Anthropology Review: “The Holy Ghost People”

Appalachia’s “Holy Ghost People” was a subculture in an Industrial age

By Crystal Hollis | Fall 2010 | ANTH 1150 World Cultures Through Film

The Holy Ghost People is a documentary film recording the religious practices of a white Pentecostal protestant group in 1968. Instead of a narrator dominantly telling the story, the members of the congregation are interviewed and the religious rituals are observed. The Holy Ghost community does not have characteristics of a pre-modern society. The members of the congregation did not seem to question the dangerous religious practices of dealing with poisonous snakes based on a literal biblical passage. The Holy Ghost community can be labeled as a subcultural group, possessing distinct traits that are different from the pre-modern/industrial criteria, and ultimately defined by the dominant religious values they share.

The town of Appalachia seemed to be in a rural setting even though most of the inhabitants do not seem to farm. They would most likely work in industrial-type occupations such as mining and timbering. The inhabitants of this town seem to live in poverty and depend on religion to give them purpose and make life more meaningful. The members of the church rationalize their practices of handling poisonous snakes simply because they consider that since they believe strongly in Christ as their savior, God would spare them pain in the ritual. Technically the town isn’t close-bounded from the rest of the nation since the inhabitants have the freedom to leave and live in an urban city. However, the rural town has some characteristics of a peasant society being personal and holistic. Appalachia is still small, isolated in the mountains, and are not racially or religiously diversified unlike a larger Industrial society.

The church members that are from the Appalachian community are tied together by the white Pentecostal religious values that they share. For that reason, the Holy Ghost community managed to fit within the Industrial society framework because the key social relationship in an Industrial society is ideology, which is defined as beliefs that support specific groups of a society. When the church members meet for service, they meet for the common purpose of praying to their God. They believe that they should go to church and pray instead of being lazy, an evidence of a Protestant ethic mindset. While they do possess stranger relationships because they are not related to each other and key relationships are nuclear families, the church members do have personal friendships with each other and have some sort of harmony because of the strong religious values that they have in common.

The Holy Ghost community’s ritualistic practice of handling poisonous snakes is comparable to the film Bisha—The Awesome Fire Test. The Holy Ghost community members speak in tongues, holds poisonous snakes, and drink strychnine because of the passage in the bible claiming that believers would not get hurt as long as it is in God’s name. The Muslims in the Bisha film, representing a tribal or band society, believe that the accused is lying if their tongue got burned from licking a hot bowl. The reason why they follow this tradition is because Moses was the first person to have undergone the fire test and according to the Koran, God had saved his tongue from burning. The Pentecostals are a protestant sect of Christianity; both Christianity and Islam are considered Abrahamic faiths. The Holy Ghost community held strongly to an old world belief system while living in an industrial setting.  The Holy Ghost community personally acknowledges God as their ultimate authority instead of Man.

The Holy Ghost community does not possess all of the characteristics of an Industrial/pre-modern society. God is the authority in their lives, they do not question the logic of the unsafe ritual, and they are in a small and rural setting. They are comparable to a tribal/band society just like how the Muslims were in another film. However the community is held together by their religious ideology and Protestant Ethic mindset. The members of the community are not directly related to each other and most likely work industrial jobs that require specialized skills rather than farming. The Holy Ghost People is evidence that when societies grow, more sub cultures emerge and create diversity within the society.

Watch the documentary:

Anthropology Review: “Malls R US”

Capitalism is authority in “Malls R US“

By Crystal Hollis | Fall 2010 | ANTH 1150 World Cultures Through Film

In the film Malls R US the Market is taking over the world, influencing human behavior, and convincing people to buy things they either need or want. While thinking globally, the Market makes continuous effort to get non-modern type societies to conform so that it can accommodate malls and shopping centers by the use of imports and exports. The Market is a living, breathing, changing presence; it became humanized in a modern-type society.  Strangers revolve around the mall for the common purpose of shopping. Malls and shopping centers are institutions that are a direct result of a modern society, where a humanized market attempts to remake the world with goals of free enterprise. People of a modern type society now find purpose in life by working and making money so that they can buy things and enjoy material objects when people of previous types sought relationships and family for purpose.

There is an art and science to influencing people to go to the mall and shop. Mall entrepreneurs use terms such as “the threshold resistance” and “customer impulse purchasing” to influence customer spending. Many accountants, marketers, and entrepreneurs in modern society get educated in business before they set out to make money. They can study human behavior, business ethics, and financial forecasts to gain a competitive edge in the market and influence people to pay for their products or services. Architects study psychology and can figure out which colors and certain shape patterns that would attract the consumer. Education, training, and expertise ultimately decide who leads the free market since having the right knowledge can help with persuading consumers. Because the expert entrepreneurs were able to persuade customers and make money, they have power and authority. They are able to influence foreign cultures to adopt the consumerist culture.

Malls can create new values and traditions, forming a consumerist culture.  Malls are able to influence people to “jump the bandwagon.” Marketing informs the consumer what material objects or services that they are lacking. A woman in the film mentioned that she dresses nicely at the mall trying to be noticed. Shopping and buying things for her pleasure did not seem to be selfish in her opinion; in pampering herself, she is “paying respect to God.”  Some people felt a personal attachment to some malls, like when some people were upset to see the closing of their local mall they grew up with. The malls that close could be found in the Dead Malls website. It is not surprising since in a modern society, the future is focused, present ignored, and past is devalued.

Other cultures and societies are being pressured into integrating modern society characteristics to their way of life. One woman in a middle-eastern country argued with her son about the mall and how she felt that she was being forced to go to the mall. Some experts are so good at marketing and attention-grabbing that they almost hypnotized the confused shopper.

Everyone—the retailers, the guards, and the shoppers—revolved around the malls with a schedule and planning.

Expertise is the authority. The mall guards enforced the retailer’s authority, insisting on the rules and regulations. People are to go to the mall to shop; if someone was doing otherwise, they are disrupting the atmosphere and the conformity.

Competition among retailers is fierce in the free enterprise economic system. The stores band together in one indoor shopping area. The arrangement of location reminds me of the phrase, “Keep your friends close and enemies closer.”

Malls R Us trailer:

 

RTVF Writing: Documentary Treatment Concept

Barbara Walters: Successful Journalist – Documentary Treatment Concept

By Crystal Hollis | Summer 2010 | RTVF 2010 Introduction to RTVF Writing

Barbara Walters: Successful Journalist

The film opens with dramatic music in the background and a clip from Barbara Walters’ 20/20 interview with Monica Lewinsky. We see Executive Producer David Sloan commenting on the interview. We see photographs and stock footage from recent times of Barbara Walters while the narrator provides a general overview about her. Barbara Walters talk about her parents and childhood. Walter’s sister Walda Anderson provides her thoughts on how Barbara coped with the deaths of their brother and sister. We see images and home videos of the family while Barbara talks about them. Then we hear the narrator talk about Walters’ personal life having married and divorced four times. Walters talk about her relationships with her ex-husbands. We see images of pages from Walters’ autobiography while the narrator talks about Walters’ previous relationships and affairs. We see footage of Walters interviewing Alan Greenspan from the show 10 Most Fascinating People while Greenspan provides some thought on their relationship. Walters’ daughter Jacqueline Danforth talks about what it is like having Barbara Walters as a mother. We see pictures of Danforth with her mother from when she was a little girl while Danforth comments on her mother’s success.

Then we see yearbook photos and graduation pictures while the narrator talk about Walters getting education in New York. Barbara Walters talks about how she became a news journalist. We see screenshots from early news tapings and images of news articles while the narrator explains how Walters working her way up and making millions of dollars. Oprah Winfrey provides her thoughts and opinions about the impact Barbara Walters made in the news media industry for women. We see footage of Walters’ coverage of the former First Lady Jackie Kennedy while the narrator explains the turning points of her career. Oprah Winfrey gives her opinions on the way Barbara Walters speaks to the audience. Whoopi Goldberg talks about Walters’ role in creating The View. Charles Gibson commenting on Walters’ significant role in the news media as a successful journalist and powerful woman. Diane Sawyer provides her opinions about Walters’ influence on the ABC news network. Barbara Walters talks about her recent open-heart surgery and her thoughts about retirement and her future plans.

Pictures:

  • Collection of private photographs and home videos from Barbara Walters and her family members in New York.
  • Stock footage, screenshots, and photographs from the ABC Network from programs such as The View, 10 Most Fascinating People, 20/20, ABC Evening News, ABC World News, and ABC News in New York.
  • Stock footage, screenshots, and photographs from the NBC Network from the program The Today Show in New York.
  • Scans of newspaper articles from the 1960s and 1970s with headlines about Barbara Walters’ successful rise in the American broadcast industry.
  • Scans of pages from Barbara Walters’ autobiography Audition.
  • Yearbook scans with pictures of Barbara Walters from Miami Beach High School class of 1947.
  • Yearbook scans with pictures of Barbara Walters from the Ethical Culture Fieldston School and Birch Walthen Lenox school in years prior to graduation class of 1947.

Locations:

  • Barbara Walters’ home in New York City
  • ABC Network studio in New York City
  • NBC Network studio in New York City
  • Barbara Walters’ family home in Boston, Massachusetts

Interviews:

  • Barbara Walters, on and off camera
  • Jacqueline Danforth (daughter), on and off camera
  • 20/20 anchor Diane Sawyer, on camera
  • Alan Greenspan, on camera
  • Walda Walters Anderson, on camera
  • 20/20 Executive Producer David Sloan, on camera
  • Oprah Winfrey, on camera
  • Charles Gibson, on camera
  • Whoopi Goldberg, on camera

Family Pizza Crisis Management recipe

Crisis Management Strategy – Concept

By Crystal Hollis | Spring 2012 | MKTG 3660 Advertising Management

I learned how to devise a strategy on how to manage a company’s crisis problem. The concept problem is that an angry parent went on YouTube and blamed a pizza restaurant for causing her children to have allergic reactions.

Powerpoint presentation: Crisis Management Strategy

Crisis Management strategy by Crystal Hollis

Family Pizza Crisis Management recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1x crisis management team (i.e. legal consultant, food allergy
  • consultant, public relations)
  • 1x Internal investigation
  • 1x YouTube Account
  • Teamwork
  • Proactive attitude

1. Diagnosis of crisis

2. Choosing the appropriate strategy

3. Implementation of strategy

4. Evaluation and monitoring

1. Diagnosis of Crisis

An angry mother created a YouTube video “Pizza Effect,” claiming that Family Pizza is responsible for an allergic reaction in her two children. She has trashed the quality of the pizza products, threatened lawsuits, and urged the public to boycott the chain of restaurants. Over 27,000 YouTube viewers has viewed the video.

2. Choosing the appropriate strategy

I) Gather Crisis Management team.

II) Contact the mother.

III) Assure the public using a YouTube video and other social network mediums.

IV) Conduct internal investigation.

V) Make it a policy to put a food allergy disclaimer in every mail ad, newspaper ad, coupon, commercial, social media profile,

V) Make it a policy to put a food allergy disclaimer in every mail ad, newspaper ad, coupon, commercial, social media profile, menu, and large posters by every cash register.

VI) Send press releases to the local paper and television news stations.

VII) Come up with new recipes that accommodates customers with a history of food allergies.

3. Implementation of strategy

• I) Gather Crisis Management team.

–Seek consultation from the restaurant Lawyer, public relations official, and Nutrition Consultants.

–Discuss crisis management plan of action and allocate jobs and method of evaluating the results of the plan of action.

• II) Contact the mother.

–Send an e-mail or phone call apologizing sincerely and offering to pay medical bills. If possible, apologize in person

(the customer most likely in the local area).

• III) Assure the public

–Create a YouTube video personally assuring the public that the food is safe to eat, customer safety is #1, and that the food is fresh and has no MSG or other additives. Also publically apologize to the angry mother.

–Encourage the public to visit the restaurant website and use the “contact us” button to send questions, concerns, and complaints of food quality or customer service.

–Post the video on Facebook and Twitter, answering as many questions and concerns as possible.

Title: Re: Pizza Effect

–YouTube video script:

“Hello. This is ____ ____, owner of Family Pizza. I would like to first and foremost apologize to Ms. _____ and her two children for their allergic reaction. I have recently gotten into contact with Ms. ______ and we will work things out together.

As owner of Family Pizza, I take these matters very seriously. We are a family-friendly environment and your safety and satisfaction is very important to us. We only use fresh ingredients with no MSG or other additives in our products . Please, if you have any complaints or concerns, click on the link on this video or visit our website and contact us. We will listen and work together to serve you well.”

• IV) Conduct an internal investigation

–Find out what triggered the allergic reactions. Find out if the food allergy disclaimer is very clear and obvious to the

customers.

• V) Make it a policy to make the food allergy disclaimer more clear and obvious to the public than it is.

–Put it in every mail ad, newspaper ad, coupon, commercial, social media website, and menu.

–Post large signs by the cash register.

• VI) Send press releases to the local paper and television news stations.

–The video with over 27,000 views would most likely gain media attention with at least the local DFW area. Send press releases notifying the public that solutions are being formed in response to the mother’s video.

• VII) Create new recipes that accommodates customers with a history of food allergies

–i.e. glutten-free pizza

4. Evaluation and Monitoring

• Discuss the results with the Crisis Management team.

• If problems continue to persist (public still angry, mother still going with the lawsuit etc.), refer back to step one. Keep trying

and remain a proactive outlook on this public relations crisis.

RTVF Writing: TV Commercial Concept and Script

“Leave Smelling Dignified” – Sample TV commercial script

By Crystal Hollis | Summer 2010 | RTVF 2010 Introduction to RTVF Writing

TARGET AUDIENCE

  • Age: 18-25
  • Gender: Male (for use) and female (to buy or give as gift)
  • Race and Ethnic Origin: Not specific
  • Education: High school graduate; not specific
  • Income: $5,000-$100,000; affordable for lower income and middle class
  • Emotion: Enthusiasm, humor, joy, lust, delight
  • Attitude: Masculinity, sex appeal, toughness

STRATEGY

The Gold Spice bath soap commercial uses a combination of sexuality, humor, and some testimonial to attract viewers. The commercial takes the stereotype of men enjoying girl-on-girl action and plays a reversal stereotype with women watching two men wrestling in the mud. Having women be attracted to the men after they shower and use the soap can convince women to buy the soap for their men and for the men to use to attract women.

CONCEPT

A group of girls are chatting with each other under umbrellas while sitting in the bleachers during a football practice. The college football team is practicing intensely in the rain. The field becomes incredibly muddy. The girls watch in excitement, as the boys get dirty. The hot, lady football coach complains to the audience about how the boys fight all the time and stink after every practice. She shouts to the team to go shower and tosses a bar of soap to a football player. As they shower, the coach comments about the effectiveness of the soap. Some football players leave the gym with some of the ladies walking with them.

  • Product: Bath Soap
  • Title: Leave smelling dignified
  • Medium: 30 second spot

View the Audio/Video Script

 

RTVF Writing: PSA Treatment

Protected Sex Public Service Announcement Treatment

By Crystal Hollis | Summer 2010 | RTVF 2010 Introduction to RTVF Writing

TITLE

Hold on a second

CONCEPT

After a nice dinner and movie, Jack and Jill stops by Jack’s apartment in his car and they start making out. They are still making out as they enter Jack’s apartment and wrestles each other all the way to Jack’s room. Before things escalate, Jack pauses time and searches his room for condoms. Realizing he doesn’t have any, he rushes to the store, bought condoms, and returned home to have sex with Jill. 

TREATMENT

Jack and Jill are laughing and talking to each other at a nice sushi restaurant. They cannot keep their eyes off each other. Next they are sitting next to each other at the movies. Jill grabs his hand during a frightening scene and startles Jack. They look at each other and start making out. Then after the movie is over, Jack pulls in to his apartment’s drive way and they both make out passionately in the car. They continue making out with each other while walking into Jack’s apartment. Jill becomes steamy as she pushes Jack into his sofa. They make out some more with Jill on top of Jack, unbuttoning his shirt. They continue to make out heading into Jack’s room with Jill throwing Jack’s shirt to the ground. Jack takes Jill’s shirt off with her bra and undershirt still on. Jack “pauses” time. Jill and everything else in the room are frozen and cannot move. Jack searches his pockets, around his room, and apartment. He scratches his head. The shirtless Jack drives to the convenience store down the street. He bought condoms and thanks the frozen store clerk. He returns to his apartment with Jill still frozen. He put some condoms in his pocket and returns to his position. He jokingly pokes at Jill’s breasts that were dangling out and “unpauses” time.

Film Analysis: Emmerich’s “2012”

2012 the Movie: Mediation and Industry context

By Crystal Hollis | Spring 2011 | RTVF 3610: Film and TV Analysis

When Hollywood mixes cataclysm with big budget special effects in a film, it is already anticipated to be an example of the event movie. With well-known movie stars like John Cusack and Danny Glover as well as a disaster film director like Roland Emmerich thrown into the picture, Columbia pictures expected and certainly accomplished making big money off of the film 2012. 2012 is a disaster film following the adventures and struggles of a middle-class family as they rush to survive while the Earth is enduring a phenomenon called “Earth-Crust displacement.” The family witnessed monstrous earthquakes in Los Angeles, the eruption of the super volcano in Yellowstone, and rode on expensive ships while surviving continent-destroying tsunamis. The film industry is essentially communicating with the audience by encoding their messages in the film and giving it to the audience for them to decode and interpret. Roland Emmerich and Columbia Pictures used the big budget disaster concept to shape 2012 not only for fulfilling profitable goals but also environmental goals, therefore causing specific choices to be made in the production and marketing of the film. 2012 is a product of the film industry that is also a meaningful, mediated text invoking responses and emotions from the audience.

 2012 follows the event movie strategy, which is a “central risk-reducing strategy for films” (Jockel 84), in order to reach the goals of profitability. The event movie such as 2012 depends on high-concept marketing, presold property, and certain production elements. The popular hype that the end of the world will occur on December 21st, 2012 is considered as a presold property itself. Columbia Pictures used high concept marketing tactics, toying around with the 2012 idea by creating false websites and a fake lottery system (Farewell Atlantis, The IHC). The false websites tricks the audience, mediating reality to a level where the audience feels involved because it is something that could happen in the future. The audience becomes involved and loses touch of reality for a short amount of time and the film seizes their attention. Marketing tactics is ultimately “fundamental to the very construction of the high concept film” (Wyatt 23) which is why the choices of making fake websites and exploiting a controversial conspiracy theory are crucial to the mediated development of 2012.

The choice of cast and inventive production techniques are also results of the film industry’s desire to make money. Jockel and Dobler wrote that the event movie “place a huge emphasis on certain production values such as technological innovations (special effects), elaborate sets, and stars” (Jockel 85). This is the same behavior stressed by Columbia Pictures. Mind-blowing CGI effects were emphasized to display the disaster of the apocalypse. John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Danny Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Woody Harrelson were the stars in the film; even if the audiences do not recognize their names, they would certainly recognize their faces from other films. The use of star power and CGI effects impacts the audience by luring them to watch the film.

The signature authorship of Roland Emmerich plays a huge part in the condition of 2012. When Emmerich said in an interview that he cares for the planet and wish to show it “by destroying how beautiful it is” (Access Hollywood), he is hoping to accomplish the goal of getting the audience to value the environment. This can explain why he chose to make destructive films in the past. Any big budget epic film with Roland Emmerich’s name attached to it is almost expected to be a profitable blockbuster. There are some elements from Emmerich’s previous films he directed such as Independence Day, Godzilla, and The Day After Tomorrow that is familiar in 2012. Emmerich’s individual style may include the use of “multiple stories” being accounted during a disaster; the audience follows the struggle of different characters that might be completely unrelated in the beginning but unite towards the end. Emmerich had said in his interview with Access Hollywood that he was always interested in writing multiple characters in his movies. The audience becomes emotionally involved with the different characters, therefore losing touch of reality mediated by the film.  Once the characters (or humanity in general) are finally united in the end of the film, they all have the hope to survive. This pattern of human division, then unity, while at the mercy of the destructive environment puts a unique “Emmerich stamp” on the film and helps explain why 2012 is very similar to Emmerich’s previous disaster films.

Hidden messages can also be decoded by the audience and may be the reason why Roland Emmerich made certain decisions as he wrote and directed the film. Emmerich expressed in his interview that compared to his other disaster movies, 2012 presents an apocalyptic scenario where “there is nothing (man) can do about it” (Access Hollywood). Therefore Emmerich’s message in the film can be interpreted that humans are really at the mercy of the planet and when the “end” approaches, there is really no choice in the matter. 2012 also contemplates with the idea of “survival of the richest.” Even if the human beings possess a trait necessary for survival, he or she still dies while the richest human survives by paying his or her for safety. An example in the film is when the Indian physicist that discovered the changes in the Earth’s crust didn’t survive despite the fact that he is probably smarter than most of the rich people that survived. Emmerich had said in his interview with Access Hollywood of how there could be people, such as the Government, that may know for sure that the world is coming to an end and he presents with the question of whether or not it is moral to tell people the truth. The concept of survival of the richest and the morality of keeping 2012 a secret can explain why the people in 2012 that do survive the apocalypse are mostly super rich and high class. Back in 2009 when 2012 was debuted, the world was in the height of the recession. The gap between the rich and the poor widens and while the “boat is sinking,” the poor is sacrificed for the survival of the rich. Emmerich may have also intentionally put that concept in the film as a social commentary in order for the audience to think and dwell on the issue that they were experiencing at the time. The similarity between the “world” of 2012 and the Real helps generate a thin mediation between the two realities especially when the movie occurs at a date in the near upcoming future in the Real.  His concealed messages serve to assist in him accomplishing his goals of convincing the audience to appreciate their humanity and environment.

The hidden social and environmental goals that belong to the authorship of Roland Emmerich and the obvious marketing goals that belong to Columbia Pictures help explain why 2012 was constructed with specific elements. Marketing is important to the development of the film as an event movie and so the industry used fake websites and lottery systems, as well as star power and innovative CGI effects to lure audiences to watch the film. But there is meaning in the film that is generated by the authorship of Emmerich; he hopes to get the audience to think about the environment and social issues that were impacting the audience at the time the movie came out. Understanding the goals of both the author and the industry and why they chose to make their decisions will help the audience decode messages and differentiate the thin difference between the mediated apocalyptic reality of the film and the real world.

References

  • Wyatt, Justin. “Construction of the Image and the High Concept Style.” High Concept. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1994.

International Media Programming

Media Programming in the International Marketplace

By Crystal Hollis | Fall 2012 | RTVF 4420 Media Programming

The global trading of television formats and programs

The market place of Television spans on a global scale. The 1990s and early 2000s saw an increase of the international trade of television formats (Chalaby 45). Programs are created in a primary country and exported to another country to take advantage of global sales opportunities. International Syndicators negotiate cash and barter time in exchange for the local distributors and networks to air a program (Eastman 236).

American and International partners are now teaming up to produce a program to lower costs while maximizing profits. For example, an American television network has to abide by employment laws and hire a certain number of talent and production crew members in the country where production is taken place (Eastman 237). Doing so strategically will help yield high return on investment since cost would be low and profits would be high. The foreign networks also benefit from shooting programs in their own countries by sharing rights and revenue with the primary country. Networks in different countries have to sign contracts for the licensing rights to air a similar program (Hoskins 500).

Ultimately, television networks have become globalized brands. United States cable and broadcast networks such as FOX, MTV, The Discovery Channel, and CNN have different divisions throughout the world (Eastman 238). American news networks such as CNN and Fox News Corporation will have to compete against other news networks such as France 24, Russia Today, Al Jazeera, NHK World, and BBC World News. BBC World News is being broadcast in more than 200 countries with an estimated weekly audience of 74 million (BBC World News). The globalization of television networks is a consequence of satellite television and the internet because the audience can watch programs outside their local area.

International Television Format trading 2006-2008 Source

“Super Formats” and Niche market

The international trading of programs made by network television and distributors is most common in first world countries. Reality programs such as game shows and makeover shows are the top most profitable while scripted dramas and Spanish telenovelas are developing (international-television.org). According to a 2009 report by the International Television Expert Group, the United Kingdom has the most number of successful exported television formats worldwide. The United States is second, followed by the Netherlands and Argentina. Programs such as Survivor (1992), Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (1998), Big Brother (1999), and Pop Idol(2001) are internationally recognized. These programs are sometimes referred to as “super formats” not only because there are so many local adaptations but also because these formats have proven profitable when offered as local programming (Chalaby 37).

The U.K. and U.S. dominate the international trade of television programming because of a concept called “cultural discount.” Because western countries have a very similar culture, it appeals to the localized audience (Hoskins 500). Some countries reach a specific segment of the market. The South American telenovelas reach the Spanish-speaking Hispanic market while Japanese anime reaches children and young adults. Between 2006 and 2008, over 400 formats led to 1,200 adaptations in 57 countries (Chalaby 37). The number of traded programs and formats continue to grow as companies remain to invest in the international marketplace.

The United States

The United States has many exported programs and formats. The British broadcasts Law & Order UK (2009), adapted after the American Law & Order (1990) franchise. The British released Geordie Shore (2011), two years after Jersey Shore (2009) was aired. Some programs from the U.S. are adapted in other countries but the title does not change. International versions of Jeopardy!(1964), Wheel of Fortune (1975) and The Apprentice (2004) can be found in Japan, U.K., Russia, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Argentina, and many other countries.

The British released Geordie Shore in 2011, two years after the American’s Jersey Shore premiered.

 

While some American formats and programs were successful, others didn’t sell well in the localized market. In 2005, the middle-east released an Arabic version of The Simpsons (1989) called Al Shamsoon (2005). The series was dubbed, the characters were renamed to common Arabic names, and some elements were edited out such as no mention of alcohol and pork (Shaviv). While the cartoon series was successful in the American market, Al Shamsoon had low ratings and was cancelled a year later (The Simpsons Wiki).The cultural differences are a huge factor in the success of an exported program— if the local market did not identify with the characters and the situations then it will not succeed.

Approaches to distributing foreign programs

When American networks and distributors import a program or format from another country, four different choices are offered when distributing to the localized American audience:

  • Provide the program uncut in its original format
  • Add subtitles
  • Use voice-overs
  • re-create the format as an adaptation

Decisions to distribute a program or format depend on the type of program and the target audience. Most uncut foreign programs are in English and will have little to no editing. Most foreign programs in different languages other than English will either have subtitles or dubbing. Almost all children’s programming will have dubbing because most children cannot read yet (Eastman 236).

The most common approach is to adapt a foreign format. Most of the time, networks will create an American version for the target audience to identify with the characters and situations. The ABC Network adapted the popular Spanish telenovela, Yo Soy Betty, la fea (1999), into Ugly Betty(2006). While the Colombian/Venezuelan partnered version presented Betty in a political criticism sense, the American version presented Betty to promote self-esteem and fight stereotyping (Akass). Thematic difference are common when programs are adapted. Sometimes it attracts the audience; decisions are made based on the target market. Ugly Betty was so successful in the U.S. that it influenced the American Spanish language network Telefutura to broadcast the original Yo Soy Betty, la fea to the Hispanic-American market. The new Hispanic network MundoFox aims to air Yo Soy Betty, la fea with the intention of making the soap opera the Hispanic equivalent of ‘I love Lucy‘ (Baysinger).

 

            

Ugly Betty was so successful in the U.S. that it influenced the American Spanish language network Telefutura to broadcast the original Yo Soy Betty, la fea to the Hispanic-American market.

 

However, not all imports are successful; just as some American programs did not succeed abroad, some global programs may not thrive in America. It depends on the audience identifying with the characters and concept. In Israel, the comedy program Ramzor (2008) was successful domestically but when FOX network broadcasted an American adaptation called Traffic Light(2011), the program got cancelled after one season. The premiere attracted a 1.9 rating but continued to fall 13 episodes later, the lowest rating 0.9 (TV Series Finale). American television networks continue to release adapted formats with reality television the most common followed by scripted drama.

Television face challenges with the Internet

Because of the internet, foreign networks are looking for cost effective ways to reach the market. Contract deals with online distributors such as Netflix and Hulu enable international distributors to air their uncut, original programs online for the global audience. American anime fans used to wait at least a year for a program to distribute in America; now they can visit Hulu to watch shows such as Naruto Shippuden (2007) an hour after it airs in Japan (Hulu). The online distribution of foreign programs helps decrease online piracy and maximized profits for foreign syndicators. However this takes away potential revenue from domestic distributors who, ten years ago, would’ve profited from imports. The question still remains on how distributors and networks will thrive while competing against international competitors.

 

Conclusion

Television networks and distributors have revenue potential from reaching the globalized target market. Programs are created in a domestic country or sometimes created in partnership with a network from another country to help lower costs and maximize profits. News networks from around the world compete against each other to present news to the globalized audience using satellite television and the internet. Many traded shows are uncut, subtitled, dubbed, or adapted for the localized audience to view. Television networks no longer have to strike a deal with a foreign distributor to reach foreign audiences; the target audience can now go online to view their favorite foreign programs. The television marketplace is no longer small and localized…it is now massive and globalized. Competitors have to find new ways to compete in the globalized marketplace.

References 

“About BBC World News TV.” BBC News. BBC Global News Ltd., 04 July 2011. Web. 12 Nov. 2012 <http://www.bbc.co.uk.news/world-radio-and-tv-12957296&gt;.

Akass, Kim, and Janet McCabe. “Not So Ugly: Local Production, Global Franchise, Discursive Femininities, and the Ugly Betty Phenomenon.” FlowTV (2007): n. pag. Web. 11 Nov 2012. <http://flowtv.org/2007/01/not-so-ugly-local-production-global-franchise-discursive-femininities-and-the-ugly-betty-phenomenon/&gt;.

“Al-Shamshoon.” Simpsons Wiki. Web. <http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Al-shamshoon&gt;.

Baysinger, Tim. “Upfronts 2012: MundoFox Looks to Break the Hispanic Network Mold.” Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media, LLC, 16 May 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2012.

Chalaby, Jean K. “At the Origin of a Global Industry: The TV Format Trade as an Anglo-American Invention.” Sage Journals 34 (2012): 36-52. Media Culture and Society. Jan. 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://mcs.sagepub.com/content/34/1/36&gt;.

Eastman, Susan Tyler., and Douglas A. Ferguson. “Chapter 6: Syndication for Stations, Cable, and Online.” Media Programming: Strategies and Practices.9th ed. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, 2013. N. pag. Print.

Hoskins, C., and R. Mirus. “Reasons for the US Dominance of the International Trade in Television Programmes.” Media, Culture & Society 10.4 (1988): 499-504. Print.

“International TV Format Trading & Most Successful TV Formats around the World.” International TV Format Trading & Most Successful TV Formats around the World. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://www.international-television.org/tv_market_data_international-tv-format-ranking-and-trading_2006-2008.html&gt;.

“Naruto Shippuden.” Naruo Shippuden. Animax / TV Tokyo. Tokyo, Japan, 2007. Hulu. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://www.hulu.com/naruto-shippuden&gt;.

Shaviv, Miriam A. “The Simpsons’ vs. the ‘Al Shamsoons” www.JPost.com. N.p., 23 Oct. 2005. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.jpost.com/ArtsAndCulture/Entertainment/Article.aspx?id=2642&gt;.

“Traffic Light: New FOX Sitcom Cancelled; No Season Two.” TV Series Finale. N.p., 11 May 2011. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/traffic-light-canceled-season-two-19873/&gt;.

Cherry-picking copyright battles? Bethesda and Nuka Break

RTVF 4450 Web 2.0: Theory, Research, Uses, & Effects | Blog Post

Spring 2013

Cherry-picking copyright battles? Bethesda and Nuka Break

By Crystal J. Hollis

With all of the copyright infringement lawsuits, the war on “piracy,” and the constant lobbying for stricter control of the internet, one could easily make an assumption that all corporations making the big bucks want to bring down the little guy for making a video with their precious copyrighted content. What about the companies that just choose to ignore the legality of fan creations?

An example would be Bethesda Softworks LLC. They produced successful video game franchises such as the Fallout series and Elder Scrolls series. In January 2011, Wayside Creations released a high quality fan-film called Fallout: Nuka Break. Co-founders Zach Finfrock and Vincent Talenti were independent filmmakers who participated in Indy Mogul, a podcast/vlog series with do-it-yourself filmmaking tutorials and impressive fan videos. As of today, Nuka Breakhas over 2.3 million views on YouTube. Wayside posted disclaimers in the beginning of the film as well in the description tab,

“Fallout: Nuka Break is a non-profit fan film made by Fallout fans. Please don’t sue us. We don’t have any money. Really, like none. On a side note, Fallout: New Vegas is out. Check it out!
Fallout and all related things are TM and © Bethesda Softworks LLC, a ZeniMax Media company.”

Most fan-films are generally non-profit. Fans create fan-films for other fans as a way to express appreciation for the original content. Usually filmmakers can get away with fan-films as long as they met the legal requirements for Fair Use.Nuka Break can be viewed as a parody because of the humorous moments in the film. The fan-film has generated enough viewership to inspire Wayside Creations to create a web series, generally 7-10 minutes long. Each video during the first season generated viewership ranging between 500,000-1,000,000 on YouTube and Wayside is currently working on season 2. Even though they made the disclaimer that the film is non-profit, I can still see the YouTube pop-up ads on the video. Someone is making money off of the fan-film. YouTube? Wayside? Bethesda?

Last year, Bethesda Softworks and their parent company ZeniMax have had a messy legal battle with Interplay for copyright infringement. Interplay, the original creator of the Fallout video game series, wanted to create a new Fallout game that has an online multi-player feature. Bethesda, the current owner of the franchise, won the lawsuit and clarified that they own all the rights to the Fallout franchise. They seem to mean business, right?

You know what is ironic? I first found out about Nuka Break on the official Fallout Facebook page. Bethesda had nothing to do with Wayside Creation’s fan-film except for the fact that they own the original property the film is based upon. Bethesda has a habit of sharing fan creations on their social media outlets.

There are many fan-films on YouTube that are based on Bethesda’s properties. Some videos enabled the YouTube advertisement option when it is only reserved for content where the user has the legal right to make revenue. Is it possible that Bethesda does not view fan-films as a threat to their enterprise? Do they choose to ignore the minor details and appreciate fan creations for what it was? Do they view fan creations as “free advertising?” Does Wayside have Bethesda’s permission to profit from the fan-film? Is it another one of YouTube’s technical errors?

Maybe it is all of the above. In summer 2012, Wayside Creations launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for season two. They met their original goal of $60,000 ahead of the deadline. Then Chris Avellone, senior designer of Fallout New Vegas, and Tim Cain, lead programmer of Fallout 1, both agreed to help Wayside with pre-production if they managed to double the goal before the deadline. Fans were ecstatic at the news and not only did they meet the second goal, but they managed to raise $130,000, way beyond the intended amount. The Kickstarter campaign page mentioned that Avellone and Cain are in fact fans of the fan-series. Two member creators of the original content are actually fans of a fan produced project based on their creation. How cool is that?

We might see more of this kind of collaboration between media companies and their fans in the future. Bethesda might just understand how today’s digital culture work. Or maybe it is a marketing and public relations tool to get viewers to constantly think about the company’s brand. Maybe it just subconsciously happens. No longer will it be about fans consuming producers’ content; there will be an on-going conversation between the producers and the consumers that appreciate the work.

 

References:

http://waysidecreations.com/about-us/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103673352

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/bethesda-settles-all-fallout-ip-related-lawsuits/

http://www.youtube.com/user/indymogul

http://www.youtube.com/user/waysidecreations

Social Media at UNT

With all of the copyright infringement lawsuits, the war on “piracy,” and the constant lobbying for stricter control of the internet, one could easily make an assumption that all corporations making the big bucks want to bring down the little guy for making a video with their precious copyrighted content. What about the companies that just choose to ignore the legality of fan creations?

An example would be Bethesda Softworks LLC. They produced successful video game franchises such as the Fallout series and Elder Scrolls series. In January 2011, Wayside Creations released a high quality fan-film called Fallout: Nuka Break. Co-founders Zach Finfrock and Vincent Talenti were independent filmmakers who participated in Indy Mogul, a podcast/vlog series with do-it-yourself filmmaking tutorials and impressive fan videos. As of today, Nuka Break has over 2.3 million views on YouTube. Wayside posted disclaimers in the beginning of the film as well in…

View original post 628 more words

Web 2.0: Slacktivism

RTVF 4450 Web 2.0: Theory, Research, Uses, & Effects | Blog Post

Spring 2013

Slacktivism: Good or Bad?

By Crystal J. Hollis

Slacktivism, a combination of “Slacker” and “Activism,” is defined as a phenomenon where people do a certain action with little to no effort for the purpose of making one feel satisfaction. Slacktivist actions include changing a Facebook profile photo to a certain picture, sharing or re-blogging a message, liking a Facebook page, and signing a petition. Slacktivism has some negative criticism. According to the UNAIDS Outlook Report July 2010, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS described Slacktivists as “posits that people who support a cause by performing simple measures are not truly engaged or devoted to making a change.” Many people do not equate actual advocating with sharing hashtags on Twitter.

Today we live in a well connected world through social media. It is easy to dismiss Slacktivism as a lazy and feel-good attempt to support a cause without doing any actual effort. But is there really more to it than people perceive it to be? Social media makes it easier for people to communicate around the world. Information that wouldn’t have made traditional news are being spread by wildfire on places like 4chan and Tumblr. Spreading awareness of an issue is better than not doing anything at all. Jumping the bandwagon is certainly how grassroots movements are built; if three in every four people have not heard of a cause or an issue, how will it ever get support? Slacktivism is older than social media. All people would have to do is say they support a cause and then they are set. Some people may argue that praying or meditating is sort of a form of Slacktivism; it doesn’t mean they don’t care enough to actually pick up the shovel to help remove the oil from the Gulf, it just means that the Gulf oil spill is on their mind and they pray to their deity that things will get better.

When the Occupy Movement grew in 2011, the message was spread throughout the internet and solidarity grew significantly. The movement practically grew worldwide overnight. There was no clear and concise mission or purpose for the movement, but everyone mobilized, raised their fists, and protested all the problems they currently face. People anywhere in the United States and abroad could join their local Occupy camps. If they couldn’t do that, they could “occupy” at home, printing out flyers and yard signs for the neighbors to see. Occupying at home are not be the same thing as participating in actual Occupy camps and facing police riots and arrests. It may even be something of a feel-good measure. But at least the Slacktivist is in solidarity with the cause. Every little bit of support helps, not hinder a cause. If voters weren’t in solidarity with the civil rights movement of the 1960s, minorities in America would still struggle trying to get the separate but equal laws off the books.

I admit I have done Slacktivist activities before. I’m a Slacktivist for marriage equality, women’s rights, minority rights, against animal brutality, against the Keystone Tar sands initiative, and many other things. I do not usually give my time or money for the different causes. Does it mean I never try? I do not always have the time or money to participate. I would like to donate my blood to help the Boston Marathon explosion or the West, Texas explosion survivors, but the last time I tried to give blood I was rejected because my veins are too small. I would like to march in Washington D.C. and advocate for gay marriage or gun ownership responsibility or for a woman’s right to choose, but today I have to go to school, do homework, and go to sleep early so I can work my minimum wage job all day. No matter how little or how much one has been involved, participating and advocating for a cause one is passionate about is always something to feel good about. There is nothing wrong with being one out of many people willing to say “look, I may not do much, but I’m with these people and I care about these issues.”

Social Media at UNT

Slacktivism, a combination of “Slacker” and “Activism,” is defined as a phenomenon where people do a certain action with little to no effort for the purpose of making one feel satisfaction. Slacktivist actions include changing a Facebook profile photo to a certain picture, sharing or re-blogging a message, liking a Facebook page, and signing a petition. Slacktivism has some negative criticism. According to the UNAIDS Outlook Report July 2010, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS described Slacktivists as “posits that people who support a cause by performing simple measures are not truly engaged or devoted to making a change.” Many people do not equate actual advocating with sharing hashtags on Twitter.

Today we live in a well connected world through social media. It is easy to dismiss Slacktivism as a lazy and feel-good attempt to support a cause without doing any actual effort. But is there really more to…

View original post 535 more words