This is the final blog for MDIA 3110. :(
I have enjoyed this class thoroughly! It was definitely one of the better online classes I have taken. Everything was well-organized and structured. My favorite thing about MDIA 3110 is the fact that the class was open to individualism. Everyone has a chance to talk about what they enjoy. This is probably due to the fact that we used Blogger and not BlackBoard. Sometimes i feel that BlackBoard is confusing and I definitely do not like going there to have discussions.
My favorite assignment for this class is probably the reception analysis. I enjoy learning what other people thought about the show and what process they went through.
My least favorite about MDIA 3110 is probably the cultural analysis assignment. This because I do not feel like I fully understood what I was writing about. Nor did go into detail about it.
There is really nothing that I truly disliked about this class.
Thanks for this experience!
Friday, June 28, 2013
Final Week: Reflect!
As I look through my list of favorite and less-favorite television shows, I feel that my changing tastes reflect bits of my sense of identity. Like many people, I often watch shows that I can relate to in some sort of way. I especially enjoy watching shows like Doctor Who because there have been many times where I could not bear to watch anymore because I was afraid of the outcome. If a show invokes an emotion in me while I'm watching, I believe that it must mean the show is good for it to actually make me feel sad, angry, happy. For example, when a show kills off some of my favorite characters (Game of Thrones/Doctor Who/ Walking Dead..../etc..), of course I feel distraught, but I feel that I enjoy the show more when that happens.
If a show actually falls out of my favor, it most likely means that I am occupied doing something else or I have simply forgotten about it. Not because I have suddenly changed my opinion of the show. Normally, if I start watching something, I keep watching it until the story is complete. If I notice characters or plot-lines that I disagree with, I simply question about it and try to find out why a character is such a way or why a plot-line is going a certain direction. Again, if the answer to these questions invoke an emotion, I enjoy the show more because at that point, I have been fully immersed in the show.
As I watch these shows and try to decipher the storylines, it is similar to how we did the A/B/C storylines and the reception assignment. Trying to understand what in my own way, what else is going on in the show and what are the underlying storylines is a great way to become immersed in the show. It becomes even better when there are other people to converse with about these ideas. Often times, different people will have different opinions about a show and its story. It is great getting to know what other people have concluded. Analyzing shows in this manner brings many more ideas to the table and it makes for a great conversation!
Friday, June 21, 2013
Week 6: Reception Analysis Summary
The members in my group were Jade Merrit and Michael Bierhup.
Our group video is an episode of American Pickers called Pint-Sized Picker.
Initially, Michael began our discussion by saying how the people that our hosts interact with are all hoarders of merchandise. Although hoarding items is a negative quality, Michael explained the show as if they were justifying hoarding as a want to preserve some of the most nostalgic pieces of Americana.
Jade's view about this show is very interesting. I agree that these shows are cheap and quick to produce, I usually watch these kinds of shows to pass time. I guess I am someone who buys into these kinds of shows! Jade also stated that it seems that many of the people that Mike and Frank deal with are Appalachian or lower-middle class. This brought the idea that perhaps the reason why Mike and Frank often visited these characters was because they often offered the richer qualities of American History.
Of course, we all had our separate polysemic interpretations of this show, but after some negotiation and discussion, in the end, we all agreed that the majority of the people that Mike and Frank deal with are hoarders. However, even though most of the people on American Pickers are hoarders and Mike and Frank do express their love for Americana, they are still simply trying to make a profit.
Our group video is an episode of American Pickers called Pint-Sized Picker.
Link: Pint-Sized Picker
Normally, I enjoy these kinds of shows because sometimes they teach their audience a little about the items they are broadcasting. The items usually have an interesting history behind it and it is interesting seeing what people see as valuable. While watching this show, I said that it focused heavily on American culture and a small bit of family values. I said this because the show teaches us about American Culture by showing us interesting items and sometimes, while Mike and Frank are on their "picks", they bring along or meet children that are interested in what they do. In turn, Mike and Frank try to teach the kids.
Jade's view about this show is very interesting. I agree that these shows are cheap and quick to produce, I usually watch these kinds of shows to pass time. I guess I am someone who buys into these kinds of shows! Jade also stated that it seems that many of the people that Mike and Frank deal with are Appalachian or lower-middle class. This brought the idea that perhaps the reason why Mike and Frank often visited these characters was because they often offered the richer qualities of American History.
Of course, we all had our separate polysemic interpretations of this show, but after some negotiation and discussion, in the end, we all agreed that the majority of the people that Mike and Frank deal with are hoarders. However, even though most of the people on American Pickers are hoarders and Mike and Frank do express their love for Americana, they are still simply trying to make a profit.
Friday, June 14, 2013
Week 5: Cultural Analysis
For this week's post, I take a look at three groups and how they are portrayed in popular media today.
Asians, Children, and People with Disabilities
Asians:
I believe that Asians are somewhat underrepresented in media. I say this because there are many times in media where the show sticks to the stereotype for Asians (being inherently smart or inherently good at martial arts). But there are other shows that don't necessarily focus on that stereotype, but still include it.
These stereotypes are not necessarily negative, because obviously, not all Asians are smart or good at fighting. I feel that it is what is applied in addition to those stereotypes that create the negativity. For instance, when there is a smart Asian person on a show. It is not negative until they are portrayed as helpless and weak. Also, when there is a person that's good at martial arts, it is not negative until it is portrayed that all of the people good at martial arts actually want to kill everyone. Sometimes the martial artists are positively portrayed as mentor figures and sometimes negatively as, crime masterminds.
For example, in a British television show, Bad Education, which features a young teacher who just finished college and the events that occur with his students. Being new to the education scene, this teacher is simply not experienced and is essentially a "bad" teacher. In the show, there is one petite Asian girl who is simply one of the smart students and everyone in the class knows this. What is funny about this though is that since the teacher is bad at what he does, the Asian girl often curses angrily at her teacher in Chinese, but instead of being angry, the teacher always misinterprets the Asian girl's Chinese outbursts as insightful lessons and "agrees" with the girl. Although being smart is not necessarily negative, Bad Education makes it so that even though they have this "token" Asian person, she is not a helpless smart person, instead of that, she actually lashes out at the teacher and anyone that picks on her. (It's just that when she lashes out, she insults people in Chinese so that they don't know exactly what happened).
Evil Mastermind Martial Artist:
Lethal Weapon 4, Jet-Li plays a ruthless crime mastermind
Mentor Martial Artist:
Ip Man 2, Donnie Yen plays a family man that teaches his students to not be reckless.
Just for Fun:
Interesting Article I found concerning Asians in media:
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/psy457_tizzle/asian_american_men
Children:
I believe that children are a bit under-represented in media. Although there are many shows in the media world where children are stereotypically depicted as mischievous or deceiving. There are other shows that depict the other end of the spectrum as innocent or fun, but it doesn't happen quite as often.
Children being depicted as mischievous:
People with Disabilities:
I believe that people with disabilities are under-represented in media. This simply because I have not actually seen many shows that portray people that have disabilities. Although there have not been many shows that portray people with disabilities, the shows I have seen portray people with disabilities are not necessarily negative. For example, in the popular show, Family Guy, Joe, the paraplegic cop is depicted as a particularly burly man that is fully capable of fulfilling his duties as a policeman. Joe is still an active fellow despite his disability. In Family Guy, Joe does not seem like he is torn by the fact he has a disability, he simply likes to live his life.
Also in the British show, Bad Education, there is a kid in a wheelchair that instead of being helpless and being bullied, it is actually the kid in the wheelchair that bullies some of the other students. The kid is actually crafty and takes advantage of his disability. For instance, when the kid shows up late for class and the teacher asks him why, the child in the wheelchair simply states the teacher is silly and that the reason he is late is because he moves around in a wheelchair. The kid also has another student push him around because "The chair isn't going to push itself."
Asians, Children, and People with Disabilities
Asians:
I believe that Asians are somewhat underrepresented in media. I say this because there are many times in media where the show sticks to the stereotype for Asians (being inherently smart or inherently good at martial arts). But there are other shows that don't necessarily focus on that stereotype, but still include it.
These stereotypes are not necessarily negative, because obviously, not all Asians are smart or good at fighting. I feel that it is what is applied in addition to those stereotypes that create the negativity. For instance, when there is a smart Asian person on a show. It is not negative until they are portrayed as helpless and weak. Also, when there is a person that's good at martial arts, it is not negative until it is portrayed that all of the people good at martial arts actually want to kill everyone. Sometimes the martial artists are positively portrayed as mentor figures and sometimes negatively as, crime masterminds.
For example, in a British television show, Bad Education, which features a young teacher who just finished college and the events that occur with his students. Being new to the education scene, this teacher is simply not experienced and is essentially a "bad" teacher. In the show, there is one petite Asian girl who is simply one of the smart students and everyone in the class knows this. What is funny about this though is that since the teacher is bad at what he does, the Asian girl often curses angrily at her teacher in Chinese, but instead of being angry, the teacher always misinterprets the Asian girl's Chinese outbursts as insightful lessons and "agrees" with the girl. Although being smart is not necessarily negative, Bad Education makes it so that even though they have this "token" Asian person, she is not a helpless smart person, instead of that, she actually lashes out at the teacher and anyone that picks on her. (It's just that when she lashes out, she insults people in Chinese so that they don't know exactly what happened).
Evil Mastermind Martial Artist:
Lethal Weapon 4, Jet-Li plays a ruthless crime mastermind
Mentor Martial Artist:
Ip Man 2, Donnie Yen plays a family man that teaches his students to not be reckless.
Just for Fun:
Interesting Article I found concerning Asians in media:
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/psy457_tizzle/asian_american_men
Children:
I believe that children are a bit under-represented in media. Although there are many shows in the media world where children are stereotypically depicted as mischievous or deceiving. There are other shows that depict the other end of the spectrum as innocent or fun, but it doesn't happen quite as often.
Children being depicted as mischievous:
- Children in South Park (Especially Cartman)
- Bully in Bad Education (Bully steals the teacher's shoes)
- Family Guy, Stewie trying to kill his mother
People with Disabilities:
I believe that people with disabilities are under-represented in media. This simply because I have not actually seen many shows that portray people that have disabilities. Although there have not been many shows that portray people with disabilities, the shows I have seen portray people with disabilities are not necessarily negative. For example, in the popular show, Family Guy, Joe, the paraplegic cop is depicted as a particularly burly man that is fully capable of fulfilling his duties as a policeman. Joe is still an active fellow despite his disability. In Family Guy, Joe does not seem like he is torn by the fact he has a disability, he simply likes to live his life.
Also in the British show, Bad Education, there is a kid in a wheelchair that instead of being helpless and being bullied, it is actually the kid in the wheelchair that bullies some of the other students. The kid is actually crafty and takes advantage of his disability. For instance, when the kid shows up late for class and the teacher asks him why, the child in the wheelchair simply states the teacher is silly and that the reason he is late is because he moves around in a wheelchair. The kid also has another student push him around because "The chair isn't going to push itself."
Friday, June 7, 2013
Week 4: The Construction of Celebrities, Rooster Teeth
This is about a company that started out on the internet and made their fame through self-promotion and their very popular internet series, Red vs. Blue.
The Internet has changed our definition of celebrity,
because back in the old day, a celebrity would typically be someone that
everyone knew because of television. Today, a celebrity can be someone that is
well-known from any medium. Rooster Teeth celebrities would be a prime example.
Although they did not start on a television channel, they made their popularity
through their Internet Series shows and from that, they expanded into video
game reviews, weekly shows, and podcasts about their lives and video games.
When Rooster Teeth started out making videos for their show Red vs. Blue, the company was first
called Drunk Gamers and was composed of three people, Bernie Burns, Geoff
Ramsey, and Gustavo Sorola. They started making the Red vs. Blue videos for fun and as Drunk Gamers became popular,
Drunk Gamers changed their name to Rooster Teeth.
Before Drunk Gamers became Rooster Teeth, the three guys
were actually working for an IT company. It is interesting to see a couple of
ordinary gentlemen become the celebrities that they are from a show they posted
onto the internet.
Seeing that Rooster Teeth could not have existed without the
internet to begin with, they would not be as popular as they are today. Rooster
Teeth has done a lot of self-promotion to introduce their show to its viewers.
I believe that social media today makes it easier to become
a celebrity in general. The people at Rooster Teeth would definitely not be as
popular without the internet and social media. In regards to television
channels, Rooster Teeth did not start out on the television, however, there has
been speculation that a Rooster Teeth television show, Immersion is in the works. Immersion
is a comedic Mythbuster type show
that tests various game mechanics in real-life.
A link to Rooster Teeth's Red vs. Blue
An example episode of Rooster Teeth's Immersion
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