Reel or Real?

A media campaign to expose the unreality of reality TV

Becky May, Aleena Das, Gabriella Césara, Kathy Gurkin, Becky Cook

Contents

The physical perception of characters The emotional/mental perception of

characters Editing, conventions and ideologies Vlogging

RealityThat which is real;

an actual existence; that which is not imagination, fiction, or pretence; that which has objective existence, and is not merely an idea. 

EntertainmentThat which engages

the attention agreeably, amuses or diverts, whether in private, as by conversation, etc., or in public, by performances of some kind; amusement. 

Reel and Real are two different things

The physical perception of people in reality TV

Constructed to create opinions Positioned to be judged Famous for being about ‘ordinary’ people – relatable, however these views are shaped from producers etc.Reality TV creates ideologies and values through conforming to stereotypes and highlighting and emphasizing right/wrong actions

The definition of Reality TV :

Television programmes about ordinary people who are filmed in real situations, rather than actors

Before

After

Our findings

This campaign shows how easily people can be constructed and positioned to create controversy and opinion.

It also shows just how differently one person can be shaped/altered to how the producers want, highlighting the ‘reel-ness’ of reality tv shows.

Ideologies are produced of what ‘normal’ is and reinforces stereotypes to create more real and relatable characters

All forms of media producers construct representations to an extent for entertainment, publicity etc.

The producers have hit the nail at the right spotHuman beings get manipulated by emotions.Stating that one really struggled financially to

get through X-factor might give them more votes.

Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d26i_2Hsngs

A cancer survivor taking part in X-factor.

Is this necessary? Realty shows like X-factor are talent shows where pure talent is judged by experienced judges in that field.

How far should this be allowed?Is this needed for a talent show?Struggling bands making music

videos on YouTube.

The television today is creating a ‘fake’ reality for its viewers.

One example is the flak President Obama has taken for not displaying enough anger at BP's failure to stop the gushing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He has been called "No Drama Obama," 

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-06-29-cultureofoverreacting29_CV_N.htm

Down the memory lane Today…any difference?

 

Who are behind these shows?advertisers? producers?Sponsors?Telecom service-providers?

As part of the awareness campaign to expose the way editing and conventions (specifically camera conventions) are used to tell a story and to convey ideologies, I created a blog

http://reelorrealtv.blogspot.co.uk/

Editing, Conventions and Ideologies

Reality tv is like any other kind of tv, it has a story to convey

Banet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer define reality tv as “a mixture of realism and spectacular entertainment” (2006: 265)

Because reality tv purports to be real, our cultural ideologies are woven into representation of characters and situations

Blog

The myth of photographic truth

The myth of the individual

Ideology and common sense “Ideology is understood in terms of ideas,

meanings and practices which, while they purport to be universal truth, are maps of meaning that sustain powerful social groups.”

“Common sense is the most significant site of ideological struggle because it is the terrain of the ‘taken-for-granted’, that is, a practical consiousness which guides the actions of the everyday world”

(Barker, 2008: 66, 67)

Real?

New media and social networking is open to any member of the public. Use it! Don’t let it use you!

A vlogger? Someone who uses a video blog to express opinions, tell stories, explain things.

Vloggers and reality tv? Some vloggers tube or their personal blogs.(e.g the shaytards and CTFxC) Some just expose their opinions or talk about news (Philli D)

Vloggers as a valid and recognized part of reality tv?

Some vloggers have reached a point of fame that they rely solely on their vlogging for income. This gives them a status similar to that of a producer. The rules are few and censorship rare. If one simply obeys only a few rules we can expose anything we want.

Vlogbrothers have claimed that a vlog has no particular use; they talk about their lives, making each other laugh or trying to get something more important across.

Vlogging as a solution to the problems of reality tv?

Use vlogging to your advantage and your opinion can get out: Express any opinions and expose any ideas!

Of course as anyone can create a vlog, there will be lots of videos that are irrelevant to our lives or in the image of reality tv and it’s flaws. However, no fake is required!

The vlogging community is vast and welcomes all, solving problems of discrimination (image), and welcoming the most common to the most special of people.

Vlogging is a personal choice and we can all make a difference if we try hard enough! And if we want!

Anonymous to Famous

Perez Hilton blog in 2001 « pagesixsixsix.com », an anonymous blog exposing celeb gossip. Lots of controversy was created, and through this gained popularity.

Used social networking like twitter to expose ideas.

Now he appears on radio, and is known world wide.

Did fame change Perez Hilton?

Income and respect Motivation that inspires to continue in

his quests The controversies created lead to

fame, a shock factor was important for people to talk about

Would this still be the case if it was focused on something else? Western interests

“Blogger’s Culture” Most of those who blog are from wealthy nations- 1.

they must have the money in order to afford the internet, 2. they must have enough time to complete it

People in the UK generally have no clue as to the horrors of famines for example, they are more concerned about “happy news” and gossip-no production control

Additionally, in the gossip magazines such as “OK!” there is no mention of disasters, perhaps only when a celebrity is visiting-”knowing everything about people they’ve never met” e.g. Cheryl Cole visiting troops in Afghanistan

What we can learn from ‘famous’ bloggers: He has made millions through posting gossip on his

online blog, www.perezhilton.com with 260 million page views per month

“Perez”: play on Paris Hilton automatically creates interest

For a blog to succeed, “howtomakemyblog.com” Perez is: 1. passionate, 2. consistent, 3. unique, 4. uncensored, 5. provocative, 6. expanded-all of which people need to be successful and get their message across

Much more interest than for instance, “blogafrica” which is mainly talking about political issues, people in the west want to talk about feeble issues rather than sad yet important problems- celebrity culture

Bibliography Banet-Weiser, S and Portwood-Stacer.L.

(2006) ‘I just want to be me again!’: Beauty pageants, reality television and post-feminism.Feminist Theory 7:255

Barker, C. (2008) Cultural Studies: Theory and Practise London: Sage

Sturken, M and Cartwright, L. (2001) Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture Oxford: Oxford University Press

Realty tv – an oxymoron! We should stop this...before our

reality becomes something fake!