Rhetorical/Audience Analysis

When using this analysis the focus is on language, signs and images that are manipulated in a certain way by the media text to gain certain responses from the viewer. Students who use this analysis are able to more closely see whether they have simply been influenced by the media, or whether some belief they held has actually been altered. This gives them insight into not only the power of the media text to change their mind, but the degree of impressionability that they have as well.

The first important aspect in this analysis is to understand the target of the media text. Age, gender and interests are just a few that would be utilized by the media text in order to gain a favorable response. To help the students reveal this target it is helpful to have them ask “Who is this text being written for?” An interesting and revealing example, was this year’s sexy Superbowl commercial for GoDaddy.com, a seller of domain names. While traditionally, the purchase of .coms was made mainly by the technologically informed, this commercial reveals a trend away from the “techie” to the common man. These commercials connected buying domain names with sexy, scantily clad women, directing us to believe that the focus was on males dabbling in the internet world. Another question necessary to ask when using rhetorical analysis is being used is “What beliefs is the media text attempting to get me to accept?” A slightly less obvious example for this question would be the most recent coverage of the death of Anna Nicole Smith. The inherent belief that the media text on almost every news channel is asking the viewer to accept, is that Smith’s death is somehow important. Coverage is being channeled away from soldiers dying in Iraq, a newly emerging battle for the Democratic and Republican candidates for president, and any number of more “important” issues. And yet, the coverage on some channels of Smith’s death was five times that of the war in Iraq. Other media texts are far more obvious; they have a clear belief which they want the viewer to accept, yet they can be just as subtle in their methods. Nike shoes have forever been synonymous with athletics occurring at a high ability. The media text asks you to believe that if you use their products, you will be as skilled as Michael Jordan, and will also have his persona and attitude.

It is important for the students to realize that they, and other audience members of a certain media text, are not just passively engaging in the media. Active participation occurs through discussion and debate over characters, themes or general opinions. Engagement in these activities can definitely influence the viewer, as their personal opinion may be respected or not based on the group’s consensus. Another point that students can learn much about the influence of the media text is realizing the amount and degree of socialization of consumers happening in our culture. Stigmas are associated with different products and getting students to understand and analyze these stigmas will help them dissect the media text even more effectively.

Analysis of RIZE

Audience:

The two key points in this analysis are asking the two questions: “Who is this text being written for?” and “What beliefs or attitudes is this text asking me to accept?”

In this film the text seems to be written equally for two groups. The first group being those familiar with “crumping” (the style of dance in the film) and desiring to feel a commraderie or gain a deeper understanding of the methods and the second group being those completely unfamiliar with the dance, culture or people involved in this lifestyle. It is presented in a very educational format. The music, speech and film could very easily have contained sexual undertones and completely ignored the spiritual/emotional side of this movement. The beliefs that the text was asking the viewer to accept were more subtle. It seemed that they wanted the viewer to accept that this was a legitimate form of art as well as a spiritual and emotional outlet for people. They did this mainly through the content expressed in each interview with the “crumpers,” but also in they way the integrated and edited clips from African tribal rituals, asking the viewer to draw direct similarities between the two settings.

Semiotic:

Analyzing the signs, images, words and objects in a media text is the main focus of the semiotic analysis. Searching for cultural codes in the film RIZE is incredibly easy. The cultural meaning of gang clothing and colors is referenced many times as being the cause for so much death in the Watts neighborhoods. The “crumpers” have taken these images and associations and altered them to mean very different things in their crumping community. They paint their faces with clown paint, the color of their clothing is vibrant and holds no association with violence, but rather a hope for happiness amidst the violence.

Poststructuralist:

In poststructuralism, the analysis revolves around truly seeing the language categories that are occurring in the media text. In RIZE, the “binary oppositions” are fairly obvious in two specific arenas. The battle between life and death is consistent throughout the film. Crumping has allowed these former gang bangers and trouble makers a way out of that former life. However, in using the poststructuralist analysis, the viewer is more able to see the limitations on this single opposing pair. There are surely other options “out” of the trouble of Watts, rather than just engagement in crumping, however the film wants the viewer to feel the weight of this dance community as a solution and therefore focuses solely on that as an alternative to death.

Critical Discourse:

This analysis focuses on “larger ideological perspectives” that influence the way people see the world and act in it. There are as many discourses as there are people, ranging from law to race to economic status. At first, one may see the discourse of race playing out in the inner-city setting of RIZE, however it is actually a pretty homogeneous culture, being made up primarily of African Americans. The discourse that is seemingly more prevalent is a much more personal, perhaps even religious, nature. So few options are presented to the individuals in this culture; death, jail, or some form of gang seem to be the only avenues. With crumping, the person’s soul is affected, leaving those without this experience in a completely different group, untouched by the spirituality and self efficacy acquired through dance.

Feminist:

This analysis focuses on taking a look at the gender roles of the people in a specific media text. It helps reveal stereotypes that occur, however subtle, and label men or women as generally a specific way. While watching RIZE it occurred to me that this film had a very healthy appreciation for men and women. It saw both roles as important to the crumping community and gave strong weight to the words, attitudes and behaviors of both groups. If anything, it de-sexualized women, painting the picture of crumping as an art form and not at all a sexual act.

Postmodern:

This analysis seeks to challenge modern theories, saying that truth, reality, beauty etc. are less determined by the cultural norms, than the individuals. RIZE seeks to communicate that the ‘truth’ in crumping is something as individual as the dancer. The narratives and interviews describe that each individual has “something to say” while crumping and that each dance is some truth that the individual is letting out. The same moves can mean very different things because the dancer, or author, possesses emotions and thoughts quite different from another.

Postcolonial:

Postcolonial analysis is based on the assumption that many media texts see the undeveloped areas of the world as “backward,” or even “dangerous.” RIZE has a very interesting view. The entire story revolves around the culture of crumping, one that has evolved only recently and in only a few areas of the nation. However, with no narration involved and no conclusions being drawn, the editor masterfully brings the viewer into an interesting discussion. Between clips of modern-day crumpers flash photos and video of African tribal rituals being performed. The similarities in these two incredibly different places are amazing. The media text makes no conclusions, but simply and artfully asks the question, “Just how different are we?”

Week 3 -Storyboard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV0B3maUK0E

This commercial comes from the 2007 Super bowl. It happens to be a commercial that is very funny and surprising at the same time. The setting seems to be a backyard bar-b-q where everyone is having a very fun time until two people reach for the last Bud Light at the same time. This obviously creates a conflict. The two men decide to play rock, paper, scissors to see who wins the Bud Light. Throughout this commercial there are many different camera angles such as the long shot as well as the medium shot. Also, the lighting used in this commercial is high-key lighting which is used in many comedies. This helps the audience to know to expect something funny to happen during these brief 30 seconds. The extremely long shot was used to establish the scene of the commercial. This is how the audience knew to feel relaxed and comfortable because of the causal outdoor party taking place. In the background people are chatting and laughing. When the camera zooms in to the medium shot, the audience observes two young men that seem perplexed because of the current situation. When one suggests a round of rock, paper, scissors, both seem to agree this is the best decision. This sets the audience at ease again. When the audience watches the men count one, two, three, there is an expectation that this problem will be solved by whoever wins the game. The surprising factor is that one man throws a wad of paper while another throws a rock on the count of three and knocks the other guy in the head. This creates an element of surprise which causes the audience to laugh when the guy falls to the ground. The last camera shot is a high-angle shot and the camera is looking down on the guy on the ground. This perhaps tells the audience that if you don’t end up with the Bud Light, you may end up in a similar situation like this guy.

Week 3 - Film Technique

The scene I chose to select is from the film, Dead Poets Society, starring Robin Williams. The scene takes place toward the end of the film when John Keating (Williams) has found out that he is being fired from the boys’ academy. Keating walks back into his classroom to gather his things where his students are being taught by a new man. As he begins to gather his personal items, one boy climbs up to the top of his desk and claims, “O Captain, my Captain,” as Keating once had done previously in the movie. As the film continues, one after another, each boy climbs to the top of his desk to proclaim his love and loyalty to his former teacher.

Throughout this brief four minute scene, there are many film techniques that are used. When Williams first enters the classroom everything is silent to portray the awkward and nervous state of each person in the room. The camera shows the entire classroom as each boy has a hard time even looking at Williams because of either shame or great sadness. When one boy finally begins to read what the new professor wants, Williams reenters the classroom from his office and the door creaks. Everyone stops to acknowledge his presence. This is symbolic of the way in which John Keating was able to capture each boy’s heart and mind for literature. He was a teacher that was different and caused the boys to think. As Williams begins to exit the room, a slow sad music begins to play. As he is leaving, the music begins to turn hopeful and become more powerful. This is the moment when one boy cries out, “they made us sign it! Please, you have to believe me!” Keating responds that he does believe the students and then is yelled at by the new professor to leave. At this moment, Todd (the boy that cried out) climbs to the top of his desk and the camera closes in on his face. He claims, “O Captain, my Captain!” The music begins to get louder and louder at this point as boy after boys climbs to the top of his desk in support of their teacher. As the boys are on top of the desk, the camera is shooting up which portrays that each boy has been filled with power because of Keating. The movie ends with the camera focusing on Todd, the boy who perhaps has been changed the most by Keating’s support and teaching.

The purpose for the use of these techniques in terms of the movie’s larger purpose is to display a theme of loyalty and influence. By the movie ending with the boys on the top of their desks shows that the boys are now able to stand alone and support the things they truly believe it. They do not need someone to tell them how to live. Keating has so changed the lives of these boys that in return, they are able to support him in the same way he did for them.

One technique that I believe is incredibly necessary in the teaching of film/editing in my classroom is the use of sound and music. When you find the perfect sound or music to fit the emotion you want the audience to feel, the students are able to better convey this emotion to the audience. For example, when the sad music began to play in the previous scene described, the audience understood that the boys were saying goodbye to their teacher and friend. Also, the audience felt that this was not the right thing to be taking place. However, when the music began to get louder and louder and more powerful, the audience quickly changed emotions to a sense of empowerment and extreme loyalty toward Keating. In my classroom, I want my students to do a lot of experimenting in order to find the best options for sound and music to connect with film editing.

Media Studies Rationale

My school works very much on an individualistic level. Administrators, teachers, and students work alone on much of the school curriculum. There is not much accountability for the teachers in the classroom. Unless there are complaints from the parents, educators pretty much have free reign in the classroom. This is both a positive and a negative issue. The positive side of this is that teachers are able to create much of the curriculum that they use, therefore allowing as much media study to take place as they wish. The downside of this issue is that teachers are not as supportive and cooperative as they should be in helping one another succeed in the classroom. If teachers could work together to make a stronger curriculum and work together to implement many skills that students are being taught in one room, then overall, our schools would be much more cooperative and function at a higher level.

Media studies is disregarded in many schools because it is something that is still relatively new and many of the teachers do not feel comfortable teaching and using technology in the classroom. This also scares many parents because media studies is not the traditional way of learning and it is not often the way that they learning in the classroom. While it is still something relatively new to me as a teacher, I feel it vital for students to be taught media studies for many reasons.

First, students today are using media much more than the generation before them. They live in a world surrounded by multiple sources of media. This is the way in which students interact and learn today. Students are engaged in media. Students are familiar with many media sources. In order to best meet the needs of our pupils, we must know and understand the best ways of communicating with them. If students no longer sit and read books at home, but rather engage in media texts, is it reasonable to insist they engage in written texts at school? Students have gained new knowledge about various literacies and it is important to help them use these skills at school.

Not only will media studies better engage our students, but media studies allows students to understand the world of communication beyond themselves, beyond their peers, beyond their school, and beyond their cities. With the use of media, students are engaged with the world. Students are now able to communicate with people whom they would have never come in contact with otherwise. Students are able to learn about new material that they did not previously have the resources to do so. Also, media helps students to gain new skills in terms of communication. They must interpret new meanings of other cultures different types of images and texts consistently. These important skills will help students in the future as more and more colleges and businesses are looking for creativity and communication skills.

And finally, students must possess the skills to interpret the world around them. While many forms of media engage students in learning and help students to gain new skills, students must also know how to properly interpret media as well as understand how it shapes their world. “Because print and television news mediate our understanding of the world, it is essential that students learn to critique how these ownership issues influence news and documentaries, particularly in terms of their objectivity, depth of coverage, and political perspectives” (Beach 7). Students need to gain the wisdom in order to censor what they are watching and what they are learning to believe. Students must learn for themselves how they feel about what they are being told by the media.

In conclusion, media studies must be implemented in our school districts. There are many vital skills students need in order to survive in a media driven world. As the future of our nation, students must have the skills to understand media and how it works as well as the great influence it possesses.