The definition of Reality TV

How does Hill define reality TV?

Hill (2005) defines reality TV as “a range of popular factual programming." To make it 'look like' a real programme, they use techniques such as "non-professional actors, unscripted dialogue, surveillances footage, and hand-held cameras, seeing events unfold as they are happening in front of the camera." It makes you think that you are involved in the real event. Although, there are from real people there are still scripts and narratives, there are articiailty in it. Hills says, "Audiences judge the 'reality' of reality programmes according to a fact/fiction continuum, with at the end of the continuum infotainment or docu-soaps, and at the other end formatted reality gameshows." 

Reality TV has a variety of choices. There are food/cooking/cuisine reality television shows such as Cake Boss, Hell’s Kitchen, Man vs Food, Food Network Star, and Top Chef.  One of my favourite reality show is Hell's Kitchen where the main chef being critical to wannabe-chefs. The main chef has to be in angry mode and scary because that is his character in the show.  Also, there are audition shows like American got talent and dancing 9 which shows talent in singing and dancing from the real people, not celebrity. 

There are examples of early reality TV such as The Real World, Cops and Docusoaps. 

Docusoaps are about real people not celebrity, 

The Real World is a show on MTV and it deals about immature behaviours.

Cops are emergency-service reality TV. Cops used hand-held shaking techniques.

To conclude, I agree with the Hills' idea that it is hard to define the reality TV genre. Hills says, "There is no definition of reality programming, but many, competing definition what has come to be called reality genre. This is because is made up of a number of distinctive and historically based television genres, such as lifestyle, or documentary." The reality TV is becoming the important genre as time goes by. 

Reference

Hill, A. (2005) The reality genre. In A. Hill, Reality TV:

Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (pp. 14 – 40). Oxon:Routledge.

Category:Food reality television series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Food_reality_television_series

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

How do you think Buffy has influenced the contemporary vampire drama 'True Blood' and the 'Twilight series of novels and films? (NOT ONE OF THE DISCUSSION THREADS)

Buffy has definitely influenced films and novels nowadays that are based on similar stories of vampires or the supernatural realm. When Buffy came out in 1997 it was pretty much the first of its kind and since then 'cult TV' has become increasingly more popular and recognized within pop-culture. I personally feel that Buffy's influence on modern shows/novels is successful as there will always be an audience for this genre. The Jones Pearson establishment clause states "Cult television's imaginary universes support an inexhaustible range of narrative possibilities, inviting, supporting and rewarding close textual analysis, interpretation, and inventive reformulations." (as cited in David Lavery, 2010, p. 2-3). From this statement it explains why the genre is so timeless; because of the many storylines that can be formed which thus keeps viewers interested as they're not re-watching predictable storylines.

'True Blood' and 'Twilight' are just a few shows that have been successful that 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' has had influence on. I think that these contemporary shows show similarity to 'Buffy' as they attract young audiences and address issues that are relatable too, even if they are from the impossible (vampires). The idea of having supernatural themes appeals to viewers as we fantasize about life from a 'what if' perspective and find 'the unknown' interesting. These films feature themes like acceptance, first love, stereotypes, growing up, relationships, friendships, trust etc. Also films such as these feature characters who are normal and realistic. They go through the same things/ problems as us and sometimes we can identify ourselves with the characters. This adds to the element of believability. Joss Whedon (who wrote the script for Buffy) commented on Buffy saying " I wanted people to internalize it, and make up fantasies where they were in the story, to take it home with them, for it to exist beyond the TV show. And we've done exactly that “. (The Tenacity of the Cockroach 375). This reflects an opinion that most directors/writers want for their shows or novels, they want to successfully engage the audience.


In relation to the themes that relate to younger audience Hills suggests that fans of cult TV play a huge part in the cult TV genre. One definition of cult TV is that it can be defined by fans and their practices, as well as their activities.

Cult TV is no short of fans and these fans are key to the success of the genre. Hill (2004) addresses a view that 'cult TV can be neither made nor promoted as such by the media industry, but instead hinges vitally on audience take-up and devotion.' (p. 510) Cult TV fans play a massive part in shaping the shows and perhaps even changing TV shows into cult TV. Therefore the themes and storylines of cult TV shows have to be engaging for the fans to keep promoting and publicizing the shows through social means and media. Without the fans the genre wouldn't be as successful.


References:
- David Lavery (2010) .The Essential Cult TV reader. Retrieved 5 October, 2014 from: http://davidlavery.net/Collected_Works/Essays/How_Cult_TV.pdf
- Joss Whedon. (1993) The Tenacity of the Cockroach 375
- Hills, M. (2004). Defining Cult TV; Texts, Inter-texts and Fan Audiences, The Television Studies Reader, in R. C. Allen & A. Hill. London and New York: Routledge.




 

Reality TV

How does Hill define reality TV? Describe his definitions in the context of a contemporary Reality TV show.

Hill (2005) states that "the category of reality TV is commonly used to describe a range of popular factual programming. There are a variety of styles and techniques associated with reality TV, such as non-professional actors, unscripted dialogue, surveillance footage, hand-held cameras, seeing events unfold as they are happening in front of the camera." (p. 40)

Reality TV, over the years has developed and there is no one pin pointing definition. Hill (2005) mentions that "In the early stages of the genre, reality TV was associated with law and order, or emergency services. More recently, reality TV is associated with anything and everything, from people to pets, from birth to death." (p.40)

This statement rings true, especially from seeing 'Cathy come home' produced in 1966. The issues addressed in 'Cathy come home' were important at the time; addressing the government and other people in power surrounding the issue of homelessness as well as exposing it. Nowadays we see reality TV shows such as 'The Kardashians', 'Kendra On top' 'Geordie Shore' etc which give us a glimpse into different lifestyles, however it's questionable whether they really are portraying reality.

Back when reality TV was just coming out the issues had truth to them, it showcased a factual reality and in 'Cathy come home' the homelessness issue was one that really spoke volumes to audiences, allowing them to experience the hardship through their own TV's. Generally issues like this would be rather one-sided and overlooked, however when reality TV was introduced it changed that, providing people with a voyeuristic perception. The conventions mentioned by Hill were all used in 'Cathy come home' and can also be seen in many of the reality shows nowadays.

The themes of a contemporary reality show nowadays is quite different as Hill said it can be about 'anything and everything'. Some have been criticized as being fake and scripted; most now are somewhat materialistic and superficial presenting questionable realities. Despite these things, the genre is still increasingly popular. It's one of those genres you either love or hate and most people, even if they hate the shows, like looking into other peoples lives and seeing the things that the characters go through, an example where this is seen is 'The Truman Show' where people are emotionally invested with Truman, and feel like they know him so well.

Therefore reality TV can be defined as anything and everything. It is a genre that has no limits, but rather techniques that help define it. Although the main themes and focuses have changed, the major techniques of reality TV have stayed the same.


References:
- Hill, A. (2005) The rise of reality TV. In A. Hill, Reality TV: Audiences and Popular Factual Television. (p. 40). Oxon: Routledge.

Fans and the construction of Cult TV

What role does Hills (2004) suggest the fans play in the construction of cult TV?

Hill (2000, p. 510) says in reference to fans having the ability to construct what we know as cult TV; “this view emphasizes and celebrates fan audience power, claiming that cult TV can be neither made nor promoted as such by the media industry, but hinges vitally on audience take-up and devotion.” However the flip side to this argument is; Can a cult TV following be influenced by the way producers promote text and persuade audience to follow? Possibly the viewer chooses to connect because the text has a detailed narrative, its creative and has continuity, which they can trust and appreciate. But if we were to look at the meaning of what a cult is, ‘that being a system of religious worship, with reference to established rites and ceremonies,’ we would then ask the question, who establishes how a fan chooses to show their affection and worship of a programme? Is it the maker or the viewer?

Hill (2004, p. 519) says, “fans of what is termed cult TV have organised themselves socially into ‘Appreciation Societies.’ This can happen long after the initial broadcast of a TV programme, indicating that a TV show may inspire a fan following over time, and gradually become a cult rather than necessarily being cult TV on its initial transmission.” Here Hill suggest that fans have the ability through their organised company create a detailed following of a popular TV programme, and through this give that programme a cult status. 

We need to be aware for a cult really to obtain this status there needs to be an established rite of following and then the maintenance of its communal distinctiveness.  Therefore a Cult TV programme really depends on this fan base to help distinguish it amongst other popular TV programming. Hill (2004, p.519) suggest this happens through fan activity, though it doesn’t have the same ability to construct cult TV as a text or intertext, fan activity has the ability to influence through producing “commentaries, fan fiction, episode guides, and production histories.” These all work together to become a schema of knowledge for the fan, which they will use to interact with the programme and establish fan culture known as ‘Fandom.’

References

• ·      Hills, M. (2004). Defining Cult TV; Texts, Inter-texts and Fan Audiences, The Television Studies Reader, in R. C. Allen & A. Hill. London and New York: Routledge.
• ·      http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cult?s=t

Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction

What is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction?

A blogger on WritersBeat.com suggested speculative fiction is a term that is usually attributed to Robert Heinlein, who invented the term because he didn’t like the term science fiction. We tend to associate it with the late 1950s and into the 1960s when “science fiction” meant ‘old guard’ and "speculative fiction" meant all the ‘young blood’ writers who were stretching the boundaries. It appears the main stretch wasn't technical at all but was getting science fiction story telling away from hard science fiction and away from science fiction adventure tales, and into a deeper examination of the human condition. Therefore perhaps Heinlein’s term speculative fiction is able to be broader than pure science fiction to also include other genres like Fantasy and Horror. I think more importantly it’s for those stories and tales that are labeled simply just ‘strange’ or ‘weird’ and don’t logically belong to the other genres.

Goldschlager suggests science fiction as a genre focuses around the advancing of technology as either a driving force for the storyline or a major part of the setting for the drama. Generally science fiction tends to predict or define the future. Where as, speculative fiction applies to work that answers the question “What if…?” Sometimes applied to fiction considered more literary in nature that includes elements of science fiction or fantasy. Goldschlager proposes within sciences fiction, the term speculative fiction refers to novels that focus less on advance in technology and more on the social change, such as Georges Orwell’s “1984.” 

There are commonalities to both genres, Thomas suggest (p. 4) “science fiction and speculative fiction are genres that move readers to imagine alternative ways of being alive.” Thomas comments that both genre’s often build and develop entire and seemingly new worlds, sometimes as thin disguises for our own world and often genuinely speculative or uniquely alternative existences.

References

• ·      Thomas, P. (n.d.). Science fiction and speculative fiction: Challenging genres.
• ·      http://www.writersbeat.com/showthread.php?t=45024
• ·      https://www.sfsite.com/columns/amy26.htm

Science Fiction

What is the difference in emphasis between the terms science fiction and speculative fiction? Which is The Man in the High Castle? 
"The Man in the High Castle" is a Science-fiction (SF) novel written by Phillip K. Dick, which involves time travel, aliens, space war, space adventure, which opens to space opera. It was discussed pulp or trash SF. The Man in the High Castle is speculative fiction.

 

 Phillip K. Dick is a writer when he "was born in Chicago in 1928". At the wartime, during the cold War and World War 2, he was often defined as a paranoia writer because he claims that CIA was investigating him.  Later, the people found out that CIA was really investigated on him because of what he wrote. He was on a list of suspect. So his guess was right. In his writings, the major theme was investigating.

He is described as "a maverick, a self-taught anti-establishment intellectual with an appetite for knowledge and an imitating ability to absorb information."

It has tradition 'I Ching' - orientalism. He liked to put tradition 'I Ching' - orientalism. Eric (2001) says, "The novel's two main characters consult the I Ching." Also, Dick states that 'I've used it to develop the direction of a novel.' on the I Ching.

He explains how things were impacted on humans.
There are funny dark jokes involved in the book.
It has a complicated relationship with mainstream.
He wrote 12 novels, but it wasn't published at that time.
Unpublished novels were published when he got famous.

It shows main-stream to time cannon.
It involves high act. We have to mind the person is switching into the subjective.

 

"The Man in the High Castle" demands thinking about problems when readers read.

There is no central hero figure unlike from other genre where the central hero figures lead the narrative. It has spiritual narrative. There is no central quest. 

 

Reference

 Dick, P. K. (1992). The man in the high castle. New York: Vintage Books.

 

Brown, E. (2001). Introduction. In Dick, P.K., The Man in the High Castle
(p.v-xii). London: Penguin

Mountfort P. (6006). Oracle-text/Cybertext in Phillip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle. Conference paper, Popular Culture Association/ American Culture Association annual joint conference, Atlanta, 2006.

 

  

What are some archetypes (e.g. common character types)of fantasy fiction?

What are some archetypes (e.g. common character types) of fantasy fiction?

 “Fantasy presupposes a view of exterior reality which it goes on to contradict” (Attebery, 1980, p. 3). Vogler (1992) describes that there is ‘Seven Archetypes’ in novels such as fantasy fiction. That is, for example, the Hero, the Mentor, the Threshold Guardian, the Herald, the Shapeshifter, the Shadow and the Trickster. Classic fantasy does indeed have such archetypes, but there are so many kinds of common character types in fantasy fiction. Thus, from now on, I would like to briefly introduce some main archetypes by using the ‘Legend of Earthsea’.

Hero – A Hero possesses unusual powers and takes on a special role to protect in the kingdom or country. He is often rears by foster parents, or is become an outcast or outsider; or, this hero is spirited away and raised by strangers and later returns to his home as a stranger with new solutions to the kingdom's problems. The Ged was the hero in the Earthsea. He protected the Earthsea as his hidden magic power of the subconscious.

Mentor – A Mentor often call a loyal retainer, a best friend or a side kick. He is also become traveling companion with hero in novels. His duty is to protect hero and reflect his nobility. Vetch had supported and helped the Ged when he needed a assistance that occurred not only ordinary time but also a crucial moment.

Herald – A Herald often appears to bring a turning point to hero. I think that the Ogion had played a role of the Herald in the Earthsea. He changed the Ged`s viewpoint, and gave source of information about role of the magician (Filmic Narratives, Popular Genres week 8). In addition, the Ogion had played a Wizard (magician) role in the movie. "Martin says that a magician or mage is someone who uses or practices magic derived from supernatural or occult sources" (p. 54). The Ogion taught and convinced the Ged of hidden power of the subconscious. Furthermore, I think that the Archmagus, who was headmaster of Roke Academy, was also one of Heralds in the Earthsea. He taught and saved the Ged when he called the Lady Elfarren who imprisoned nameless ones ages ago.

Finally, I want to change the Shapeshifter, the Shadow and the Trickster character types to the Anti-hero and the Creature of nightmare character types.

Anti-hero – An Anti-hero is the typical dark side character in novels. People also call him antagonist or enemy. Anti-hero is a protagonist who has the opposite of most of the traditional attributes of a hero. He may be bewildered, ineffectual, deluded, or merely apathetic. More often an anti-hero is just an amoral misfit. The King Tygath was a good character as the Anti-hero in the Earthsea. The Tygath had wanted to conquer the Earthsea by using evil and bad power, and he had also tried to release imprisoned nameless ones to make and use as his powers.

Creature of nightmare - Creature of nightmare is a monster summoned from the darkest part of the human psyche to threaten the lives of the hero is a perversion of the human body. The Gebbeth, who came after Ged`s soul, was one of imprisoned nameless ones. He had had very evil spirits and bad things which killed innocent people to steal the body of innocent people, and tried to dominate the Earthsea using bad powers.

References

Attebery, B. (1980). Locating fantasy. In The Fantasy Tradition in American Literature: From Irving to Le Guinn (pp.2-9). Bloomington: Indiana U P, 1980.

Filmic Narratives. (Popular Genres week 8). Part II: Characterisation and Archetype. Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.

Martin, P. (2002). The Writer's Guide to Fantasy Literature: From Dragon's Lair to Hero's Quest: How to Write Fantasy Stories of Lasting Value (1st ed. ed.). Waukesha, WI: Writer Books. p. 54.

Vogler, C. (1992). The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Storytellers and Screenwriters. Studio City, CA.: Michael Wiese Productions.