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.