Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Molly Dinton Essay Example for Free

Molly Dinton Essay I dont know where documentary is going, but at the moment it is fast becoming a soap opera in order to keep its place in the schedules Molly Dinton. Dinton believes that the documentary genre is changing in order to survive. This evolution of the genre could be justified, and enables the diverse genre to still be able to attain fixtures on the British television broadcasting stations. The statement of the documentary fast becoming a soap opera, can to some extent be supported. Currently on British television, there has been a swarm of reality TV programmes and Docu- soaps, which can be seen as a polluted hybrid of the documentary genre. These programmes are noted as successful in attracting an audience, therefore, the TV institutions are more likely to exploit these wining formulas of the genre and schedule the newer, more popular American format of documentary rather than the traditional documentary formula that aims to construct a social criticism and catalyse change, which often has a stigma of smelling of dust and boredom (Alberto Cavalcanti). Institutions are able to have a minimal risk of financial failure with docu- soaps and reality TV programmes, because as well having a high rating of audience consumption, the programmes are financially very cheap to produce. This is because the hybrid forms do not generally have professional actors but consist of real people. Also the programmes are often filmed in cheap locations over a relatively short period of time compared with Nick Broomfields Aileen- The Life and Death of a Serial Killer. In this recent documentary (2003) Broomfield worked in America for multiple months, which would have been extremely costly. Paul Hanmann, head of BBC Documentary features, says that a reality programme is three times cheaper as comparable light entertainment. Or take for example, Martin Bashirs The Michael Jackson Story, where by Bashir followed Michael Jackson from country to country over a period of a year, making a very costly production for ITV. In this investigative documentary, it too can also be noted as conforming to the new soap opera style of documentary, as Bashir chose to present to the nation the version that sensationalised the Jackson story in a negative light creating a spin off of conversation for a duration after. Bashir, like a soap opera director, chose to present the narrative version of the documentary that would create the most dramatic effect or shock for the audience. TV executives are more keen on scheduling the popular forms of the documentary genre and make the values of the programme centre on entertainment, as they feel entertainment is more appealing to the audience than a documentary that exits on a moral and ethical dimension. The intertextuality of the Docu- Soaps such as Vet School, The Cruise and Driving school, attract huge viewing ratings. For example Driving school had a 12. 5 million audience. The Docu- soap resembles the conventional fly on the wall antecedents, but like a Soap Opera, the genre prioritises audience entertainment over social commentary, and focuses on characters and their personalities, rather than on their social roles or professions. Characters are picked for their personalities, to ensure interesting viewing and strike a parallel with the Soap Operas, in that the characters are known on a first name basis to build up a relationship between audience and screen characters. Likewise, the episodes are strongly based on the drive of the narrative structure, to make more entertaining, simplistic and more story- like for the audience to follow and enjoy. Yet another demonstration of documentaries becoming a soap opera is with channel 4s Thatll teach them. In this series, teenagers of today were seemingly sent back in time to be educated in the 1950s. The programme is then followed up, several months later with, That taught em, making the series like a soap opera because the channel are adding to the original narrative, in order to get a greater knowledge of the teenagers. Reality TV combines the commercial success of tabloid content with a public service mode of address. The genre includes The Salon, Big Brother, Police Camera Action and Wife Swap, which are all hugely popular. Big Brother had a staggering 45, 000 people audition to be on the programme. These programmes are essentially very alike in comparison to Soap Operas. Often in reality TV, contrasting personalities are deliberately selected or an arisen conflict sensationalised; also many of the programmes are edited in order to capture comedy moments. Moreover in the Docu- Soap Driving School, there is evidence to suggest that many of the sequences, or body language/ facial expressions in the programme were faked in order to create further dramatic effect. Through sensationalising episodes, these programmes are able to compete with the story lines of many soaps, and attract viewers who enjoy much of the dramatisation that occurs in the soap operas. It also serves to entertain the audience. Reality TV is very much like many soaps. This is achieved by using editing. The Directors are able to create a persona or character of the participants, that the audience will either love or loathe, through selecting which footage to air and which to discard. With CCTV footage in Police Camera Action and 24/7 actuality footage of the constructed documentary, Big Brother, the audience is able to involve themselves in dramatic irony and acquire a greater knowledge of the characters and their situations, like we are also able to do through watching soaps. As McCann states it often turns us into Peeping Toms, which obviously appeals to a sector of society. There is however, evidence to suggest that many documentaries, which adopt the objective of catalysing change in the law or the dominant ideology and use film verite, are also still scheduled on British TV. For example, during November of each year, war documentaries will be broadcasted for Remembrance Day, and in the month of August, documentaries on Princess Diana and her death will be documented, to heighten the audiences level of awareness surrounding her suspicious death. These documentaries try to offer several new pieces of information discovered that are based on fact and not fiction. Experts, eyewitnesses, and official civil servants provide the evidence for the programme, giving it credibility. The documentary serves to criticise, the way in which the investigation was run, but also to cause the audience to change their previously held opinion on the subject, and to take on and believe the message given by the text. Occasionally other documentaries by famous documentarians are scheduled, such as Nick Broomfields Biggie and Tupac, (channel 4 2003), where Broomfield exposes the maze of obstacles and corruption complicating the investigation of the unsolved murders of the rap stars. Also, it is evident that many nature documentaries are shown on channel five, but not at peak times, which docu- soaps and reality TV are aired. In addition to this there is evidence to suggest that not all documentaries have to become soap operas in order to keep its place in the soap operas. This point can be clearly illustrated with the co- production by the BBC and Discovery Channel in their creation of Walking with Dinosaurs. The documentary achieved huge success and was stated as being the biggest thing on TV in 160 million years. With the aid of computer graphics, the programme portrayed to the audience at peak times of scheduling, a factual account of how dinosaurs lived, adapted into the different time periods, and eventually became extinct. There are also niche channels on Digital or Sky channels, such as Discovery, History, and the Learning channel, all of which schedule films solely from the documentary genre. These channels have high ratings and status, but are not available to everyone. In conclusion, I feel that Molly Dinton was justified in stating that the documentary is fast becoming a soap opera in order to keep its place in the schedules. This is mainly because the mass audience prefer docu- soaps and reality TV, which are closely related to soap operas. This is because these factions of the documentary genre entertain, and cause diversion and escapism for the audience, who are easily able to relax in their leisure time and watch the light- entertainment programmes. They are not presented with a programme that requires the mind to work too hard after a draining day. The broadcasting institutions generally broadcast, what is demanded from the public and what is financially better for their business, making the way clear for further reality shows that resemble the soaps to be produced. Perhaps the film verite documentaries are not as popular as the hybrid genres because in general they require a higher intellect/ socio- economic group to follow the programme or be interested in the issues investigated. This form of documentary perhaps has outlived its usefulness and no longer has a very clear significance. The vast docu- soaps and reality television programmes are scheduled at peak times, because they appeal to a wider audience where as the occasional documentary is scheduled mainly in the late eve. Therefore it is true that documentaries are fast becoming soap operas in order to survive.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

How can Gatsby be called Great Essay -- F. Scott Fitzgerald Great Gats

The title of F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ can be seen as incredibly ironic: not only can the ‘greatness’ of the eponymous character be vehemently contested, he is not even named ‘Gatsby’. In fact, he is a criminal, James Gatz, who, although he appears to be an epitome of the idealistic American Dream, having grown from an impoverished childhood into a life of excess and splendour, he has obtained everything through crime and corruption. Indeed, it has been said that ‘The Great Gatsby’ is â€Å"a parable of disenchantment with the ‘American Dream’† , and it is, for the American Dream is the idea that â€Å"through hard work, courage and determination, one could achieve prosperity.† James Gatz did not obtain his prosperous lifestyle through â€Å"hard work†, but rather through felony. Of course, it may seem that he ‘worked hard’ for it, and there is no disputing hi s determination and perhaps even his courage, but the â€Å"hard work† on which the American Dream is based is not the work of criminals. Of course, we cannot deny that Gatsby has achieved a great deal in his lifetime, all, apparently, in the name of love. Indeed the narrator of the story, Nick Carraway, describes Gatsby as having â€Å"an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person†, and this forms the basis of his opening argument for the greatness of Gatsby. We must, however, examine the reliability of the narrator. Nick says himself that he is â€Å"inclined to reserve all judgement†, but then quickly goes on to say how â€Å"it has a limit†, that he cannot reserve judgement on everyone, and also that Gatsby was â€Å"exempt from my reaction†, following this with how Gatsby â€Å"represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn†,... ...l of Daisy, either. After all, Nick himself says that â€Å"Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply†, and one can assume that this would also be true for Daisy: Wilson would not have shot Daisy as he does Gatsby: it would appear that his â€Å"romantic readiness† was eventually the cause of his murder. The fact that he was killed by Wilson is deeply ironic: the underdog, the only poor character we see in the novel, running a â€Å"bare†, â€Å"whitewashed† garage under the god-like eyes of â€Å"Doctor T. J Eckleburg†, kills the prosperous, rich, idealistic hero, showing not only the â€Å"disenchantment of the ‘American Dream’†, but also that there really is no place for Jay Gatsbys in the world: the qualities which Nick perceives as â€Å"great† slowly pave the way for his defeat. Was Gatsby â€Å"great†? No, he was simply naively idealistic in a society completely deficient in morality. How can Gatsby be called Great Essay -- F. Scott Fitzgerald Great Gats The title of F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ can be seen as incredibly ironic: not only can the ‘greatness’ of the eponymous character be vehemently contested, he is not even named ‘Gatsby’. In fact, he is a criminal, James Gatz, who, although he appears to be an epitome of the idealistic American Dream, having grown from an impoverished childhood into a life of excess and splendour, he has obtained everything through crime and corruption. Indeed, it has been said that ‘The Great Gatsby’ is â€Å"a parable of disenchantment with the ‘American Dream’† , and it is, for the American Dream is the idea that â€Å"through hard work, courage and determination, one could achieve prosperity.† James Gatz did not obtain his prosperous lifestyle through â€Å"hard work†, but rather through felony. Of course, it may seem that he ‘worked hard’ for it, and there is no disputing hi s determination and perhaps even his courage, but the â€Å"hard work† on which the American Dream is based is not the work of criminals. Of course, we cannot deny that Gatsby has achieved a great deal in his lifetime, all, apparently, in the name of love. Indeed the narrator of the story, Nick Carraway, describes Gatsby as having â€Å"an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person†, and this forms the basis of his opening argument for the greatness of Gatsby. We must, however, examine the reliability of the narrator. Nick says himself that he is â€Å"inclined to reserve all judgement†, but then quickly goes on to say how â€Å"it has a limit†, that he cannot reserve judgement on everyone, and also that Gatsby was â€Å"exempt from my reaction†, following this with how Gatsby â€Å"represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn†,... ...l of Daisy, either. After all, Nick himself says that â€Å"Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply†, and one can assume that this would also be true for Daisy: Wilson would not have shot Daisy as he does Gatsby: it would appear that his â€Å"romantic readiness† was eventually the cause of his murder. The fact that he was killed by Wilson is deeply ironic: the underdog, the only poor character we see in the novel, running a â€Å"bare†, â€Å"whitewashed† garage under the god-like eyes of â€Å"Doctor T. J Eckleburg†, kills the prosperous, rich, idealistic hero, showing not only the â€Å"disenchantment of the ‘American Dream’†, but also that there really is no place for Jay Gatsbys in the world: the qualities which Nick perceives as â€Å"great† slowly pave the way for his defeat. Was Gatsby â€Å"great†? No, he was simply naively idealistic in a society completely deficient in morality.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Music and Dance Essay

Filipinos are known as great musicians worldwide. This is seen in their dedication and intense love for music. Early Filipinos already developed their own music through their endemic songs and instruments. The Magellan expedition in 1521, witnessed among the Cebuanos instruments of timbale, and cymbal and other forms of drums. The most popular music instrument found in the country is the kudyapi a metal stringed instrument shaped like a boat, Tingguian nose flute called kalalen, the Muslim xylophone called kulintang. Negritos of Bataan and Zambales have the musical instrument called ban, the Visayans had a guitar looking which they called gangsa and the toltogan, a bamboo drum. Aside from instruments, our ancestors also expressed themselves through their songs with dance like; tagumpay, Tagalog sog of victory, Mang-ay-uweng, an Igorot’s labor song, Kinnallogong which is an Ilocano dance of a man facing a woman, tudub a harvest song together with dandansuy, balitaw the two popular song and dance in Agusan, Other Philippine ethnic dances are the following; Bonog- Cordillera dance portraying hunting, Salisid- Cordillera courtship dance, Palok- cordillera tribal dance, Idudu- Cordillera tribal dance which is a common among Itneg or Tinguian society, Lumagen- Kalinga traditional thanksgiving dance, Bendayan- Benguet dance commemorating the arrival of the headhunters and Binaylan- Agusan ritual dance which originated from the Bagobo tribe. Dressing and Ornamentation The ancient Filipinos have their own attire and their own fashion. The men in the barangay society wore the kanggan, described as a black or blue collarless, short-sleeve jacket. They also wore a bahag a strip of cloth wrapped around their heads was also used which is called putong. They also had jewels such as pendant, gold necklaces, gold teeth, gold armlets that were called kalombigas and gold anklets filled with agates, carnelian and other gems. The women had their own way of dressing themselves same as the men. They wore wide-sleeve jacket called baro or camisa, in their lower part they wore a skirt, a piece of colored cloth, which they called as tapis or saya by the Tagalog and Patadyong by the Visayans. Women wore jewelry consisted of gold necklace,  gold bracelets, large gold earrings and gold rings and teeth. In Visayans, the most tattooed Filipinos settled; they developed a social representation through body marks of various designs representing animals, flowers and geometric representations. There were two reasons: first, to enhance their physical body beauty, and second, for men to show their war records, the more enemy a warrior killed in the battle, the more tattoo was inched in his body. The women were less tattooed than men. When the Spaniards came to Visayas and upon seeing such people they called pintados r painted people, they called the island as Las Islas Pintados or Island of Painted People. A Cat Disease A disease that causes chronic gastrological disorders, IBD, is envisioned in a spectrum of severities. Cats can vomit heavily, and suffer from continuous diarrhea. Reasons for the disease are yet unknown. Bacterial infections, gastrological irritation, lack of vitamins are often quoted as factors contributing to the development of the disease. Veterinarians, treating IBD in cats, usually prescribe medicine and advice on the dietary management as well as make surgical choices. If untreated, IBD, can be fatal for cats. Research – conducted mostly by pet owners – shows that a cat’s diet can be critical. Further research will include inspection of several vaccines. So far, grain-free, raw meat diet has already proved to be largely beneficial. The Meteor Show The much advertised meteor show this summer was a memory ot behold. The air was crisp and cool. I did not even feel a hint of a breeze  on my skin as I lie on my back in the darkness. The warm temperature of the water against the cooler air created a drifting airy fog that whispered over the lake. Darkness enveloped the sky as only a slight curve of the moon shone in the night; consequently, this made the perfect stage for the breathtaking view of twinkling stars. In the still of the night many galaxies glittered from the depths of the sky as I felt hypnotically drawn into the mesmorizing show above me. Broad irregular bands of light from the Milky Way stretched across the sky while the big and little dipper shined brightly. As predicted, the meteor show began with various sized meteors cascading to the earth’s atmosphere about every fifteen to thirty seconds. Shots of light, followed by orange and white mist, describes the presence of the meteors. The panoramic view made it possible to witness several meteors at a time while marveling at each one. An event like this may only happen once in a lifetime, so I will cherish this moment and it will remain as one of my fondest memories. My First Time In The Emergency Room I went to the Emergency Room for the first time when I was thirteen years old. It all came about when I was skateboarding in front of my grandma’s house and I tried to do a trick. I almost pulled it of, but I messed it up in the end and headed to the ground with my hands down. My right wrist was twisted the wrong way in the air when I landed hard on the ground, it just broke it. At first it did not hurt at all, but when I looked down at my warped and twisted wrist , all of a sudden excruciating pain rushed through my wrist and I came unglued. Rolling around on the ground yelling and cussing in pain, my parents saw what happened and came running to my aid. My dad started moving it around saying, â€Å"it’s not broken,† as my mom was saying over and over again we need to go to the emergency room to get the real diiagnosis. After about fifteen minutes of yelling and screaming, I finally got up and held my wrist as I walked to the car. The whole way to the ER the pain got worse and worse. Later I foound out the  increase in pain was due to massive swelling against the broken bone. I had to sit in the waiting room for almost and hour which seemed loke forever. After waiting impatiently, I finally got into the doctor’s office where I got an X-Ray and found out my wrist was truley broken.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

The Sixth Extinction By Elizabeth Kolbert - 1621 Words

In the book The Sixth Extinction written by Elizabeth Kolbert there are a lot of examples that are going on in the world today and also examples of things that started when the first human being was around. This book talks about how we are in the sixth mass extinction, and that is caused by humans. Overall the book goes chapter by chapter and talks about the different mass extinctions there have been, and how they were caused, but also the book talks about different species that have gone extinct and the reasons why. For example the book talks about golden frogs that are located in Panama and how they were seen everywhere located in El Valle de Anton, but they suddenly started disappearing. They were disappearing because of a chytrid fungis cause by humans, when humans travel they were bring this fungis to different places, this ended up killing the frogs (Chapter 1, Kolbert). That is just one example, but throughout the book Kolbert talks about different extinctions like this a nd what caused them. There are thirteen chapters in book The Sixth Extinction, and each one represents something different as the chapters are leading to the end where she points out that there could be hope. The first chapter in the book is called the Sixth Extinction and this chapter mainly talks about frogs and that is because they have been around longer than any other species some say. Frogs have been around for around 400 million years at least that is when they started crawling out ofShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Elizabeth Kolberts The Sixth Extinction1575 Words   |  7 Pagespushing other species to extinction, humanity is busy sawing off the limb on which it perches† (The Sixth Extinction, 268). 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The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that particular species. Mass extinctions, howeverRead MoreJohnson s Seagrass And Its Effects1370 Words   |  6 Pagesfunding for conservation efforts than seagrasses do. It is alarming how quickly ecosystems are being depleted and how fast species are going extinct. If the damage done to Johnson’s seagrass is not reversed or stopped, will it lead to a sixth extinction Elizabeth Kolbert speaks of, or will it have detrimental effects on generations to come? These are questions that more peopl e need to keep in mind when they throw a can on the side of the road or dump pollutants into the ocean.