Today we are learning about the politics of media which is a responsibility as new and upcoming animators to understand the importance of what and how we communicate to the public. We need to understand the impact we have otherwise we could cause problems, maybe without even meaning to do so.
I think we are living in a time where being politically correct is very present as social media gives everyone access to the world faster and also gives everyone a voice to express what they think. This means our critiques are not only our bosses, business but individuals everywhere. I know I would hate to be the person to upset someone because I hadn’t thought enough from their perspective.
Forms
- Broadcast Media (radio/TV)
- Internet
Issues – Bias
Influences:
- Reporter
- Media image
- Leaks of information
- Press releases
- Consumers
Examples of media influences
- Matrix – Nokia phone
- Red Rider – BB gun
- Transformers – Cheverlo / Camero
- The Italian Job – Mini Cooper
- Cast Away – Wilson / Fed-Ex
- James Bond – Aston Martin/Omega watch
- Top Gun – Ray bans/ Navy
Smoking in films
- Thank you for smoking
Task: What Politics Effect the Media?
Games
– Sims 2 (2004) A player-made mod allowed for the blur effect that appears when a character is nude to be removed.
– Rapelay (2006) Rape is a core part of the gameplay, as the player takes on the role of a chiken who stalks – and subsequently rapes – a mother and her two underage daughters. Three years after its initial release, significant controversy was raised in the UK Parliament and elsewhere.
– Animal Crossing (2020) The game was pulled from Chinese online digital sales as it allowed users to create their own displays in game, some which were used to support the ongoing protests in Hong Kong.
TV
– Homeland (2011-present) This spy thriller series from Showtime stars Claire Danes as a bipolar CIA agent. The first two seasons earned universal praise, along with a 2011 Golden Globe and a 2012 Emmy for Best Drama, and President Barack Obama is a known fan of the show. Like “24” before it, “Homeland” has also faced a fair amount of controversy over its depictions of torture and U.S.-Middle East relations (Lebanon was reported to have threatened to sue the show in 2011).
– The Crown (2016-present) Is it about the British royal family? Yes, obviously. But Peter Morgan’s Netflix series is a dramatized retelling of historical moments in Queen Elizabeth II’s decades long reign that impacted the entire world. That, plus all of the juicy affairs, betrayals and scandals give “The Crown” exactly what it needs to go toe-to-toe with U.S. political TV series.
Cinema
– Borat is a comedy film which essential takes the piss the whole time but the inappropriate behaviour in real life can be very offensive to other people. This includes themes on insensitiveness of cultures.
– The Human Centipede 2 – Two years after introducing “The Human Centipede,” writer-director Tom Six kicked off the decade with the body horror sequel “The Human Centipede 2,” a stomach-churning descent into violence that proved more sickening than its predecessor. The meta sequel follows a mentally impaired man (Laurence R. Harvey) who becomes so obsessed with the first movie that he decides to embark on his own mission to create a 12-person human centipede. The movie was banned and/or censored in various marketplaces around the world, with many critics calling it one of the most reprehensible films ever made.
Streaming
Too much control – own rights of films and series, produce the film, hiring, sensorship.
Advertising
– Are you beach bikini ready? Protein powder advert. The advert implies that you are not bikini ready if you don’t look like the girl on the advert. This was grossly inappropriate setting ideals that are again impossible for woman.
I love this response to the advert as Dove uses the mistakes and idiocy of one advert for protein powder and flipped it into inspirational advertising. This gives us hope in the future that advertising can be for the good of everyone.