Saturday, November 10, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
30 Rock Cleveland Montage-Critical Approaches to Media Texts-See the Link List "30 Rock Cleveland Montage"
I choose the "Cleveland Montage" from 30 Rock for two reasons: The first is that I think that 30 Rock is the funniest show on television, the second is that I spent kindergarten to 8th grade in a suburb of Cleveland - Aurora, and my college years in New Jersey - just an hour outside The City (New York). It was as if this song was tailor made for me - a tale of two zip codes (!)
Now down to business. Along with sentimentality, I chose to analyze this gem using the audience/rehtorical and semiotic lenses.
Audience Anaylisis - in "Teaching Media Literacy", media texts are described as being used to "position audiences to adopt certain stances or attitudes". In spite of spurning a decent baseball team and being home to the Rock & Roll hall of fame - Cleveland does not appear in Conde Nast Traveller's list of top vacation destinations.
It's a city that suffers from a bleak self-image. When I was a youngster Cleveland's city fathers launced an image overhaul campaign - "New York May be the Big Apple, but Cleveland's a Plum"(*see link at right to 1981 Time Magazine article on George Voinovich). I remember seeing the slogan on bumper stickers and on purple t-shirts worn by older people at the local roller rink. The purpose of 30 Rock's ode to Cleveland is to leave us with the impression that Cleveland is cool and going there will be a delight for your psyche and your self-image - in the clip Liz is asked if she's a model. The police are also portrayed as very nice, asking her if she'd like to pet their horse - a contrast w/the NYPD-who in a previous scene in the episode that is was excerpted from ask her to open her purse so that they can search it.
Socialaization As Consumers, is described in "Teaching Media Literacy" as a way that audiences are "socalized by the media to think of consumption as the route to status or popularity." In the 30 Rock Cleveland Montage, the audience is supposed to conclude that Cleveland has coolness. Liz Lemon likes Cleveland because she like's herself while visiting there. She's "consumed" by feeling good about herself AND her boyfriend lives there - how cool!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Stephen Colbert + Jon Stewart at the Emmys
The American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition, defines Satire as;
"A work of literature that mocks social conventions, another work of art, or anything its author thinks ridiculous." Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift, is a satire of eighteenth-century British society.
As Gulliver's travels was to 18th century Brittania, "The Daily Show with Jon Stwart" and Stephen Colberts, "The Colbert Report" are to 21st century America.
Both shows have been well rewarded. In addition to two Peabody wards, Jon Stewarts "The Daily Show" has won multiple Emmys as well as a Grammy.
Having been on the air for two years, the Colbert Report has been nominated for Emmy awards in 2006 and 2007.
Fox executives were not un-aware of the cultural phenomenon that is Stwart and Colbert. I can't imagine it was a tough decision to include them in their list of presenters at this years Emmy awards.
What was unprecedented about their appearance however, was their 4+ minute, scripted sketch - a complete deviation from the standard presenters-reading-nominee-names-from-a-teleprompter format.
Nothing was spared. Everything from the 2000 election and global warming to the Emmy awards themselves was lampooned. They brilliantly pointed out that Nobel Prize winners and McCarther Genius Grant recipients are informed of their wins via phone or e-mail vs an elaborate prime-time television spectacle.
I am a huge fan of both the "Daily Show" and the "Colbert Report". Knowing these two would be presenting, I abandoned my standard practice of waiting until the Tivo recording was complete because I wanted to watch their interaction live.
Camera Shots
1. The clip opens with an Establishing/extreme long shot of the audience.
2. Close-Up of Jon Stewart, followed by a Close-up of Stephen Colbert with a leaf blower.
3. Medium shot - Shows Stephen and Jon walking towards each other to the middle of the Emmy stage.
4. Close-Up - Charlie Sheen, laughing.
5. Long Shot - Stephen and Jon - Stephen using leaf blower on Jon.
6. Medium Shot - Jon and Stephen discussing global warming & carboon offsets.
7. Close-up of Jon and Stephen
Lighting
The Emmy's are lit in High-Key.
Music
Jon and Stephen enter to the opening theme music for the Daily Show and the Colbert Report - we know who's comming and the show's about to get really funny!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
