegemonic ideology changes in order to remain hegemonic"
In what year do we find that 99% of households have at least one television set?
1994
Name the three eras of television history and something about the nature of television during that era (i.e. availability of content, viewer control, viewing behavior, etc.).
.). TV I - Classic Network Era: 32. Name and explain the three stages of audience engagement with a character. scarcity, limited terrestrial channels, passive viewers, broadcasting, live; TV II - Multichannel Transition Era: availability, cable and satellite, mass viewers, narrowcasting, video; TV III - Post-Network Era/Convergence Era: plenty, multichannel, interactive viewers, niche programming, DVD
What are the three main components to a soundtrack?
1. Dialogue 2. Sound Effects 3. Music
Social Role of TV News (three broad frameworks)
1. Liberal Pluralist Model -- more is good 2. Conservative Approach -- more concerned with ideology 3. Critical Framework -- media works for elite
Why is lighting so important? How does it affect the show?
1. Orientation (to enable the audience to see where the story is taking place) 2. Mood or feeling 3. Time/place 4. Pictorial beauty, aesthetic pleasure 5. Depth, perspective, third dimensional illusion
When was the writer's strike?
2008-2009
What percentage of television time in the US consists of advertisements?
25%
Survivor (CBS)
28 million viewers the first season 2005-2006 debut signals the mainstream appeal of reality TV
7. Allowing for industry demands, such as commercial breaks, hour-long TV dramas typically embraces what type of dramatic structure?
4 Act
Adhering to the industry demands of commercial breaks, TV dramas typically have how many acts?
4 acts
According to Aslinger, what is a common pattern of music licensing in contemporary television?
A common pattern of music licensing in contemporary television is when an extended song clip accompanies a montage to close the episode.
What is the difference between a kernel and a satellite?
A kernel is a major event, while a satellite is a minor event within a narrative.
The Crime Series
A popular genre, the crime series is most concerned with stories of crime and deviance. At the most simplistic level, narratives tend to be concerned with themes of "good vs evil", centered around law enforcement as they set out to resolve some issue in society Narratives within this genre include depictions of both law enforcement personnel as well as criminals, but appear to be largely oriented and skewed in favor of law enforcement
Monday Night Football and Brand Identity
ABC (1970-2005) -- regularly wins highest rating for its night for 18-49 Branding and success relies on cultural inclusion (ritual engagement) Hank Williams Jr. Incident -- Obama vs. Hitler comment, risks alienating audience
What are the three main ways programs are financed?
Ad Revenue Transactional Hybrid
What are the three ways to construct genre?
Aesthetic: based solely on the textual characteristics Ritual: exchange between industry and audience Ideological: conventions and their relation to dominant ideology --Genres are popular when their conventions bear a closer relationship to the dominant ideology of the time
Stylized/Conservative Depiction
Aesthetics Narrative structure (resolutions) Examples: Starsky and Hutch, Miami Vice, CSI, Law and Order, Criminal Minds
1970s
After the cultural revolution of the late 1960s, the sitcom became more socially progressive The Mary Tyler Moore Show (70-77) CBS All in the Family (71-79) CBS Sanford and Son (72-77) NBC M*A*S*H (72-83) CBS Good Times (74-79) CBS The Jefferson's (75-85) CBS Happy Days (74-84) ABC Soap (77-81) ABC Taxi (78-83) ABC/NBC
Fiske's Quiz Show Narratives and Sports
Along with traditional commentary, Fiske believes structure allows one to find a ideological narrative at play (a capitalistic one to be specific): -game (move from similarity to difference) vs. ritual (move from difference to similarity) most shows exhibit a ritual-game-ritual structure, mediated by a host -ritual (introduction of characters) -game -ritual (losers will join winners and host onstage, wave the audience goodbye)
The Cosby Show
Alternative representation to Reagan era ideology: Cosby's control over every script ensured positive representations Largely ignored social issues concerning race: did not rely on race-based humor, our show is not about black people, it sis about human beings Despite ignoring race, this fictional narrative could still be seen as evidence to support the idea that we currently live in a post-racial society
Flashback
Analepsis
"Strong Female" Representation
As feminism gained momentum, the "Damsel in Distress" (or passive portrayal of women) was recognized by writers as being too weak. As a response to this, the "strong female character" was created However, this portrayal also tends to be flawed: -Characters come off as flat and unbelievable (too idealized) - commonly called a "Mary Sue" -Salvation or importance is exhibited through traits that are traditionally masculine rather than feminine
Ritual engagement
Audience relatability -identifiable characters -likeable -identifiable struggles -mundane struggles, usually low stakes Incorporation of controversial topics -use of comedy to diffuse topics -characters become surrogates for opinions -familiar form is a safe setting for exploring those topics
ESPN and Sportscenter
Both premiered Sept. of 1979 Most expensive non-premium channel: $7.50 per subscriber Sportscenter is the flagship program of the network -- dominated cable sports news during multi-channel transition, produced over 50,000 unique installments - more than any other TV program, multiple broadcasts a day, format changed to "newspaper style" in 1988, ironic/improvised commentary reflected zeitgeist of the time
What type of distributor is involved with affiliate stations?
Broadcast Networks
TV 1/Classic Network Era
Broadcasting, Terrestrial, Analogue, Passive
Law Enforcement Character Archetypes
Buddy cops Rogue/Loner/Cowboy cop Sophisticated/Cultured detective Dirty cop By-the-block cop Rabid cop Everyman cop
22. In news, what terms refers to where an item is placed, how long it is allocated and how it is presented?
Bulletin
What does the classic understanding of media news include?
Bulletins Construction Objectivity
Shot Size/Placement of Camera
Camera to subject distance can affect viewer perception As a general rule, tighter shots are typically interpreted as more intense or dramatic
What are the four major themes in Breaking Bad?
Cause and Effect Moral Ambiguity Devotion to Family Decline in the American Dream
Character growth, education, overhaul and transformation are all different types of:
Character Arcs
Aesthetic
Character archetypes Setting Iconography/Props Narrative/Story Style Ideal types tend to have consistent elements across multiple texts - high art tends to romanticize ideal types We see less constructed approaches more in low or popular art forms (which TV is often...) --Television's low-brow expectation has allowed it to push boundaries and conventions undermining dominant structures in our society
Sports Night and Realism
Content? -Contemporary, Secular, Socially extended? -Based on a recognizable show Form? -Yes -- resolution -No -- attention drawn to editing, sitcom conventions (laugh track, high key lighting)
An approach to editing that does NOT call attention to itself, preserving spatial or temporal continuity of a scene is considered:
Continuity
Fiske and Femininity in Television
Closely associated with women. Fiske looks at the soap opera for in defining feminine narrative elements in television: Perpetual state of disturbance and threat -Polysemic reading from women - threatens the patriarchy order -Affairs are not just infidelity, but liberation -Pleasure in seeing such disruption of status quo -More interested in interrogating boundaries Deferred plotlines -Deferred final satisfaction in favor of minor pleasures -Reflective of men and women sexuality -Women: desire -Men: rewards Formal forms of femininity encourage "reading" people -Soundtrack is dialogue heavy -Close-ups are prominent -"A face is close-up is what before the age of film only a lover or a mother saw" -Foregrounds the importance of reading people -Acting exaggerates the hyperintensity of emotional confrontations -Editing holds a "beat" Control rather than possession -Men typically possess power either economically or sexuality -Women control their economic power with their sexuality -Constantly struggle to keep such power (fighting both men and their bodies ) Hyperbolic Excess -Opens up to "a textual space which may be read against the seemingly hegemonic surface" -"Wild Zone" -Does not lead to radical interpretations, but allows for such alternative readings
Parks and Recreation and Genre: Comedy Verite
Comedic in nature - joke oriented A "Documentary Look" (A form of realism according to Fiske) - Impoverished style (zooms, reframing, motivated lighting, etc.), no performance aspect, testimonial interviews (provides exposition/context that might be lost otherwise), lack of laugh track Response to prevalence of reality TV
Other Adaptive Formats for Multichannel Era (and beyond)
Commercial Reality TV Corporate training PSA
Production
Concerned with the creation of television content
What are the four themes of Breaking Bad?
Decline of the American Dream, Moral Ambiguity, and Devotion to family, Cause and Effect.
Describe the four types of focus
Deep focus: almost everything is in focus Shallow focus: depth of field is limited - some items are sharp and others soft Soft focus: lacking sharp detail; muted Rack focus: shifting the depth of field
Old Media Structure
Democracy, Political Relevance, Citizenship
Meaning can be connotative or denotative, what does this mean?
Denotative: literal definition/explicit (limited interpretation) Connotative: metaphorical/implicit (open interpretation)
What are the three components of a soundtrack?
Dialogue, Music, Sound Effects
A radio playing a song in a scene would be considered
Diegetic
Dialogue would be considered
Diegetic
What is the difference between diegetic and non-diegetic sounds?
Diegetic sounds are visible or implied in the world of the text. They tend to be more organic. Nondiegetic sounds are neither present or implied in the world of the story. They tend to be more manipulative.
An approach to editing that foregrounds the editing process, deliberately placing shots out of order is considered:
Discontinuity
One assumption of semiotics is that the meanings of words are not natural or inevitable - they are socially constructed (meaning they are fixed by culture and not be nature). This is done with:
Discourses (told what things are) Social practices (we see others doing it) Perhaps the physical nature of the object itself
In deficit financing, a profit is made from a television program once goes through multiple:
Distribution Windows
Sitcom settings
Domestic and work settings are so prominent in sitcoms that Eaton created a "typology" by which to classify them Family sitcom -Concerned with the drama of family comportment -Thought to teach two important kills: -How to watch TV -How to behave in a communal environment (life skills) -Feature functional and dysfunctional families Workplace sitcom -Sexual exploration -Less occupational specificity Other familiar/recycled location -offers same relationships and tensions -bar -coffee shop -etc. Note: Many sitcoms exhibit characteristics of each type
26. For Fiske, the audience is in an omniscient position with the ability to see both the written and unwritten discourse of a televisual text know as:
Dominant specularity
Who is the showrunner for Atlanta?
Donald Glover
30. What two styles of continuity does Fiske associate with realism?
Dramatic look at the real and documentary look
Sitcom structures
Early sitcoms -two acts with large commercial break (setup and resolution) Standard sitcom -Three acts -set up, continuation of story, resolution -extra commercial break -fewer sitcoms utilize a four act structure, but does exist (Bob's Burgers) With streaming in the Convergence Era, act breaks are becoming less relevant and structures are becoming more open
19. What element would Charlie Brooker argue is most responsible for the development of reality TV?
Editing
13. What character arc is often present in any given episodic program?
Education
Gap/jump in time
Ellipsis
Objectivity in TV News
Empirical -- derived from the senses (scientific in approach) Stands opposite of subjectivity Epistemological Question: Is news a reproduction of reality or social construct? -reproduction of reality = no problem -social construct = objectivity is unobtainable still, objectivity is useful as a standard in evaluating media biases
6. DVR, VCR, VOD, DVD and BDVS did what for audiences?
Encouraged "non-linear" viewing
Recognition, alignment and allegiance are the different stages in the process of character:
Engagement
What format of programming tends to have plots introduced and resolved in a single installment and order does not matter?
Episodic
What types of storytelling structure involved characters in "a world of static exposition, repetitive second-act 'complications,' and artificial closure?"
Episodic
Typically an extreme long shot (ELS), this type of shot is used in analytical editing to orient the audience of the space where the narrative will take place.
Establishing Shot
What are some basic shots? (5)
Extreme Close-up (ECU) Close-up (CU) Medium Shot (MS) Long Shot (LS) Extreme Long Shot (ELS) **Both LS and ELS also be considered establishing shots
"The Betrayal" is a Seinfeld episode that uses exclusively prolepsis to tell its story.
False
27. Monday Night Football strives to promote programming that is segmented, disjunctive, and incoherent.
False
According to Jeremy Butler's essay , the use of the low angle shot in Mad Men is meant to empower their subjects.
False
Mad Men uses color as a way to visually signify women's inclusion in the male order.
False
Monday Night Football's initial contract was with the NFL.
False
T/F: A concept developed by Marshall McLuhan, TV would be considered a hot medium, engaging multiple senses less completely and providing a lower intensity of information.
False
T/F: There is NOT a growing trend towards conglomeration in the television industry.
False
T/F: The episode BAN does not contain examples of a zero-degree style aesthetic.
False.
T/F: When first introduced to the television industry, a writer-producer such as Oppenheimer was initially seen as asset to the Screen Writers Guild, using their power to help writers in negotiations.
False.
Bechdel Test
First appearing in an alternative comic strip, many people rely on the Bechdel Test as a way to quantify the presence of women in media. In order to pass the test a piece of media must: 1. Have at least two women in it 2. Who talk to each other 3. About something beside a man (or his endeavors) Despite these simple rules, a vast majority of media fails this test which might suggest the hegemonic presence of patriarchy that still exists in our culture
In terms of narrative structure, the episode "B.A.N." from Atlanta mimics what concept of television?
Flow
What concept is concerned with TV scheduling, programming segments and their relation to other segments in an attempt to keep viewers attention?
Flow
Distribution
Focused on airing and scheduling programs
Transmission
Focused on making content available to consumers
Realism
For Fiske: realism is constructed, consists of both constant and form
For Gitlin, hegemony exists in the forms of TV:
Format and Formula: TV's allegiance to advertisers - formats are predictable and aligned with ideology to effectively deliver audiences; commercial breaks accustom ourselves to accept them elsewhere in our society Genre: Changes in cultural ideals and in audience sensibilities must be harmonized to make for shifts in genre or formula (Gitlin) - Genres are popular when their conventions bear a close relationship to the dominant ideology of the time (Fiske) - Westerns in 50s, spy shows in 60s, social issues in 70s, etc. - Sports programming: interpretation (announcers and stats) and instant replay
Theodor Adorno was apart of what school of thought that was highly critical of television as a culture industry?
Frankfurt School
Todd Gitlin and Television Hegemony
From Prime Time Ideology: The Hegemonic Process in Television Entertainment: "Commercial culture does not manufacture ideology; it relays and reproduces and processes and packages and focuses ideology that is constantly arising both from social elites and from active social groups and movements throughout society (as well as within media organizations and practices)
Realism -- Form
General Use of Hollywood Continuity: recognizable system, does not call attention to itself, logical and clean (usually ends with resolution), places viewer in omniscient perspective ("dominant specularity", privileged position in the hierarchy of discourse)
Genre and Intertextuality
Genre is a cultural practice that attempts to structure some order into the wide range of texts and meanings Thinking in terms of genre emphasizes similarities between texts rather than their differences However, classifying or defining genre is more complicated than merely setting rules or conventions --genres tend to not be fixed --open to debate, discussion, or interpretation
Ritual
Genre is also a means of communicating ideas and information For viewers, it is a way of classifying, differentiating For producers, genre can be a means of recognizing potential markets/demographics --makes genre into a formulaic tool or concept in order to appeal to given demographic --branding tool Ideological extension: Reflects societal attitudes and tastes --Decline of the "three camera sitcom"
What metaphor can be used to explain the concept of flow in the convergence era?
Glass of water poured on a table
Moral Ambiguity
Gray Matter: Walter White and Elliot Schwartz -- white and black (good and evil) Killing of Crazy 8 (2 ep. stretch) -- Walt makes a pros and cons list -- lack of clarity Indication of intelligence? Marie stealing shoes -- Skylar must confront her, she denies it Hank: illegal Cuban cigars, blurring the lines of good and bad Walt transition from morally good to morally bad
What character arc fleshes out a character over time and tends to be more common with children?
Growth
What type of shot exhibits jiggly camera movement, giving the image an amatuer, newsreel or cinéma vérité style?
Hand-held
Devotion to Family
Hank and Walt's proximity -- blurs vision/truth 1 of Walt's reasons for cooking meth Another child on the way -- must provide Walt and Jessie become non-blood family over time
Contrary to a lot of grand theory approaches to communication and media, what does Hall claim?
He claims that audiences were actually active agents in the interpretation of any media text
Lighting with lower contrast and brighter tones dominating the frame would be considered:
High Key
Challenges to Hegemony
Hill Street Blues (NBC 1981-1987): one of the first series to provide a gritty, realistic portrayal of police work (documentary styled photography to emphasize the realism, use of slang and other common vernacular), included a diverse cast with struggles outside of the job, used lack of narrative closer to make grander statements about society Cagney and Lacey: used its protagonist to challenge male dominance in law enforcement, more concentration on gendered crimes (abuse, rape)
Representation of Race and Ethnicity
Historically, television has limited the visibility of any non-white characters, impacting media in a few ways -Limiting opposing perspectives and interpretations -When present, representations were based on stereotypes or other biased assumptions When ratings showed shows could be marketed to minorities and representations improved, they tend to be depicted two ways: -Assimilate these groups into the dominant ideology and lose their cultural identity -Remain segregated from the dominant ideological world but able to keep their identity
For television specifically, what are some other contextual considerations?
History Industry Discourse Genre
Realism/Liberal Depiction
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets The Wire The Shield True Detective The Killing
Television's Influence on the Cultural Forum
Horace Newcomb and Paul Hirsch argued that TV is very suited for this task in its ability to present programs that contain narratives that viewers interpret and determine meaning for themselves In determining who is doing what, with whom, at what times, they are interpreting social behavior in America and assigning it with meaning (Newcomb and Hirsch) Newcomb and Hirsch believe that viewers are interpreting the message of any program and are constructing a response referencing Hall's "Encoding and Decoding in Television Discourse" - three main responses are outlined: 1. Dominant - in agreeance with dominant ideology 2. Opposing - rejection of ideology 3. Negotiated - personal synthesis Not every [TV Program] treats social problems of such immediacy, but submerged in any episode are assumptions about who and what we are Newcomb and Hirsch are not necessarily concerned about that the interpretation each group or individual might have, but how different groups respond to a TV program and enter the cultural forum Also, Newcomb and Hirsch are far more interested in oppositional responses. For them, TV is a way to provide views that question dominant ideology and encourages conversations about issues in our everyday lives "The raising of questions is just as important as the answering of them"
Metacomedy
Humor No change in setting Small group Resolution/episodic in nature Realism/appealing to every man
Traditional elements of a sitcom
Humor -slapstick/verbal -hook/misunderstanding Repetition of location -builds familiarity Small regular cast -motifs -other characters: recurring and guest stars Episodic nature -consistency -resolution Degree of realism -everyman appeal -interpersonal themes and issues
What are the three main types of signs?
Iconic: signifier physically resembles to what is being signified Index: exists through implication Symbolic: tend to express meaning that has nothing to do with their physical structure, arbitrary
Parks and Recreation and the Cultural Forum
In taking a liberal pluralist approach, Heather Hendershot argues Parks and Recreation attempts to offer a response to the polarized political climate of its time (especially with the rise of the Tea Party Movement) However, the show still strives to have "mass appeal" by: -avoiding direct confrontation with polarizing issues -insisting local government should be neutral -featuring characters with varying political alignments -celebrating the public sphere
Non-narrative genres do not necessarily have a fictionalized story:
Includes advertising, news and sports programming, game/quiz shows, topical variety, music television, talk shows, etc. All have their own conventions and expectations for the audience
16. Tighter compositions such as close-ups and extreme close-ups tend to:
Increase tension or drama within the shot
5. Cable, satellite, UHF, and BDVS did what for audiences?
Increased programming options
29. Now staples of TV sport coverage, name one technique that Monday Night Football pioneered.
Instant Replay
Types of Intertextuality
Intertextuality includes allusions, pastiche, and parody 1. Obligatory - deliberately evoking a comparison or association with another text. Knowledge to the referenced text is necessary to understanding 2. Optional - does not deliberately reference another text, but could be used to create further meaning (Harry Potter's relation to Lord of the Rings) 3. Accidental - no intentional reference is made - up to the read to make connection and meaning
What is significant about the episode "Three Stories?"
It's the only time House's injury is mentioned in the series Breaks from the show's typical format. Uses unconventional narrative techniques
Post-structuralism: Jacques Derrida
JD: meaning is always in a constant state of flux and not fixed texts are contradictory and meanings are plural and fluid and the true meaning of a text can never be known and bear...of other texts Meaning of signs are partly determined by what is repressed and text must be by looking not only within it but ... of it as well Preferred meanings are constructed by certain beliefs and values and not guaranteed by the text itself
Who would be considered the showrunner for I Love Lucy?
Jess Oppenhiemer
Decline of American Dream
Ken: bank (women stare/are annoyed), gas station (car burning) -- aired during financial collapse American Dream is not as accessible as it once was Private pursuits ($$$) vs. Public servants ($) Drug addicts Hugo: minority, caught for having marijuana -- vs. Walt (white) with a key to access the missing supplies
The space in front and in the direction of a moving or station subject would be considered:
Lead Room
[With picture at car wash] Visually, Walter appear isolated or trapped because of the lack of:
Lead Room
The Male Gaze and Standards of Beauty
Lies in the depictions of women -Often conform to a heterosexual male's expectation -Highly sexualized -Suggests women are merely objects intended for a man's pleasure Men are rarely sexualized in the same ways with almost no expectation their appeal or importance should come from their looks rather than personality or capabilities
Explain the difference between linear and non-linear viewing.
Linear viewing is the traditional type of viewing. This type of viewing is based on watching scheduled TV content at the time it is broadcasted. Non-linear viewing is content you want to watch and is determined by you on when you want to watch it. This type of viewing includes DVR, subscription services, online-watching, etc.
What type of shot empowers its subject?
Low Angle
Lighting with higher contrast and darker tones dominating the frame would be considered:
Low Key
Tim and Eric's Awesome Show, Great Show! and Metacomedy
Metacomedy - "sketch, stand-up, and narrative comedy that is explicitly about the art of comedy itself, a foregrounding of its expectations, conventions, and execution" •Real performance or hoax? •Funny or not funny? •Funny because it is not funny?
What are different types of montage?
Metric montage -- exact cuts, not really caring about what each scene is Rhythmic montage Tonal Overtonal Intellectual -- abstract meaning
What concept of setting refers to everything that appears in front of the camera and its arrangement?
Mise-en-scene
Cause and Effect theme
Mise-en-scene: episodes begin with a chemistry lesson -- first one talked about a chemical reaction/change -> alludes to what Walt will face in the episode cancer - cooking meth - danger - killing - being chased undergoes transformation for ep. 1-7 opposites attract: Walt and Jessie Walt and Skylar Walt and Hank
A term referring to a sequence of short clips that condenses time and information is called:
Montage
Analyzing Representations
More analytic approaches to representations: -Image Analysis: revolves around accuracy of images and whether they are positive or negative (qualitative) -Content Analysis: uses a specific parameter to measure in a set number of programs and counts the appearance of such images, i.e.. the Bechdel Test (quantitative) -Textual Analysis: interpretive approach to understanding what a program might be suggesting about identity within a broader context (qualitative) Image and content analysis tend to look at stereotypes Textual analysis focuses more on social constructs, which are not inherent and should be considered with context
Contemporary Cultural Forum
More radical messages: Handmaid's Tale, American Horror Story More or less aligned with hegemonic structures with radical notions: 30 Rock (corporate vs. individual), Veep (doesn't really lean one way or the other - both sides are to blame, critical of the political circus Washington seems caught up in) More complex and nuanced approach to issues: The Wire (each season concentrates on a particular aspect of the drug crime in Baltimore, leaves viewer to determine the answer)
For Narrative Genres:
Most commonly: What it is-ideal types Alternatively: What it is not/what doesn't belong - Hybridity/ambiguity
8. What system of advertising juxtaposes products with appealing images, avoiding overt claims about their product?
Mythic
What system of advertising juxtaposes products with appealing images, avoiding overt claims about their product?
Mythic
Narrative tropes of crime series
Narrative structure - typically episodic, begins with a challenge, tension (and pleasure) derives from conflict and uncertainty, closure is key Oppositional characterization - police, chief, criminal Working within classical conventions, early cop shows were distinctive in their basic premise for the generic narrative structure
TV 2/Multichannel Transition
Narrowcasting, Cable/Satellite, Analogue, Massive
TV 3/Post-Network
Niche, Multichannel, Digital, Interactive
A soundtrack that had no apparent source within the story world would be considered:
Non-diegetic
Polysemy: Texts can be open or closed, what does this mean?
Open - audience is encouraged to interpret (poems, abstract paintings); open to different frameworks Closed - limited ambiguity or one preferred meaning (text book, commercial, propaganda) **All signs are ultimately polysemic with varying degrees of open or closed (connotative or denotative) interpretations, based on context, audience, or degree of intertextuality
Boxed in 2016-17: Women on Screen and Behind the Scenes in Television
Overall, females comprised 42% of all speaking characters; women accounted for 28% of all creators, directors, writers, executive producers, editors, and directors
11. What type of one-sided connection do audiences tend to develop with characters on TV?
Parasocial
What type of one-sided connection do audiences tend to develop with characters on TV?
Parasocial
Laurence Fishburne
People are aware when they're not being represented...that awareness has always been there, What hasn't always been there is the will to share the storytelling space...There's always a need for stories to be told from many different perspectives and I think that won't change
What elements of style are specific to television?
Persuade Hail/Interpellate Differentiate Signify Liveliness
What period of TV are we currently experiencing?
Plenty/Convergence
More "Weak" Female Characters
Post-network era has seen rise of progressive female representations: Many times these characters have flaws or vulnerabilities -Dynamic or rounded character (aka an interesting one) -Believable characters (realistic) -Makes the character relatable Some ideas while analyzing female representations: -Carry a story on their own? -Three dimensionality -Do they represent an idea? -Do they exhibit flaws? -Are they killed before the third act?
Genre Theory Skepticism
Post-structuralist philosopher Jacques Derrida believed genre to be a subjective construction -Genres are open to all types of interpretation -Texts may exhibit tendencies of multiple genres simultaneously -Introduction of rules or laws impede on a texts fluidity between genres However, it is still commonly believed that genre is still relevant in understanding texts, especially that of television - it involves the human need for distinction and interpretation
Rise of Reality TV
Predecessors: Candid camera Home Videos Documentaries (7 Up, American Family)
List and describe the three distinct types of television programming.
Prized Content is the content you want to watch. This includes non-linear content, Netflix, Hulu, etc. Live Sports and Contests are events that are consumed immediately when they are being aired. Linear content is the traditional content that is on television at the current time. With this content, you cannot fast forward or skip commercials.
In Sandler's article on Modern Family, what are three common terms for advertising that has become a staple of broadcast and cable TV, particularly "non- scripted" television?
Product placement, product integration, and brand entertainment are the three common terms for advertising used in the Modern Family article.
3. Television companies that focus on content creation, such as a studio, would serve what type of function?
Production
Presentation as Process
Production = Discourse *What part do these factors play in text production? Reception = Audience *What influence do these factors have on interpreters? Reference = Status Quo *What sort of realities are depicted? All associated with class, age, gender, and ethnicity
New Media Structure
Profit, Sale, Consumers
Flash forward
Prolepsis
Queer meaning in the Network Era
Queer identity and representations were often ignored -Posing no threat to the heteronormative hegemonic culture Occasionally, creators encoded queer meaning into seemingly hegemonic programs -Representations - intertextuality -Aesthetically - camp An aesthetic tends to be associated with queer culture and representations For Susan Sontag, camp tends to be expressed as: "Off" Ironic Exaggerated Excessive Androgynous Silly For Gilad Padva, the camp performance "challenges straight mechanisms of discipline and control...as inferior and abused subjectivity
Perception of Images
Race and ethnicity are not only physical attributes of people , but also ways of seeing and understanding the world For many people, television provides exposure to different races, ethnicities, and other social groups and has an important role in shaping initial perceptions of these groups A basic approach at looking at representations: -Positive Representation: tend to resist stereotypes -Negative Representation: tend to use stereotypes and other generalizations
Critiques of Crime Dramas
Race: unequal representation, white criminal privilege Gender: lack of female protagonists, gender stereotypes Marxist critique: nature of law enforcement
What is the first recognizable reality show?
Real World -- 1992 also, Number 28 American Family
32. Name and explain the three stages of audience engagement with a character.
Recognition: how an audience member view's a character. This is based on their story and what kind of character they are (primary, secondary, recurring guests, etc.); Alignment: audiences creating interiority. Based on two elements - attachment (following the experiences) and access (insight into characters, can be explicit or implicit); Allegiance: how viewers morally evaluate the characters relative to their own. The takes time and can be difficult to build.
Intertextuality
Refers to the connection between texts and the meaning they communicate through their reference to other texts, genres, discourses, themes or media - emphasizes that texts do not exist alone According to John Fiske, intertextuality lies in "the space between texts" -Horizontally: genre, character, content -Vertically: explicit refers to primary text Our understanding and meaning of a text will be informed by our experience with other texts
Vertical Intertextuality
Secondary texts: industry response and interpretation of primary texts (publications, criticism) Tertiary texts: audience response and interpretation (blogs, forums, conversations) Both these texts encourage and influence an audience's perception or decoding of particular program
Who developed montage theory?
Sergei Eisenstein
9. What tendency of programming tends to rely on accumulative knowledge where order of episodes is important?
Serial
Hegemonic depictions from the Network Era
Settings: Males tend to be associated with the workplace Women are usually placed in domestic (the home) Logic: Males depicted as rational Women as irrational -at times linking their irrationally with the supernatural Sexuality: Males are depicted as active and women are passive -Men tend to be depicted as sexual subject -Women as sexual objects The male gaze
Sexuality and Social Norms
Sexuality usually refers to sexual orientation or preference. Sex and sexuality can be looked at from a few perspectives: -Essentialist - biological sex "naturally" determines sexuality -Social constructivist - sex and sexuality are separate items and cultural context determines sexuality -Foucault - sexuality is socially scripted - we can potentially desire anything, but there is little reason to diversify -Garber and Butler - sexuality is self determined and is in constant flux All acknowledge or imply heterosexuality as the status quo in conventional society
Sports Night, The Newsroom, and Authorial Presence
Similarities: -"Sorkin Sound" (dialogue) -Extensive cast -Show within a show format -Socially extended -Blending of comedy and drama -Single camera production
Contemporary television is making a shift to what more expressionist visual style?
Single Camera Televisual
2010s
Single camera predominant mode of production. More representation than ever. Louie New Girl Veep Mindy Project Brooklyn Nine-Nine Broad City Blackish Master of None Horace and Pete
"True" Crime Series
Society's fascination of crime and deviance goes beyond the realm of fiction, flirting with the tendencies of documentary and reality TV. This has lead to a rise of the "true" crime series. Based on a true crime or event, such a series will include not only talking heads recollecting the events, but also reenactments that dramatize those events Forensic Files The Jinx Making a Murderer
Partly due to industrial demands of television and the longevity of a series, characters in a television series typically:
Stays the same.
What elements make up a narrative?
Story world Characters Time Events
In deficit financing, who takes on the most debt in creating a show?
Studios
Symbolization, denotation, expression and decoration are all considered elements of what according to David Bordwell?
Style
TAEASGJ! and Metacomedy
TASASG! Exhibits metacomedic tendencies by: •Employing a "public access feel" or impoverished style (zero degree style) •Playing with the conventions of television formats and expectations •Reworking and amplifying conventional forms of comedy o Toilet humor o Character work
Influence and Innovations of MNF
Technological -distinguishable look (night photography), stimulate the on-field game experience (number of cameras, slow motion, instant replay), experimented with modern sound design and effects Industrial -licensing contracts between leagues and networks, contextualized stories, sports announcing
Television and Genre Complications
Television seems to recycle the same premise over and over, only varying certain elements (invention vs. convention) --same, yet different industrial mentality Format vs Genre: -Formats can be original and copyrightable -Genre is not original and is uncopyrightable TV as a Genre to itself: Zero-degree style - -Liveliness and immediacy is seen as defining elements of TV programming -Embraced as a genre in some cases and simulated in others (even though fabricated)
The Cultural Forum in the Era of Convergence
Television's influence on society and public opinion in the Convergence Era has seemed to wane for a few reasons: -Viewership is more fragmented: more options, niche oriented -Viewing behavior has changed: stagnated viewing, live events still bring people together, but they tend to be neutral in their presentation, not alienating either perspective -Other media has taken precedence in our everyday lives: internet, video games/other entertainment platforms While these observations are true, Hendershot argues good TV will have a life and find an audience eventually
Emphasizing the flat, electronic nature of TV, what term describes the universal use of graphics to break up its images further into multiple fragments?
Televisuality
Emphasizing the flat, electronic nature of TV, what term describes the universal use of graphics to in television break its images further into multiple fragments.
Televisuality
What are the three variable of time that can be manipulated in nonlinear narratives?
Temporal Order Temporal Duration Temporal Frequency
What are the three variables that can be manipulated in nonlinear time?
Temporal Order Temporal Duration Temporal Frequency
1990s
The Simpsons Larry Sanders Show (HBO) - similar to 30 Rock Friends Sex and the City Will and Grace
What is significant about the 18-49 year old white, college-educated males with above average incomes?
The description describes the most coveted demographic for the television industry. Because of this fact, many networks will create content that will appeal to this demographic specifically.
Due to factors such as the medium's fragmented nature and traditionally small screen sizes, what term refers to viewer's spectatorship when watching TV?
The glance
4. Networks are involved in all three functions of the television industry.
True
What are the two main ways Nip/Tuck uses music during surgeries?
They use classic rock for irony and electronic to emphasize a slick world.
18. Often experienced by reality TV audiences, what term refers to when a viewer watches something ironically and aren't taken in by it:
Third Person Effect
14. Which character arc is concerned with a moral shift in a character?
Transformation
Walter White in Breaking Bad is an example of a character that undergoes character:
Transformation
2. Making content available for consumers, these television companies (such as your local station) are involved with what function?
Transmission
1. A concept developed by Marshall McLuhan, TV would be considered a cool medium, engaging multiple senses less completely and providing a lower intensity of information
True
Breaking Bad uses uses color in conjunction with different character's wardrobe to reflect personalities and narrative arcs.
True
T/F: As a drug-addicted misanthrope, Dr. House could be considered an antihero.
True.
T/F: Don Draper would be considered an antihero.
True.
T/F: The episode BAN is a disruption of the operational aesthetic of the series Atlanta.
True.
21. Aesthetically, professional attire and serious demeanor along with graphics and music that reflects an "up-to-the-minute" connotation, all serve to reinforce what in TV news?
Truthfulness
Unusual Depictions/Parody
Twin Peaks: postmodern twist on a genre that subverted many of the conventions of the crime series (rejection of objectivity and logic, blending of morality) The X-Files: crime meets the paranormal Reno 911: depicts police as incompetent and unqualified (in hilarious ways), mimics 90's reality staple, Cops
Grey's Anatomy and Feminism
Two main postfeminist representation: -Feminism impedes on one's personal life -Feminism no longer applies Feminist Fantasy -Feminism has benefited women rather than victimize them -Women are professionals rather than sexual beings -Women privilege careers over personal lives and are rarely punished for it -World is free from discrimination of all types - politicizing identity is not needed -Associates racism and sexism with the past Three themes that exhibit feminist tendencies and echo with feminized genre of the soap opera: -Straight men's commitment to women and relationships -Non-traditional concepts of marriage -Women's connection to one another
Settings
Urban settings - innercity, suburbs Jail/Prison Courtrooms Police departments - crime labs, interrogation rooms, reflects hierarchical status Hideouts/Safe houses - nondescript Domestic - detective apartments (often live alone with the tropes of the bachelor lifestyle); criminal (lavish lifestyle - crime pays)
Media Misconceptions
Use of guns Red tape Efficiency World Perceptions
According to Jeremy Butler's essay, what element does Mad Men use to critique the values of America in the 1960s?
Visual Style
Realism -- Content
Watt: empiricism/individuality/bourgeois, a specific time and place for the individual Williams: contemporary, secular/humanistic, social extended (political)
Focus
When a lens is in focus, the image is sharp and exhibits detail Its range is the depth of field another way to direct viewers attention to subjects and objects
What is "Frankenbiting"?
When a producer on a show decides he or she doesn't like the way a particular taped interview went with a contestant, so improvements are made.
Seinfeld's Revolution of the Sitcom
While still employing traditional elements of the sitcom, the landmark show about four narcissistic friends in NYC revolutionized what could be allowed within the format: -Incorporated single camera production style that allows for more varied shots and editing patterns -Unlikeable characters initiated the rise of the "antihero" -Pushed boundaries of what was acceptable for a sitcom -Complex plot structure for each episode -Reflexive, postmodern tendencies
Shondaland
Writer and showrunner Shonda Rhimes has created an empire around her productions on ABC. Marketed as TGIT (a play off of another ABC marketing scheme TGIF). Shondaland productions dominate the most coveted night in prime time television Grey's Anatomy Scandal How to Get Away With Murder The Catch
10. Television programming is rarely authored by an individual, with most development of a show taking place in the
Writer's room
Television programming is rarely authored by an individual, with most development of a show taking place in the:
Writer's room
Television is thought to be a medium for what crew member of a production?
Writers
Was the presence of the IPad in Modern Family's "Game Changer" an example of product placement? Briefly explain why or why not.
Yes, the presence of the IPad was an example of product placement. The clear shot of the Apple store and the product in use hints toward the integration of this specific product, especially with the upcoming release of the product just after the airing of the episode. The article also discusses that Modern Family only praised the product and never said anything negative about it, which lead me to believe they were under a contract stating that they could not say anything negative about the product.
What is the basic unit of editing?
a cut exists between shots (interframe)
What does montage mean when used by America and Britain?
a sequence of short clips used to condense time, space, and information
Ideology
a set of beliefs or values held by a particular group of people ideological critique is unusually in reference to the dominant ideas at a particular time in history **Relies on the status quo = common sense can apply to perceptions concerning: 1. economics (capitalism) 2. representation (race, gender, etc.) 3. other cultural institutions inevitably, ideology will change over time
What is a Representation?
a sign or portrayal of something else speaking or acting on behalf of others Both definitions are useful in thinking about the relationship between media and representations: -To present or depict something: re-presentation, emphasizes the fabricated nature of any media image -Representative: images or portrayals serve as a "stand in" for their respective social group
Aerial shot movement
a specific version of a ELS giving aerial perspective
Normal Focal Length
about 50 mm approximates human vision
What allowed for the incorporation of pop. music into quality productions?
advances in audio technology and distribution methods in the multichannel transition
What does slow pacing allow?
allows one to immerse themselves into the moment build suspense, leaving the audience to ask "what's next?" might use editing as a way to let a scene breath and allow for reflection in the moment
Zero-degree style
also called multi-camera proscenium schema lacking style built-around efficiency
What is discontinuity?
also called nonlinear viewing unconcerned with preserving time and space -- deliberately arranging shots to seem out of place or confusing modernist and experimental embraces "montage" sequencing foregrounds intershot relations implies active spectator
A Staple of American Television
always having been a part of television, the sitcom is one of the most watched and most lucrative televisual forms Somewhere between situational drama and sketch comedy Radio origins Cheap to make -recycling of sets -limits the number of actors Accommodates commercial demands
Framing
any movement made to adjust the camera in order to continue to frame a subject
Steadicam movement
apparatus attached to a camera operator that allows for a smooth, steady image while holding and moving the camera allows for movements where dolly would not work (tight spaces, winding hallways, etc.)
Setting and Character
at one point, controlled directly by advertisers - avoided al conflict to make every show mass appealing - 50s: happy people with happy problems industry change helped the development of new types - 70s: unhappy people with happy ways of coping - Network elites do not risk investing in regular heroes who will change the core values of corporate capital society settings tend to be filled with consumer items
Spatial continuity
avoids jump cuts acknowledging the axis of action utilizes shot/reverse shot technique lighting and other elements in mise-en-scene remain consistent
Which of the following networks was not one of the "Big Three" in the Network Era? a. NBC b. FOX c. CBS d. ABC
b. FOX
Sex
based on biological and anatomical factors. Most are assigned either male or female at birth. There is also the possibility of intersex.
Parallel Editing/Cross-cutting
both cut together sets of actions from different locations parallel editing implies both scenes are happening simultaneously
Dolly Shot movement
camera is mounted on a small wheeled vehicle
Canted Angle
camera is not level to the horizontal plane thought to be disorienting
Pan movement
camera moves horizontally from a fixed axis (left or right)
Tilt movement
camera moves vertically from a fixed axis (up or down)
Crane shot movement
camera moves vertically up or down from a crane
High Angle
camera points down on subject thought to weaken subject
Low Angle
camera points up at subject thought to strengthen subject
Kuleshov Experiment
carried out in Soviet Union in 1910s and 1920s by Lev Kuleshov demonstrated that viewers can derive more meaning from two sequential shots than from a single shot (intra-shot)
Nonlinear Story Structure
caused by an increase in viewer literacy time is ambiguous events are out of order engage viewers (creates uncertainty, promotes curiosity, reveals possible unknown information)
Slant
certain position on a certain issue legitimation of depoliticized forms of deviance delegitimation of the dangerous, the violent, the out-of-bounds
Montage Theory
championed and pioneered by Sergei Eisenstein conceived by studying haikus uses cutting to create meaning and understand in visual media -- shots are broken into "cells" -- images take on new meaning based on their juxtaposition to others
Contemporary Depictions
classical depictions = clear distinctions of good and evil contemporary have blurred the line of morality: -flawed protagonists -sympathetic antagonists two styles of the crime series seem to promulgate: -stylish/conservation -realistic/liberal
Intensified Continuity
coined by Bordwell suggests contemporary editing has evolved into a style that comes from televisions inherent nature and our exposure to it -- watched in a distracting environment MTV editing
Constructing Bulletins
commentary presenter address interview interview as voice-over or commentary observational footage reenactments
Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets
commitment to realism -"realfeel" index -Alice Hall's "continuum of realism" -Ien Ang -Aesthetic elements
What can sound do?
communicate story exposition/information (mostly dialogue)
In 1973, what did Stuart Hall propose?
communication between a sender and receiver utilizes encoding and decoding
ESPN in the Convergence Era
competition with internet -- alternative for games and highlights, fighting "cord-cutting" political backlash -- thought to be left learning (Caitlyn Jenner ESPYs, National Anthem), response to leftist accusations: rehiring Hank Williams to MNF
What are the two major approaches to editing?
continuity editing -- linear approach discontinuity editing (montage) -- nonlinear approach
What can color be used to do?
convey a certain mood or atmosphere indicate personality or characteristic signify transition or change emphasis contrast or difference highlight certain objects transport viewer to another time or place
What are the editor's responsibilities?
decides what will be shown and what won't manipulating the footage constructing overall meaning help realize or augment the program's artistic vision create continuity out of discontinuity (particularly true for the single camera mode of production
Hard light
directional clean, hard shadows neatly outlines shapes and objects texture is more prominent crisp and perceived as harsh
Single Camera sitcoms
emerged during the multichannel transition prominent from in the convergence era often featured visual jokes features complex time (flashbacks and asides) lack of laugh track
What are long takes and what do they do for the scene?
emphasize actor's performance create tension (spontaneity of the scene) evoke sense of realism (mimics time) audience engagement (Andre Bazin, interpretation left to the viewer, viewers choose what they want to look at -- exploration of the frame)
An implicit way of expressing a character's interiority would be through the use of:
exterior markers
Worm's Eye view
extreme version of a low angle shot
Bird's Eye View
extreme version of high angle shot
News Values
frequency importance familiarity clarity untypicality negativity human interest "elite-orientation"
What does the quality of light do?
generally describes the type of shadow cast on the subject
Televisuality and Assertion of Truth
graphics look/appearance (formal attire) constant gathering (mise-en-scene)
Low key lighting
high contrast darker tones dominate perceived to be moody creating emotion, tension, tragedy, and mystery (associated with night, film noir, and drama) more cinematic
Editing
highly unnatural way of viewing the world uses inter-shot relationships (as opposed to intra-shot) imperative to determining narrative structure can influence the tone, message, and impact of any program
Whip pan
hurried version of a pan used to purposely introduce blurring
Comedy Verite/Mockumentary
impoverished style (zooms, reframing, motivated lighting, etc.) no "performance" aspect testimonial interviews provides exposition/context that might be lost otherwise lack of laugh track
Style as Assertion of Truth
in the US, an expectation concerning impartiality of networks in the coverage of news, upholding objective journalistic standards television journalism not only claims to be objective, it asserts this aesthetically as well: Zero-degree style (liveliness) Graphics (emphasizes televisuality) Music/Sound (connotes up to the minute reporting) Formal Attire and steady gazes Seriousness of tone
How do stylistic choices affect the viewer?
influences the viewer's perception and have psychological implications
What is temporal order?
interrupted (ellipsis)/flashbacks (analepsis)/flashforwards (prolepsis) arbitrary -- out of order backwards
Hand-held shot movement
jiggly camera movement due to inherent shake while holding a camera gives the image an amateur, newsreel, or cinema verite style
What does fast pacing do?
keeps the viewer actively engaged with its energy actions sequences utilize fast pacing to give views a rush can provide an excess of information at times, evoking a feeling of exhaustion
Soft light
less directional softer, gentle shadows provides even illumination texture and detail fade off perceived to be more flattering
Wide Angle Lens
less than 50 mm provides a field of view wider than human vision movement is exaggerated -- happens faster
Telephoto Lens
longer than 50 mm magnifies the image compresses images and destroys dimensionality
Documentary look
looks improvised, spontaneous, unplanned hand-held camera, cramped shot, "natural" lighting, unclear sound the perceived uncertainty give the impression what is happening is in the moment or "true" objective, but recognizable emphasis on the setting
High key lighting
low contrast brighter tones dominate perceived to be more bright and cheery in mood (associated with daytime and comedy) prominent in TV due to liveliness element (actors must not walk into shadowy areas)
What does the use of music do for a scene? (think Nip and Tuck)
lyrics speak to the perspective (often satirical) two main strategies: classic rock (ironic use) and electronic (emphasize slick world) blurring boundary between diegetic and nondiegetic (metaphor for patients)
Dramatic look at the real (dramatic realism)
maintains impression of unmediated action **relies heavily on continuity use of intensified continuity position does not displace character (break continuity) emphasis on the character in the narrative
Continuity editing
meant to be seamless between cuts, establishing a uniform, coherent sense of staged space and linear time encompasses an "analytical" approach invisible shot transitions preserves the time and space implies passive spectator
What allows for a wider range of setups and approaches?
more expressionistic, single camera modes of production allows for more precise visual control
Three Camera sitcom
more prominent in the network era multi-camera mode of production -zero degree style -more of a stage play -dialogue heavy
Polysemy
multiple readings (poly: many, sema: sign)
What occurred in the 2000s in relation to music?
music industry artists looked to television for exposure to potentially increase record sales
Advocacy
narrative vibrancy "Demoncratianment": diversity, broadcast appeal allows for programs to address controversial topics: Nanny 911, Supernanny give a voice to those in society who have fallen through the cracks: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Ethics and Responsibilities of Producers?
negative impact on individuals? -- Russell Armstrong suicide exploitation of talent: environment, isolation, 360 degree deals exploitation of crew mental screenings: present but could improve
non-diegetic
neither present or implied in the world in the story thought to be more manipulative ex: narrator's commentary, sound effects (SFX), soundtrack or mood music
Production of Reality TV
new media/video as a viable medium for production cheap distinguished aesthetics: "documentary look" (Fiske) -wobble/shaking camera -poor lighting -sound distortion -off framings/composition -disjointed editing (but often made to seem continuous) -- spontaneity hybrid form: combines codes and conventions of many genres
Unmotivated lighting
not necessarily sourced in story world needed for general exposure not exactly concerned with verisimilitude (think of a sitcom) usually come from industrial fixtures off camera
What effects occur when the camera is moving?
often brings style to a production and manipulate perception, but can also be used to reveal new information to the viewer
Dominant specularity
omniscient point of view access to characters and written discourse access to unwritten discourse
Cultural hegemony
one ideology dominates and culture is manipulated by the ruling bloc to encourage consumers to accept such ideology
Subjects
ordinary people: non-professionals, often first person accounts often picked due to a stereotype/cast-type often victims unusual vocation/lifestyle reasons to participate: career, branding, image
Static composition
oriented horizontally and vertically thought to be perceived as balanced and tranquil
Decoding
process of interpretation preferred meaning negotiated meaning oppositional meaning
In Newsroom, what does the mise-en-scene connect? What does it show?
past and present shows tension
Eye Level angle
perceived as a normal position and level with subjects face neutral in reading
Objectivity
present facts as empirically derived assertion of truth
Solution
problems are wrapped up domestically , but have no bearing on the world around them lack of resolution could create frustration and an unintended response
How did the OJ trial influence the wants of the audience?
proved audiences desire for "true-crime" or "reality" programming
What does McKenzie do?
pushes Will to go back to creating real, hard-hitting news confronts journalism idealistic ignited fire in Will
What are basic concepts of intensified continuity?
rapid editing/more cuts bipolar extremes in lens length more close framings in dialogue free ranging camera/more movement
Manipulation of Reality
reality TV is fabricated to a large extent, but people do not care or suspend belief power of camera presence stories presented are constructed: coaching cast, reshooting, editing, "Frankenbiting"
Meta-
referring to itself or to the conventions of its genre; self-referential.
Gender
refers to behavioral constructs tied to biology, typically expressed as masculine and feminine Hegemonic traits of masculinity tend to be active and rationally oriented Hegemonic traits of femininity tend to be passive and irrationally oriented Criticism that foregrounds what role gender plays is most likely through a feminist lens
Mise-en-scene
refers to everything in front of the camera and its arrangement (sets, actors, lighting, composition, costumes, props) achieves some degree of verisimilitude (convince us of fantastic settings) meaning is derived infraframe (opposed to editing=interframe) crucial for successful production (will reinforce narrative themes)
What are the roles of sound?
reinforces formal and narrative unity communicates elements of the setting underlines the psychological states of characters establishes an overall emotional tone or mood or a film or scene can be an identification of or signature of a character
2000s
rise of the "mockumentary" sitcom and decline of the "three camera" sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm Arrested Development Two and a Half Men Peep Show The Office How I Met Your Mother It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Big Bang Theory Parks and Recreation Community Modern Family
How to critics view the Newsroom?
romanticized version of journalism unrealistic, despite its attempt to be realistic
What is temporal frequency?
scenes appear more than once
What is temporal duration?
screen time vs. plot time vs. story time BB: 1:23:32/ 2 years/ Relatively unknown, but > 2 years
What are the more prominent elements of stylistic choices?
shot size composition camera angle camera movement types of lens focus
What are static shots?
shots that lack movement
1950s and 1960s
shows during this era seemed to offer comfort and nostalgia I Love Lucy (51-57) CBS The Honeymooners (51-55) CBS Leave it to Beaver (57-63) CBS/ABC The Andy Griffith Show (60-68) CBS The Dick Van Dyke Show (61-65) CBS The Adam's Family (ABC)/The Munsters (CBS) - both from 64-66 Gilligan's Island (64-67) CBS Brady Bunch (69-74) ABC
Tracking shot movement
similar to a dolly shot, but follows actions running parallel to it
What are some various editing tricks?
slow motion (bullet time) fast motion matte (painted and decorated backgrounds) stop motion (animation, time-lapse)
diegetic
sound that is visible or implied in the world of the text thought to be more organic ex: voices of characters, sounds made by objects in the story, music represented as coming from instruments or devices in the story space
Motivated lighting
sourced within the scene add authenticity to the mise-en-scene fixtures, lamps, fires, flashlights, etc. available light/sun/moon other man-made sources on location off camera sources can create illusion with motivated light
Lead room composition
space in front and in the direction of a moving or station subject can be disorienting if composition does not include lead room
What is the pathway from speaker to listener?
speaker - message to send - encode - message medium - decode - message received - listener
Radicalism
stands in opposition to realism critiques the constructs and conventions that has allowed the dominant notion of what is real to reign radical = form and content content radical + realism form = diffused radicalism assumption: true radicalism = radicalism content + radical form
Television Sports
still adheres to classic logics of broadcasting -- people actually watch live employ zero-degree, multi-camera mode of production ideological work -- national pride, gender representation influence of television on sports -- commercialization, structure or rules of the game functional position - sport programming offers: information on the sport (journalistic value), social group integration, entertainment, escapism
What occurred in the Convergence Era?
studios saw potential of sonic branding and relied on music supervisors to help bring such distinction to their programs
What does montage mean when used by Eisenstein?
the creation of meaning through symbolic juxtaposition
Hegemony
the leadership or control particularly by one bloc or ruling party over others In television, this idea is extended to the medium's influence on society -concerned with the ruling class or bloc's endeavor in normalizing its values or beliefs to viewers -exposure encourages viewers to align their attitudes to the current systems and passively accept the conditions of such systems as completely natural commonly accepted ruling bloc in American = white, heterosexual males with capitalistic leanings (who also happen to be a highly coveted TV demographic)
In his encoding/decoding model of communication, what does Hall propose?
the meaning of any text depends on a number of factors including cultural background, economic standing and personal experience
What does a post-structuralist pay attention to?
the role of the viewer and the regimes of intertextual knowledge brought to the experience of viewing - meaning is produced when the reader and text "meet"
1980s
the sitcom form experimented with complex narration and variety of representations Cheers (82-93) NBC Cosby Show (84-92) NBC Golden Girls (85-92) NBC Married...with Children (87-97) FOX Roseanne (88-97) ABC -"...the most accidentally realistic TV show there ever was"
Semiotics
the study of signs and their meaning -- any meaningful word, object, or image can potentially be a sign
Lexicon
the vocabulary of a person, language, or branch of knowledge generally made up of two elements: wordstock and grammar
Explain what sound and aesthetic can do for scene (think about Nip and Tuck)
thought to be sonic illustrations of skin-deep, youth obsessed, superficial culture of Miami softens surgeries by aestheticizing penetration bridge focus on appearance with interiority and character identification
Construction of Bulletins
time (4/20/10) new EP vs. old EP (industrialized norms) how should the news be presented
Linear Story Structure
time is experienced linearly easy to follow, avoiding temporal confusion events follow chronological order time is consistent in one direction
Dynamic composition
use of diagnosis to create an exciting or unsettling effect
Temporal Continuity
use of diegetic sound (carries over into the next shot) avoiding flashbacks or flashforwards
Point of View (POV)
used to show subjective perspective
Zoom Lens
variable focal length ability to zoom in and zoom out
Trunk shot
variation of a low angle shot from perspective of a trunk
Bulletins
where are object is placed, how long it is allocated, and how it is presented selection of topics media filters agenda setting sources: the more official the more likely it will reach a bulletin professional and organizational context: role of gatekeepers and editors in deciding what will reach a bulletin availability of visual material "News Values" -- criteria of things we might deem as worth reporting
Creating meaning: What is a sign, in communication?
word, gesture, image, etc. a sign is a signifier for a signified concept Breaks communication down to a process of representation and interpretation Signifiers become meaningful only when interpreted Done by both processes of association and differentiation Context is a crucial component to interpretation
Manufacturing Consent
written by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky "Propaganda Model": economic and ideological conditions facilitate information, information tends to favor the interests of the powerful elites Five Filters in Manufacturing of News: media ownership, advertising, sourcing/media elite, flak, ideological/common enemy Agenda Setting: ability to influence the importance of topics of the public thought
Built around efficiency, ______ is thought to be the epitome of television aesthetic and would be _______
zero-degree style lacking style
