Considering Genre

After researching the controversy surrounding The Interview and the Sony hack, it's time to think about how to format my project.

1.  What genre will I commit to? And why?

For project one, I've chose the quick reference guide. This genre is ideal for succinctly explaining a controversy. If I needed to make a specific argument, an essay might be better. But since I'm telling a story as objectively as possible, I think the quick reference guide is more palatable. Readers can get the big picture without reading five pages of unbroken text.  

2. What genre conventions will I develop in production week? How will these conventions aid my purpose?

Once I have a general outline of the facts, I need to figure out how to divide them into portion-sized sections. One of the key conventions of the quick reference guide is the use of questions to introduce the next section. If one simply scans through the guide and reads only the bold question markers, that individual should still have a very good idea of what the quick reference guide is about. Part of my work this week will be to develop appropriate questions to structure the guide. This will help readers know exactly what to expect and look for as they read. 

Another needed convention is images. Good quick reference guides have pictures, charts, graphs, twitter posts, etc. The purpose of images is to help present factual data in a quick and comprehensible manner. They also allow the reader to connect with the text, to see real figures or pictures pertinent to the debate. This week I will need to find good quick-reference-guide images. 

3. How do I feel?

Melanie. "Dog, Sleeping, Resting, Rest, Canine, Tired, Sleepy" 6/15/2012 via pixabay
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Tired. This week's workload (including but not limited to 109H) was heavier than anticipated, and I still feel I need to do more research. It will be a challenge to balance other class assignments this week while granting 109H its desires. 

Cluster Map

McGuire, Ryan. "Argument, Conflict, Controversy, Dispute, Contention" 1/4/14 via pixabay
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For the cluster map of The Interview controversy, I divided the conflict into two main camps.

On the left side...

Those who don't support The Interview, most notably: the hackers, North Korea, and individuals who felt the film's plot went too far.

On the right side...

Those who support The Interview, most notably: Sony Corporation, the U.S. government represented by President Obama, the directors/actors of The Interview, and individuals in unequivocal support of free speech.

Check it out here.

Evaluation of General Sources

In this post I'll examine two sources to be used in the first major assignment. The first source is a New York Times interview with James Franco and Seth Rogen. The second source is a timeline of the Sony hack in 2014.

What is the URL? And does it reflect the source's credibility?

Both articles are .com URL's. Generally, this implies a credible website, though not always. Unlike .edu or .gov, a .com website is not sponsored by a governing body. Instead, any individual organization or person can purchase a .com domain and express their opinions there. In the case of these two articles, the news sources which own the domain are the main source of credibility. The New York Times has a solid reputation, and Deadline Hollywood, although more gossip-y, steers away from tabloid news to present accurate information.

Thomas, Peter. "Hollywood, Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles, California, Usa" 5/25/13 via pixabay
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Who is the author? And what's their expertise?

The New York Times article is written by Dave Itzkoff, although it contains direct quotes from Franco and Rogen. Itzkoff, a Princeton English Lit. grad, has an extensive history working with news magazines which dates back to 1999. He has also published two memoirs.

Franco and Rogen, as successful actors and directors with extensive resumes, lend credibility to the topic of their film, The Interview, since both acted in it. Rogen also co-directed it.

The second source is authored by David Robb, a three-time Pulitzer Prize nominee. He has written three books, two of them concerning Hollywood. His work has also appeared in trusted sources like the New York Times and Washington Post.

Is the page up-to-date?

The New York Times article was last updated Dec. 21, 2014. This is towards the end of the Sony hack drama. Since its publication, not much has changed in terms of public knowledge about the hack.

The Deadline Hollywood article was last updated Dec. 24, 2014. Like the first article, it includes the bulk of disclosed information concerning the Sony Hack.

What is the article's purpose?

The main purpose of both articles is to inform. The New York Times article does this through a direct interview with poeple involved in the Sony hack drama. However, its tone is definitely supportive of The Interview, and the article serves the secondary purpose of nudging the readers to watch the film.

The second article is more scientific, providing an exact timeline of the events of the Sony hack as they happened. Like most articles, its tone sympathizes with Sony, portraying them in a positive light.
At the end, there is information on how to rent or purchase The Interview online.

Are there graphics?

The first source provides a series of humorous Rogen-Franco shots from various movies they've acted in together. The photos help the audience to like the interviewees and also inspire us to go see The Interview!

The second source has photos of various people involved in the Sony hack: company higher-ups, actors, security guards at a theater. Rather than entertain, the photos attempt to further convey information to the audience.

Is the source biased?

Neither source demonstrates an extreme bias, although both support Sony and The Interview, which benefit from the positive publicity of these articles. Based on other relevant sources, the information portrayed in these articles is accurate.

Does the source provide links?

Both articles contain embedded links, although the New York Times article does a better job at it. Despite being a quicker read, it contains more links than the second article.

Reddit and What I Found There

Reddit is a completely new information source for me. Here are a few observations after exploring some film threads:

1. What kinds of things are people talking about?

A lot of people on Reddit are looking to give or receive advice. How can I become a better filmmaker? What are the best French films to watch? Here are the top ten best opening scenes in cinema. Etc., etc. Most posts are either open-ended questions or specific commentaries on film.

Phillips, Kevin. "Reddit, Com, Vote, Comment, Submit, News, Blogs, Info" 10/2015 via pixabay
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2. What are the two most interesting threads I found?

One of the cool things I noticed about Reddit is that people are taking the time to express opinions and spark conversations about art. I found this thread about Gaspar Noe, an Argentinian director. Although I've never scene any of his films, I found the dispute itself interesting. On one hand, the conversation instigator was unimpressed with Noe and wondering why his films did so well. On the other hand, staunch Noe disciples were (sometimes vehemently) defending Noe's work.

Another interesting debate, although decidedly less heated, was how to make a fake exploding head. Different experts weighed in with their opinions on how to accomplish said task for the camera. Tools needed: rubber masks, fake blood, air compressors, and explosives (among others).

3.  What's my overall impression?

I wasn't that impressed with Reddit overall. Although there were some entertaining feeds, the dialogue seemed a lot less professional. Most individuals seemed set on getting personal advice from anyone and everyone, regardless of their credentials. I guess that's to be expected on a forum, but then again, I've never really liked forums.

Evaluation of News Magazines Stories

In this post I explore two magazine articles pertaining to the field of film. The first talks about the call to change the Oscars Academy voting council, and the second criticizes the gory nature of The Hateful Eight and The Revenant, two recent films.

Dwilliams, "The Oscars, Oscar, Award, Studio, Show" 2/24/2015 via pixabay
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What arguments do these articles make?

Let's look at the first article:

For the second year in a row, there are zero black nominees for Oscars awards. Although Steve McQueen made history in 2014 as the first black director of a best film for 12 Years a Slave, some feel it was just a concession of white guilt. The call to revise the Academy voting council stems from the fact that many members are no longer active in the film industry. Doubling both black and female voters is another proposed revamp.

Milton Justice, who won an Oscar in the eighties for a documentary and now participates on the voting council, represents the opposing position. In his view, films are selected based on how good they are, regardless of the race of those involved in the movie-making process. To give more credit to an actor or director just because he or she is a minority is an insult to the art of cinema.


And now for the second article:

This article decries the excessive violence and betrayal underlying The Hateful Eight and The Revenant. It essentially points out the bloodiness that draws crowds to see these films while expressing merciless opinions on their unrealistic and flat plots. For example, although Glass undergoes a hero's survival journey in The Revenant, we see no evidence of character transformation by the films end. Good point. I still liked the movie though.


Who is the most sympathetic character in these stories?

In the first article, Cheryl Isaacs, president of the Academy is the most sympathetic character. Standing up against past traditions, she is making efforts to diversify the voting council so it will be a better reflection of the American population. Although the article doesn't make you feel bad for her, it does make you resonate with her righteous mission.

In the second article, the author, Anthony Lane, is the most sympathetic character. We suffer with him as he recounts gruesome scenes and crass audience reactions to violence in these two films. Because we don't want to be guilty of loving ugliness, we resonate with the author's tone of disgust.


Who is the least sympathetic character in these stories?

In the first story, the members of the voting council are the least sympathetic characters. Since the article portrays these individuals (such as Milton Justice) as out of touch with different cultures and styles of film, the reader feels very little sympathy for them.

In the film critique article, Tarantino and Inarritu (the directors of the two films) are the bad guys. The author accuses them of using violence to attract audiences. Not to mention the glorified themes of greed and revenge plaguing each film.

Twitter and What I Found There

Recently I explored the film community on Twitter. Since controversy over the all-white cast of Oscar nominees has been in the news lately, I expected to find Twitter opinions weighing in from all angles. Not so. Here's what I discovered:


1. What are people talking about?

New Films. People are excited about new releases, especially Indie stuff. Often there are links to reviews, video essays, or podcasts that critique or analyze certain aspects of a film. There are also lots of conversations about how to become a better filmmaker: links to interviews with professionals, the latest equipment, competitions for getting your name out there.

Meineresterampe. "Camera, Film Camera, Film, Recording, Watch Tv" 10/2015 via Pixabay
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2. What caught my attention?

There seems to be an ongoing debate on the value of shooting on digital versus film stock. Since digital isn't able to replicate the exact feel of film, some directors refuse to make the switch. On one profile I came across this article about Roger Deakins, an acclaimed cinematographer who advocates digital shooting. On another twitter profile I found this video interview in which director Christopher Nolan maintains that shooting on film is vital to the art of cinema.

I also really enjoyed a video essay analyzing the postmodern morality of the film In Bruges. Having recently viewed this dark comedy, I enjoyed the thoughtful analysis. While watching it I definitely had a few "aha!" moments.


3. My overall impression:

People in the film industry are talking about the things I would expect. Although I was surprised no one had made much comment on the diversity controversy with the Oscar nominations, it made sense after thinking about it. Those interested in film are interested in film, not the politics surrounding it. Rather than discuss nominations, people are more excited to discuss the films themselves. Are they doing anything new? How's the cinematography? Is there an important message? Symbolism? And then: how can we make films as good as these?

Evaluation of New York Times Stories

In this post, I'll analyze two New York Times stories. The first concerns musician B.O.B.'s claims that the earth is flat, and the second concerns a provision on a potential bill that supports Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Let's look at the B.O.B. conspiracy first.

1. Is there a protagonist?

Sort of. While B.O.B. is presented in a friendly light, it's hard to get behind a man denouncing five hundred years of common knowledge. Nonetheless, B.O.B. is the central character, stoically denying the world order conspiracy that the earth is round.


2. What is the setting?

The story unfolds via Twitter, where B.O.B. first posted his conclusion. Photos from specific locations and elevations reveal flat horizons, the basis of the argument. In the article, Twitter posts are used to guide the narrative, breaking up paragraph segments. Not only do we get posts from B.O.B., but famous physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson weighs in with responses. Which leads us to the next point...

Venita, Oberholster. "Ship, Map, Navigation, Vintage, Collage, Art, Nautical" 9/2015 via pixabay
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3. Is there a conflict?

Yes. After Tyson responded to B.O.B's tweets, the rapper released a "diss track" condemning Tyson. This sparked further Twitter dialogue between the two. For B.O.B., the motivation seems good-willed enough. He wishes to inform people of the lies they've been told. Truth is at stake. For Tyson, very little is at stake. As the one with the weight of popular opinion behind him, his comments are less forceful and instead resort to subtle shots at B.O.B.'s worldview. No pun intended.

Now let's take a look at the second article.

1. Is there a protagonist?

No. The story focuses on the Customs Bill (already passed through the House) rather than any individual. President Obama, however, is given considerable mention as one with the power to veto the bill. Ron Dermer, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., is portrayed negatively whereas a few organizations taking action against the empowerment of Israeli settlements in Palestine are championed.

2. What is the setting?

The article begins by painting a picture of Ambassador Dermer's Christmas present to the White House, a collection of products made in, ironically, U.S.-condemned Israeli settlements. This sets the stage for the discussion of the new U.S. bill, specifically pointing out the Oval Office's power to veto.

3. Is there a conflict?

Yes, but specific characters aren't emphasized. Rather, the conflict is presented as a struggle between  Israeli colonization and the Palestinian workers it affects. By framing the issue in this light, the U.S.'s compliance with the pro-Israeli provision is seen as an acquiescence to human rights violation.