Extra Credit

Prior to RTF 305, I have never used a blog. The positive aspect of using blogs in this course is that it is a creative way to encourage further research on the main topics of the course. It uses a contemporary media to discuss the specific aspects of media.

The only difficulties that I encountered while using a blog is that I am not technologically savvy enough to know how to make additions to my blogs like video or other media of that type. Conception wise, I had absolutely no trouble. With a little help from friends in the class, I got gradually better at incorporating media additions to my blog.

Most blog prompts were very well thought out and interesting. My favorite was the blog where we were asked to discuss a type of persuasion tool used by advertisers. I am an advertising major so I assume that is why this was so appealing to me. My least favorite was when we were asked to discuss an aspect of the studio system.

This was not as appealing because we did not have to relate it to a current idea.

I would definitely recommend using a blog in a future course, especially RTF 305 because it encourages exploration of a new media. It is also a convenient way to turn in assignments and grants creative freedom.

The only suggestions I have to improve blogging in the future would be to release the prompt earlier in the week in order for people to have longer to think about what they are going to write and other elements to add. Also, maybe a more detailed blog tutorial at the beginning of the semester would be advantageous.

Yes, you can use my blog in a paper or report.

Blog 10

Globalization is reading differences that existed between nations in time, space, and culture. Globalization describes how economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global network of communication, transportation, and trade. It defines the circulation of ideas, languages, or pop culture through acculturation, which happens when individuals having different cultures came together first hand.

Despite globalization's reducing of differences in culture, cultural imperialism still exist. Cultural imperialism occurs when some countries dominate other through the media. Globalization expresses how technology is integrated between countries, but some countries develop a superiority in an aspect of media which is described as cultural imperialism. Cultural imperialism has been said to be one of the biggest international issues in communications media particularly the unequal flows of film, television, music, news, and information.

Television is a major media source that induces cultural imperialism. Other countries air American TV shows, commercials, movies, etc. American cultural trends have now developed in other countries due to this imperialism. In Africa, the imperialism has even become detrimental. After mothers in Africa had seen bottle feeding replacing breast feeding, they adopted the trend and their kids were effected by sickness and even death.

Blog 9

Absolut has a history of highly sexual print ads. The most persuasive ad, in my opinion, illustrates a naked man with an Absolut bottle in front of his private area with the caption “Absolut Hunk.” The man in the ad is VERY attractive and has all the “ideal” qualities of a certified “hottie.” He has long blonde hair, chiseled abs, and a perfect face. This model was definitely strategically chosen in order to have girls gawk over him. The Absolut ad is effective because it persuades its audience that if they buy and drink Absolut, they will find or have a guy that is as perfect as the model pictured in the ad. Or, if the audience is a male, they will buy the product in hopes to be just as attractive as the depicted model.

This Absolut ad is a prime example of the sex appeal. Sex appeal is the type of advertising appeal that has been and forever will be an effective advertising tool. Sex appeal generates attention because of its scandal. It makes an ad stand out in all the clutter. Because humans are inherently sexual, they are very attracted to ads with sex appeal. Sex appeal ads, most often than not, show a lot of skin or depict steamy sexual situations. They are effective because people have the natural tendency to long for sexual intimacy that these ads imply. People then assume the product being advertised with the sex appeal will help them satisfy their sexual desire and will go out and purchase the product. This type of advertising tool is so effective because it harnesses a natural human instinct and uses it to its advantage to sell a product.

The “Absolut Hunk” advertisement exemplifies sex appeal. The model is barely shy of full nudity, which immediately attracts the eye of the audience. This gives the ad and advantage because it makes it stand out from the clutter of other ads. It also instigates a sexual desire from the audience. Females wish they could be with a man just like the model, while males wish they could look like the model in order to get women. This ad is highly sexual because of the partial nudity and the sexual tension it creates. Absolut embodied the perfect sex appeal with their “Aboslut Hunk” advertisement.

Blog 8

The most common movie narrative is the three act structure. Derived from the classical dramatic structure, the three act structure simply contains a beginning, middle, and end, or, in other words, an introduction complication, and resolution. The movie What Happens in Vegas, starring Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz, is a prime example of the three act structure.

Act I serves as the introduction of the movie. the first act lasts about 30 minutes and sets up the plot line. In What happens in Vegas, Act I establishes the base for the rest of the movie. Kutcher and Diaz both have an upsetting event happen in their lives and they decide to go to vegas. After running into each other and spending the night together, the two wake up to find out they had drunkenly gotten married the night before. While talking about how they are going to approach the situation, Kutcher gets a jackpot with Diaz's quarter. Each has a mini climax; the mini climax of act one is referred to as plot point #1. The plot points end acts, escalates stakes, and propels action into the next act. Kutcher's jackpot serves as a mini climax and the plot point #1. Now that they are married, the jackpot money is legally both theirs. The jackpot introduces extreme complication.

Act II is the middle or complication of the movie. The middle 30-60 minutes depicts Kutcher and Diaz dealing with trying to be married. In order to each get half of the money, they have to stay married for a certain amount of time. The complication part of the 3 acts structure is the main volume of the movie. Kutcher and Diaz's struggle transitions the movie from the introduction to the end. The mini climax or plot point II in Act II of What Happens in Vegas is when the two begin to get along and realize they may have feelings for each other.

The last 30 minutes of the 3 Act structure serves as the resolution. The main climax of the whole movie is contained within Act 3. The climax of the movie is when Diaz showing up to their court date after finding out Kutcher betrayed her and gave her wedding ring back to her ex. She told him he can have all the money and to never talk to her gain. The act proceeds to have Kutcher make it up to Diaz and confess his love. In typical 3 act structure, the two get back together and form a happy ending to the movie.

Blog 7 Sitcom Characteristic

A prominent characteristic of a sitcom is the mini resolution. In a television series, on going conflict throughout several episodes or even a whole season is common. But, within the greater conflict, smaller conflicts arise; every episode of a sitcom usually revolves around one simple clashing of opinions or ideas. The idea of a mini resolution developed because of these episodic conflicts. A mini resolution is the settlement of the conflict of which a single episode revolves. It usually occurs near the end of the episode after a big confrontational scene and functions as a conclusion. A mini resolution can be a positive settlement or a negative one, but either way, the mini resolution resolves a conflict.

            The mini resolution is almost regimen in the sitcom Will and Grace. A specific example is the episode entitled “Grace Replaced.” The plot of this episode revolves strictly around conflict. When Grace becomes busy with work, Will begins to spend a lot of time with a new friend, Val. As time goes on and Will continues to gradually hang out with Val more and more, Grace gets increasingly jealous. After a big confrontational scene that includes a fight between Val and Grace, the mini resolution is carried out. Grace, Val, and Will talk out their issues and Grace realizes she was wrong and apologizes. They all conclude that they can all be friends and Will assures Grace that she will always be his best friend. This resolution resolves the central conflict of the episode, Grace’s jealousy, classifying it as a mini resolution.

Blog 6

In the movie Step Brothers, long shot, medium shot, and close up shot are utilized.

A long shot was used during the initial viewing of the Catalina wine-mixer. The long shot was used to show an overview of the place and show who was in attendance. the long shot conveys to the viewer that the party is upscale and almost snooty. The  shot progression goes from showing everyone to narrowing in on the main character Brennan. The shot sets up the scene because by showing the big overview of the party, the audience foreshadows a conflict because the mood of the party does not match Brennan's characteristics.

A medium shot was used to show Brennan's mom and Dale's father approaching each other at the wine-mixer. The medium shot is used to convey relationship info. The shot conveys that the two are slightly awkward ,indicating they have had a previous relationship. The shot includes awkward, generic conversation between the two divorcees.

The close up shot during the Catalina wine-mixer scene was a close up of Dale, the other main character. The shot is a close up of Dale performing his new chief duties. the shot conveys emotional info about Dale. the viewer gets the vibe that Dale, although serious about and working hard at his new job, is not happy. this close up is crucial because the audience realized that although dale has "grown up" he is unhappy.

The different shots used in the Catalina wine-mixer scene of Step Brothers are very strategically formed.

Studio System

The most intriguing aspect of the studio system is how it emphasized key stars to promote studio films, also known as the star system. In the Classic Hollywood film era, instead of film genres being recognizable because of specific directors and producers like they are today, genres were based around stars. Stars were the best representations of what certain studios did. Stars reflected the genre favored by their respective studios by maintaining a consistent set of character traits that catered to their genre.

            The star system impacted what kind of film a studio made by forcing the studio to create a film with the genre associated with the casted star. Contemporarily, a genre is picked for a movie and then subsequently a star is chosen for the leading role. However, during the studio system, it was quite opposite; a star was chosen and then a genre was picked based on that particular star’s genre correlation.

            For example, Judy Garland was utilized as a functioning asset of the studio system. Garland was a contracted MGM star linked to the musical genre. She had a consistent set of character traits that included innocence and femininity. Whenever Garland was casted in a film, people automatically expected a musical. No matter what the plot line, Garland would be a part of several song sequences before the movies end. MGM casted Judy Garland in Meet me in St. Louis, Thoroughbreds don’t Cry, and The Wizard of Oz. Maintaining consistency with the studio system, MGM made musicals revolving around Garland instead of vise versa. Musical lovers would come running upon hearing news of a new Garland film.

"All in the Family" vs "The Secret Life of the American Teenager"

“All in the Family” and the contemporary family based television show, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” have many similarities and differences.

            Although “All in the Family” and “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” have the same basic fundamental ideas, they have many differences. To start, the relationships of the parental figures in the two shows are much different. In “All in the Family,” the parents are still together and are illustrated as a happily married couple. “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” however, includes parents who are extremely unsatisfied with each other and divorced, which reflects a more contemporary parental situation. The role of women in each show is very dissimilar as well. The mother in “All in the Family” is portrayed as a cliché stay at home wife who cooks and cleans. The mother in “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” on the other hand, is depicted as extremely independent. She is a businesswoman who even decides to go back to school to achieve her second degree. Also, “All in the Family” is not as politically correct as “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.” African Americans and Asians do not hold prominent roles in “All in the Family,” while in “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” the closest friends of the main characters have several different racial orientations. The interpretation of parental relationships, the role of women, and the racial representation in “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” would be very controversial in the time “All in the Family” was produced.

            Despite these few differences, the two family based television shows have many similarities. Both shows characterize the father figures as very macho and misogynistic. The two men make crude jokes and constantly stereotypically shown drinking beer and watching sports events. “All in the Family” and “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” both also openly address controversial issues. The episode of “All in the Family” shown in the screening, openly addressed homosexual orientation. The story line of “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” is based around the issue of teen pregnancy, which is also a very controversial issue. Another similarity between the two sitcoms is that each member of each family holds a stereotypical role. The fathers are the macho men, the mothers are nagging and borderline ditsy, and the daughters are naïve. These are all clear examples of the similarities between “All in the Family” and “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.”

            Although the two shows have the similarity of addressing controversial issues, each show focuses on different topics. For instance, as I previously mentioned, “All in the Family” addresses the issue of homosexuality. “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” does not directly address this issue in the way that “All in the Family” does. Because of the less liberal time period “All in the Family” was produced in, a negative light is casted on the topic of homosexuality. The issue of teen pregnancy addressed in “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” is an issue that would never be addressed in “All in the Family” because it was way to contentious for that time period. Both shows include many controversial issues, but each address different ones because of the time period in which they were produced.

            The two family based television shows “All in the Family” and “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” have their similarities and differences and also highlight different controversial issues.

Radio Development

Marconi’s invention of wireless telegraph by his utilizing of radio waves impacted the shaping of the radio industry by creating the opportunity for radio to be recognized not to mention even to exist.

Marconi’s wireless telegraph transmitted messages electrically without the electrical wires connecting the end points. This wireless telegraph was the first practical use of the radio. Marconi dominated radio in Europe and the United States in the early years by establishing the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company in Italy and later Britain and the US. He set up shore-based radio stations that received and transmitted telegraph signals to ocean going ships.

Marconi’s wireless telegraph affected the evolution of the US radio system in the 1920s by playing a pivotal role in the Titanic shipwreck which attracted public attention to the radio. The radio affected this disaster in two ways: it contributed in the saving of many lives and it reported news about the catastrophe. The Titanic, although a very dreadful event, was a huge opportunity for radio to excel. The radio had such prominence during this tragedy that Congress passed the Radio Act of 1912 that placed radio licensing under the supervision of the Department of Commerce, which further enhanced the development of radio in the 1920s.

Straubhaar, Joseph, Robert LaRose, and Lucinda Davenport. Media Now.

Mason: Cengage Learning, 2009.

Chapter 13 Social Learning Theory

The concept of the Social Learning Theory helps me understand the astonishing impact of the Sylvester Stallone’s character in the film Rambo.

The Social Learning Theory claims that people imitate what they view on television. This theory helps explain the prominent decrease in public morality. The decrease developed during the first “TV” generation, thus providing evidence for the validity of the Social Learning Theory. If people see violence, they will go out and be violent. Observational learning, the behavior change of someone emulating the behavior of that which they watch, is the process of the Social Learning Theory.

            During Tough Guise, the film-maker Jackson Katz, directly addresses the Social Learning Theory. By using boys and violence as an example, he stresses that the violent, male, outstanding characters in the mass media are negatively influencing boys and even men. Stallone in Rambo was the example used that stood out to me most. Every guy deep down respects and even envies Stallone’s main character in the movie Rambo. This character is idolized to be all that is man: tough, violent, and ripped. When males watch this film, the Social Learning Theory kicks in and they want to be tough, violent, and ripped just like Stallone’s character that they have come to love.

Ideology and Gossip Girl

The concept of ideology helps me understand the show gossip girl because it explains the thought process behind the costume design.

Ideology is the worldview of the ideal way or form of society. The aims and ideas that direct one's actions is the basis of the concept of ideology. It is the system of meaning behind how the world works and it's belief system. The reason behind how the media portrays people and thing in a particular way is due to this concept. In other words, it is the concept of what the world deems to be important.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6zFZjiC48o
The characters in Gossip Girl are always so ornately adorned in every situation, whether they are just going to get coffee with friends or even simply walking around the streets. The ideology behind the Gossip Girl costume design is that the world has very materialistic values. In this clip previewing the upcoming season, one can see their "every day clothing" is really very elaborate and not realistic. Understanding the concept of ideology helped me discover that the characters are always dressed their finest in the most prestigious designer clothes to cater to the worldview that material things are of the utmost importance.

Why 305?

After being asked "Why RTF 305?"I sat and pondered what the exact reason for my decision to take this class was based upon? Was it just to get a credit within my school out side my major? Was it because I heard it was a fun interesting class? Or is it simply because it was one of the only classes left open when it was FINALLY my turn to register for classes? Honestly, I have discovered that I am in this class for none of those reasons. Instead, I came into this class because I am interested to see if I really want to study Advertising. Upon my arrival at UT, I had not the slightest clue as to what field of study I wanted to pursue. After completing ADV 318J with Dr. Murphy in the spring semester, I realized that I was truly interested in advertising and I choose to take it on as my major. Now, I am thinking, if I chose advertising because of one interesting class, then how do I know I won't be interested in another field after completing an equally interesting class? Thus, I am taking this class to see if I could possibly be interested in pursuing a career in radio, television, and film. I hope to learn the basics of what media studies entails, if I could thrive in this field, and if I could potentially take on RTF as my major.