#10 Globalization

Globalization, as defined by good ol’ Professor Straubhaar, is “a process of increasing interconnectedness among nations, cultures, and people.” (Straubhaar) In one since it is a culture sharing is products with another with either an educational or commercial intent. This makes globalization an agent of the single world system idea; in which, due to continuous convergences, the world’s various cultures are homogenizing into one.

An intriguing aspect of globalization is hybridization. This is where two cultures meet and form an off shot third culture. My personal favorite example of this is 19^th century Japan. After Ieyasu Tokugawa established his reign as shogun Japan experienced a period of peace and isolation that lasted about 250 years. During which time the nation was resistant to foreign influence and trade. That is, until Commodore Perry from the U.S. brought three ironclad ships into Tokyo harbor to force the country to open for trade. Forced to meet with the ‘modern world’ Japan began to rapidly industrialize and became a modern military nation state that peaked in World War II. This ‘modern’ Japan was a far cry from what it was during the Tokugawa era.

A current example of this hybridization of cultures is the American ‘otaku’. Otaku is the term used to describe one with an obsession for Japanese anime, manga, or video games. To put it simply, the consumer culture of the American fan met with a facet of Japanese culture to create a new American subculture. It’s hybridization to a t.

Works cited:

"Commodore Matthew C. Perry." Naval History and Heritage Command. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. .

http://centers.law.nyu.edu/jeanmonnet/totallaw/wheretostudy.html


Straubhaar, Joseph. "Globalization." RTF 305. Burdine, Austin. 17 Nov. 2010. Lecture.


"The Motivator - Twenty Sided." Shamus Young Dot Com. Web. 21 Nov. 2010. .

#9 Advertising

For this one, I picked up a Vanity Fair and found a good ol’ watch ad. It features two major sections: one black and white, the other color. In the colored, an decadent wristwatch is featured tilted gracefully on its side, as to show off the jewel encrusted rim. In the other, a confident, lovely figure of a woman stands elegantly unabashed. She is well dressed and proper, her left hand dangles ever so delicately to the side, to hide whether or not she has a ring. The only true text states: “Elegance is an attitude.” And is signed by who I believe to be the very woman pictured.

The major appeal here is achievement. It is clearly designed to give the air of the upper class, sophistication, and wealth. The characteristics of this ad include: high end products (or at least pseudo-high-end-products), decadence, class, and uniqueness. These types of ads have had, historically, two major purports. Firstly to target those who have the money to spend on such things by appealing to their innate egotism. Second, it there serve to promote the democracy of goods. The idea that, you may not be in the upper class, but you can buy like they do. It’s all about status symbols.

This ad is indicative to the achievement appeal. It oozes class. The mere fact that it looks like the apparent well-to-do woman signed the thing serves to authenticate its value. The watch itself is filled with diamonds. The hall the woman is standing in appears to be part of a mansion. The watch is name PrimaLuna for sanity’s sake! It has become a Prima Donna. Black and white, royal blue, gold & silver: the color scheme itself is a testament to upper class ideals. But hey, it works for her.

Mayors. "Longines." Vanity Fair Nov. 2010: 55. Print.

#8 Three-Act Films

Three act structure, triumphant story arc with the peak, climax of the film within the last ten or so minutes. It contains a couple of mini-climaxes that push the plot along.

Example: Taken ( Runtime = 93 min )

The first act introduces us into the world of the film and its circumstance. Our hero Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is an ex-special operative of the government, divorced, and has a daughter whom he cares dearly for. The first mini-climax happens when he daughter is kidnapped. Mills resolves to go after the kidnappers no matter the cost.

The second act features Mills following up on the few leads he has and begins to learn about the kidnappers. Soon, he realizes that the tentacles of the organization that took his daughter extend to the local police and even a former friend. The second mini-climax happens when Mills crosses an ethical line and shoots his former friend’s wife to force his cooperation. He reaches the point of no return.

The third act is where Mills is in the process of rescuing his daughter. He finds where she is sold off, follows the buyer, and has to bust caps in the man’s yacht. The final climax of the movie is where, after taking a good deal of damage, Mills finally confronts the ‘boss’ and proceeds to waste him. After this point, the family begins to recover and return to normalcy.

Images from:

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/liam-neeson-appears-to-be-jumping-into-the-matrix.php

http://www.smh.com.au/news/film-reviews/taken/2008/08/08/1218139055531.html

http://bluemoviereviews.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/dvd-review-taken/

http://cinemasights.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/taken-2009/

#7 Sitcoms

Sitcom’s cyclical/ repeated patterns are classic conventions that have endeared audiences for decades. They are the catchphrases, running gags, and character mannerisms that are used time and time again throughout a series. Audiences will come to expect them and look forward to the payoff. These patterns often come to define the characters within the show.

Repetition provides familiarity for the sitcom genre. The sitcom is designed as a distraction, an escape from the severity and unpredictable nature of daily life. Its purport, alleviate stress with a good laugh. To facilitate this, sitcoms had to provide for a level of predictability, a level of safety. Though suspense and misdirection exists within any sitcom’s plot, there always are these expected gags and conventions to keep such stresses in check.

The Nanny basically built itself upon using cyclical themes and gags.

Though it is my favorite, it was no big surprise as to what was going to happen in any given episode. Fran would flirt with Mr. Sheffield, Niles the butler and CC the business partner would biker and insult each other, and the

kids would be getting into some form of mischief. The show was highly predictable, but that was the beauty of it. You knew what was going to happen, and you looked forward to it every time.

Pictures from:

http://azrol28.blogspot.com/2010/04/fran-drescher-nanny-1993-1999.html

http://entertainment.ca.msn.com/tv/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=22632952&page=9

#6 Scene Shot Analysis

A prime example of the traditional shot progression (Long to Middle to Close-up) is seen in the opening scene of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

For the orientation long shot we are shown a caravan of sorts proceeding through what looks like the American Badlands. This shot serves to actually disorient us; we have very little information about what this caravan is, or really where it is. It gives us only vague landscapes that we can guess at without much hope of validation. This creates an air of mystery, a desire within us as audience to pursue this story further and see if we cannot find some answers.

After a spell, the middle shot becomes dominant and we are allotted some general information. We now see that the caravan is made up of boy scouts on an expedition. We end up following two of them into some nearby caves where they find a figure wearing the fashionable hat of our title star. Ah! It seems that the boys have stumbled upon our favorite Jones in midst of a dig. However, at the last moments of the shot, our Indy lifts his head to examine a find and lo and behold it is not Harrison Ford. The purpose of this sequence of middle shots was to give us enough information to make a false assumption, which deepens the previously establish mysticism as we then ask the prompted question. Well, if that’s not Dr. Jones then where is he?

This important detail is answered in the very next shot. As the camera fixes on one of the two boy scouts that ventured down this cave, the other begins to address him as “Indy”. Oh, that’s where he is…that’s odd; we think to ourselves as we study this close up of a teenage boy scout. Indy has lost weight…and age. O_o

Now we can piece this all together. What we are witnessing is an account of Indiana Jones’ early years. This realization is all the more enthralling because we as the audience had to come to this understanding by way of clever shot progression. The effect would not be near as engaging if the scene would have began with a close up of this boy and a title labeling him “Indiana Jones – age 16 (or so).” Clever shot progression is an art that, when done well, can make for classic Hollywood gold.

Screen shots from:

http://damianarlyn.blogspot.com/2007/08/day-17-indiana-jones-and-last-crusade.html