2.0ver the Monster

Being a fan of a team that isn’t local can be a daunting task.  The privilege of listening to beat reporters covering your team on the morning drive is not an option.  Gone also is the typical one on one dialogue specifically tailored to your team with like-minded fans.  The friendly discourse over what signing makes sense and what players we should try to deal is difficult to establish.  These are reasons why I am an active spectator on the website Over the Monster.

Over the Monster is a Red Sox fan community devoted to all things Sox.  The blog covers everything from the whispered trade rumor to the widespread signings bust.  The blog truly gives fans a voice.  The content creators vary from successful writers who provide material as a hobby to well informed college students who love nothing more than talking Sox baseball.  All content leaves a feedback forum where critics can respond and interact with the content and other users.  Friendly banter is encouraged but keep it clean.

One of the more popular sections of the website is the “Fanposts” section where any fan, regardless of their journalistic experience, can contribute to the website.  This section also allows for fans to become joiners by creating a profile for other fans to view.  Fans can show off their fandom similar to how social networking websites allow joiners to show off their lifestyle.  Over the Monster is also loaded with weekly pod-casts and fan videos for spectators, joiners, and critics alike.

Over the Monster certainly helps illustrate participant inequality.  Over the Monster is a popular addition to sbnation.com, its well-noted parent website.  Sbnation.com consists of 320 official blogs which total over 100 million monthly page views.  Looking around several of the 320 blogs it’s evident that many fans contribute; however, it’s not in the vicinity of 100 million contributors per month.

Hot and Creepy

It has become difficult to find a film that conveys something truly creative these days; however, theaters are a different story.  This month in Guimarães, Portugal a new “Centipede Cinema” was introduced.  The cinema was designed by Colin Fournier who is a professor at the Bartlett School of Architecture along with Polish artist Marysia Lewandowska.  The cinema is given its name based largely on its structure resembling that of a centipede when occupied by several viewers with their legs sticking out.  Viewers stand for the entire movie and view the film in an outer space type theater.

Fournier didn’t just want to create an unusual movie viewing experience but he also wanted to promote the industry of Portugal.  Portugal is the leading producer of cork; however, an increasing use of synthetic cork in bottling of wine has led to the industry looking for a new way to market its use.  A special dark cork was used on the inside of the theater to give it a unique Mars like feel while also providing the “blackout effect” theaters require.   

I personally don’t like the idea of standing for an entire film.  I couldn’t find how much admission to this insect theater costs but if it’s anything like prices in the states they better think of a way for me to relax my lower body.  I think the type of movie shown would also benefit the experience.  A Sci-Fi or horror movie would lend itself better to this type of theater than would The Shawshank Redemption.

Another unique, less creepy, theater I discovered is the Hot Tub Cinema located on the rooftop of Netil360 in East London.  This viewing experience allows for relaxing in a hot tub with friends along with the experience of viewing a film and taking in the London skyline.  Every night boasts a different film genre such as 80’s classic, horror, comedy, musical, etc.  Even though the audience knows what genre they don’t know what movie will play until Showtime.

The Hot Tub Cinema has a unique set-up that could work well.  A danger exists when you mix a fun, party atmosphere with a film viewing experience; however, the fact that the movies are not new addresses a majority of my concerns.  If I pay top dollar to go to a movie and have some jerk talking loudly and taking away from the experience I will typically become upset; however, when the audience has likely seen, or have extensive knowledge of the film, this danger is diminished.  The film is only a portion of the attraction at the Hot Tub Cinema along with the atmosphere.  Similar to the Centipede Cinema the type of movie would greatly improve the experience.  I would prefer to see a comedy or a cheesy horror film in this setting over an emotionally charged drama…but that’s me.

The Story of KG’s Ring

The text that I decided to analyze is a 2008 NBA commercial staring Kevin Garnett.  The commercial is presented in a narrative form told from the start of the season, to its conclusion, by Garnett himself with his words and emotion.  The commercial opens with an optimistic Garnett making it known that he relishes the chance to play for a championship with his new team in Boston.  The enormity of the challenge that lies ahead for Garnett is presented well at 0:02-0:04.  The low camera angle displays Garnett surrounded by the local media who resemble a pack of depraved dogs looking for the opportunity to pounce on the proud athlete whenever he gives them the opportunity with his words or play.  The low angle displays just how overwhelming the Boston media can be and just how much Garnett’s world is about to change.  This overwhelming perspective would not resonate as powerfully without the low angle.

Garnett continues to tell his story set mostly to straight, medium to medium close-up shots.  These shots help to convey the different degrees of emotion Garnett is feeling at various moments during the season.  The narrative then reaches the conflict stage when the proud Garnett reaches his breaking point at moments 0:18-0:22.   In these moments the viewer can see and feel the emotional Garnett beginning to crack under the mounting tension the season and spotlight has provided.  The emotionally depleted Garnett is apparently near tears and the choice of a MCU at 0:19 helps display the larger than life athlete looking completely human and vulnerable in dealing with his shortcomings and emotions.  The choice of an MCU displays the emotion of the moment better than a CU would.  It makes it clearer to the audience that Garnett is indeed at another press conference and the burden of pressure has become so great that he can’t even bear to look at his critics who are the press.   He looks totally defeated.  This generates sympathy which encourages the audience to pull for Garnett.  It’s no accident that Garnett then raises his head and the next thing you hear him say is “you have to continue to keep your head up.”  It’s just then that the style begins to change to something more positive albeit littered with typical sports clichés.

The style of this piece is highly dramatic and the dialogue and music are largely responsible for that.  The music is very subtle.  It complements the words of Garnett but never takes away from them.  The balance between the two is perfect.  The moment involving the text’s conflict stage, that I just mentioned, would not be nearly so dramatic without the music provided.  It’s the one moment when Garnett falls silent and the music moves to the forefront.  The music assists the viewer in realizing the magnitude of the moment while adding drama to the image of the nearly defeated Garnett.  It sets the stage for a heroic rise which is what the theater of sport is built on.  The music then begins to turn, very slowly, to a slightly more up-tempo yet still dramatic variety.  This switch matches the statements and attitude of the text’s star.  Just as things are beginning to turn for Garnett the music also adjusts helping the audience realize the shift in the narrative until its uplifting conclusion of a championship.

PAC MAN Re-Mixed

The re-mixed piece I decided to include is a fan made video featuring various Manny Pacquiao fights blended with the audio from the trailer of the terrible film, Last Man Standing.  Even though the content of the two medias are about vastly different topics, they merge quite well to entertain the viewer and promote HBO Boxing and Manny Pacquiao

The majority of the video content from the piece is from HBO, from the actual fights, to the various clips taken from their fight promotion series titled 24/7.  If someone were to argue theft of the content, for the benefit of the producer, I would tend to disagree.  The trailer promotes HBO almost exclusively.  Manny Pacquiao has a fight contract with HBO, as does nearly every other fighter who was featured in the piece.  The trailer encourages the viewer to tune-in to HBO, in the coming years, as Manny’s career is reaching its roaring crescendo and nearly all big name fighters want a shot at boxing’s great enigma.  I fail to see how that could garner anything but positive results for HBO.  Not to mention all this publicity is completely free to HBO, they didn’t have to pay anyone to edit and put together this new material.  It was done as a tribute.  It also promotes the titan of film history that is Last Man Standing.  A viewer could easily hear the audio on the video and decide to view the movie.

One thing that was slightly alluded to in class was how commercial content is beginning to emulate this re-mixed culture in various ways.  The piece I showed is hardly unique.  A search of YouTube would amass several similar fan trailers for various other prize fighters; however, the way the piece is produced, with its quick cuts, powerful dialog, and music generates excitement.

Nike, who has a merchandising deal with Pacquiao, released a commercial in late 2011 before an upcoming fight.  Take a look, does the format look familiar?  The commercial doesn’t take from a film trailer; however, it does use a popular score from the film Blood Diamond combined with various quick cuts from the same visual elements used in the first video.  I’m not saying the two are exact duplicates but similarities definitely exist.  Nike is able to borrow the format to promote Manny as not only an extraordinary boxer, with an immaculate mustache, but also an inspiring world figure.  All in the name of selling shoes and apparel of course.

Policing copyright should definitely exist but some common sense should be exercised.  The majority of these remix videos are made by fans who are expressing admiration in some way while providing free promotion.  To put shackles on passionate fans would not be in the best interest of entertainment giants, and in most instances, they seem to realize that.

Berry Nice

Entourage, above all, sells a lifestyle. Every episode uses certain elements to help promote success and living life in the high pace world of Hollywood. The episode entitled “Berried Alive” from season six is not different. The episode begins with the majority of the lead characters enjoying a drink before what is sure to be an eventfully wild night. Amstel Light is prevalently displayed on the table as if it is the needed to ignite the evening. The actual night out is not shown; however, when the characters return home at 6 A.M. you can hardly tell they have enjoyed a night of drinking. They all look pretty clean and presentable. No one has a headache or is looking to pound some aspirin and water to prevent the payback that could result from such an evening. It could imply that Amstel Light provides such a smooth and pleasant drinking experience that hangovers rarely occur. It must be a Hollywood thing.

The real commercial product sold in this episode is the BlackBerry. The title of the episode even references it. It truly is a character in itself in this episode. Other cell phones are shown but the two most successful and powerful agents, Ari and Eric, both choose the BlackBerry to assist them in their affairs. It’s made apparent throughout this episode, and many others, that this phone is the center of any superstar agent’s business affairs. Ari is awake for all of 30 seconds before he is already on his favorite device conducting business. It even takes priority over relations with his visual wife. It is made apparent, that in Hollywood, the BlackBerry is what the pros use. Like Nike gets put on the best basketball player’s feet, the BlackBerry goes on the elite businessman’s ear. The BlackBerry is even mentioned by name when Vince remarks, “I can’t believe you handed over your berry.” This implies that giving someone else access to this precious device somehow forfeits the power and prestige it provides its owner. In everyday dialogue, “cell phone” would have sufficed; however, the actual brand of the phone was used as further promotion. The BlackBerry is truly a character in this episode, its everywhere, complete with several close-ups. It must have a great agent.

The episode takes the viewers on a chaotic ride that can only celebrate its resolution with a couple of Budweisers. The four friends enjoy their beers together in a trendy nightclub accompanied by multiple beautiful women. Just as the BlackBerry helped the two super agents get through their fast paced business affairs of the day, this setting implies that Budweiser is who the friends trust to get them through another wild, star studded night. Typically, for an everyday individual to try and emulate the life of a Hollywood heavyweight is no easy task. The average person can’t go out and buy a Maserati; however, they can afford a beer and a cell phone. The way the three products are displayed, in this media piece, as such a necessity can only promote their use by those striving to achieve similar success and status in their everyday lives.