tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41931350122237371172023-11-15T07:19:42.284-08:00Box RobotsCritical essays on film, video games, pro-wrestling and more.Adam Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110761314615731363noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193135012223737117.post-80378495043507643122012-12-26T09:20:00.001-08:002012-12-26T09:23:05.520-08:00The Importance of a BudgetI think that one of the biggest questions that is often raised is
“how to fund my film?” I see countless crowd-sourcing campaigns (A
subject that I will tackle in detail in a future post) that really don't
understand how to fund an indie film. Filmmakers often expect a lot
from these campaigns. In some cases, like a sci-fi film, it is totally
justified. They can be expensive and successful sci-fi films often
require a ton of set design and art direction. Others have budgets that
are way too high.<br />
<br />
The thing I will push in this post most is the need to have a
balanced budget. You need to have something that will allow you to
achieve your artistic vision while still being able to fund the film. <br />
In order to successfully fund your film, you need to know how to
properly write your budget. A well laid out budget can help immensely in
funding. Any crowd-sourcing campaign should properly lay out how you
are planning on spending the money in detail. Grants (another subject
that I will be covering soon) also often require a highly detailed
budget.<br />
<br />
Having a good budget can also help production go a bit smoother.
Actually laying out a budget can help you see exactly what expenses are
unnecessary. The first thing to cut out of a budget should be extra
rental costs. This can be eliminated by scheduling better. The less
shooting dates, the less money you'll need. The less money you'll need,
the easier it will be to fund your film. Budgeting properly can also
help you be prepared for shooting. You'll know exactly what is being
done and for what cost. That knowledge is power and can only help you.<br />
<br />
Being ill-prepared can endanger a production. For example, I got the
opportunity to do a short documentary on a pro-gaming tournament that
was put on by IGN Entertainment. I quickly crewed up and got equipment
from my university. IGN offered to cover the cost of the press-passes
for the event and let us know that we only had to pay for the hotel.<br />
<br />
I thought “Easy enough.” I was really excited to get to cover a
subject like this on such a great scale for my first real documentary
film. Pre-production was rushed and I had to come up with a plan quick. I
had just received my refund from my private bank loan that was used to
cover tuition. It was around 600 bucks and I thought that it would be
more than enough to get the production finished. <br />
The event was taking place in Caesar's Palace in Atlantic City and
would be running extremely late. I figured that it would be best to get a
hotel room in Caesar's Palace so that we could be right in the center
of everything. We could go to bed late and get up early without having
to worry about transportation. So I booked a room. 1 night at Caesar's
palace for a room with 2 beds was nearly $400. I figured that a crew of 5
would be able to fit into the room and I booked it.<br />
<br />
I immediately had to spend $30 on HDV tapes for the shoot. As for
transportation to the event, I managed to convince my girlfriend (who
was also working as my P.A) to drive us. We all were coming from Philly
so it wasn't that bad. I gave her around 40 for gas and we embarked to
Atlantic City. (Prior to this, I had spent around 20 on snacks and water
for the road) Little did we realize the cost of tolls along the road
going from Philly to Atlantic city. I can't remember the exact prices,
but it had to be around 10 bucks to get there. None of us really carried
cash so we had to scramble to find money for the various tolls.<br />
<br />
When we got there, we shot for a 12 hour period. Our snacks were
quickly eaten and we eventually had to get a meal. In Atlantic city,
everything around Caesar's Palace is expensive. Even the small pizza
places around the boardwalk weren't cheap. (If I had planned better, I
would have realized that a McDonald's was right around the corner.) So
the remaining $100 went to feeding the crew. We were barley able to
scrape together the cash for the tolls to come back to Philly.<br />
<br />
The stress of money put a lot of pressure on me. I went in blind,
expecting everything to be relatively cheap and for 180 to be a fair
amount to get the production done. I figured that since I was so good
about getting the crew and equipment together for free, that I wouldn't
have to worry much about food and all of the other minor costs. The
stress detracted from the film and it showed. I was an inexperienced
filmmaker who didn't plan very much.<br />
<br />
If I had taken the time to sit down and write out a good budget, then
I would have been better prepared for not just the expenses, but also
the event itself. Production is about being prepared. <br />
So how do you write a good budget? For reference, <a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B0-_eHZEuUzUNEE5Nk5Ga21wMWM">here</a> is a budget for a short documentary I am producing. A day's worth of production is usually 12 hours.<br />
<br />
First, find out what your production schedule is. For narrative, you
can usually shoot around 5-10 scenes a day. For documentary, it usually
is reliant on how much coverage you want and also the schedule of your
subjects. Next, take some time and jot down every expense you can think
of. Come up with the big ones first, and move on to some of the more
unexpected costs. Don't worry about the numbers yet. Simply write down
everything you may need. Even if you already have the specific
equipment, write these things down. Anything you may need for production
should be listed. Here are my usual things: Crew and cast payment,
equipment and props, food, transportation, lodging.<br />
I then go through and find the prices for everything I listed. Crew
is usually a bit difficult, as many indie films will be made up of
volunteers. However, it is good to know exactly how much time people are
putting into a project. Numbers can be hard to define. My rate as a
producer is usually 20/hour. Directors are usually similar and crew can
be anywhere from 15-18. These are really rough estimates that help me
know exactly what people are doing.<br />
<br />
Equipment is easier to find numbers for, as you simply look up what
it costs to rent. Food, transportation and lodging is dependent on
location. I usually research the locations and the transportation through sites like gasbuddy.com and see exactly how much travel will cost. The lodging can be as simple as calling up the location and getting in touch with the owners. <br />
<br />
Now that you have all of these numbers, it is time to add them up for
one day of shooting. That number you can multiply by your shooting
dates. You should be able to have a good estimate on what your film
would cost.<br />
<br />
It's most likely a pretty high number. For example, my latest
documentary is listed as 6 shooting days for a total cost of $13,481.
When you get to a number like this, it's pretty staggering. However, you
have a good estimate of the cost.<br />
<br />
Now, I go through and I mark everything I can get for free. You
should be working to get anything you can for free. Actors, crew,
equipment, props, locations, etc. Anything you can. Work really hard at
this. The reason for marking everything is simple. It looks really good
to say that I managed to get 10k worth of this stuff for free. Grants
typically want you to have around 70% of your budget to be from in-kind
donations. This shows that you have taken the effort to get as much as
you can. It shows effort and passion.<br />
<br />
This also has a pretty strong psychological effect. You see how hard
you've already worked. It's empowering to see the effort put in to your
film.<br />
<br />
As for tools, I usually just use Excel. There is software out there.
It costs a good amount. I am prepping to get some software so I can be a
bit more organized.<br />
<br />
But after all this work, you'll have a nice number. You'll know
approximately how much you'll need and exactly what you need it for.
When you go into the funding phase of your project, having an organized
budget will do wonders for you. People respond to professionalism. Being
organized gives the air of organization.<br />
<br />
Now, in my next posts (coming out in the next few weeks) I will
tackle the subject of funding. This is where the budget will become
pivotal. I'll cover funding in two specific outlets: Grants and
Kickstarter. I have successfully achieved both.Adam Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110761314615731363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193135012223737117.post-87575889018380880602012-08-14T11:59:00.001-07:002012-08-14T11:59:39.840-07:00"Bully" documentary review: (Originally printed in Ritz Film Magazine)<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Amidst a long battle with the MPAA,
<i>Bully</i> gained quite a bit of free publicity. The controversy
over its rating seemingly overshadowed its deeper look into an
important social issue. Yet while the MPAA undeservedly gave it a
harsh rating, which is an entirely different engaging question and
subsequent discussion, the social issue and relevancy are delivered
in a stunning, and often emotionally exhausting, way. Bully is,
without a doubt, not only a great piece of cinematic art but also a
wake up call to its target audience. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Bully</i>, the newest film from Lee
Hirsch and distributed by the Weinstein Company, seeks to shed light
on just how bad the issue of bullying has become in the American
educational system today. It follows the stories of families and
individuals affected by bullying and does so in an engaging and
emotional way.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
First off, <i>Bully</i> looks
stunning. The aesthetics of the film are quite beautiful, utilizing a
great sense of framing and deep focus. The cinematography is
accompanied by a great minimalistic, almost ambient score. It can be
haunting, yet never interferes with the emotional weight of the
subject. The editing is great, with some notable cuts that have an
almost disturbing sense of comedic timing. The high point of this
type of timing comes from a delayed pause as a result of a school
administrator scolding a victim instead of the bully. The film
portrays exactly what the viewer feels at that point. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The film does not pull any punches. It
presents the acts of bullying and the effect it has on the families
in a sobering way. <i>Bully</i> is a great piece of cinematic work.
The hand-held camera and shifting focus works in a way that recalls
both personal home movies and stark war films. This form is totally
representational of the content. The opening scene intercuts the
results of a suicide and home video of the victim in a gripping way.
The serious tone does not really ever let up. The piece seeks not
only to entertain, but to also force the viewer to look at what is
going on. There are moments where the viewer wants the camera to pull
back, but it can not. It simply must document the events and present
them to the viewer in a compelling way, no matter how painful it may
be. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It does have its emotional high points
though. The film is not a completely dark piece which will leave you
depressed. The ways in which the film portrays the victims of
bullying and some of their optimistic attitudes can bring a smile to
the viewers face. The film ends on a somewhat optimistic point.
However, this never undercuts the reality of the lives lost to
bullying. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Thus, with the overall dark tone, a
question must be raised. Who is the audience for <i>Bully</i>? The
controversy surrounding the films original rating stemmed solely from
the fact that educators would not be able to screen the film in
schools. While some content was reportedly cut from the film, there
is still a considerable amount of harsh language and violence. The
film has its emotional low points that leave the viewer at best worn
out and at worst feeling like they have attended a funeral. While
children are completely capable of emotional complexity and deeply
intelligent thought processes, as the film portrays, the greatest
value of the film will come not from showing it to children, but
rather to adults. The discussions it will raise are pivotal in
starting the change that needs to happen.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The issues presented in the film are
serious and complex. It is easy to write off the film for not really
presenting any answers to the problems or presenting the point of
view from the bully. These critiques completely miss the point. The
problem lies deep within the foundation of our society. <i>Bully</i>
does not present a solution, but rather opens up the discussion for
the rebuilding of our educational and parenting systems. Simply put,
people need to see this film. The only way that things can change are
first through discussion. <i>Bully</i> opens up this opportunity in
an engaging and entertaining way.</div>
Adam Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110761314615731363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193135012223737117.post-27306527762962229102012-07-15T20:04:00.002-07:002012-07-15T20:13:15.035-07:00Fantasy Booking: Post MiTB and Summerslam Build<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Raw opens with Sheamus coming out and
talking about MiTB. He says that he isn't stupid and that he knows
very well that Bryan will take shortcuts to gain the title. He also
notes how dangerous Bryan can be. He admits that he isn't much of a
submission guy and that is a weakness. Regal comes out and apologizes
for what happened at MiTB. He notes that he trained Bryan and it
clouded his vision of being a good General Manager. So to make up for
it, he allowed Bryan the night off so he couldn't get involved with
Sheamus' match. To also apologize for what happened, he states that
he wants to help train Sheamus in the art of submission wrestling.
Regal says that tonight Sheamus will be facing Jack Swagger in a
submission match.<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After a few matches, we see Regal in a
backstage segment. Miz bursts in, followed by security guards who
hold him back from Regal. Miz is furious that Regal took him out of
the MiTB match. Regal tells the security guards to leave. He
apologizes to Miz and tells him that what he did was wrong. So to
make up for it, Regal announces Bryan vs Miz at Summerslam for the
MiTB briefcase. Miz smiles and proceeds to slap Regal. He thanks
Regal for the match but says that is payback for what happened at the
Pay-per-view. Regal nods and says that he deserved that.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Next, we see Ziggler in the ring with
the WWE championship. He talks about how he had been working so hard
for this title and that his last championship win was shameful. He
talks about how he had been held back for so long and he finally
broke the glass ceiling with the help of the Money in the Bank
contract. He says that he wasn't sure if he would ever get the title
and that winning the contract is the best thing that has ever
happened to him, outside of this title win. He says that he owes
someone else and that this person was supposed to be standing next to
him tonight with the World title. He says that Kofi was screwed and
that he should be celebrating with him.<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Kofi comes out and says that Ziggler
shouldn't worry about him. He is happy for Dolph and that he should
enjoy the title. They hug and Dolph says that he still feels like he
owes Kofi. Dolph talks about how they have had some great matches
together over the past year and he asks the crowd if they would mind
seeing one more match between the two. He says that he would be
honored to face Kofi at Summerslam for the WWE title.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Suddenly, Punk's music hits. He comes
out holding the MiTB briefcase that Dolph won. Ziggler and Kofi look
confused until Punk says that there isn't anything to worry about and
that he can't cash in. He congratulates Ziggler and says that he
really deserves it. Punk talks about the parallels between them. How
the briefcase allowed them to get what they deserved. He says that
while Kofi is another person who deserves the title, Punk still has a
rematch and he wants to use it at Summerslam. He continues by saying
that they all shouldn't be talking about Summerslam right now though
and that they should focus on Ziggler's celebration. Punk gives Dolph
the briefcase and says that he was going to come out and use this to
celebrate his successful title defense, but it works in this
situation also. Ziggler opens the briefcase to reveal the newly
designed WWE championship belt. Ziggler hands Kofi the old
championship and they all pose in the ring with the new title. Kofi
then suggests that he and Punk have a match to decide who faces
Ziggler at Summerslam. Punk agrees and goes on to beat Kofi. Kofi
seems disappointed but congratulates Punk.<br />
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sheamus comes out for his match with
Swagger accompanied by Regal. Vickie comes out with Swagger but is
stopped by Regal. Regal tells her that she is banned from ringside.
Swagger and Sheamus have a strong technical match with Swagger often
getting the best of Sheamus. Regal coaches Sheamus and stops Sheamus
from using the Brogue kick when Swagger is nearly beaten down. He
says that he needs to make Swagger tap. As Sheamus approached Swagger
to lock in a submission, Swagger capitalizes and locks in an ankle
lock. Sheamus fights it, but taps. Swagger celebrates as Regal slides
in the ring. Swagger goes to re-apply the ankle lock but Regal stops
him. He tells him to leave. Swagger does and Regal helps Sheamus into
the back.<br />
<br />
The next week, Regal announces that
Bryan has been sent home once again. He says that Bryan will have an
interview via satellite tonight. In that interview, Bryan says that
he won't cash in until the Pay-per-view after Summerslam and that he
wants the match to be a submission match. He wants to give Sheamus
time to prepare because Wrestlemania has haunted him. He says that he
prays that Sheamus makes it to the PPV after Summerslam as he wants
to decisively beat him.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2 weeks before Summerslam, Regal calls
Miz into his office. He tells Miz that Bryan has already cashed in
the briefcase and that he no longer holds the contract. He says that
Bryan has a match at Night of Champions no matter what. He said that Bryan didn't want to risk not getting the
shot so he insisted on cashing in early. Miz gets angry but Regal
says that the only thing he can offer is a guaranteed title shot
against whoever wins at that PPV. He says that the match will happen
immediately after, in the same night. Regal says that the only
condition is Miz has to beat Bryan at Summerslam for this to happen.
Otherwise, Miz gets nothing. Miz agrees.
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
Over the next few weeks, Regal puts
Sheamus into other submission matches with people like Alberto Del
Rio, Christian and even Regal himself. Sheamus comes close, but only
manages to make Regal tap out. This happens the week before
Summerslam. Regal congratulates him and says that he has the fight of
his life at Summerslam.<br />
<br />
He questions Regal as to who his opponent will be at
Summerslam. Regal says that the match will be against another great
technical wrestler: John Cena. He says that if Sheamus can beat Cena,
then he can beat Bryan.
</div>Adam Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110761314615731363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193135012223737117.post-56081030861849254252012-07-15T20:02:00.001-07:002012-07-15T20:02:14.448-07:00Fantasy Booking: The World Heavyweight Title to Money in the Bank<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My view of the WHC. The title should be
utilized to get new guys into the scene. I enjoy the dynamic that WWE
has created with the two separate brands. I don't mean Smackdown and
Raw, but rather the hardcore wrestling fan scene with Punk and Bryan
headlining many of these matches and the other scene being heavy
story matches that Cena is involved in. Thus, I think that the WHC
should be viewed as an “upper mid-card” title for the core
wrestling brand. The WWE title should stand as the main title in this
core division. It can also stand as a bridge into the more storyline
heavy matches. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will be booking this up to Wrestlemania. It will focus on the WHC, but will sometimes include other feuds and shows. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Money in the Bank PPV:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Big Show is challenging for the title
vs Sheamus. Sheamus' draw is being a big guy who kicks ass. So
pitting him against Big Show will be an impressive way to get him
even more over. This match will obviously not be the best, but is the
starting point for the title going into Wrestlemania, which is my
end-goal for the WHC fantasy booking posts. WWE views Sheamus as an
asset and the next Cena. So I want to give him some personality.
Instead of having him be the guy who kicks everyone's ass, lets have
him be at risk of getting his ass kicked. This match will be a plain
brawl match. Have them go hard. It will make the match better. This
won't be a technical marvel.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The week before Money in the Bank 2012,
the new general managers are announced. It is none other than William
Regal. Regal is welcomed by the new Smackdown manager Teddy Long, who
has been in power for a few weeks. This is due to Teddy having a long
track record of Smackdown managing and Raw being significantly harder
to find a good GM for due to the track record of past GM's (Most
recently Big Johnny) As a gift from Teddy, he allows Regal to run
MiTB. Regal is happy and thanks Teddy, displaying his good
intentions.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The opening match is the WWE Title
contract Money in the Bank match with a newly turned and Vickie-less
Dolph Ziggler winning. Ziggler has been not using heel tactics for
the weeks leading into the PPV. In fact, he even sends Vickie away
from his matches to ensure clean wins. Thus, he gets a good reaction
for winning the briefcase. He even befriends Kofi Kingston, who he
admits his respect for.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The next match will be the WWE
championship match. Money in the Bank will mark the end of the
Bryan/Punk feud (for now.) During the match, AJ proves to have been
with Bryan all along and turns on Punk allowing Bryan to get the
submission win. He celebrates (as he does with the Yes chants) and
embraces AJ. He holds her up, along with the WWE championship as Punk
lies in the corner looking up at him. Punk then proceeds to attack
Bryan, but then is interrupted by Regal who demands order. Bryan/Punk
continue to battle as Regal then slides in the ring to break them up
himself. The locker room empties (with jobbers and some of the
participants from the first MiTB match) to pull them apart. It is
complete chaos. Regal convinces Punk to leave and walks him up the
ramp. This shows Regal's new outlook on being a good GM who is ready
to get his hands dirty.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Suddenly, Ziggler (who came out to help
pull apart Bryan/Punk and is now in the ring with Bryan) hits the
Zig-Zag on Bryan from behind. The other wrestlers who held back Bryan
stand in disbelief as Ziggler's new friend Kofi runs down the ramp
with the Raw briefcase. He hands it to Ziggler and helps Bryan up.
Bryan looks at Kofi confused, only to get Zig-Zagged once again.
Ziggler cashes in as the other wrestlers empty the ring to stop AJ
from interfering. The bell rings and Ziggler wins the WWE
championship. The crowd goes nuts.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After a few matches, there is a
backstage segment where a prominent heel who is in the Smackdown MiTB
(perhaps the Miz) is bullying Regal backstage. Regal explodes and
knocks out Miz cold. The announcers now assume there are only 5
participants for this year's Smackdown MiTB. (6 MiTB members is the
best option as 8 often seems too chaotic.)
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Next is the MiTB match for World
Heavyweight title contract. The 5 members enter and begin to have a
grueling match. Kofi Kingston is about to win, only for Bryan to run
down the ramp and knock him from the top of the ladder to the floor.
Suddenly, Bryan is alone in the ring. He looks up at the briefcase as
Regal's music hits. He comes out to a loud cheer and announces that
Bryan is the 6<sup>th</sup> participant. Bryan climbs up the ladder
and wins, unopposed. Bryan quickly runs up the ramp and shakes hands
with Regal. The crowd boos like crazy.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Next is the World Heavyweight
championship match: Sheamus vs Big Show. Sheamus manages to beat Show
with a double brogue kick (or something impressive.) Expectedly, Show
then gets up and knocks Sheamus out. Everyone stands, expecting
Bryan. His music hits and out he comes with the briefcase and AJ. He
slides in the ring and the ref holds Bryan back as Sheamus is laying
flat. Sheamus then stirs and Bryan smiles. The ref comes over to get
the briefcase from Bryan. Bryan proceeds to knock out the ref with
the briefcase. Then Sheamus. AJ then grabs a mic for Bryan. He says
how he lost in 18 seconds at Wrestlemania and how it was the most
embarrassing night of his life. He then says that he will avenge that
loss by making Sheamus tap out on his terms. He kicks Sheamus in the
head and leaves. The next match is the Cena match and closes out the
PPV.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Next up will be the fallout of MiTB and
Summerslam.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>Adam Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110761314615731363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193135012223737117.post-39541478681756116292012-07-04T22:34:00.001-07:002012-07-19T13:58:52.490-07:00Call It: A study on Psychopathy and Anton Chigurh<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Humans, in general, are destructive
creatures. Since the dawn of man, bloodshed is common. War is, by
definition, a human creation. However, humans rationalize war with
more noble ideals: courage, pride, etc. Nations raise their warriors
up as heroes, and in some cases, treat them like gods. Samurai,
Aztec, Gladiator, Marine. All warriors from different times and all
wielding different weapons. But all have one core thing in common.
All are murderers. What sets these men apart from criminals? Is it a
cause? Does fighting for a country forgive the many families left
without a loved one? The answer to this question is simply a matter
of human emotion. Like most humans, most of these warriors had
empathy for their opponents and honored them. Emotion is the key
difference between a human and something far more devious; a
psychopath.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“The psychopathic personality is
characterized by a constellation of traits including impulsivity,
callousness, and irresponsibility.” (Walsh 2006) The subject lacks
all moral boundaries which makes most humans listen to their
conscience. The psychopath often displays an inhumane lack of empathy
for anything, often resorting to violence against animals and humans
alike. In the eyes of others, this person would be perceived as sick
and any preconceived notions of a poor soul with a mental disorder
would instantly disappear. However, this disorder is real and the
subject may need institutionalization in order to be eventually
reintegrated into society. However, hope for patients with
psychopathy is extremely low. Some even goes as far as saying that
psychopathy is both unmanageable and incurable.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
However, this psychopath, upon first
inspection, would appear fairly normal. In fact, most possess an
extremely charismatic way of dealing with others. “In addition to
their aggression and violence, psychopaths are thought to be chronic
deceivers, often lying for instrumental reasons such as to escape
punishment” (Porter 2006) Psychopathy is often accompanied by
pathological lying, in which the subject deceives many others for no
obvious reason. However, this does not discredit the number of liars
who uses deception as a form of allure, in which trust is built. As a
result, the lies can vary from what the person did on an afternoon to
what the person does for a living. Minor “white lies” can quickly
change into larger ones, leading the victim to question everything.
This manipulation, coupled with the psychopath's charismatic
personality, is key in how cult leaders gain a steady following.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Though, it should be noted that not all
psychopaths end up as cult leaders or killers. “The interpersonal
and affective features [of psychopathy] are fundamentally tied to a
socially deviant (not necessarily criminal) lifestyle that includes
irresponsible and impulsive behavior, and a tendency to ignore or
violate social conventions and mores.” (Hare 2009) A psychopath, by
definition, may not ever commit a criminal act. Some may lead fairly
simple lives, never crossing over into the truly deviant types. On
the other hand, a psychopath may commit the most heinous of crimes
that are never discovered due to the extreme intelligence one may
possess. Many may go to great lengths to cover up anything, in order
to continue their reckless lives. Others may keep whatever secrets
they have, even after being caught. The severity of psychopathy is,
like most other psychological disorders, dependent on the individual.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Comorbidity can include anti-social
personality disorder, substance abuse, ADHD, anxiety and a number of
personality disorders. Thus, these factors can also play into how a
psychopath may react to certain situations. Perhaps the most
dangerous conditions paired with psychopathy is PTSD, or post
traumatic stress disorder. This disorder is common in soldiers who
experience traumatic events, and is usually characterized by
flashbacks. These flashbacks may be triggered at any time and coupled
with psychopathy, the subject may display increased aggression,
leading to an extremely dangerous mix of rage and manipulation.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The causes of psychopathy are mainly
disputed. While some argue that genetics have a large part in the
appearance of psychopathy, others claim that the childhood one
experiences may have a large part in the condition. The general
consensus between psychologists, is that there is a major neural
problem going on. “...reduced emotional attention in psychopathy;
that is reduced priming of emotion relevant representations in the
temporal cortex by the amygdala.” (Blair 2008)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Psychopathy is largely thought to be
hereditary. It commonly appears between family members. Often, a
patriarch has it, the offspring will display the condition as well.
This, however, does not mean that all family members will have
psychopathy, nor does it mean that they will carry out criminal acts
like those before them.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
While genetics may have a large part,
the childhood will most likely decide if the genes “activate.” If
a trauma does not appear, the condition may never makes itself known.
In contrast, a major trauma may appear, and psychopathy may not show
up at all.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Throughout history, there has been a
number of psychopathy cases documented. However, the amount of
psychopaths seen in popular, and independent, cinema completely
overshadows historical cases. As film and storytelling evolves,
typical story arcs change according to the times. The classic good
versus evil films have divulged into a new archetype where both good
and evil have favorable and distressing qualities. This enables the
viewer to both sympathize with the villain and dislike the hero.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The villain in film has also majorly
evolved. While stereotypical villains of the past often could be
easily trumped by the protagonist, recent villains have become far
more intelligent and charismatic than previously displayed. While
older films are centered around the blatant story arc shown on
screen, recent films require viewers to dig into the back story of a
character. The filmmaker now has the ability to control the depths in
which a character displays realism.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Often within this back story, one will
discover the reasoning and motives behind anything that character
does. This brings the character on screen to life and enables a
deeper suspension of disbelief. Naturally, the characters can be
studied more deeply and in some cases, these characters can be
psychologically diagnosed, both villain and hero alike. In perhaps
one of the most shocking displays of psychopathy in film, Anton
Chigurh shows how dark a psychopath's mind can delve.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the 2007 Coen Brother's film, No
Country for Old Men based on a book by Cormac MacCarthy, Vietnam
veteran Llewelyn Moss stumbles upon the remnants of a drug deal gone
wrong. He finds and takes two million dollars, which brings
psychopathic killer Anton Chigurh after him to recover the money.
Chigurh is a textbook example of a psychopath, killing any and all
that get in his way with no remorse.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In perhaps the most chilling scene of
the film, Chigurh enters a rest stop and leaves the question of
whether or not he kills the clerk up to chance. This scene displays
the common psychopathic trait of charisma. Chigurh is questioning the
clerk in an almost playful way. The clerk simply wishes to engage in
polite conversation asking about the weather. Chigurh questions his
assumptions and begins a delicate dance of words which obviously
disturbs the older man. Finally, Chigurh flips a coin and tells the
clerk to call it. The man tells Chigurh he did not wager anything, to
which Chigurh responds “You've been putting it up your whole life.”
This one line reveals everything about Chigurh. He is impulsive,
cruel and extremely intelligent. During this scene, Chigurh has some
surprise insights to life. He states that the coin's mint date is
1959, and that it had traveled 21 years to get to that place. It had
traveled 21 years to decided the fate of the clerk.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After the clerk correctly calls it,
Chigurh gives him the coin and advises him not to simply put it in
his pocket, where it will be mixed in with all the other coins. “It
will become just another coin.” he states, turning to leave. Before
leaving the store, he turns back and says “Which it is.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Later in the film, another character
states that Chigurh has morals that transcend money and drugs. This
raises the question of whether the large amount of murders committed
by Chigurh were necessary in his quest to recover the money from
Moss. All of those murders were simply committed for enjoyment.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
However, not all of the deaths can be
rationalized by joy. Earlier in the film, Chigurh offers Moss the
chance to save his wife by giving himself up for death. Moss denies
this offer, believing he can kill Chigurh and claim the two million
without worry. This decision haunts the viewer as Chigurh appears at
Mrs. Moss's home. Llewelyn had been gunned down earlier and Carla
Jean, Llewelyn's wife, buried her mother that day, only to arrive
home to Chigurh sitting coyly in her bedroom. He explains that he
offered Llewelyn Carla Jean's safety, but he had arrogantly denied
him. Chigurh claims that it is something that he has to do, implying
that he is the angel of death. This rationalization is the basis for
her murder, another trait common in those diagnosed with psychopathy.
He offers Carla Jean one chance by calling a coin he flips, thus
creating a game out of the life or death scenario. She denies to play
the game because it is not up to the coin to decided; that Chigurh
has all the power.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In this same scene, Chigurh asks that
if the road had led her to this end, then of what use is the road?
This insight displays Chigurh's impulsivity, simply asking of what
use is life? His mortality is questioned here, challenging why he
would even be doing all of this anyway.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ultimately, Chigurh has no remorse for
anything he does. Often, when committing his heinous crimes, Chigurh
shows no emotion at all. The only emotion ever shown during a kill,
is in the beginning of the film, where he strangles a deputy after
just being apprehended. “When the deputy finally dies, Chigurh
exhales with an almost orgasmic satisfaction.” (Falsani 2009) This
scene of emotion instantly defines the type of character Chigurh is,
making it extremely difficult to sympathize with his blight. In fact,
he comes of as a cold blooded murderer with no discernible blight. He
is simply a villain, through and through, who will never have any
redeeming qualities.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unlike most humans who commit sins,
Chigurh displays no chance of redemption during any of the scenes he
is in. A character even describes Chigurh as the devil incarnate,
simply there to create chaos in any community he enters. He is
ultimately the worst nightmare any human could imagine, and as quick
as he appears, he is gone.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After a serious car accident, Chigurh
emerges with various serious injuries, including a broken arm, and
simply disappears before medical personnel can show up to aid him.
The threat of capture is far more overwhelming than the wounds, so he
peacefully fades into suburbia.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One can only guess what happens after
he disappears. Evidence would support the hypothesis of Chigurh
entering another community to take on whatever jobs others would not
take. Was the whole incident simply another chapter in Chigurh's
bloody life, rather than an episode of his psychopathy?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chigurh is one of the worst cases of
psychopathy in film history. He is one of the greatest villain of the
21st century. Perhaps one of the most aggravating things to see as a
viewer, is the fact that Chigurh gets to walk away. Classic
storytelling would lead the story arc in a direction where, even
though Moss would die, Chigurh would ultimately be captured. This
never happens on screen, and no evidence is ever presented that
Chigurh is ever captured.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only evidence of Chigurh's past is
immediately shown at the beginning of the film, where Chigurh is
captured. This indicates that Chigurh had committed other criminal
acts before the film begins, leading the audience to believe that
Chigurh is well versed in the art of murder. Thus, Chigurh will
inevitably commit other acts of violence.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
While evidence supports that his crimes
are simply not unique in nature due to his past, Chigurh's childhood
and origin of his psychopathy are never explained, nor are any clues
given. His origin and even his nationality is completely alien to the
1980 era west Texas in which the story takes place. Thus, he is truly
unique to the community. However, as one character notes, there are a
lot of murderers, criminals and psychopaths out there in the world.
While he is alien to the community, the world in which the story
takes place is just as gritty and dark as the world of today.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chigurh is ultimately one of the
darkest characters ever to grace the screen. His psychopathic actions
simply symbolize the world in which we live; a world ripe with chaos.
Though Chigurh's story is a work of fiction, his story is not unique.
Psychopaths are in existence, and often part of a community that will
inevitably be shaken to the core with the actions of one person.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Diagnosis of psychopaths can be quite
difficult if their deviancy never crosses the line of criminality. A
case may end up lying dormant inside a community without anyone ever
knowing, not because of a good cover up, but simply because that
individual never acted on the impulses. Perhaps that person did act
on the impulses, but ended up seeking help and ultimately being
reintegrated in society. While a psychopath may be institutionalized
and reintegrated, chances of relapse are always possible. Psychotic
episodes can occur at any time, resulting in horrific consequences.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Indicators are quite hard to spot in
those that have psychopathy. Most are completely nonverbal and can be
easily missed. In a study by Jessica Klaver, it was found that
“psychopathy was related to increased response time, number of
words spoken, and illustrator use, with the interpersonal dimension
specifically related to increased blinking and speech hesitations.”
(Klaver 2006) Often times the psychopath would display awkward visual
cues that are common in people who are lying. This can help tip off
an individual to lies told by the psychopath, thus making it easier
to get the desired, truthful response from the individual.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Psychopathy can ultimately be an
extremely dangerous psychological disorder. One who possesses this
condition can either be a major threat to society, or a perfect
member of it. Whether Anton Chigurh of No Country for Old Men, or a
neighbor, psychopaths are existing in society. With this knowledge,
some members of a community may live in fear. They may create “watch
dog” groups and guard their children diligently. However, suburbia
will never be completely safe. As quick as a fire may break out or an
earthquake may hit, Anton Chigurh may be there. Falsani says it best
when describing Chigurh and his interaction with the west Texas
region: “There is a stranger in our midst come to destroy us.”
(Falsani 2009) Ultimately, whether or not a stranger appears is
purely a matter of chance. It is purely a coin toss.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
References</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Blair, R., & Mitchell, D.. (2009).
Psychopathy, attention and emotion. Psychological Medicine, 39(4),
543-555. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from ProQuest Psychology Journals.
(Document ID:1706788781).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Donald R Lynam, & Thomas A Widiger.
(2007). USING A GENERAL MODEL OF PERSONALITY TO IDENTIFY THE BASIC
ELEMENTS OF PSYCHOPATHY. Journal of Personality Disorders, 21(2),
160-78. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from ProQuest Psychology Journals.
(Document ID: 1261933781).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Falsani, C. (2009). The Dude Abides:
The Gospel According To The Coen Brothers. (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Zondervan.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hare, R., & Neumann, C.. (2009).
Psychopathy: Assessment and Forensic Implications. Canadian Journal
of Psychiatry, 54(12), 791-802. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from
ProQuest Psychology Journals. (Document ID: 1937854551).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jessica R Klaver, Zina Lee, &
Stephen D Hart. (2007). Psychopathy and Nonverbal Indicators of
Deception in Offenders. Law and Human Behavior, 31(4), 337-51.
Retrieved April 26, 2010, from ProQuest Psychology Journals.
(Document ID: 1316465651).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Graf, R., Roybal, M. (Producers) &
Coen J. & E. (Directors) (2007) No Country For Old Men [Motion
picture]. United States: Miramax & Paramount Vantage</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Stephen Porter, & Michael
Woodworth. (2007). "I'm Sorry I did it ... but He Started it":
A Comparison of The Official and Self-Reported Homicide Descriptions
of Psychopaths and Non-Psychopaths. Law and Human Behavior, 31(1),
91-107. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from ProQuest Psychology Journals.
(Document ID: 1222223611).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Zach Walsh, & David S. Kosson.
(2007). Psychopathy and Violent Crime: A Prospective Study of the
Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Ethnicity. Law and Human
Behavior, 31(2), 209-29. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from ProQuest
Psychology Journals. (Document ID: 1238683421).
</div>Adam Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110761314615731363noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193135012223737117.post-47463051357525201952012-07-02T14:41:00.000-07:002012-07-02T14:41:19.699-07:00Different Portals: The Future of the Game Form and the Connection to Film<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As noted in last weeks post
the game industry takes a considerable amount of cues from the film
industry. This is apparent in the most basic form of a singular video
game narrative. Since the dawn of games, the industry has looked towards
film for guidance. This has resulted in the medium being somewhat lost.
The narrative experiences of games have, decidedly, come a long way.
Games, as an industry, have grown considerably. (See below) With
pinnacle narrative games like Metal Gear Solid or Fallout, it is hard to
argue that games haven't found a narrative niche. However while these
narrative experiences offer quite a bit, the medium still hasn't fully
found it's potential.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<img height="401" src="http://images.wikia.com/vgsales/images/d/d6/Us_revenues_1995-2007.png" width="540" /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The number one game, in <a href="http://www.vgchartz.com/yearly/2011/USA/" target="_blank">sales</a>, from last year was Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. It sold over 7 million units and grossed over <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/dec/12/modern-warfare-3-breaks-1bn-barrier" target="_blank">1 billion</a>
in 2011. That is nearly a quarter of the money made in the game
industry in 1995. This is largely due to the multiplayer aspect of the
game, rather than the narrative experience. When analyzed from the
critical film perspective, the narrative experience of Call of Duty is
akin to a Transformers film. Full of explosions, adrenalin charged
moments, and mass appeal, yet lacking in the artistic value that
critically acclaimed films offer. Both the Transformers films and the
Call of Duty games make a staggering amount of money. However, this is
viewed as critically valuable in the game <span style="font-size: x-small;">industry</span>.
In the film critic community, the money made by a film is ignored and
the film is judged based on the artistic merits it holds. In the game
industry, these games garner awards from numerous critical circles. Call
of Duty's exciting moments are entertaining, but worthy of awards?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
MW3 is one of the most realistic military
games out there. From the guns, to the sounds, to the actual landscapes
that you play in; everything is researched by a team down to the most
miniscule detail so that the gamer has a sensation of war. Gameplay
borrows content from films and real life events and actions. How a
soldier moves, how a gun shoots and how a helicopter functions are all
aspects of the game. The game industry is clearly taking the gritty cues
of modern war films as the aesthetic of first person shooters. Yet it
seems to miss the anti-war message found in some of the most successful
war films, such as <a href="http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=fb4355c1-7328-4808-8701-6586910e67e2%40sessionmgr13&vid=2&hid=107" target="_blank">Saving Private Ryan</a>.
Thus are we, as gamers, rewarding the game industry for taking the
most basic, instant gratification aspects of film whilst ignoring the
deeper value of the medium?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What may be even worse for the medium
than simply lacking a message, is that some gameplay elements may
actually undercut the implied message. As noted in a recent episode of <a href="http://www.nerdist.com/2012/01/the-indoor-kids-27-are-videogames-art-with-film-crit-hulk/" target="_blank">The Indoor Kids</a>,
Bioshock is, at it's core, about determinism. Yet this message is
undermined by the fact that the main character spends an enormous amount
of time killing people. It simply detracts from the message and
contradicts it.Thus, there is a disconnect between the form of the
gameplay and the content of the narrative message. With that being said,
games are still in the very early phases of development. It is
understandable that gaming hasn't realized the potential of the medium.
Unlike films, games have the opportunity to create an instant connection
between the character and the player. The industry has thus far focused
on the experience of the player and the opportunity to instantly
gratify that player with flashy action sequences rather than formulating
a way to get the message across in both a narrative and gameplay driven
form.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
That isn't to say that all games have
fallen subject to poor form and content synthesis. Nor does it mean that
the narrative merits of games like Red Dead Redemption, Metal Gear
Solid, or Fallout (All brilliant narrative games) are somehow
invaluable. Those game should be, and often are, recognized for their
achievements in raising the bar for narrative experiences. However, they
fail to realize the full potential of their medium.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A game that does pulls off the form and content synthesis is Portal 2. Portal manages to take the narrative
message of free will and presents it with the gameplay that presents
free will. The very way you play the game mirrors the narrative. The
game offers you countless ways to complete a puzzle, forcing you to
utilize your free thought to formulate an escape, much like the main
character Chell. Not only are you Chell, but Chell is you. She is what
you make her. Unlike in Red Dead Redemption, where you have freedom to
make John Marston whoever you'd like but are still limited by the
narrative choices of John, Chell offers a direct link into the game. You
ultimately learn as much as she does in the narrative by utilizing the
free will that sets you apart from every other character in the game.
You are a human, not a robot. Thus, you have the ability to do what you
want. It is an interesting parallel to characters you play in other
games. John is a robot who is bound by the choices programed by the
designers of the game. While the player can utilize their free will to
do whatever they desire in the game portions, the cinematic of the game
are decidedly John's choices and not yours.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
John, while he is a compelling character looking for redemption,
doesn't always match up with the actions of the player.This can cause a
disconnect between the character and the player, causing a rift in the
emotional tension.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is a direct relation to film. You
can build rapport between an audience and a character, but that
character is ultimately a programmed individual. Gaming has largely
taken this aspect from film. What sets Portal apart is the ability to be
in the game and relay the narrative message directly through both the
events in the game and the gameplay.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
While the game industry looks towards the
film industry for an evolution of its medium, it has yet to realize the
very things that make films so successful as an artform. Rather than
focusing on the exciting instant gratification of the Transformers
films, it should look for the introspective artistic value found in a
Kubrick film. The game industry is evolving immensely on the front of
narrative experiences, it has quite a way to go in terms of merging form
and content. It has yet to really realize its potential as a unique art
form. However, with a game like Portal 2 standing as a successful
artistic experience, the future looks bright.</div>Adam Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110761314615731363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193135012223737117.post-58431862054953786182012-07-02T14:30:00.001-07:002012-09-13T00:12:12.409-07:00Finding Critical Value in New French Extremity<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Throughout film
history, France has proven to be the source for influential film
movements. From <i>cinema verite </i><span style="font-style: normal;">to
the French New Wave, French film makers have created some of the most
critically acclaimed film movements that changed, multiple times,
film as an art form. However, never before has France experienced a
cultural identity crisis in which concerns of the global market
clashes with the type of art cinema that France is known for. Through
this crisis, a new movement has emerged which melds both art cinema
and appeal to international audiences, while also pushing the
boundaries of film making. Coined by Artforum author James Quandt,
the New French Extremity is a movement that is “willfully
transgressive.” (Quandt 127) The movement which has emerged within
the last 20 years, features intense subject matter highlighted by
both traditional narratives as well as experimental design. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> </span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
While
this movement continues to push the boundaries of film making with
clear results, critics seem to pan over the films due to the intense
subject matter depicted in an unforgiving way. Many film scholars and
critics, including Quandt “cite the films... merely to castigate
their graphic content, dismiss their artistic agendas as
disingenuous, and deride their alleged pretentiousness” (Palmer 26)
These statements, made by critics, raise the question as to where the
line between artistic value and exploitation occurs, or if it even
exists. Regardless of whether or not this line exists, there is both
artistic and critical value to be found within the New French
Extremity movement and films that belong to it.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> What
dictates the artistic value of the film and does it devalue it
through it's transgressive nature? Film, by nature, has always been a
bit transgressive. Landmark films such as Spike Lee's </span><i>Do
The Right Thing </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(1989) and
Arthur Penn's </span><i>Bonnie and Clyde </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(1967)
were considered controversial at the time of their releases. Even
</span><i>Star Wars </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(1977) which
chose to put the credits at the end of the film rather than the
beginning landed George Lucas flak from the Hollywood traditionalist
film making world. Yet at some point, the films cross over into a
realm of exploitation. Some of the most controversial films of the
Blaxploitation drama are still considered exploitative by today's
standards (Melvin Van Peeble's </span><i>Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss
Song </i><span style="font-style: normal;">[sic])</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> History
has, undoubtedly, produced some of cinema's most controversial films,
many of which sacrifice artistic value due to the content on the
screen. Arguably, the two most noteworthy films that have succeeded
in crossing from art into exploitative trash do so at the expense of
live animals which are graphically murdered on screen: Ruggero
Deodato's </span><i>Cannibal Holocaust </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(1980)
and Tun Fei Mou's </span><i>Men Behind the Sun </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(1988).
The sacrifice of a living being is the push into pure exploitation,
yet many critics hold New French Extremity films to the same regards
as these animal snuff films. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> Films
belonging to the New French Extremity movement, such as Gasper Noe's
</span><i>Irreversible </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(2002)</span><i>,
</i><span style="font-style: normal;">Claire Denis' </span><i>Trouble
Every Day </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(2001)and Bruno
Dumont's </span><i>Twentynine Palms</i><span style="font-style: normal;">(2003)
often carry great intellectual and artistic value, with a clear theme
that flows under all of them, yet are often ignored due to the way in
which the values are presented. “The intellectual content is...
overshadowed by the films' physical force structures.” (Hagman 38)
These films often present a deeper meaning than popular Hollywood
films, yet simply due to the intrusiveness of the content critics and
scholars alike resist the films. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> </span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even
with critical scorn aside, these films have quickly gained an
audience through the international festival circuit. A number of New
French Extremity films have premiered at Cannes Film Festival, and
have remained popular with international audiences. With a clear
audience, as well as clear artistic value, these films deserve
critical attention. </div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> These
films are met with, most clearly, confusion in the critical world.
“By mixing traditional art-filmic markers with exploitation and
genre elements, the films do not conform to any ready-made critical
categories.” (Hagman 37) It is through this reasoning that critics
may take on the films in a cautious way. The films, which are
extremely grim and usually depict the human animal as a vehicle for
bodily horror, resist the urge to conform to traditional cinematic
forms. “...critics and scholars have built entrenched positions
around the notion that cinema should either infuriate or placate.”
(Palmer 26) New French Extremity excels in depicting the brutality of
human nature, stripped down to it's basic form, in an almost
disturbingly experimental and impersonal way that it becomes
impossible to place in such categories. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> These
films are designed to induce powerful emotions from the viewer. Not
only do they often tackle intense issues involving sexuality,
violence and a mesh of the two, but they utilize arthouse form to
generate numerous powerful emotions. For example, Noe's </span><i>Irreversible
</i><span style="font-style: normal;">opens with a dizzying camera
that rotates around, creating heavy vertigo. The colors mesh together
and become reminiscent of various experimental works that rely
heavily on the use of blending colors as vehicles for artistic value.
This varied and often times violent camera continues as the story
unfolds in reverse. The film opens outside of a homosexual fetish
club with ambulances and police swarming. The main characters are
introduced: one lies beaten and bloodied on a stretcher and the other
apprehended by the police. Moments later, the audience sees what led
to this. The main characters brutally beat a man to death with a fire
extinguisher (in one of cinema's most notorious and violent scenes).
It is not until the story reverts further that the audience sees what
caused this destruction. The main characters' female friend, Alex, is
brutally raped and beaten.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> Suddenly,
the varied and violent camera stops and presents one of the most
intense and painful longshots ever filmed. The 9 minute scene
features a motionless camera pulled back to reveal the entire
sequence taking place. “...a single take static camera watches from
floor level as Alex...is raped, with her suffering face visible in
the foreground throughout” (Keesey 96) This framing, is the
decisive point in which the film features less violent camera
movements, forces the viewer to sit and watch the dark power of the
human animal. As the film continues to unfold it becomes clear that
Alex was pregnant, thus further damning the audience to emotional
distress.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">
The </span><i>mise-en-scene</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> is
not the only tool by which Noe creates emotional and physiological
distress. “For sixty minutes of its running time, a barely
perceptible but aggravating bass rumble was recorded...at 27 hertz...
[that induces] unease, and after prolonged exposure, physical
nausea.” (Palmer 29) This tone increases the discomfort created by
both the narrative as well as the experimental camera movements. It
is for this reason that </span><i>Irreversible</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
is hard to critique. It becomes hard to sit through, not out of
boredom, but sheer discomfort and pain.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> The
New French Extremity movement also tends to cross boundaries of
various social movements such as feminism. Pascal Laugiers' </span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">Martyrs
</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(2008)
has been judged for destroying the female form while still being
“lesbian chic” (Whittle 1) The film features a cult that believes
that suffering through torture is a path to enlightenment. As a
result, they kidnap a well-meaning girl to torture her relentlessly.
At the surface, the extreme violence caused by males to the female
form may seem exploitative and almost reminiscent of traditional
Hollywood slasher films. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
What the film actually does is reconsider violence towards women,
thus transforming a seemingly anti-female film into a feminist one.
“Laugier forces the viewer to question pop culture's views
concerning acceptable types of violence...Laugier subverts this
tendency towards the viewer experiencing a voyeuristic thrill through
his unflinching depiction of Anna [the main character's] suffering”
(Green 23) This challenges the very Hollywood way of making horror
films.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> This
anti-Hollywood film style is almost reminiscent of the French New
Wave, which sought to move cinema away from the studio system and
into a more realistic sphere. Yet New French Extremity is
post-national in nature. Many of these films, </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">Martyrs
</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">and
</span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">Irreversible
</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">included
reference and draw from various other international cinematic forms.
This harkens back to basic </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">Cahiers
du Cinema </span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">viewpoints.
“The </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">Cahiers
</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">critics
were very open about their love for American films... when they later
went on to become directors-auteurs- of the </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">nouvelle
vague</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
they would quote freely from the films they had studied.” (Hagman
35) This is seen clearly in Godard's </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">Breathless
</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">(1960)
where the main character mimics Humphrey Bogart's mannerisms. Thus,
New French Extremity has striking similarities to various other major
film movements within France. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> In
fact one of the landmark horror films of France, Georges Franju's
</span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">Eyes Without a
Face </span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">can
be looked at as the jumping off point for French bodily horror. The film
graphically depicts a face transplant and deals with intense subject
matter such as child mutilation. New French Extremity has much more
of a link to traditional French cinema than that of “torture porn”
popular in Hollywood, which receive horrible critical reaction due to
both graphic exploitative scenes and poor film making techniques. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> With
other films in the New French Extremity movement resorting to
progressive types of techniques similar to that of </span><i>Irreversible
</i><span style="font-style: normal;">to further push their themes, it
becomes clear why critics and scholars may veer away from the genre.
The very thing artistic value that makes the films successful is the
very thing that pushes those who would find the value away.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> Although,
these films do hold a weight within the film making community. The
films explicitly have had an impact on international cinema. Other
films have been met with similar critical distaste such as Lars Von
Triers' </span><i>Antichrist </i><span style="font-style: normal;">(2009)</span><i>
</i><span style="font-style: normal;">which features an arthouse film
style and a sexually violent narrative has been assaulted for
“inherently misogyrustic [sic]” (Green 2) This assault is not
unlike the one against Laugier's </span><i>Martyrs.</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
Japan's Takashi Miike </span><i>Audition</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
(1999) has been met with critical distaste for his style of Japanese
exploitation cinema. These international films could easily fall
under the banner of New French Extremity. All hold tremendous
intellectual and artistic values, yet suffer from the same critical
negligence that films like Irreversible experience.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> Even
when facing critical discourse, these films are all successful within
the cinematic world. They all meet a cult audience who embrace them.
Some seek transgressive style films, while others seek to chronicle
the further evolution of French cinema. With “torture porn” films
remain popular in Hollywood, the Extremity movement will be met with
broader audiences. This allows these hybrid arthouse films to
flourish within the international market, allowing for France to
continue its dominance as the artistic center for cinema. While the
New French Extremity may never reach a worldwide mainstream audience,
it will be met with legions of cinephiles seeking to witness a
movement akin to the French New Wave. It is through this cult
atmosphere, and not the resistant critical community, that the
movement will remain strong and carry a legacy regardless of it's
transgressive nature. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Works Cited:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> </span>Austin, Guy. <i>Contemporary French Cinema : An Introduction</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.
Manchester, UK; New York; New York: Manchester University Press ;
Distributed exclusively in the USA by Palgrave Macmillan, 2008.
</span><i>/z-wcorg/. </i><span style="font-style: normal;">Web. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
Beugnet, Martine. <i>Cinema and Sensation : French Film and the Art
of Transgression</i>. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press,
2007. <i>/z-wcorg/. </i>Web.
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
"Flesh & Blood: Sex and Violence in Recent French Cinema."
<i>Artforum International</i> 42.6 (2004): 126-32. Web.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
Green, Amy M. (2011) “The French Horror Film <i>Martyrs</i> and the
Destruction, Defilement, and Neutering of the Female Form” <i>Journal
of Popular Film and Television</i>, 39” 1, 20-28</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
GREEN, NICHOLAS. "The New French New Wave?" <i>Bright
Lights Film Journal</i>.67 (2010): 1-4. Web.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
Hagman, Hampus. "‘Every Cannes Needs its Scandal’: Between
Art and Exploitation in Contemporary French Film." <i>Film
International (16516826)</i> 5.5 (2007): 32-41. Web.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
Keesey, Douglas. "Split Identification: Representations of Rape
in Gaspar noé's Irréversible and Catherine Breillat's A Ma
Sæur!/Fat Girl." <i>Studies in European Cinema</i> 7.2 (2010):
95-107. Web.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
Palmer, Tim. "Style and Sensation in the Contemporary French
Cinema of the Body." <i>Journal of Film & Video</i> 58.3
(2006): 22-32. Web.</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
Wittle, Peter. “Martyrs” <i>The Sunday Times.
<</i><a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/film_reviews/article5975859.ece">http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/film_reviews/article5975</a><a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/film_reviews/article5975859.ece">859.ece</a>>
March 29, 2009. Web.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
Adam Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110761314615731363noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193135012223737117.post-82511063246038923552012-06-28T21:34:00.000-07:002012-06-28T22:18:51.595-07:00Galaxies Apart: Race Depictions in the Two Star Wars trilogies<br />
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Science fiction has
proved throughout the history of the cinematic genre that it is
primarily progressive in nature<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span>
While basic human problems like love, betrayal and the search for
truth are often present, the genre usually features an inclusive
future in which humanity bands together as a species as a result of
extraterrestrial contact<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span>
There is, perhaps, no better example of this than <i>Star Wars</i>
(1977) and its subsequent sequels (1980) and (1983)<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span>
However, the <i>Star Wars</i> prequels contain various racist
stereotypes which are offensive, even when applied to various alien
species, such as the depictions of Jamaicans as Gungans, Asians as
Nemoidians, and Jewish/Arabic people as Watto<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This
is opposing to the inclusive depictions of various aliens without
utilizing racist stereotypes in the original trilogy</span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The original
trilogy featured an epic science fiction adventure set against the
backdrop of a galactic civil war that forced various alien species to
band together and rebel against the rule of an oppressive imperial
force<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span>
However, with the advent of the newer prequel trilogy, has George
Lucas installed a racist undertone to the beloved saga or can the
stereotypes be attributed to lazy film making or audience
interpretation and application of stereotypes from themselves to the
screen?</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The <i>Star Wars</i>
saga remains the subject of intense study in the critical film
history field<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span>
However, most of this study is largely contained to either the
effects on the industry that the 1977 <i>A New Hope </i><span style="font-style: normal;">had
(Belton 121) or a mythological reading of the saga that is largely
based on the fact that Lucas borrowed elements of major mythological
texts for the sci-fi epic</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
(Silvio 1) Any reading of the saga outside of these two fields has
remained elusive</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
As a result, the chance to read into the blockbuster hits as
something other than technical achievements or myth presents a great
opportunity to shed light on a rarely touched on subject</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
As Ebert states “</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">...</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">it
is hard to stand back and see it as a simple motion picture</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">”
(2) The films contain such dense themes, that the opportunities,
which is often overlooked or ignored, are vast</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> The
original </span><i>Star Wars </i><span style="font-style: normal;">trilogy
tells the story of Luke Skywalker, a young man who finds himself
tangled up in a massive galactic war between the rag-tag Rebel
Alliance and the oppressive Galactic Empire</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Luke discovers that his father played a major part in the rise of
the Empire and after the murder of his foster family, he accepts the
ways of the Jedi in order to oppose the Empire</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Through the span of 3 films, Luke discovers the ways of the force and
restores the Old Republic to the ways of old</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
While the rebels fight to restore the galaxy to the ways of the Old
Republic, which featured a group of protectors known as the Jedi
Council</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The destruction of the Republic and the Jedi Council is chronicled in
the newer </span><i>Star Wars</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
trilogy where the audience witnesses the rise of the Empire</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">This
Empire is contrasted by the rise of rebellion</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The inclusive group features able bodied men and women (notable
leader Princess Leia, sister to Luke)</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The rebellion was not only gender-inclusive, but also racially (Lando
Calrissian, an old friend of Han Solo and major participant in the
Rebellion) and species inclusive (Admiral Ackbar who plays a pivotal role
in the final battle, and Chewbacca, a main character who is
animalistic in nature</span><span style="font-style: normal;">)</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
They fight for equality in the galaxy and represent an anti-military
sentiment which was largely personal in nature</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
This personal aspect of the rebellion works with the inclusiveness to
produce a group which has life's best interest in mind</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.
</span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Clearly,
the rebellion features characters who the audience can further
connect with</span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
The personal closeness that one experiences with both the main
characters, as well as the varying supporting cast increases the
power that the rebellion holds</span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
While the Empire holds vast military power and armaments, the
rebellion holds the sense of community and personal justice</span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">While
the Rebel Alliance features species from numerous planets and star
systems who fight against oppression, the Empire prides itself on a
strictly militaristic regime which controls numerous aspects of the
galaxy</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Immediately one can recognize the similarities between the Empire and
the Nazi party of early twentieth century Germany</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Both rose to power under a charismatic leader (just how charismatic
Emperor Palpatine is, is depicted in Episodes I through III), both
are comprised of Caucasian men with little to no inclusion of woman
or other races (or species)</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
More shockingly, both partake in stark examples of genocide</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The Nazi's exterminated thousands largely based on religion and race
in concentration camps while the Empire killed millions, through the
destruction of Alderaan, Princess Leia's home planet and home to
millions</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Earlier in the Empire's creation, the Jedi Council was devastated
through a mass extermination due to their religious beliefs (the Jedi
and it's counterpoint the Sith follow the ways of the Force)</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Much
like the Rebellion, the Old Republic was also inclusive in nature</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
It featured a galactic senate where delegates debated the fate of the
galaxy equally</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Thousands of planets were represented and featured a multitude of
species</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
But not only was the senate inclusive, but the Jedi council was also
largely comprised of various species, with the most powerful being
Yoda, an alien creature with vast knowledge</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
This Jedi council also featured an African American Jedi known as
Mace Windu, another extremely powerful and knowledgeable
representative which preceded the largely white male comprised
Empire</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Jedi council works to promote peace rather than blatant abuse of
their power</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The inclusiveness of the council matched with the peace keeping
efforts of the Jedi allows the audience to feel closely connected</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
However, this feeling is ultimately ignored due to the stupid actions
of the council as a result of being “clouded by the dark side</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">”</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Empire is eventually dismantled through the efforts of the Rebellion
and the Old Republic is reestablished</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Thus, the audience can discern that a main theme in </span><i>Star
Wars</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> is inclusiveness of a
galaxy, rather than the strict impersonal ways of the Empire</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
While this rings true in the original trilogy, with the last chapter
depicting the Empire's last breath against a strengthened Rebellion,
the prequel trilogy has received extreme criticism due to racist
undertones</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
prequels feature the destruction of an inclusive society which is
replaced by a racist Empire</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The senate is lead into this fate by a charismatic white leader who
eventually dismantles the senate</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The senate appears as a gullible bunch of fools incapable of knowing
when they are being tricked</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The inclusive Jedi Council is also tricked into a war by the same
man, who ultimately exterminates all but a few of them</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Arguably, the only right minded person in the prequels is Chancellor
(read future Emperor) Palpatine</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">However,
this is not the main point of criticism in the prequel trilogy</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The underlying message of pro-white society pales in comparison to
the blatant depiction of racist stereotypes applied to various alien
races</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Almost all of the aliens in the prequels feature Earth-like accents,
as well as numerous stereotypical character traits</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
This is a large departure from the aliens depicted in the original
trilogy</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Almost all of them (including a main character: Chewbacca) have
unique languages and characters which increased the “In a galaxy
far, far away” feel of the originals</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
clearest example of the racist representations was also the “first
100% digitally generated lead in a live action movie” (Kleinman
46)</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Jar-Jar Binks is one of the most universally hated characters in the
history of film and for good reason</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The character depicts a lame Jamaican accent and a goofy stride</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
He is silly, annoying and clearly comic relief</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
However, the comic relief is lost with the clearly racist depiction
of his entire race</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The entire Gungan race seemingly acknowledge their low intellectual levels and
clumsy movements</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
All feature the Earth-like accents and barely survive a battle with
thousands of battle droids</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
George Lucas provides audiences with an entire race of offensive
stereotypes</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The leader is a large character who has a strangely unique (read
different from Jamaican) Americanized accent</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
He also wears tribal robes and a foreign head dress</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
Gungan are clearly reminiscent of the “Sambo” character in the
early 1900s</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The Gungans are lazy, carefree and depicted as largely unintelligent,
much like African Americans in early 1900s media</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
This depiction falls nothing short of offensive</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
This depiction, which has existed for quite some time, is noticeable
even when applied to an alien</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">However,
the Gungans are not the only offensive denizens of the prequel
trilogy</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The leaders of the Trade Federation (the opposing side in the clone
wars) are clearly reminiscent of Asian stereotypes</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Their accents, actions and even ceremonial robes mirror
racist Asian <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">tropes</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
These Nemoidian are depicted as the semi-intelligent leaders (also
tricked into war by the Chancellor) of a robot army</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
At this point the stereotypes become painful</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Asians
are often depicted as being highly intelligent and technological in
nature</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Paired with the Asian clothing and clearly Asian accents provide a
clearly offensive depiction of an entire race</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The Nemoidians also appear rather xenophobic towards the foreign Jedi
when they entered their ship</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
This is stereotypical of various Asian cultures</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The Chinese depiction of the aliens “[Portrays] a business
landscape filled with nepotism</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">...</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
and, more recently, illegal campaign contributions</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
(Brooker 19)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">The
audience is also introduced to a bug-like alien named Watto, who is
selfish and materialistic in nature</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
He has a hook nose and overall appearance of “</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">...</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">a
caricature of a Jewish journalist published in a Viennese magazine
called </span><i>Kikeriki</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> at the
turn of the last century” (Williams 9) However, not only is he
Anti-Semitic, but also Anti-Arab</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
He features a middle eastern accent, resides on a desert planet, has chin stubble and cheats at
games</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Watto
is caught cheating at a game, making bets and owning slaves</span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
His entire existence is largely contained within his own self</span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
He only cares about himself, and is willing to disregard women and
children in the process</span></span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> Oppression of women and children is stereotypical in the media's representation of various
middle eastern cultures.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">A
character like Jar-Jar Binks may have never existed in the mind of
late 1960s George Lucas</span>. That was someone who was far more interested in exploring the possibilities of film as an experimental artistic medium. <span style="font-style: normal;">Instead, we receive this character in the 2000s era prequel trilogy,
the goal of which is marketability</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The original trilogy contained a tale which felt unique, but also
familiar in it's characters and themes</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The prequels trade this for Lucas' search for an Empire of his own</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
He trades in storytelling for a loose story arc accented by a major
marketing scheme</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Thus, the lazy film making that Lucas presents creates characters
whose main goals were marketability and action figure deals, but only
achieve offensive stereotypes cheaply painted on CGI pallets</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Lucas
was, at one point, far more interested in telling a vast epic, rather
than making money</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
“A handwritten note on Lucas's yellow pad, dating from early 1975,
stresses</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">...</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
a complete world</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Customs, friends, enemies, goals, family, responsibilities, rules,
religions</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
His aim was familiarity tinged with strangeness</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">”
(Brooker 30) This proves that Lucas did have an artistic vision when
creating the </span><i>Star Wars</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
universe</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Yet through the success of the original trilogy and subsequent
extended universe, he allowed material gain to seep into the creative
process</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"> Thus,
at some point, Lucas gained power similar to that of the Emperor and
allowed the allure of monetary gain to overcome his sense of
storytelling</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The split is quite clear</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The masterpieces that are the original films remain significant in
today's world</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
However, the prequels only remain as clear examples of betraying a
fan-base in order to sell merchandise</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">While
Lucas may not be inherently (or consciously) racist, he devolved into
a lazy film maker</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Thus, the stereotypes that are offensive are appealing in the fact
that people can realize that they are stereotypes</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
In his mind, it allows more people to relate</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Instead, it provides a sour tone to the entire saga and destroys his
legacy</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">But
how can Lucas get away with these stereotypes? At some point in the
production of the prequels, someone must have stood up against such
portrayal</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Lucas fought largely to control every aspect of his films, thus
canceling out whatever judgments anyone may have on set</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Thus the actor putting on “alien-face” (rather than black-face)
reserves his judgment in honor of the film makers artistic vision</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Thus, at some point, these stereotypes must be eradicated through the
judgment of both the people on set and those viewing the films</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The prequels were harshly judged by critics and audiences alike</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
However, many bought into the marketing and the </span><i>Star Wars</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
brand</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
Sadly, these actions enable film makers to take liberties</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
If the stereotypes are both harshly judged by audiences and those on
set, the film maker is forced to think creatively, thus eliminating
the stereotypes</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">While
the </span><i>Star Wars</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> saga is
focused on a vast epic which contains a varying cast of races and
species, the depictions of some aliens (exclusively in the prequels)
are racist</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
While the originals focus on love, power, the search for self and
honor as main themes, among others, the prequels simply give in to
cheap marketing schemes which ultimately betray both fans of the saga
and fans of film in general</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The lazy film making results in downright offensive portrayals, yet
the original films should be celebrated for the magnificent films
that they are</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
The prequels fall miles short of the originals, and unfortunately,
that degrades the entire saga</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;">
One can only hope that the prequels fade from existence so that the
original trilogy survives for the great masterpieces that deserve to
be</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Bibliography </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
Belton, John. <i>American Cinema, American Culture. </i><span style="font-style: normal;">Mcgraw
Hill. New York, New York; 2009. Book</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;"></span>Brooker, Will, and
British Film Institute. <i>Star Wars</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.
Basingstoke [England]; New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. </span><i>/z-wcorg/. </i></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Brooker, Will. "Readings of
Racism: Interpretation, Stereotyping and the Phantom Menace."
</span><i>Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
15.1 (2001): 1. Web.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Kleinman, Dennis. "Star Wars:
Hands Across the Galaxy?" </span><i>Cinefantastique</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
34.3 (2002): 46-7. Web.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Nama, Adilifu. "R is for Race,
Not Rocket: Black Representation in American Science Fiction Cinema."
</span><i>Quarterly Review of Film & Video</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
26.2 (2009): 155-66. Web.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.33in; margin-top: 0.17in; text-indent: -0.33in;">
Silvio, Carl, and Tony M. Vinci. <i>Culture, Identities, and
Technology in the Star Wars Films : Essays on the Two Trilogies</i>.
Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 2007. <i>/z-wcorg/.</i></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Williams,
Patricia. “Racial Ventriloquism” </span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
Nation. </span></i><span style="font-weight: normal;">July 5, 1999.
Web.</span></span></div>Adam Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110761314615731363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193135012223737117.post-54265729088306626522012-06-28T21:29:00.006-07:002012-06-28T21:50:40.706-07:00The Hollywood (role)model: Marketing tactics of an impressionable game industry<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
With
game budgets soaring to record heights, it's apparent that a large
portion of that money goes, not towards the advancements of technology
or elevation of form and content, but rather towards promoting a
product. The concept is simple. You get the name of the game, and
sometimes the name of the developer/distributor, out into the public
which helps generate revenue and sales. In theory, the more money you
put up, the better sales of the game. With the game market being a
consumer driven and competitive market, it is no surprise that these
budgets will start to grow over time. For Rockstar's <i>Grand Theft Auto 4</i><span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">, <a _mce_href="http://www.shacknews.com/article/52464/gta-4s-production-budget-estimated" href="http://www.shacknews.com/article/52464/gta-4s-production-budget-estimated" target="_blank">the budget was a reported $100 million</a>.</span><span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;"> Rockstar went as far as producing 4 trailers, at least 12 teasers and an <a _mce_href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing_for_Grand_Theft_Auto_IV" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing_for_Grand_Theft_Auto_IV" target="_blank">oversized mural</a> on the side of a building in New York City.</span><span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
Thus, these “game development budgets” are vastly inflated by the cost
of large budget Hollywood film marketing tactics. The game industry has
looked up to Hollywood as the benchmark for marketing, but is the end
goal of this evolution problematic?</span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Game
marketing, at one time, was reserved for simply the hardcore gaming
subculture. While trailers play a large part of game promotion today,
print ads targeting those core gamers of the 80s and 90s era were
assigned to gaming magazines. These gaming magazines created a unique
culture before the internet existed in the form it is in today. Back
then, magazines were the only way that a sub-culture, such as gaming,
could spread and share news of the industry. It was a tool of
unification. Yet these magazines and print ads have largely died out.
The overtly sexual and violent ads that were common place in
gaming magazines have now disappeared in favor of other marketing
schemes.</div>
<br />
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Game
magazines, like other forms of print, are on the road to extinction.
Gamepro, a popular gaming magazine that had been in production for over
20 years, recently <a _mce_href="http://kotaku.com/5863927/rip-gamepro" href="http://kotaku.com/5863927/rip-gamepro" target="_blank">discontinued its services</a>.
With the rise of gaming as an international entertainment industry,
hardcore gaming magazines are less and less viable. The delayed
reporting of events and cost of subscription have been easily edged out
by free internet sites like Kotaku, which reports on events and
announcements as soon as they break. Game magazines are also primarily
targeting hardcore members of the game community, thus shrinking their
demographic.</div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
However, gaming magazines aren't all gone. Some have realized a way
around this shrinking demographic problem. The number 1 magazine
subscription in the male <a _mce_href="http://media1.gameinformer.com/images/site/advertising/PrintMediaKit.pdf" href="http://media1.gameinformer.com/images/site/advertising/PrintMediaKit.pdf" target="_blank">18-24 demographic</a> is Game Informer.</span><span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
The magazine, which has a staggering 5 million subscribers, has managed
to survive despite having the age of Gamepro. This could largely be due
to the fact that Game Informer is offered with Gamestop's Power Up
Rewards card. According to a <a _mce_href="http://www.colloquy.com/files/GameStop-Corporation_Retail%202011.pdf" href="http://www.colloquy.com/files/GameStop-Corporation_Retail%202011.pdf" target="_blank">2011 Colloquy report</a> the premium "Power up members average 3x the spend of non-members, helping us skew our marketing dollars to the most engaged and profitable customers"</span><span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
Thus, unsurprisingly, the newest issue of Game Informer (Issue 226)
does not feature print ads for games, but rather ads for Gamestop, tech
industry learning institutes and the military. </span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
While these are all ads targeting the 18-24 male demographic, the
absence of gaming ads is still quite puzzling. Out of the 7 ads featured
in the Issue 226 Game Informer, a 100 page magazine, only one of the
ads is for a game. This simply boils down to demographics and the
contact that gamers have with non-gamers in their household. The holiday
season is when Gamestop does the most sales. Last year, <a _mce_href="http://news.gamestop.com/press-release/business/gamestop-reports-2011-holiday-sales-results" href="http://news.gamestop.com/press-release/business/gamestop-reports-2011-holiday-sales-results" target="_blank">Gamestop did a record $3.02 billion.</a> </span><span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">The
18-24 male demographic, which largely makes up the hardcore gaming
market, are the proprietary consumers of Gamestop year round. However,
during the holiday season, this demographic is edged out by families who
sink massive amounts of money into the gaming industry due to the
casualization of gaming (Portable games, popular games, the Wii etc.)
Having worked at Gamestop for over a year, I was trained to pay more
attention to the families rather than the hardcore gamers. We were told
to push the magazine as a stocking stuffer for kids while utilizing the
card as a money-saver for the parents. That magazine, which is now
featuring less of the overly sexual and violent game ads of the past,
now feature ads which parents can enjoy. An ad for the Marine Corps is
more appealing to a parent (who is inevitably plagued by the moral panic
of video games causing social degradation) than an ad for any violent
game.</span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
Let's ignore the paradoxical and uniquely American jingoistic
implications of the above statement and focus on what this means for
parents who buy a subscription for their kids. While the kids will enjoy
the articles on the games, which provide far more marketing ability
than a simple print ad could ever strive for, the parents can take
comfort in “positive” ads being displayed in the magazine. As a result,
the parents are locked into a subscription due to a perceived sense of
comfort, as well as saving money on games (with the rewards card) and
the child's desire to stay up on news without exposure to the internet.
Gaming magazines have largely shifted from being primarily for hardcore
gamers and more towards families. The hardcore market is no longer the
prime target for print ads. Marketing of triple A games has ignored the
hardcore gamers in favor of reaching as many people as possible. This
can be seen in the Call of Duty franchise with the dropping of various
tactical gameplay elements to appeal to the ever growing younger
audience. The evolution of the internet has forced the hardcore market
from specialty magazine isles in Barnes and Noble and onto sites like
Youtube and Reddit. </span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
Due to the shift from print to the internet, the gaming market has had
to adapt. The game industry has looked to the Hollywood film industry
and has adopted a far more compelling way to market a product.</span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">Trailers, often times done on a scale as large as the game itself,
provide both a way to promote a product and a compelling emotional
narrative. This maturing is due to the growth of the game culture and
added significance of large expos like E3. In the past, trailers had
either displayed gamers interacting with a game </span><span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">or gimmicky videos that would appeal to the occasional mass audience. They
featured an “attitude” that can only be described as the Early 90s
mindset of “radical.” It should be noted, that with the introduction of
casualized motion gaming, that the involvement of gamers in trailers
have come full circle.</span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;"> Hardcore games, with trailers devoid of gamer interaction, have looked towards Hollywood for compelling trailers.</span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
Starcraft and Starcraft 2, games which puts you into the seat of an
intergalactic general to manage resources and carry out a war, is
decidedly non-narrative. The connection built from interaction isn't
created due to an emotional tie to a character, but rather the immersion
of the experience. The game has transcended a narrative or gaming
experience and has become a full blown E-sport. Yet trailers for
Starcraft 2 present a Hollywood built narrative instance that is rarely
representative of the final product. (It should be noted that Starcraft 2
does feature a storyline based mission system, but is fairly
transparent. I've been playing since release and haven't touched the
single-player campaign.) </span><br />
<br />
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
Along with the Old Republic, these trailers bring up the problem of
false advertising. Both trailers would seemingly present a product that
is either a triple A narrative game or the latest Hollywood modern epic.
They are great, yes, but don't give a viewer any type of idea as to
what the original product will be. Would it not be for gameplay demos,
uneducated gamers and parents would be plaguing the game industry with
accusations of false advertising.</span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
While Starcraft is a decidedly hardcore game with a specific audience,
the Sims has even become subject to Hollywood style trailers. The Sims
3, a mass appeal game with a broad demographic, has even put out
trailers that rarely captures the gameplay experience.</span></div>
<br />
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
While a trailer like this utilizes actual gameplay to make up the
trailer, it is still decidedly Hollywood: emotional, appealing, funny
and backed by a pop song. It is impressive, but relies on the fact that a
gamer has heard of the Sims and is aware of the gameplay style it
entails. </span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;"> The interesting exemption from these examples comes from sports games like the recently release WWE '12:</span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
This shows real gameplay, but also interaction from the game's stars
and athletes. This type of trailer points towards a more “name brand”
type of marketing which is largely targeting a specific audience. </span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
So do these trailers point towards a more mature industry? These
cinematic pieces are appealing. The chills I felt after watching all
three of those trailers would be enough to make me stand out at midnight
and buy the game, but is there a problem there? The gaming industry is
looking towards the film industry for cues. Games are a different medium
than film and offers an entirely different experience. While the
marketing is strong for games such as Call of Duty, Battlefield,
Assassin's Creed and any of the other numerous franchises out there, the
industry could start to stagnate. The artistic recognition that gamers
so desperately seek is at risk of being undermined by the most popular
and best selling franchises in gaming. While the tasteless print ads of
the past decades have died out and gaming taking a more big budget
approach, the industry should be heading towards a point of innovation
where the form and content meld into an impressive piece. However, the
attention to form and content has yet to be fully realized in the mass
gaming industry and for good reason: Gaming is still a very young
medium.</span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
So, much like film, the industry has begun to polarize. Big budget
games have taken the big share while smaller indie games have grown into
a small but innovative space. Games like Braid and Flower utilize the
narratives and gameplay in a way that complement each other. While these
games are innovative and push the medium forward, they lack the appeal
and marketing that triple A games have.</span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
The marketing tactics of the industry may point to where the industry
is leading. Hollywood film, has for the most part, become stagnant and
outright devoid of artistic merit. Films like Transformers and Avatar
bring in huge amounts of money but undermine the medium as a serious art
form. The serious innovation in form and content isn't coming from
Hollywood, but rather the indie film market. The game industry is
becoming a miniature representation of the film industry. The widening
appeal of triple A games and the Hollywood-like production of game
trailers could lead to a system where producing big budget games and
expensive trailers is rewarded, even if it contains a tired formulaic
approach.</span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
As with indie film occasionally hitting it big with a financial
success, the indie game market has it's moments. Devoid of the inflated
marketing costs of triple A titles, indie games like Minecraft do well.
Minecraft, which utilizes the self-driven and nostalgic narrative
specific to the player with the first person exploratory gameplay has
managed to sell over <a _mce_href="http://www.minecraft.net/stats" href="http://www.minecraft.net/stats" target="_blank">4 million units</a>, has become a phenomenal success without utilizing marketing tactics.</span><span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;"> Minecraft has benefited from, what many believe to be the future of marketing, word of mouth.</span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">
So while the Hollywood film industry has pushed for the destruction of
the internet with net neutrality killers like SOPA and PIPA, the game
industry is presented with an opportunity to sink less cash into
marketing and more into providing a compelling experience. Hollywood's
inability to recognize the problems with their products has stifled
innovation and forced them into pushing legislation that will ultimately
harm them and their consumers. This isn't the role model that gamers
want for their industry. Games offer an experience like no other art
form, and while marketing has evolved considerably over time, the
industry needs to step back and realize the potential of their medium.
Instead of looking towards the popular film industry, game developers
should push for the advancement of their art form without risking
financial security. </span></div>
<div _mce_style="margin-bottom: 0in;" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span _mce_style="font-style: normal;" style="font-style: normal;">The
next evolution in marketing is seemingly player driven and largely
socialized. The future of game marketing is as uncertain as gaming as an
art form. We could see player word of mouth being the definitive next
step or we could see the continuation of popularized mass audience
cinematics. Perhaps we will see a synthesis of both, presenting gaming
as the unique medium it undoubtedly is. </span>Adam Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110761314615731363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193135012223737117.post-31752571527958158912012-06-28T21:22:00.001-07:002012-07-15T20:04:49.363-07:00Fantasy Booking Introduction<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I had a wrestling related dream the
other night. I was at college with CM Punk and Daniel Bryan and we
all lived together. I remember that the place was rather large and
Bryan was complaining about not getting a fair shot. So I called up
Vince McMahon and said that I would be willing to walk away from the
company if Bryan hadn't gotten a fair shot. Note that I had no idea
what my job was with the company. I woke up right as Mark Henry and
Bryan were to have a match.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I sat there, curled up in bed and
thought about what I would do with the company. If I had my choice,
my dream job would be head writer. I know that nearly everyone who
wouldn't cut it as an actual wrestler would choose writer or booker
the next best dream job with the WWE by default. But admittedly I
have a real aspiration for it. I am currently going to school for
film at a good university. One that pushes the independent filmmaking
route with a strong theoretical background. It isn't one of those
tech schools that simply put you on an accelerated course with no
direction.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My first films started out like every
other film student's work. To put this in perspective for non-film
students, nearly 95% (a rough estimate) of all film student work
contains one or more of the following: murder, suicide, hit-men,
cigarettes, drugs, sex, nudity, swearing, love, voice-overs etc. It
gets tedious viewing work after work that is nearly all the same. But
this is something that most film students go through. At least in my
experience, they start to branch out and think creative. They start
thinking of a message that they want to convey first instead of
coming up with a concept and then pasting whatever meaning they can
to it.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My first film was about a kid who
committed suicide and didn't know he was dead until he disappeared.
My second film was about a straight edge gang which was supposed to
mirror the yakuza. (I have been involved in the hardcore
straight-edge music scene since I was a teenage and am a fan of
yakuza films.) So my work was, admittedly, really shitty. Neither
piece is available and have been since destroyed.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
However, I eventually matured and
started working on other stuff that was more personal. I am the type
of person to take whatever interests I have and start to critically
analyze the work. I've read more books and articles on media studies
and specific subjects (for example: <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17400309.2010.514666" target="_blank">The Interactive Narrative Logic of televised Pro-Wrestling</a>) Thus, with this maturing I am left
asking the question that many “smart” wrestling fans ask
themselves. Why do I watch this?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What I really mean is “Why do I watch
the WWE?” To be quite honest, I think it is due to the availability
of it. I love Chikara and many independents, but I simply can't keep
up with them without spoilers. But when I think about this question,
Chikara founder Mike Quackenbush's words seem to resurface. In an <a href="http://www.avclub.com/chicago/articles/chikaras-mike-quackenbush,57495/" target="_blank">AVClub interview</a>, he said “I’ve often said that wrestling is art;
but for now, it seems consigned to remaining low art. It’s a male
soap opera. We’ve got to earn our place at the grown-up table.”
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Much like gaming, another art medium
that I view as having real potential but is often viewed as
“low-brow”, I want to be able to defend pro-wrestling for the
best it can be. Unfortunately with WWE, and TNA which I don't watch
regularly, these best moments are few and far between.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, I decided to start this blog. I
hope to find some sort of understanding in the art form that is
pro-wrestling through fantasy booking and perhaps some other critical
analysis. Part of this is also feeding into that dream job as head
writer for the WWE. With that being said, I want a real discussion
with these posts. I am an active member of <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/" target="_blank">/r/squaredcircle</a> over on
Reddit and enjoy a lot of the real good discussion there. So if what
I say works or doesn't work, let me know. Send me suggestions and if
my ideas would garner a reaction. I enjoy hearing from people and
want to create an interesting dynamic here.
</div>Adam Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110761314615731363noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193135012223737117.post-8772396618597193572012-06-28T21:19:00.001-07:002012-06-28T21:37:18.518-07:00IntroductionWelcome to Box Robots. My name is Adam Evans and I started up this blog not to re-post cute things i found on the internet or to keep an online journal for all to read, but rather to talk critically about the things I love. Often we, as a society, enjoy something and accept it for what it is. We consume the work and then move on. However, for me, many works seem to linger within my mind long after the piece has been consumed.<br />
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So, naturally, i seek to dissect and evaluate these pieces of art for not just what they are, but what they can tell me about myself. The art-forms i discuss and dissect will be varied. Film, video games, pro-wrestling, TV and music are all ingrained in what i am. I hope that you, the reader, allow me to ramble and ponder. I hope that you remain open to the work i present and the argument i frame it in. My email address (adam.evans727@gmail.com) will always be available for you to discuss whatever you want. Whether you agree or disagree, the best i can hope for is garnering a reaction from readers.<br />
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As for the formatting of the site. Right now, it is pretty rough, however i am working on making it far more dynamic. Since the work i will be discussing is varied in interest level, you can sort the content based on the label system. My work will be sorted into categories based on interest (Film, Video Games, Pro-Wrestling, General, etc.) <br />
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Thanks for reading. <br />
<br />
-AdamAdam Evanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09110761314615731363noreply@blogger.com0