Destroying Barriers in the Media

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kiJQEPhuHU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARZ0k3Ok_Xk&feature=related http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Thomas_(comedian)
Josh Thomas is a well-known comedian from Brisbane, Australia. He works with many media aesthetics such as radio, television, and stand-up. Josh is well-known for being a gay rights activist as well as being gay himself. The media sources listed really made me consider how media in our society is changing; it is becoming more open to homosexual relationships. This change is subtle, but it is happening. I highly doubt we as consumers will see any popular product ads that advocate gay relationships any time soon, but hopefully the media will aid this in becoming a more acceptable concept within society. This made me think of Media Concept # 5 - Media contains ideological and value messages. I made this relation because the media sources provided have proved how the media affects the way we view and judge stereotypical society: Society has thus forth not incredibly accepting of gay relationships because the media, even from fifty years back, has not implicated it to be normal. The media presented such values as the presentation of a good, healthy family: The maternal, responsible mother, the masculine father, and responsible kids.

I believe that if the media can gradually incorporate the idea that gay relationships are okay into their content, then they can benefit from that because it gives them a larger target audience, as well as promoting the concept. After all, fifty years ago there were rarely ads with African Americans shown, and now they are shown widely in media advertising. This publication of ideas contributed to the breaking down of barriers between racial cultures, so why can't it do the same with homosexuality?

"Looking for Atlantis"

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/03/14/tech-atlantis-spain.html

I found this new in the media quite intriguing. I secretly still hope Atlantis isn't for sure found, and remains a mystery forever, but it could be a huge discovery! Still, I find it hard to believe that news like this is being covered while there are suffering and dying people in Japan. The world often disappoints me in ways such as this. It seems that people care more about fables than their own kind. Which, I must admit, makes sense: it's probably easier to escape into fantasy and mystery than to open your eyes and face the world today and how it is falling apart.

I find that often in the media that news focusses on such trivial things as this. The media does cover the disaster in Japan, but I feel as though tragedies such as this are easily forgotten, because the media and news are constant. Still, as humans, our role in the media is and will always remain to be to consume. Though I feel as if within the past ten years, this consumption has grown. We are now paying more attention to the media and celebrities and movies and artists more than we ever do to the things that do, or should, matter in life- the humans in our life, that we see every day, not the stars "surrounding" it.

Through the overconsumption of media products, people are wasting their time on movies, tv, and Internet-based collectives such as Facebook and Twitter instead of using their little time they have on "more important things". I would consider these to be things such as our friends and family, and the real human beings in our life that we can talk to, laugh with, and feel pain with. I believe a real experience such as that is more critical to our survival and sanity as people than a fake experience with the media. Still, we see people every day searching for this "Atlantis" - this perfection in life simulated by the media, believing that if they surround themselves with the media, change themselves to fit it, they will achieve happiness.

Defying Standards

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2011/03/23/liz-taylor-obit.html

Today, one of the most famous and beautiful Hollywood actresses ever has died. Everyone is respectfully mourning the loss of Elizabeth Taylor. Today, I was reading the article listed above and then I viewed the tribute video at the top of the window, and a quote from Taylor herself really made me think. About thirty-six seconds into the video, Taylor quotes "I couldn't really care less about making movies to tell you the truth, I think it's more important to be a good woman". This struck a chord in me.
Taylor is right. She is speaking out against the media, even if at the time she was an integral part of it. She is expressing the idea that it is far more rewarding to be yourself and ignore stereotypes and ignore the standards that the media has set out for you, than it is to give in to consuming for the sake of consuming.
Elizabeth Taylor is also very well known for being an AIDS activist, and devoted much time and energy to AIDS-related charities, and helped raise over $100 million towards the cause. She also started the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR). Taylor was also highly respected in the "gay community" for doing so.
Taylor has instead of ignoring, put the media aside in her priorities to do something of real worth. She makes an extremely crucial point: what you do in this life matters. She makes for an extremely wonderful role model, and I would hope to (at least to some extent), contribute to something in life as much as she has.

Earthquake Hits Japan

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/03/11/japan-quake-saturday.html

Today, March 11th, 2011, an earthquake rating an 8.9 on the Richter scale hit Japan. The shifting of the world's tectonic plates has thus forth caused a huge effect within the surrounding waters, resulting in a tsunami as well as a whirlpool. Furthermore, the fail of cooling systems in two nuclear plants has caused a possible leak of radiation and a massive evacuation of the area. The Japanese government expects the death toll to top 1000, with many more missing.

I think this text tells the larger story of how our world as we know it is literally crumbling. Our global community is continually faced with challenge after challenge, whether it be reflected by society, nature, or culture. This text can easily be categorized under 'World News' and follows the general formula of third person within television news broadcasting. Codes and conventions used within news broadcasting can be devices such as photos, videos, and interviews in order to engage the consumer. Characters concerning the text are wholly realistic and individual. Also, though the characters may differ from each other power, race, gender, age, and class, we are all people. We all stand in the world together, and search teams from Canada, America, and enumerated other countries are sending their love and help in order to aid Japan as best as they can through this natural disaster. I share the ideology/value within this story that we as humans must put aside our differences help one another in our time of need.

This text came straight from CBC News Broadcasting Corporation, though news such as this report is currently being spread throughout the world alike in order to inform people of the disaster. The news text is distributed and sold to the public through the use of radio and television. Everyone profits through knowledge of the news, as this also aids people in donating money to corporations focused on aiding Japan. The text was produced using reporters, live footage, photos, and interviews. An expected running time for a typical news report limits it to a maximum of five minutes, but with such an enormous situation such as this most reports expand ten minutes.

This text appeals to me because it informs me of world issues and allows me to inform others of the huge tragedy as well. I dislike the event that has occurred, but am glad that I am able to remain globally aware through it. The intended target audience could honestly be any news consumer ranging from a young child to a senior citizen. This text appeals to audiences because it allows them to be knowing of the challenges our world is currently facing. People can consume this news by watching the TV, reading reports, hearing it on the radio, or even through talking to other people. I would not change this text to make it more enjoyable whatsoever.
Lastly, this text connects to the larger global story of how everyone, no matter who they are, depend on the media for their news. Whether it be through newspaper, television news, the Internet, or the radio, the media remains to be the dominating source of information to our global society.

Photo Retouching

Photo retouching started out as something small long ago. Soon though, what was removing a blemish from a photo became morphing bodies to unrealistic sizes, changing skin colour, hair colour, and more and more in order to construct a reality in which we as humans cannot live up to, and are killing ourselves, inside and outside, just trying to achieve. It is true, photo retouching has had a huge effect on media and culture, and has truly changed society forever. Photo retouching, while entertaining to test its limits, is a lie, and has gone too far. Photo editors have been slimming thighs, making hips and waists smaller, and even going so far as to take parts of other people and place them on their subject.. anything to achieve the image of ideal perfection. This not only insults the models and celebrities, and even normal-day people, who are being photographed, but also the photographers who had taken such phenomenal images in the first place. Furthermore, photo shopped images of women (and even men) has enormously affected the psyche of modern-day society. Now girls and boys have created this image of self-loathing within their minds, are starving themselves or going out to the gym twice a day, all to be perfect. One day society must face the fact that we, as humans, are all beautiful, inside and out, and conforming to this idealistic symbolism of perfection will only allow us the delusion of happiness for a fleeting moment, then we will be onward in search of another way of exacting physical perfection. It is a never ending cycle, and a senseless one at that. After all, our flaws are truly what make us human, are they not?

The Black Swan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jaI1XOB-bs
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/film/story/2010/12/02/black-swan-review.html

The Black Swan is a new engaging new movie that explores the enigma that is one's psychological dark side. The main character, Nina Sayers, is an extremely driven and disciplined ballet dancer. But, when the curator of the ballet company decides to remove Beth, head dancer, and open up a new position for their next program, Swan Lake, Nina finds herself the epitome of the White Swan, full of naivety and innocence, but unable to fit the equal role of the Black Swan, who exemplifies sensuality. In order to fit her character, Nina enters into a twisted friendship with her competition, Lily, who resembles the black swan. As time goes on Nina begins to find more of herself within the Black Swan's character and loser her mind.

This phenomenal film takes the audience into a world where we lose ourselves. The text tells the larger story of how we as humans are always resisting our psychological id, which is believed to be the pleasure-seeking part of our mind. But, once we finally do give in, we find ourselves on a path to self-destruction. I would characterize this movie as a psychological thriller, and although it is amazing, I would say that the characters do follow certain stereotypes. Nina resembles one who is still in the stage of an innocent child, her mother demonstrates the common characteristics of control within a parent-sibling relationship, as well as trying to live their lives through their child. Lily, however, symbolizes a "Bad girl" within the story. The characters relate to each other in the form of a struggle for power and total control over one another, from Nina's struggle with Lily to be chosen as the Swan, to Nina's struggle to repel her mother and gain control over her life. All characters in this story commonly share the value of being successful over others in order to be their best and achieve perfection. I share these beliefs to some extent, though not to the extent of self-destruction and harming others in order to achieve it.

The production has come from producer Darren Afronofsky, with the screenplay written by Mark Heyman, John McLaughlin, and Andrés Heinz, with the original story originating from Andrés Heinz. It features shocking performances from actors such as Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder, and Barbara Hershey. This text was distributed/sold to the public through theatres, soundtracks, and will eventually be released on home viewing content such as DVDs. People who profit from the production of this film will be those who helped work on it, such as the production studio, staff, actors, directors and writers, editors, etc. They will benefit both financially and personally. The text was produced through writing and film, along with the creation of music to accompany and enhance the film. Laws explicitness limit this film, though it does certainly press the boundaries.

This film appeals to me because it takes me on an adventure, and is enthralling to the consuming audience. I quite enjoyed the film, and hope to see it again soon. I both like and dislike the level of darkness in this film, as it both interests and enthralls me, while still making me feel a little scared. The intended target audience can be anyone of age to view the film (Rated R) and anyone who enjoys and consumes the product of psychological thriller films. This text appeals to the audience because it is complex and interesting, and it does so through an enchanting score, engaging dialogue, and use of editing in scenes (ie. cutting from scene to scene fast) in order to keep the consumer intrigued. People use/consume this text through viewing it in cinemas, rating and reviewing it, and, of course, through viewing and sharing its trailer as I have done above. I honestly would not change the text at all to make it more enjoyable.. though I believe I would add to it. I would add more to the story by explaining exactly why Nina went crazy. I like that the director left it open-ended, but I would have liked a little more detail, if possible. Other than that,I found it quite entertaining.