BCM110

Overtime, governments have played an integral part in the growth of creative industries, or in some cases the downfall. A large role that they play in this growth is through funding and support whether this be through treatys, quotas, training services, hosting events, or strategically using ‘soft power’.

Here’s a quick distinction between ‘soft‘ power and ‘hard‘ power:

Soft power refers to the strategy of using attraction instead coersion to appeal to a certain cause.

Hard power then refers to the strategy of using force or coersion. This is usually done with the influence of military and economic means.

Here is a video that dives further into depth:

A good way of demonstrating this government influence on the creative industries is through a case study.

A case study discussed in this weeks lecture was the ‘Korean wave’  and the growth of Korean films in the 1990s. It also demonstrates just how large of an impact government support and funding can have on the creative industry, not just in films. For further depth in to the ‘Soft Power’ during this ‘Korean Wave’, here is an entertaining and interesting article by Lee Geun.

Recently, there have been more instances where I have heard people raving over K-pop, and Korean dramas. I never really got in to them myself, but over the past few years I couldn’t help but become intrigued in this sudden outburst of popularity and love for an area of the creative industry I have never been a part of or seen. This can all be traced back to this ‘Korean wave’ that saw the growth in Korean films, music, products etc. not only in Korea but all over the world.

The Korean government saw a change when they became a more democratic structured system, with a lessening influence of military government. After seeing the “low” local box office percentage of 16% in 1993, the government set out to make this number bigger and to create a larger influence locally. They threw in money for funding, quotas that set out a certain time period films where to be screened, and eased censorship of content, allowing more taboo subjects to be of main topics in dramas and TV.

When this strategy became successful, they began to look outwards, over the seas and into the lives of other countries. Using this ‘soft power’ approach, they used popular culture to enhance the image of Korea. Quickly Korean creative industries went global and successfully. This was done with the assistance of the government who hosted industry leaders in their country, hosted worldwide events, and boosted the reputation of Korea.

Overall, the success of the creative industries in Korea can be linked back to the role the government played in supporting, funding, and enhancing Koreas image not only locally but Internationally.

References:

Geun, L., 2009. A soft power approach to the “Korean wave”. The review of Korean studies, 12(2), pp.123-137.

Korczyk’s Class, ‘Soft Power vs. Hard Power vs. Smart Power in Global Politics’ [YouTube], Uploaded February 3rd 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbhW36k_xAU&ab_channel=Korczyk%27sClass

Renee Middlemost – lecture content

As stated in my pitch and in my media niche blog, my Digital artefact will focus on how engaging with calming content helps to reduce anxiety.

Utilising the various features on all three platforms of Instagram, Tik Tok, and WordPress, I can create an interactive experience for my audience to engage in calming content of their own, whilst I also continue to engage in the media niche through engagement with other content creators and content online. Instagram and TikTok are used as mainstream media, where I will be posting regularly as shown in my timeline. These platforms allow me to use mapping methods of observing participation through story, views, and likes, providing feedback into what content is favourable. Whilst WordPress will be used to document the surfboard art process, for each surfboard.

“Paradigms are used as a way of viewing the world…. and a framework from which to understand the human experience”(Kuhn, 1962). By creating a field site, I can set up research methods and determine a paradigm approach of how I view and understand my audience through analytical frameworks. This field of Inquiry allows me to establish an analytical framework in which my Digital Artefact is based around. These analytical frameworks are psychoanalysis, disability and accessibility, and Sensitive content, as I am attentive and compassionate towards my audience. It is important that I establish this sensitivity throughout this project, as Anxiety can be a sensitive topic for individuals. Another reason I am focused on keeping content creative, fun, and light-hearted, to help and not cause harm.

Through this participatory observation method I will use field notes which will be methodological notes concerning my role, influence, relationship, and sampling procedures (Catherine.d, 2002). Observing and writing as I go.

I will bring it all together in the end by comparing my own observations with background research into anxiety coping methods and the influence creative and calming content has on stress.

References:

Dawson Catherine (2002) How to Carry Out Participant Observation, in Practical Research Methods A User-Friendly Guide to Mastering Research Techniques and Projects, HowTo Books: Oxford.File

DeCarlo, Mattew (2018) ‘6.2 Paradigms, theories, and how they shape a researcher’s approach’, Scientific Inquiry in Social Work, https://scientificinquiryinsocialwork.pressbooks.com/chapter/6-2-paradigms-theories-and-how-they-shape-a-researchers-approach/

After some careful consideration and some research into my original niche, I’ve decided to alter my niche just a little bit towards a niche that is a little more broad. This niche now is not just “art videos” but is now calming content. As someone who focuses a lot on mental health, runs an anxiety page from existing projects, and is constantly looking for ways to cope with high levels of stress, I feel this is more specifically a niche I feel connects with me and what I hope to gain from this project.

Now to create a field site. A field site is defined as a network of connections. It’s used as a tool to explore different elements and perspectives of a specific niche and narrowing down our research. By making these connections we form a mind map of how each element on this niche are interconnected. Speaking to a few tutors, I was given the advice to focus on the different platforms.. eg. Youtube vs TikTok. As well as to focus on where this content is coming from. As an audience I find there are 3 main places I am finding my content, but there are other avenues in which there are interactions.

I split this field site into 7 categories or branches in which I find these interactions to be prevalent.

First 4 are specifically platforms where large amount of content is created and how this content is used to engage with audience on a daily or weekly basis

1. Youtube
2. TikTok
3. Instagram
4. Apps

The next 3 are specifically ways in which we get this content and how they make us feel. As a niche which focuses on the mental health of an audience, such as myself, the ethnography research will observe the reactions of the audience of creators content and how they interact. These include:

1. Merchandise
2. Creators
3. Persona

Throughout this research process and establishing my media niche, I want to narrow down what I will observing, mapping, and what my expectations are as an audience of calming content.

Looking into how creators prioritise their content. Is it specifically to sell a product, or are they putting focus onto their audience with engagement?

How important is consistent content creating?

How is the audience connecting with eachother?

What sort of persona is being established?

I’ve personally struggled a lot with understanding this concept, and working on how I can narrow my research. But, I believe doing an ethnographic study on a media niche which focuses on the coping mechanisms of individuals struggling with mental health or high levels of stress can be highly beneficial and informative. Tying in my own findings with mental health research, can help shed some light on the importance content even as small as ‘creativity’ and ‘calming’ content can have on a persons mental health.

“Drawing mandalas as a form of art therapy can reduce anxiety, tension and overall stress.  Drawing stimulates creativity and is a way to release emotional blockages”

MRT, 2017

References:

Marcia Norton Centers for Children and Families, MRT, 2017, ‘Drawing ‘mandalas’ can help reduce stress, anxiety’, https://www.mrt.com/news/health_and_wellness/article/Drawing-mandalas-can-help-reduce-stress-11001941.php

How and why do reality television formats cross borders? What does this tell us about the modern media environment? 

Within our modern media, television comes in many different forms. On our own Australian TVs we see a variety of shows ranging from reality to drama. We see shows like ‘The bachelor’, ‘Big brother’ and ‘The voice’. We see classic Aussie television shows like ‘Home and Away’ and ‘Neighbours’. But little do we know, that all over the world, families are turning on their tvs to similar television to our own. Adapted to fit their own culture, language, and landscape.

Many reality shows we see on our televisions, don’t even originate from Australia. The bachelor? That originated in America. Love island? That originated in the UK. Even the iconic game/reality show of big brother originated overseas. These shows were originally created as a ‘shell’ concept, which meant creators created a basic concept that could be easily transplanted into another country. This allows for each place to use this shell idea and adapt it to fit the local language, cast, environment and humour, localising the content. Reality tv is becoming a fast growing phenomenon due to its low production cost, allowing easy distribution, room for adaptations, and low production risks.

A television format is defined by Albert Moran as, “a set of invariable elements in a serial program our of which the variable elements of individual episodes are produced” (Moran and Malbon 2006: 20).

“As an economic unit, the, the format can be thought of as a recipe, a kit, or blueprint, yet, as Albert Moran further insists, format is not a tangible product. Rather, it is a technology of economic and cultural exchange and a service that facilitates certain televisual possibilities (Moran and Malbon 2006: 20)”

Routledge 2013

Typically the way these shows stay the same is through the ideas and these ‘shells’. Such as the overall concept of the show. Take big brother for an example. In each version of the show theres common factors that are shared between them, no matter how different they are. The common ideas include the concept of regular people, living in a house or environment shut off from the outside world, and the common narrative is that these players, or contestant, are fighting for a final prize. These shows that are adapted around the world often share these basic ideology. What makes this transplantation of reality television across the globe, is the allowance of smaller countries who normally may rely on content from somewhere else such as larger countries like the US, can no make something for themselves that fits the local culture. Therefore, we tend to watch shows that are local to our own, or shows that are typically in our spoken language.

However, as time goes on and our media access expands, our modern media environment in changing. Now, although we are still accustomed to shows mostly spoken in English, engaging in familiar humour to our own, and the familiarity of cast, we are broadening our scope to shows and dramas distributed from overseas, or adaptations of overseas. With easy access to media across the globe, more and more we are seeing this shift.

Shahaf, S. and Oren, T. eds., 2013. Global television formats: Understanding television across borders. Routledge.

Researching a specific media niche isn’t necessarily easy. In fact, there are multiple components that come into play when researching the reactions and effectiveness of said niches. When looking into my own media niches, I find that I can’t pinpoint a specific one. Instead I find that I have multiple media niches that I am apart of. Two major ones that tie together nicely is the media niche of ‘video’ and ‘creating’. With platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and instagram we are provided daily access to content that fit these media niches that we have created for ourselves through ‘For you pages’. For me, I tend to lean more towards videos and creators who demonstrate their talents through art and creating whether it be via mandalas or satisfying videos, and also through the way people express things through film (a key love of mine). So, as a research project I have decided to create a page on various popular media platforms where I can share my own media niche such as video and creating by showing off my surfboard art. But, we’ll come back to this.

With any research project, it’s important to have a clear agenda or aim. Such as the persona and the audience, which can go hand in hand. The persona in any case can be the audience or ‘fans’ of something, not necessarily creators within these media niches. I’m even part of this ‘persona’ as an audience and fan of content creators and their work. Where as content creators are another persona. The ones behind the camera and behind the art. Not all show their faces, and don’t really need to because their passion and objective lies in the art itself. But what is known about these audiences and what is not? Well that is what I want to include in my research. What we know is that this audience shares a common interest in art and creating whether we are artists ourselves or just find calmness and admiration for those who are sharing their talents and tips. But what isn’t known is why we feel this way about this content and why we keep coming back? Why do I spend hours and hours watching someone draw mandala? Why do I spend money on colouring in books of these mandalas? Well, that is what I’d like to find out somewhere along this journey.

The sequence between the images and there words aren’t necessarily what they represent, but I focused more on how they made me feel when I looked at them. These feelings encompass memories, mental health battles, friendship, and family, all of which has impacted me to this day. I found Joy, light, warmth, yellow, and growth in all 5 images represented below. Each image holds a story and a meaning behind it. Joy comes from a time during which we were able to experience life pre pandemic, even if it was just for one weekend. It’s an image that when I look up, I feel pure joy as I did in this moment. I feel light when I look at an image that takes in my favourite things. Sun, water and magical memories made with friends and family. I feel warmth when I see my dog Moka, as she feels safe and part of our family. I feel yellow when I look at an image that displays a moment that I will forever cherish. As a lover of sunsets, I cherish moments like this. The colour yellow represents the sun, and the feeling of optimism and friendship, both of which are present in this chosen image. Last, I feel growth. I feel a mental growth when I look at this photo, because it signifies my growth mentally that allowed me to grow as a person and form these special bonds around me. I allow images to create emotion. This is why I love capturing moments, so in the future we may look back and remember moments whether they are sad or happy. Images are what we make them to be. I make them a memory box for my emotions.

As part of a BCM217 university assignment I had to interview on person on an unexpected event or story. My mind instantly went back to a story that happened with my family and a family friends of ours and a weird discovery we had that gave all of us goosebumps. So, who better to interview than my Pa 🙂 Before I say too much enjoy the video 🙂

After we were put into our groups in week1, my group including Jess, James, Kiara and myself, came up with a few ideas and organised ourselves into our roles. After throwing around some ideas and different styles of films, we constantly came back to this idea of following an object, a marble, around different locations, as if it was on a journey. We all loved this idea but each one of us had a different style we wanted to edit and a different story we wanted to portray.

We wrote a list of shots we had in mind so that we had a visual idea of what we wanted to film and where. By our third week we were onto filming. I brought in my canon camera from home, and we borrowed a zoom mic and dolly from the Uni. We set out around building 29 to get the shots we wanted and to start our storyline. It wasn’t all easy though. During the periods we had set aside to film as a group, we had trouble with the weather as the weather changed between sunny and rain, which created a problem with not only time management but continuity throughout the film. We also had difficulty controlling the dolly and maneuvering it to follow the marble. We struggled not only matching the speed of the marble but also getting the right balance with the camera on the dolly, as in many shots the dolly tended to lean a certain way and would not travel straight. This altered the amount of footage we had in the end to create the final film.

A third issue, and one I had on my own, was a lack of access to editing software, as my laptop had some troubles throughout this assignment and had to be sent away. So, this meant I was confined to relying on the Uni computers and class time. Though, despite these issues, when it came down to editing, it all came together smoothly, with the small hiccup of lack of footage, which with some creative thinking I came up with a solution. Although it altered the overall film and stepped away from my original idea of an ending, it added a comedic affect to the end. Using the program Premiere Pro to edit the footage along with the composition created by Jess, I was able to piece together a comedic film which follows a marble when it’s lost by its owner in a game of marbles with her friends. I decided to not include the sound effects we had recorded using the zoom mic as I decided to keep it simple and fun, as when the effects were added it took away from the music.  

The short film starts off happy, with a few friends playing a game of marbles outside. A single marble rolls off from where the game is taking place and begins its journey of freedom. The music starts off happy until the marble gets caught up in some rainwater and takes a dangerous turn towards a drain. However, the marble is saved… but only to land where no one will ever be able to find it again. The slow and sad music is played as the marble reflects on the happy journey it just took, reminiscing in sadness as it has come to a tragic end.