The programme you are discussing Essay Example for Free

The programme you are discussing Essay When it comes to props for individual characters, the most identifiable would be that of Pat Butchers huge earrings, which seem to get bigger and more wild as the years go on but strangely enough, you do see people turned out like this in the Eastend and though you wonder why, it is a code which should be included because its realistic and is a great example of key observation by the Eastenders research team. They also cleverly use simple items such as fruit machines, dartboards and the statue of Queen Victorias Head in the pub itself to bring together all aspects of the traditional East-end local. The set itself is based at Elstree studios in Hertfordshire and is filmed on a real street used as the set. A lot of research has obviously gone into creating the right location, as everything seems very realistic, even minor aspects such as the Arthur Fowler memorial bench in the middle of the street, the high steps leading up to the houses, the local pub with the market outside, the fish and chip shop and the underground train station; it all fits together nicely to connote a typical London area. There are also extra details with things like graffiti and fly-posters on the walls. Along with the stereotypes of the cast, it all works successfully and again has obviously come from very observant, detailed work. It would be practically impossible to put these codes and conventions into another medium with similar affect. Take the original medium form of Soap; radio, for example. The whole structure of Eastenders would have to be adapted to work with sound only and it couldnt possibly be considered as the same entertaining show. As I have just discussed; a good majority of Eastenders success comes from the great detail and accuracy used in the mise-en-scene, which is what can actually be seen in each shot, therefore this could not easily be transferred to a medium such as radio. Radio uses only sound and relies on the audiences imagination for image creation, therefore the minor aspects such as graffiti, fly-posters on the wall and Pat Butchers character-identifying earrings cant be constantly described without boring the audience. If Eastenders was originally created for radio only, the team would have a completely different approach and would rely only on street-like, rural sound effects to create the London scene, they would hope the audience imagines aspects like graffiti but in some cases they wont. As a radio show, they would have to emphasise and rely more on storylines rather than setting, props and costume, therefore with their current entertainment methods Eastenders would not be a successful radio show, however, if it was greatly adapted, it could work but would seem like a different show completely. As far as Im aware, soap has never been attempted at the medium level of a theatre, stage production. Again, I feel this would need great adaptation and this would most likely take it out of the Soap Opera category. A Soap Opera traditionally updates every week in different episodes with storylines being introduced, finished or continued. Though, Im not aware of a rule stating that this must be the case for it to be classed as a Soap Opera but then the current and original shows themselves set the rules and boundaries. I suppose a Soap Opera could be attempted to fit all in one solid show, this would traditionally be the case if it was to be done in a theatre production but it would be a very intense production and probably would be unsuccessful at what its trying to achieve. If the team intended for viewers to return every week to see the next part of the story it may make it just inside of the Soap Opera category but this still would not be successful as it would limit the amount of viewers to a minimal amount, which seems pointless and would not be successful for anyone. If cameras were to be used in the theatre itself allowing it to also be broadcast, that would make a little more sense, so people can decide if they want to try and watch it at the theatre itself or on their television at home. Though this would also limit the forms of codes and conventions that can be used and would have to be performed live and we all know we dont appreciate Soap Operas for their acting qualities. With little use of locations in a theatre, it wont have any appeal! If Eastenders was to be attempted in this medium, it would be interesting to see how it turns out. Though, again I feel it may as well be given a different title because it wouldnt be able to work with the successful methods it uses on our television screens today. Robert J Thompson of the Museum of Television and Radio suggests They are worlds without end stating the fact that Soap Opera cannot work in theatre because theatre productions all have to end at some point, simple as that. Eastenders is generally suited to television because Soap Operas of this calibre are designed to run alongside our lifestyles for us to relate to everyday. Its influential codes and conventions are for the pleasure and interest of the human eye. Therefore, it can only work on a television medium. It could be argued that Eastenders in a film medium would allow use of the same techniques but this would again be kept within a maximum time limit of about three to four hours, therefore in my view, cannot be considered a Soap Opera. In her 2003 book Soap Opera, Dorothy Hobson suggests that Eastenders cannot work to its full individual potential by any other existing medium than television from the fact that it shows a Cultural London. She states that other media forms would only show a Metropolitan view, as Cultural media productions are best suited for television. Eastenders embraces the modern version of the East End and has shown to be multicultural by consistently including a wide range of Asian and black, first and second generation Londoners. Eastenders has integrated good and bad characters, as representations of many cultures, creeds and colours. Another view is that of Ron Simon from the Museum of Television and Radio who claims that television makes Eastenders easier for people to relate to, as they can sometimes see parts of their own lifestyles around the characters on screen, viewing things they have experienced themselves. On the radio they are never sure exactly what the image is supposed to be, Eastenders is directed at that basis of human relation. I believe that the majority of the codes used in Eastenders cannot be transferred to the viewer by any other medium as successfully as television proves to do so today. When a new medium overcomes television in this field, a whole new Soap Opera era will begin. Bibliography Soap Opera by Dorothy Hobson (Polity Publishers) www. mtr. org (Museum of Television and Radio) Eastenders Real Soap by Karen Sinotok (Generation Publications) Eastenders Whos Who by Kate Lock (BBC Publications) (NOT USED) Brookside Real Soap by Kay Nicholls (Generation Publications) (NOT USED) Reading Television by John Fiske (Routledge) (NOT USED)

Plastic People :: Media Movies Pleasantville Essays

Plastic People Disney is famous for bringing fantasy to life. The Disney theme parks are among the most visited in the world. So shouldn’t it make sense that people would want to live in a similar idealistic sort of atmosphere? It just may be possible in the town of Celebration. Then again it may be just like living in a tourist attraction. Russ Rymer expresses his personal disapproval of manufactured communities in his essay, Back to the Future: Disney Reinvents the Company Town. The movie â€Å"Pleasantville† exemplifies Rymer’s premonition of the results of such controlled communities. Both sources make it evident that with out foundation, culture or variety, a community is far from perfect. One of the first problems with the town is that it was built with out a foundation. The whole town was built at once. There have never been any causes to fight for, or differences to solve. With out these essentials, the town has no character. Going through such hard ships only make an individual stronger. The same thing can be said for a community. Never having to face loss of security can make people arrogant and unaware of what they should appreciate. The only symbol that represents the town is a picture of a girl on a bike with a dog behind her. This symbol along with the name of the town is generic. One of the most important aspects of a town is the character that defines it. Part of what gives something character is history. A town with no history has no definition. Fake towns share this quality. Cities and towns on TV or in the movies often have no personality. In the movie â€Å"Pleasantville† this concept is created artistically. The movie is about a town on an old black and white television show. This town has no personality at all. In fact it doesn’t even have color. Everyone appears, acts and thinks the same way. No one dares to think outside the box. There are no worries except for perhaps the occasional cat up a tree. There exists no crime, no disappointments, no sickness, and no weight gain. There is one major department store, one diner, one television shop etc., etc. There is no variety or creativity. There are no individuals. As result of no foundation, a community will automatically lack a second important element.

Analysis of Bandura’s cognitive theory Essay

Introduction The study of human behavior or behaviorism focuses on attributes of humanity that are discernible, measurable and which can be manipulated. The emphasis of behaviorism is on experimental methods and avoids attributes that are subjective, internal or unavailable. The experimental method involves the manipulation of one variable and measurement of its effect on another variable. It is from the study of variable and effects that a Canadian psychologist, Albert Bandura found the cognitive theory (or social cognitive theory) (Bandura, 2006). Bandura for instance observed aggressive behavior in adolescents and opined that the aggressiveness is caused by the environment in which the adolescents grow. On the other hand, he also realized that behavior causes an environment as well. Thus, since behavior and environment are causes and effects of each other, Bandura referred to the concept as reciprocal determinism (Bandura1986). In short, Bandura’s theory was based on the fact that the world and a person’s character (behavior) affect each other (Bandura, 1986). While it would appear that the environment was the cause of behavior and personality, Bandura also realized that personality is an interaction of a person’s psychological responses in relation to the environment (Bandura, 2006). The psychological processes consist of the human being’s ability to entertain different images and languages. Thus, the cognitive theory is built on two essential principles. The first one is a framework for explaining how different personalities function, whereas the other one addresses the type of variables (that is the elements of analysis) on which the personality theory should be centred (Bandura, 2006). In analysis of the influence of reciprocal determinism, Bandura categorically uses the word â€Å"determinism† to imply the aspect in which effects are produced by events (Bandura, 2006). However, this opinion does not mean that a human being’s actions arise from straightforward and predictable chains of cause and consequence. Rather, it implies that events produce effects by chance. As a result, the probability or chance of an event producing an effect is emphasized in Bandura’s cognitive theory (Bandura, 2006). Perhaps the most significant aspect of Bandura’s theory is the way in which the theory treats behavior. Unlike many other theoretical frameworks, this theory has equal action on both the input of the personality and the output of personality (Bandura, 1986). In essence, Bandura’s opinion is that a person’s actions and the resultant effects shape the person’s aptitude, feelings and belief in one self (Bandura, 2006). For example, many behaviorist theories depict scant curiosity in self-process because the theorists assume that human functioning is caused by external stimulus rather than the internal stimulus which is only considered as transmitting rather than causing behavior (Bandura, 1986). This paper critically evaluates the notable features of Bandura’s cognitive theory and discusses in detail the viewpoint of the Bandura at the time of formulation of the theory and the theory’s subsequent modification. The paper will also appraise the strengths and weaknesses of the theory based on the discussion. Analysis of the salient features of Bandura’s cognitive theory The most notable feature of Bandura’s social cognitive theory is the concept of reciprocal determinism (Bandura, 1986). Reciprocal determinism is a phenomenon that implies the causes and effects of different actions on behavior and environment and how they affect each other. Thus, Bandura’s theory was based on the point that personal factors in the form of cognition, biological events and affect, behavior and environmental factors create interfaces that result in a triadic reciprocality as illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 1: The foundation of Bandura’s (1986) concept of the social cognitive theory. Source: Created from the description by Bandura (2006) Bandura modified the label of his theory from the common perspective of social learning to social cognitive in order to distance it from the common social learning theories of his time (Bandura, 1986). He also wanted to lay emphasis on the idea that cognition plays a significant role in people’s capability to construct reality, regulate their personality, encode information and display other kinds of behavior. According to Bandura (1971), the reciprocal form of the determinants of individual human functioning in social cognitive theory enables services such as therapeutic and counseling efforts to be rendered with focus on personal environment or behavioral factors as illustrated in the diagram above. Based on this, strategies to improve a person’s well-being can be aimed at ameliorating the emotional, cognitive and motivational process of the human being (Bandura, 1986). The focus can also be on improving behavioral capabilities or changing the communal conditions under which people live and work. As an example, teachers in schools have a role to not only improve their students’ academic learning and confidence, but also boost their (students’) self-beliefs and habits of thinking. Hence, teachers and students have to embrace all the components of Bandura’s triadic expression of cognitive theory. As earlier mentioned, Bandura’s social cognitive theory sets itself aside from other theories that overemphasize the role played by environmental factors in the development of human behavior (Bandura, 1986; Bandura, 2006). These theories are often dismissed since they have the redundant factor of cause and effect that is unworthy in the context of evaluating the psychological aspect of human beings. Thus according to Bandura, psychology per se without a clear self-examination cannot purport to explain the complexities of human intricacies of human functioning. Bandura (1986) further noted it is by evaluating their own conscious minds that people discern their own psychological processes. Therefore, in order to predict how the human behavior is affected by environmental outcomes, it is imperative that the individual’s cognitive process and how he or she interprets the outcomes be understood.

French Revolution Essay - 1522 Words

ON 9th JULY 1797 the statesman and the philosopher Edmund Burke died, after having contracted stomach cancer. He was buried in Beaconsfield Church near his Buckinghamshire home. Burke had been a distinguished Member of Parliament but never attained high office. His political career must be judged a failure. However, Edmund Burkes true legacy was contained in his extensive writings. In letters,pamphlets and books he expounded a coherent system of ideas about human nature;the organic state; the benefits of prejudice;the dangers of government by secret consensus and the role of political parties. Two hundred years on, most scholars would agree that Burke had a gift for deep analysis conveyed in stylish English prose.Yet the content of his†¦show more content†¦A typical example of such thinking was Richard Prices Discourse on the Love of Our Country (1789). Dr. Price argued that patriotism was quot;a blind and narrow principle,producing a contempt of other countriesquot; and he called upon people to become quot;citizens of the worldquot;. Burkes most famous tract,Reflections on the Revolution in France,strongly attacked Price. Instead of forcing people to conform to a model of an quot;ideal societyquot;, Burke started by studying mans true nature. He observed that real people were not abstract quot;menquot; but Englishmen, Frenchmen, Indians and the like.Burke wrote: quot;We begin our public affections in our families... we pass on to our neighbourhoodsquot;. He accepted that human beings have distinctive identities, that we love our kin above strangers and that this must affect the type of society we create. It is not morally bad, it is simply the way we are. quot;To love the little platoon we belong to in society is the first principle of public affections. It is the first link in the series by which we proceed towards a love to our country and to mankindquot;. (1) 2. THE ORGANIC STATE In defending the family, locality and nation,Burke stood for a natural, organicShow MoreRelatedThe French Revolution And The Revolution1523 Words   |  7 PagesThe French Revolution was a time rife with violence, with many revolutionaries using extreme actions to overturn the French Monarchy and create a government based on equality and justice, rather than tyranny and despotism. This violence reached gruesome and terrible heights throughout the revolution, but was justified by the revolutionaries, who believed that their goals of total equality, the end of tyranny, and the return to a virtuous society, allowed them to use means necessary to attain theseRead MoreThe French Revolution And The Revolution1336 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis The French Revolution was such an important time history. 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