Weeks ago, my blog partner and I did a presentation on Mockumentaries, now I bring you the blog post!
We chose Mockumentary because of the wonderful humor and satire that surrounds the television shows and movies that belong to the genre. Both of us have seen several films characterized as Mockumentary and are avid viewers of The Office. This genre is so appealing because it is accessible and for the most part everyday. Viewers can easily connect to the themes, or at least find a connection to one of the characters. This results in humor that is wonderfully personal. Who hasn't had a nutter-bar co-worker like Dwight, or wondered about the lives of dog-show folk?
Mockumentary is defined by dictionary.com as "A film or television program that is shot like a documentary but is fictitious and usually satirical".
Christopher Guest, the undisputed king of the genre actually doesn't subscribe to the label, "I am interested in the notion that people can become so obsessed by their world that they lose sense and awareness of how they appear to other people. They're so earnest about it.”
Regardless of the name, the genre spans themes from the everyday mundane (The Office, Waiting For Guffman) to the wonderfully eccentric (Best in Show, A Mighty Wind). It features characters who know they are on camera and often use this knowledge to add to humor by communicating directly to the audience, confessional-style.
The themes largely revolve around the inherent humor in seemingly everyday lives. There are no bad guys, or undue amounts of violence, rather the genre analyzes what makes us what we are-how seriously we take ourselves and the boring things we do in a light that makes them a little less boring and a little more funny.
Some of the value assumptions we discovered:
Life is funny.
Humor can be created anywhere out of anything.
People, for all of their weirdness, can learn to live together.
Eccentricity is mocked and celebrated.
Ultimately, this genre is extremely accessible-check it out for yourself:
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Documentary idea
The entire time I was over there, I thought about how fun it would be to make a documentary about teaching English in Japan. There is an entire expatriate sub-culture crawling around the streets of Tokyo and Osaka in suits eager to teach the English language for a few thousand Yen. Daily, I would be reminded of how strange this really was. Some beautiful scenes from my own experience that I would love to have on film were the Christmas party where I dressed up like Santa Clause and had little kids climbing all over me like squirrels and the time I made peanut butter cookies as a lesson-flour and p.b. everywhere.
My students were constantly saying things that coming through the language barrier ended up being hilarious or as often as not, extraordinarily profound.
I suppose the intended message would be the humor that is generated across language and cultural barriers. The documentary would also focus on how much we can communicate with each other outside of a shared, spoken language.
I would interview the American staff about their experiences with Japanese culture both in and out of the classroom. I would also interview the students to add their take on the proceedings. Most of the movie or show would be filmed in the classroom or following the American teacher outside of school.
The difficulties that I anticipate in a project like this are mainly capturing authentic exchanges on film. I also would have to be careful to maintain student dignity. If the documentary is intended for an American audience, mistakes in spoken English could result in the Japanese students being objects of ridicule. The documentary would have to be very sensitive in this regard.
My students were constantly saying things that coming through the language barrier ended up being hilarious or as often as not, extraordinarily profound.
I suppose the intended message would be the humor that is generated across language and cultural barriers. The documentary would also focus on how much we can communicate with each other outside of a shared, spoken language.
I would interview the American staff about their experiences with Japanese culture both in and out of the classroom. I would also interview the students to add their take on the proceedings. Most of the movie or show would be filmed in the classroom or following the American teacher outside of school.
The difficulties that I anticipate in a project like this are mainly capturing authentic exchanges on film. I also would have to be careful to maintain student dignity. If the documentary is intended for an American audience, mistakes in spoken English could result in the Japanese students being objects of ridicule. The documentary would have to be very sensitive in this regard.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Podcast
My favorite podcast and one that I spend a significant amount of time listening to each week is "All Songs Considered" hosted by Bob Boilen. Apparently, he had received so much positive feedback for the music he had inserted in between segments of the radio show, "All Things Considered", he felt the need to create his own music show. Every week he listens to hundreds of records and reviews his favorites. He also invites artists in to Guest DJ for a show. At least twice a month, the show is a live concert recorded in its entirety. Recent artists include Okkervil River, Animal Collective, Nick Lowe and Arcade Fire. Its a great way to keep up on new music and to listen to some of your favorite bands live-for free!!!!!!!
Check it out
Check it out
Channel 5
Media Study
Channel 5 Eyewitness News
Introduction . . .
Oil prices-What’s the Bottom Line?
Developing story . . .
Construction worker found dead. Investigators are trying to find out why-unclear circumstances, fell from bridge OSHA is on the scene and police are investigating the death. St. Louis Park (1-2 min)
News
Oil
Filling up the car and heating your home. Oil barrels will hit $100 mark, prices at the pump will get higher at a time when gas generally goes down. A young couple is interviewed and explain that their heat is expensive and will increase.
Center point explaining the hikes in heating cost
3.50 a gallon in the near future
4.00 by the summer
Experts say brace yourself for higher prices
KSTP.com for how to save (2 minutes)
Stock Prices
stock prices down (10 seconds)
Education Levies
Levies denied in 30 plus school districts Robbinsdale (footage of kids) school district fails. A new school in Delano passes (1 minute)
Misc.
Youth basketball coach confesses to kidnapping and molestation (30 seconds)
Vikings will be making a pitch for a new stadium. They thought they were close, but then 35W bridge collapse made the pitch disappear.
Say that they cannot make any revenue and want the state to at least think about designating some funds for the new stadium
Gary smith (Rochester resident) has second thoughts 1-2 min
Blaine city council will hear a proposal for Sportstown USA with hotels and waterslide (15 seconds)
Flu-like sickness outbreak at a school in Ramsey county (5 seconds)
Mrs. Obama visits Minnesota (10 seconds)
Puppy Mill Rescue
Puppy mill rescue-arc animal shelter, just a few of 75 found at a central Minnesota Puppy mill. They don’t know how to walk on a leash the operator might be actually operating in line with legal standards. Arc animal shelter is actually full and need some foster homes-more at 6 (2 minutes)
“Grabbers”
As temperatures drop, what should you remove from the garage?
Foreclosures nationwide
Forecast
Skiers
Commercial break 4 minutes
Space Shuttle
The space shuttle discovery lands safely today (30 seconds)
Chemicals in the Garage
Cooler weather moving in-some household chemicals will freeze. Interviews Kent (an old guy) who doesn’t bring in chemicals inside in the winter. Don’t throw chemicals away-return them to a safe facility (1 min)
Fuel Finder
Gas prices in the metro (deals)
Web poll what price would you start making a change in your driving habit 30 %-no change (30 seconds)
Misc.
Minneapolis C plus in personal debt (5 seconds)
Wild mountain is open for skiing today (5 seconds)
Weather
November snow storm (average date of snow cover November 18) some flurries in the Southern part of the state. Cloudy skies will clear and clear skies will create much cooler temperatures. (2 minutes)
Misc.
The Eagles will appear on the CMA music awards (30 seconds) (airing at seven)
Commercial break 4 minutes
Ahead at news at 6
Misc.
South Minneapolis movie-theater is back in business and will be showing love in the time of cholera (30 seconds)
Return to weather
As a person who likes to consider himself informed, I can’t say when the last time I watched TV for my daily dose of news was. I generally listen to MPR or read bbc.uk at work to catch up on current events. So it was odd to sit on the couch last night and click on the Channel 5 Eyewitness News.
The thirty minutes went by in an incredibly fast and action-packed collection of . . .well . . .um . . .news? Amid tales of the mundane and obvious (now folks, don’t throw chemicals into the garbage and did you notice? gas prices are rising) there was plenty of local fluff- (the Vikings are vying for a new stadium). The most time was devoted by far to rising gas prices and the toll it will take on the American consumer-great, but isn’t this something we all are painfully aware of. How can we save money? Or, more pointedly, how can we all work together to help the environment? Poor us, we are dependant on a depleting non-renewable resource . . .prices are increasing? Duh!
Hmm . . .is there a war in Iraq? How’s everything fairing in Pakistan? Are there other states besides Minnesota? At least I know that this Saturday will be partly cloudy and damn-rain on Veteran’s day!
The 30 minutes was edited to be extremely fast and narrow focused with a tendency for the overly dramatic. A rise of a cent per gallon in gas costs spawns close-ups of pump prices and a grim voice-over informing the increase in heating bills this winter. One moment that I particularly enjoyed was the mention of a flu-like epidemic at an undisclosed school district in Ramsey county-how’s that for grabbing the viewer’s attention? Just before commercial breaks, they include 30 seconds of the important stories they will be covering when the show returns. Before the last commercial break, they tell you about all the ‘important’ news coming up at 6:00.
To be fair, Channel 5 Eyewitness news is followed by a “world news” show-I didn’t stick around to check it out, but the lack of any real news at 5:00 could be due at least in some part to the fact that they have installments at 6:00, 7:00, and 10:00. Maybe if I devoted three hours a night, I could put together some semblance of what in the hell is going on in the world. Or, I suppose I could listen to a half-hour of NPR or peruse the BBC website for ten minutes.
Channel 5 Eyewitness News
Introduction . . .
Oil prices-What’s the Bottom Line?
Developing story . . .
Construction worker found dead. Investigators are trying to find out why-unclear circumstances, fell from bridge OSHA is on the scene and police are investigating the death. St. Louis Park (1-2 min)
News
Oil
Filling up the car and heating your home. Oil barrels will hit $100 mark, prices at the pump will get higher at a time when gas generally goes down. A young couple is interviewed and explain that their heat is expensive and will increase.
Center point explaining the hikes in heating cost
3.50 a gallon in the near future
4.00 by the summer
Experts say brace yourself for higher prices
KSTP.com for how to save (2 minutes)
Stock Prices
stock prices down (10 seconds)
Education Levies
Levies denied in 30 plus school districts Robbinsdale (footage of kids) school district fails. A new school in Delano passes (1 minute)
Misc.
Youth basketball coach confesses to kidnapping and molestation (30 seconds)
Vikings will be making a pitch for a new stadium. They thought they were close, but then 35W bridge collapse made the pitch disappear.
Say that they cannot make any revenue and want the state to at least think about designating some funds for the new stadium
Gary smith (Rochester resident) has second thoughts 1-2 min
Blaine city council will hear a proposal for Sportstown USA with hotels and waterslide (15 seconds)
Flu-like sickness outbreak at a school in Ramsey county (5 seconds)
Mrs. Obama visits Minnesota (10 seconds)
Puppy Mill Rescue
Puppy mill rescue-arc animal shelter, just a few of 75 found at a central Minnesota Puppy mill. They don’t know how to walk on a leash the operator might be actually operating in line with legal standards. Arc animal shelter is actually full and need some foster homes-more at 6 (2 minutes)
“Grabbers”
As temperatures drop, what should you remove from the garage?
Foreclosures nationwide
Forecast
Skiers
Commercial break 4 minutes
Space Shuttle
The space shuttle discovery lands safely today (30 seconds)
Chemicals in the Garage
Cooler weather moving in-some household chemicals will freeze. Interviews Kent (an old guy) who doesn’t bring in chemicals inside in the winter. Don’t throw chemicals away-return them to a safe facility (1 min)
Fuel Finder
Gas prices in the metro (deals)
Web poll what price would you start making a change in your driving habit 30 %-no change (30 seconds)
Misc.
Minneapolis C plus in personal debt (5 seconds)
Wild mountain is open for skiing today (5 seconds)
Weather
November snow storm (average date of snow cover November 18) some flurries in the Southern part of the state. Cloudy skies will clear and clear skies will create much cooler temperatures. (2 minutes)
Misc.
The Eagles will appear on the CMA music awards (30 seconds) (airing at seven)
Commercial break 4 minutes
Ahead at news at 6
Misc.
South Minneapolis movie-theater is back in business and will be showing love in the time of cholera (30 seconds)
Return to weather
As a person who likes to consider himself informed, I can’t say when the last time I watched TV for my daily dose of news was. I generally listen to MPR or read bbc.uk at work to catch up on current events. So it was odd to sit on the couch last night and click on the Channel 5 Eyewitness News.
The thirty minutes went by in an incredibly fast and action-packed collection of . . .well . . .um . . .news? Amid tales of the mundane and obvious (now folks, don’t throw chemicals into the garbage and did you notice? gas prices are rising) there was plenty of local fluff- (the Vikings are vying for a new stadium). The most time was devoted by far to rising gas prices and the toll it will take on the American consumer-great, but isn’t this something we all are painfully aware of. How can we save money? Or, more pointedly, how can we all work together to help the environment? Poor us, we are dependant on a depleting non-renewable resource . . .prices are increasing? Duh!
Hmm . . .is there a war in Iraq? How’s everything fairing in Pakistan? Are there other states besides Minnesota? At least I know that this Saturday will be partly cloudy and damn-rain on Veteran’s day!
The 30 minutes was edited to be extremely fast and narrow focused with a tendency for the overly dramatic. A rise of a cent per gallon in gas costs spawns close-ups of pump prices and a grim voice-over informing the increase in heating bills this winter. One moment that I particularly enjoyed was the mention of a flu-like epidemic at an undisclosed school district in Ramsey county-how’s that for grabbing the viewer’s attention? Just before commercial breaks, they include 30 seconds of the important stories they will be covering when the show returns. Before the last commercial break, they tell you about all the ‘important’ news coming up at 6:00.
To be fair, Channel 5 Eyewitness news is followed by a “world news” show-I didn’t stick around to check it out, but the lack of any real news at 5:00 could be due at least in some part to the fact that they have installments at 6:00, 7:00, and 10:00. Maybe if I devoted three hours a night, I could put together some semblance of what in the hell is going on in the world. Or, I suppose I could listen to a half-hour of NPR or peruse the BBC website for ten minutes.
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