BCM111 The Refection of an Adventure!

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, 2012.

So once again another semester of blog posting is coming to a close, this time for BCM111, and I have to say second semester has definitely felt like quite an eye opening journey. I felt like Bill Bo Baggins from the film, The Hobbit (2012) screaming I’m going on an adventure!

At the beginning of International and Media Studies, I was not sure what to expect, but since then I feel that through second semester, a veil has been lifted and I have learnt so much about how the different international countries can influence each other through globalisation and hybridity. With how music, particularly Hip Hop, has integrated and influenced many internationally – especially through Samoan Hip Hop dancing. How through transnational films, especially wuxia/ martial art East Asian films can become Americanised when remade – for example ‘The Seven Samurai’ (1954) and its American remake, ‘The Magnificent Seven’. (1960) It is also awesome how East Asian martial art films have also had their own impact on American films and televisions as well – like “The Transporter” (2002), “Kill Bill” (2003), and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997).

What was also interesting, was how humour and other television shows that originate in one country, may or may not have an equal success as a remake in another country. To realise that humour is very different globally, that though a show like “Kath and Kim” was considered a great comedy hit in Australia, it had a different response from the American Audience when remade and Americanised.

Last but not least, what also had an impact this semester was how much as an audience and reader of mass media we can be blindfolded by the media to what is happening internationally because it may not be considered news worthy.

Overall the journey through this subject has been awesome, and to think it’s just the mid-point for the next two years left of my study at UOW! Time to see where the next part of the journey starts…farewell BCM111!

Climate Change, Media, and the Voices that should be Heard!

In our week nine lecture we learnt about Global crisis, when it comes to climate change and the media.

It was revealed to us about how the media, when talking about Global warming, focus on scientists’ opinions and evidence that they have accumlated about the issue of climate change. In the reading, ‘Journalism ethics and climate change reporting in a period of intense media uncertainty’, Bud Ward explains this by saying:

“So instead of the over-simplified notion of providing ‘balance’ in reporting on news involving differing perspectives, journalists increasingly, and rightly, take their clues from the leading and acknlowledged scientific experts when it comes to the facts and causes of global climate change. That means, in effect, reporting as a given- until science show otherwise – that warming of the Earth actually is occuring…” (Ward, B 2009, p14)

So because we are only getting the scientific evidence of climate change, this then in turn causes what Ward explains as ‘false balance’ where we, as an audience, only are given scientific judgement, as Ward also highlights. (Ward, B 2009, p14)

So what about the people/ places that are actually being highly effected by Climate change?

In lecture, a place that was brought to our intention that is suffering fromglobal warming was the Pacific Island, Kiribati. It was revealed that though there is low carbon emmissions, Kiribati is sinking into the Pacific Ocean. The result of this is suffering from floods, erosion, roads destroyed – and history ultimately in risk of being lost.

In a recent article by Phillip Ross from the blog, International Science Times, Ross reveals about Kiribati’s president, Anote Tong’s idea of building floating lily pads cities, with the help of Tokyo Company, Shimizu Corp – which if succeeded will ensure the future of Kiribati.

Ross explains this by saying:

“Tong wants to turn Kiribati into a state of floating “Lilly Pad” cities. The President is working with Shimizu Corp, a Tokyo – based construction company, to come up with blueprints for the worlds first floating Country.” (Ross, P 2013)

Overall we need to consider both sides of the issue of Climate Change, though in my opinion the people that are actually in the middle of Global Change deserve to have more of a voice!

 

References:

Ross, P 2013, ‘Kiribati President To Build Floating ‘Lily Pad’ Cities To Save Pacific Islands’ Inhabitants From Rising Sea’, International Science Times, accessed 29/9/13

Ward, B 2009, ‘Journalism ethics and climate change reporting in a period of intense media uncertainty’, Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics, Vol.9, pp13-15

New Media or Old Media? What is considered Newsworthy?

In week eight we were given insight into what is considered newsworthy by the old media and new media.

At the beginning of the lecture we were asked what form of media we mainly get our news from. Some raised their hands to say they read the newspaper and watch the television to keep updated in what’s happening nationally globally (Old media) – but the majority of the people within the lecture raised their hands to say they found their news through the internet for example social media links that lead to breaking news nationally and internationally. What was interesting with that survey in lecture was to find out that new media (finding news through social media, blogs, online newspapers, etc) is considered to be a more desirable way to watch and read about national and international news.

In the reading, ‘News Values: An Assessment of News Priorities Through a comparative Analysis of Arab Spring Anniversary Coverage’ Peter Lee-Wright explained that only particular news stories, that are international will make it into old media, newspapers and television news if it is a story that would ultimately effect readers, which in turn would therefore make them newsworthy. An example Lee-Wright mentioned was news about the US withdrawing from Iraq and the Philippine floods that was considered more news worthy to domestic television and newspapers than what was happening in Syria and in Egypt in 2011, saying:

“You would not have known it from the following day’s print Guardian, which did not run the piece, nor from other UK newspapers, none which marked the anniversary on any of their front page leads or subsidiary leads. Domestic TV News, BBC and ITN, did not feel the Anniversary newsworthy with the US withdrawal from Iraq and the Philippine floods taking precedence.” (Lee-Wright, P 2012, pp2-3)

In favour of new media Lee-Wright also revealed that Harlow and Johnson from the International Journal of Communication, 2011 special edition, proved that online news through citizen journalism blogs and Twitter feeds were more in-depth with their news on the Egyptian protests compared to the marginalised structure of a newspaper.

“They found that the new media were much more attuned to the character and complexity of the evolving protests, whereas the New York Times, representing old media, was reliant on a tired and inadequate ‘protest paradigm’.” (Lee-Wright, P 2012, p3)

So overall, what would you consider newsworthy, and do you believe that domestic television and newspapers should widen their spectrum in what they believe is newsworthy?

Reference:

Lee-Wright, P 2012, ‘News Values: An Assessment of News Priorities Through a Comparative Analysis of Arab Spring Anniversary Coverage’, JOMEC Journal, Goldsmith College, University of London.

Global Success of Television re-makes – Very Elementary BCM111

Elementary, 2012 – CBS

BBC’s Sherlock, 2010.

In lecture and tutorial week seven we learnt about television shows in a global context, about how comedy shows like Kath and Kim (Australia) and The Office (UK) have been remade in America. What was brought up was whether remaking these shows was successful or not, and that different countries have different tastes and opinions when it comes to comedy.

For this post today I’d like to step aside from the comedy and talk about other television shows that have been a success in one country, and also successfully remade in a different global context. Specifically I will be talking about the UK’s BBC, Sherlock, 2010, and the Americanised remake, Elementary, 2012.

With BBC’s Sherlock, Bennedict Cumberbatch plays Sherlock Holmes, and Martin Freeman portrays Watson. Sherlock is a modernised show that follows closely to Conan Doyle’s books on the well-loved detective. The modernised take of this show finds Holmes in the 21^st century, and Watson, still a doctor – who served in the Afghan War. (IMBD, 2010)

Writer Steven Moffat, who is also the writer for Doctor Who, describes Sherlock Holmes stories that relate to the show saying:

“Conan Doyle’s Stories were never about frock coats and gas light; they’re about brilliant detection, dreadful villains and blood-curdling crimes – and frankly, to hell with the crinoline. Other detectives have cases, Sherlock Holmes has adventures, and that’s what matters.” (Moffat, S 2013)

Now, in the remake of Sherlock, the US show Elementary, Holmes and other characters are perceived very differently. The adaptation of the show challenges the discourse of Conan Doyle’s stories, making the storyline very much Americanised. This is done by the setting taking place in New York, with Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) consultant (For NYPD) and recovering addict and Joan Watson (Lucy Lui) who is his sober companion and an ex surgeon. Together they help Captain Gregson/ NYPD solve crimes. (Ten, 2013) The cooler twist to this show is that Moriarty ends up being a female as well – Holmes’s missing girlfriend thought to be killed by Moriarty.

As you can see between the two successful shows, one keeping to the stories, the other Americanised – on a global context the US adaptation worked well as it fitted and was able to be well received globally with a fresh take on the famous Sherlock Holmes.

References:

BBC 2013, About: ‘Sherlock’, accessed, 15/9/13, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018ttws/features/about

IMBD 2010, ‘Sherlock’, accessed 12/9/13, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1475582/plotsummary?ref_=tt_stry_pl

Ten, 2013, About: ‘Elementary’, accessed, 15/9/13, http://ten.com.au/tvshows/elementary-about.htm

BBC Sherlock

CBS Elementary

Hybridity of Martial Arts/ Wuxia International films

Bruce lee in Fists of Fury, (1971)

This week in lecture and tutorial transnational films and hybridity in global films were discussed.

In the tutorial what I found interesting was the idea of hybridity in films. How western influences can be found within an eastern film, also how eastern influences – especially through martial arts, is brought into many Hollywood films as well!

Having grown up watching awesome martial art films, such as Bruce Lee’s ‘Fists of Fury’, and ‘Enter the Dragon; also Jackie Chan in ‘Shanghai Noon’ and ‘Shanghai Knights’ these are just some of many hybrid films made for Eastern and Western Audiences.

In this weeks reading: ‘Problematizing Chindia’, Shaefer and Karan talk about the hybridity of martial art films saying:

“Much has been written about the potential of hybridized Asian contra-flows to positively impact the global film trade, particularly with respect to the East Asian film industries of Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan, which collectively have grossed hundreds of millions in the US through the films of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Ang lee, and Yimou Zhang.” (Shaefer, D & Karan, K 2010, p310)

They also went on to quote Curtin (2007: 287) revealing that East Asian filmmakers have been very successful in making movies with Wuxia storylines and Martial Arts sequences that have become very popular internationally.

Wuxia narrative films as mentioned above are really cool and definitely play a big part in the hybridity of martial art films.

Michallet Romero describes the term Wuxia as a story of a swords master, who travels on a journey, and is viewed as a hero. With superhuman strengths, kung fu and t’ai chi; these films are based on protagonists, where sometimes there is a second character who may end up being the protagonists mentor. (Romero Michallet, L 2003) Examples of Wuxia films are Bruce Lee’s “Fists of Fury’ and as brought up in lecture ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon’.

Romero also reveals that televisions show’s such as 90’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer is considered a hybridized western take on wuxia as well!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, (1997-2003)

As you can see these hybrid martial art films are pretty cool, they are also one of the reasons I studied martial arts when I was younger too!

Fists of Fury 1971, Golden Harvest Company, Hong Kong

References:

Romero, L 2003, ‘The Origin of the Hong Kong Martial Arts Movie Genres and it’s Influence on the American Television and Movie Industry’, Whoosh Online Edition, Issue No.84, accessed 5/9/13, http://whoosh.org/issue84/romero1.html

Schaefer D & Karan, K 2010, Problematizing Chindia: ‘Hybridity and Bollywoodization of popular Indian cinema in global film flows’, Global Media and Communication, Sage Publications.

Film Industry: Media Emergence between America and China

Iron Man 3, (Marvel 2013)
What does this film have to do with my post this week? Read on to find out!

In lecture this week we discovered the emergence of Hong Kong music and television, an example being Kantopop, which is also influenced by western music.

Doing further reading about Chinese popular culture, I found out more on the Chinese film industry as well.

In Michael Curtin’s, ‘Comparing Media Capitals: Hong Kong and Mumbai’, he talks about how strict the Chinese media is in what films they let people watch.

He explains this saying:

“Chinese media on the other hand is held close by a state apparatus that fears criticism, democracy, and populism, as well as a host of ‘cultural contaminants’ that include on-screen depictions of horror, violence and sexuality.” (Curtin, M 2010)

Though the above statement may be true, I would like to enlighten you all to how the film industry in Hollywood is becoming more integrated with the film industry in China.

After reading a pretty awesome article by Buzz Feed, I found it very interesting to find out that more movies were being filmed and produced by Chinese companies working along side America. (Hollywood) For example DMG Entertainment from China produced Iron Man 3.

Iron Man in China!
Photo from, imnotobsessed.com

Jordan Zakarin from Buzz Feed also revealed that though censorship is still strict, Hollywood are now shooting extra scenes for movies so they can be viewed in China, so some films now have an American cut and China cut for a movie.

“While American movie audiences won’t be seeing special cuts made for these movies made specifically for the Chinese audience, there’s a chance that the influence of censors will impact the initial plans for films. In a complex global environment, that could impact any number of genres and storylines.” (Zarkarin, J 2013, Buzz feed)

Going back to what was discussed in lecture, this therefore has significant proof that through globalisation both west and east media now have a great influence on each other.

This in my opinion is pretty cool, as two Countries come together to make the film industry even more awesome for the future!

References:

Curtin, M 2010, Comparing Media Capitals: ‘Hong Kong and Mumbai’, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA, accessed 30/8/13

Zarkarin, J 2013, Buzz Feed,  ‘How Hollywood’s Obsession with China May Change Movies Forever’, accessed 30/8/13, http://www.buzzfeed.com/jordanzakarin/how-hollywoods-obsession-with-china-may-change-movies-foreve

For Further interest, read the Buzz Feed article, and check out the international trailer of Iron Man 3 below, which reveals extra parts of the Chinese cut of the film!

Hip Hop – Show me how you Pop, Lock and Break!

This week we learnt about Hip Hop – about its origins, gangsta rap, Mcing, breaking, popping and locking.

You Got Served!
(2004 Sony Pictures)

The lecture was so awesome! It took me back to when I used to listen to a lot of Nelly, OutKast, B2K, Pdiddy, Lucdacris and many more.

Reading Henderson’s, ‘Dancing Between Islands: Hip Hop and the Samoan Diaspora’, and finding out that Hip Hop dancing, such as popping, locking and breaking, did not just come from America, but was also influenced by the Samoans was very interesting. So for this post I’d like to talk a bit about Hip Hop dancing.

When thinking about Hip Hop dancing, I instantly think of movies like, Step Up 3 and You Got Served – mainly because they strongly represent modern representations, of popping, locking and breaking; but who are remembered at the core of these dance techniques?  Step Up 3, 2010

Jorge “Popmaster Fabel” Pabon credits people such as ‘The Lockers’ and  ‘The Electric Boogaloo Lockers,” for locking and popping.

He explains locking as a, “specific movement which glues together combinations of steps and moves similar to a freeze and sudden pause…Dancers combined fancy step patterns with the legs and moves done in various sequences,” and popping as, “Transitions between steps, moves that are fluid and unpredictable.”  The Electric Boogaloo Lockers

Break dancing is described as a time for B-Boys and B-Girls to “Go Off”, (As Kool DJ Herc would say), during a hectic break in a song.  (Pabon, J 1999)

Suga Pop!
Photo via Dancelounge.com.au

Going back to Samoan influence, the main Hip Hop dancer brought up in the reading was Suga Pop, who exceptionally pops and locks, and is mentioned as having worked along side Michael Jackson – choreographing and performing in ‘Thriller’ music video, (One of the most awesome music videos to exist!), and also has had a massive influence on the Hip Hop dancing in New Zealand too! 

Overall Hip Hop dancing is awesome and most importantly inspirational, and will continue to express a part of this epic genre of music!

 Michael Jackson 1982, Vevo 

References: 

Henderson, A (2006) ‘Dancing Between Islands: Hip Hop and the Samoan Diaspora’ The Vinyl Ain’t Final: Hip Hop and the Globalization of Black Popular Culture Basu, Dipannita and Sidney J. Lemelle, eds. London: Pluto Press, pp. 180 – 200

Pabon, J 1999, Physical Graffiti: ‘The History of Hip Hop Dance’, accessed 24/8/13, http://www.daveyd.com/historyphysicalgrafittifabel.html

Parochial, Orientalism and Stereotypes – are people really that narrow-minded?

In week three’s lecture and tutorial class we learnt and discussed about international students’ experiences within Australia.

Both in lecture and tutorial a key word that was brought up, and I thought it would be highly ideal to further discuss was ‘Parochial.’The definition for this keyword, (as most would know by now), is to be narrow-minded; to be – “Merely local, narrow or restricted in scope.” (2004, ‘Australian Oxford Dictionary’)

In our reading, Simon Marginson used this term by explaining that, as Australians we have been too narrow-minded or parochial in our attitudes towards international students. That we have not attempted to make an effort to communicate with students who are not Australian; is this true?

I am not going to totally ignore Margin son’s belief on this, but I would like to argue – bring to the table if you will, the idea that whether you’re an international student studying in Australia, or an Australian that studies internationally that the concept of parochial might be extended with stereo typing, our narrow minded perceptions on what we believe other countries are like.

Earlier this year I studied a topic in one of my subjects; this theory is called ‘Orientalism’. Edward W. Said has many theories on Orientalism, but the one that I believe strongly links up to being parochial is represented in the following quote:

“One aspect of the electronic, postmodern world is that there has been a reinforcement of the stereotypes by which the orient is viewed. Television, the films, and all the media’s resources have forced information into more and more standardized molds.” (Said, E 2001 p2011)

This then in turn can also link up to the television show mentioned in lecture, “Dumb, Drunk and Racist.” Are we really all these things, or have we just been stereotyped and people are parochial of Australians as well?

Overall my opinion is that its best not to be narrow-minded, but instead enrich our minds, have a deeper look at the beauty international friendships can be!

References: 

Australian Oxford Dictionary (2ed.)  2004, Oxford University Press, accessed 20/8/13, http://www.oxfordreference.com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/view/10.1093/acref/9780195517965.001.0001/m-en_au-msdict-00001-0040202?rskey=5rhmWv&result=15 

Marginson S, 2012, Morphing a profit-making business into an intercultural experience: ‘International education as self-formation’, Centre for the study of Higher Education, University of Melbourne. 

Said, E 2001, ‘From Orientalism’, in V Leitch (ed.), The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism, W. W. Norton, New York, pp1991-2012