i find it interesting that new medium as a threat has been a problem for such a long time. as silverblatt mentions in the book-(chapter 6)"in the eighteenth century, women were advised not to read novels for fear that it would make their brains soft." (p 83) i think that todays mediums of music videos, video games, and even the use of gps devices are going to lessen but not completely deminish the use of prior mediums. for example look at how the music industry has changed so quickly...it used to be things like albums, 8-tracks, cassette tapes, cds, and now we just press a button and we own that music!these mediums are no longer really known about in our society but yet cds still are made. this is only a quock look at the changes in music technology and its advances. its interesting to think that this will continue to change in all aspects and mediums in our life.
i looked at the video of the song "video killed the radio star"sung by the buggles and the lyrics and video itself are very funny in a kind of profound way.

Chapter 10 – Color

From Bess -

As I was reading in our text book in chapter 10 about Color I immediately thought of the 1993 movie “Schindler’s List” directed by Steven Spielberg. Throughout the whole movie the color scheme is in black and white or dead colors, with dim lighting. According to Silverblatt dead colors are ‘like gray or black, make us feel sad, alone, or uncomfortable”. The basis of the movie alone the audience knows that this movie is a more of a dark and uncomfortable movie for some from the holocaust events that are depicted. But what I found interesting is how Spielberg used the red color for the little girl throughout the movie. It was as if you were caught up in her journey because you were forced to recognized her because her red coat was the only thing that was in color, everything else was black, white or gray. According to Silverblatt about colors that contrast you as the audience “produce a visual tension which is sensed by the audience.” Attached below is a link that shows some still shots of the movie to show the contrasting color scheme and how much affect color really has you as the audience.



Schindler’s List may have won Oscars but I think depicts to a tee what Silverblatt is trying to explain about color choices and lighting of the media. Also I think it shows how many different people can have a similar feeling about a presentation thru this. I don’t think the majority of people who have seen Schindler’s List have walked away feeling great, it really pulls you in and have you experience this historic event.

Genre evolution:

From Molly:

Leave it to Beaver vs Malcolm in the Middle

In chapter 9, Silverblatt talks about how genre’s have evolved over time. I think that a great example of this is how sitcoms have changed over the years.
Think about the major differences between the sitcom Leave it to Beaver. The situations that were raised in that sitcom were completely different from what happened in Malcolm in the Middle.
Leave it to Beaver was the cliché perfect family. June always had the house clean, and dinner was always ready by the time her family came home. And she did this all while in her dress and pearls.
Fast forward to the 2000’s… Malcolm in the Middle was introduced to us. This was complete opposite of what the Cleavers life was like. The house was a mess. The dinner was rarely made, and was definitely not ever made on time. The boys were always fighting and dirty. Oh just imagine what June would do if she saw how dysfunctional Malcolm’s family.

It is very interesting how time changed over time. It is also interesting to see how society not only accepted this new version of a classic but also completely loved it. This is the newer version life and society. People could really relate to Malcolm’s world, and because of that, the show gained huge popularity.

Nosferatu - Staircase Scene

Chapter 10- Color and Lighting:

In Chapter 10, Silverblatt talks about color and lighting in production elements.

They talk a lot about how color affects the story-line and audience. Color goes way beyond that though- there have even been studies on how color affects us, and our everyday life.

For instance:

- Ever wonder why brides wear white? We all know that its because its supposed to represent purity and innocence. It is supposed to indicate cleanness. And the funny thing is, it seems like none of that matters, who cares if your wedding dress isn't completely pure white- what if you decide to go with ivory instead? People actually talk about this stuff. Speculations and comments are made about the bride. Its completely silly- but its all because of the dress color.

Studies also have shown that color not only can affect our moods- which correlates with why specific colors are used in different movies and plays. Star Wars is a pretty good example of the use of color. Darth Vader was black- signifying death, fear, etc. Princess Leah was dressed in white- again, for purity, innocence. But if you notice, in the original Stars Wars, the use of colors was limited- to specific scenes, especially for fight scenes with the lasers, which would excite the audience.

Color can also affect our memory! They say that color can influence people's memory, and in a very good way. Color can help remind people of certain things, and also grab their attention. This would aid people when they were trying to memorize things. Research has also shown that color can significantly remember events and objects. Think about it, can you remember what your conversation was on your first date, or can you remember what he wore?

It is interesting how much color can affect our everyday lives, yet usually it goes unnoticed.

http://www.yenra.com/color-psychology-memory-affect/ ( the link to color and memory)

Chapter 8- Affective Response

One of the things that caught my interest in Chapter 8 is the idea of an Affective Response within the movies that we watch. Silverblatt uses the example of the movie, 101 Dalmatians. This movie is very heartwarming to most children, who find the idea of little puppies to be happy and exciting, and wouldn't want them to be harmed in any way.

It is important for a writer to capture the audience's heart or cause some sort of a reaction from the viewer. There are several examples that I can think of just from my own experiences. I remember when I was younger and watched the movie Old Yeller. Yes, this is an old movie and some of you may not have seen it, but if you have you would know that the movie has a very sad ending and definitely pulls at your heart strings. The important thing to think about is that the writer was able to get that reaction from me. This is something that Disney, the creator has been very good at and because of them being able to do this with many of their movies, it keeps me wanting to watch more.

Another example of an affective response could be the movie Saw. It is a fairly scary and suspenseful movie, and for me, movies like these often keep me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what's next. This particular genre of movie keeps me watching because even though similar outcomes are happening in each movie, they are a bit of a rush.

Lastly, another type of movie is the action movie. Movies like The Matrix can make you can make you fall in love, so to speak, with a certain character. Neo, for example, the main character becomes someone that you continually want to follow and find out what's happening to him. It is because of this that I then wanted to watch the sequels to the movie.

Choosing a favorite movie is tough, but one thing is for sure, the best movies allow you in some way to connect with them and get a response.

MEDC 1630 Intro to Media Literacy :Chapter 8 Introduction

As Silverblat discusses in Chapter 8 about the introduction and used "Rocky" as an example, is about the introduction of the primary characters and the plot of the movie. I couldn't help but think about one of my favorite movies, "Moulin Rouge" (2001). The opening scenes of that movie directly introduces you to the primary characters but also tells you the entire movie but you don't realize it until the end of the movie. As he refernces to 'Rocky" with how the opening scene not only tell you that there will be a boxing match but Rocky is defeated. In the opening scenes of Moulin Rouge you are intorduced to Christian, Satine, and the Duke. You are also shown the plot of the movie and by using a song that directly supports the plot and through the feel of the song and the images of desperation, courage, truth and love that there is going to be a struggle between these three people. A love triangle between them occurs and you are made to belief that Christian had lost the battle. Many twist and turns are in between but this is what the entire movie is all in an elobarated form and with some outstanding musical numbers and songs! By the end of the movie you reallize not only did he win her love but she ends up dying in his arms after the finale of thier play, which is a play that is actually about the love triangle too.

I have attached a clip from the movie with the opening song, "Nature Boy" by David Bowie, in which if you listen to the lyrics reinforces the plot from the opening scenes.The first lyrics to this song is "There was a boy........the greatest thing you'll ever learn is to love and be loved in return". If you hav never seen this movie it is one of a kind, in my eyes, filled with modern songs with a twist and the actor and actresses had some amazing routines.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KexJb5Vu4i0

silverblatt disccussed other aspects of formula, and one of the most interesting to me was formulaic setting-in my favorite TV show, Seinfeld the formulaic setting is in the diner/resturant "monks" and also in Jerry's apartment. These setting are repeated and used in every episode of the 9 season series. I don't know that this really reflects changes in culture,because its being with people you care for by spending time with them. you want to tune into the show seinfeld every week not because you will see how a geek tries to make friends on big bang theory, but rather what kind of things the characters; jerry, george, kramer and elaine will get into this week that arise from something as simple as a silly doodle and why the character takes everything so personally!
*go to this web-address to view a clip from the episode "the doodle".....*
http://www.tbs.com/video/index.jsp?oid=44049&eref=sharethisUrl

this show is funny not only because you can laugh at something silly, but because you can relate and really see this happening in day to day life.unlike the lives geeks like sheldon, this sitcom is funny but not as relatable. both shows are in the same genre.but are suprisingly different from eachother when you look at the different types of functions-because in seinfeld we relate we get a new equally funny show every week-this is untrue of big bang theory just like the post before me said because the big bang theory can..."tell essentially the same story every week in a slightly different way."

MEDC 1630 Introduction to Media Literacy: The sitcom and the formulaic premise

MEDC 1630 Introduction to Media Literacy: The sitcom and the formulaic premise: "From the 'The Big Bang Theory' to 'Modern Family', situation comedy is hot this television season. In Chapter 9, Silverblatt discusses genre..."

MEDC 1630 Introduction to Media Literacy: The sitcom and the formulaic premise

MEDC 1630 Introduction to Media Literacy: The sitcom and the formulaic premise: "From the 'The Big Bang Theory' to 'Modern Family', situation comedy is hot this television season. In Chapter 9, Silverblatt discusses genre..."

The sitcom and the formulaic premise

From the "The Big Bang Theory" to "Modern Family", situation comedy is hot this television season. In Chapter 9, Silverblatt discusses genre and how different elements of a formula can be identified to help you decipher which genre you are looking at. He also talks about how these aspects can make shows familiar and easily recognizable to the viewer.

Take a look at this clip from "The Big Bang Theory"

Now think about the section of the text that addresses illogical premise. If the audience asks themselves "Is this logical? Is a individual truly going to attempt to solve his problem by developing a friendship algorithm?" the answer is most likely no. The character of Sheldon is a stereotype, he is a over-simplified example of what society might call a "nerd" or a "geek". His actions are an exaggeration, but it is the exaggeration that adds the comedic element for the audience to enjoy.

Some assumptions that are underlying this premise are that:

1. Highly intelligent people have a difficult time making friends (certainly this is something we see Shledon struggle with here and if you view the show you will find week after week)
2. Highly intelligent people do not understand the nuances of human behavior (Sheldon believes that making friends can be broken down into a decision chart that will ultimately yield a positive result)
3. Highly intelligent people always believe there is a scientific answer to any problem (By making the decision chart Sheldon does not recognize that his demeanor might be a problem in his making friends, he simply sees a problem that he believes he can solve by developing a theory and testing it)

The audience knows that not all people who hare highly intelligent struggle with social interactions, although all the main male characters of this show do to varying degrees. However, it is that lack of ability to relate, the confusion that lies in the miscommunication which allows for the show to tell essentially the same story every week in a slightly different way. The audience accepts the premise in order to maintain the established order of the show each week.

Are there other elements of this or other situation comedies that you see fitting into the aspects of formula that Silverblatt discussed? Think about premise, structure, plot, characters, setting and trappings.

Chapter 4

To me, the audience reception theory makes the most sense. Otherwise, why do some people like a show while others do not? It could be that this one show is interpreted differently by different people. Background and interest seem like they would be major factors in a person's decision to watch a show. If I do not know or care about wedding cakes then I will never watch Cake Boss (which I don't). If I do not like reality shows already, then I probably will not watch Cake Boss. Since my priorities are to either be informed or entertained when I watch a show, then I may not like Cake Boss because it could be neither informative nor entertaining to me.

Competition for my attention as a consumer is fierce and overwhelming. When I drive to work, I hear the radio, see the billboards and signs, and smell the aroma of food coming from the restaurants I pass. All of this is sensory overload and I don't seriously pay much attention to any of them (besides maybe the aroma of food).

I agree that the modern communication causes cultural segregation. A major part of our culture is individualism, but we have taken it to the next level. We now constantly look to believe in our own thing rather than a common ideology. Obviously there are mass ideologies that still exist in our society: don't murder, don't steal, etc. But other things, such as politeness, are arguably much less important than they were even 30 years ago. How we raise our kids is individual. We encourage our students to find their individuality in high school and don't just blend in with the crowd. These ideals are not necessarily bad, but when we reinforce individualism to this extent, we alienate ourselves from that necessary satisfaction of spending time with those who share our thoughts.

The media has only reinforced that. Soon, advertisements will cater to an audience of one: you. Using GPS devices we all have, advertisers can pinpoint your location so that by the time you drive up to the digital billboard 30 yards ahead of you, it has been switched to advertise for the restaurant you visit once a week at which you always use your credit card to pay. Scary stuff.

Chapter 3

When reading or viewing anything ask yourself, who is the person/organization behind this message? Do they stand to benefit from this information? What is the function of the communication? To entertain? Inform? Is it obvious, or hidden?

In my personal life I have an acquaintance who has an issue with lying. He hardly ever tells the truth and you will even find him fibbing about little things, such as seeing a movie. The extent of his lies do depend on the type of conversation, though. If he starts off descriptive then I assume a latent performance function exists because he likes to show that he is smart. Because of his latent purpose I do not entirely believe his story, even if he produces some form of evidence.

'Evidence' cited in some papers is no longer that reliable, though. I never really thought to question information written by journalists. Obviously there were some sources I never looked to, but generally information in newspapers is supposed to be dependable. It was upsetting after looking at the source of the studies quoted in papers, to see that journalists actually considered these studies good, unbiased information. Several of these were familiar to me, like the fear of germs in public restrooms poll. I understand journalists are between a rock and a hard place but there are other ways to get information out without jeopardizing their careers.

The point of the chapter, however, is to get people in the frame of mind to question what they are being told. Even though the blogger that almost ruined Shirley Sherrod's career spliced the actual video to be misleading, it took several other broadcasts by other stations of the same wrong story for one of them to finally question the content of an individual who stands by no journalistic oath. It would have never gotten as far as it did if these information gatherers had bothered to check the facts. And these are supposed to be media literate people; why are they not checking the function of the communication or the actual communicator himself? That would essentially be like letting me write as a critic for the New York Time's; just because I can read does not mean I can pick quality books.

Chapter 1

It is extremely important that as a society, we understand what it means to be media literate and to become this as early as possible. Media literacy is more than just understanding content. It means to promote critical thinking in regards to advertisements, to think about what you are hearing and seeing. It is an understanding the process of mass communication, like the mediums’ function and purpose. We need to be aware of the audience, and more importantly, that the audience includes our self and we are just as susceptible to the message. Developing the skills to correctly analyze the content, information and visual messages we are receiving is necessary to go on to truly enjoy and fully experience what the mass media has to offer us. And as a future participant in the advertising world, media literacy also means to be responsible in the messages I produce by understanding how they will be taken.

I understand that I am impacted by the media and that I make purchasing choices based in part on things such as brand loyalty. I go back to the first time I realized Lysol wasn’t as great as it said on the commercial. The ‘multiple surface’ cleaner that the commercial shows working and sanitizing in 5 seconds with a convenient ‘time lapsed’ note in tiny print on the bottom of the screen, it actually doesn’t effectively kill the germs until you let it sit for 10 minutes. Who wants to sit around for 10 minutes when they just want to wipe off their counter?

Since pictures and scenes have always had an emotional impact on us, advertisers will use this to their advantage. I will quote Cialdini when I call it the ‘click-whirr’ response. It’s when we start to analyze it, bring that logic back into it, that we take away the effects of merely reacting. I also question the source more often now. I used to be that person who thought everything on the internet was true and then I started reading the news and realized that's not so J. Part of that has to do with asking myself, what are the values of this company? Is the bottom line their biggest concern? If that is the case, what would they not tell me?

Finally, being media literate means to understand that media messages are sometimes hard to understand. There are all sorts of things to think about when viewing something as simple as a commercial: a close-up shot at an upward angle is intended to make the object seem more important or how certain scenes suggest time has passed. This also includes the ability to recognize the obvious message being told to me as well as the less perceptible, latent messages.

Why do we believe certain things that are untrue?

Example: Although there is no supporting scientific evidence, we believe sugar makes kids more hyper.

Welcome to MEDC 1630 Introduction to Media Literacy

Greetings!

Welcome to MEDC 1630 Introduction to Media Literacy at Webster University. My name is Tyann Cherry and I will be your instructor for the term. In the column to your right you will find two link lists. The first list contains helpful links for Webster University students, among these you will find a link to the ARC (Academic Resource Center) Writing Center. I encourage all students to take advantage of this service during the course of the term. You will find their contact information on the page you are linked to and you can begin to plan your assignments and schedule your time with a writing coach accordingly.

Throughout the term we will use this blog to:

- Facilitate discussion outside of the classroom
- Collaborate and brainstorm topics for your final paper
- Call attention to current examples and events as we read through the text
- Apply terms and examples found in the text to different forms of media
- Foster and environment of healthy critique and exchange

I look forward to working with you all in the coming term.

Best,

-Tyann Cherry