Semiotics and the Analysis of Popular Culture Texts October 23 & 28, 2014I. Key Terms of Semiotics A. Denotation B. Connotation (culturally specific, historically specific)1. American flag example2. Roseanne exampleC. Myth (ideological): Newsweek cover exampleII. Some Things You Might Consider A. Word choice B. Font C. Color D. Setting E. FramingF. Image qualitiesG. Spokesperson/thing H. PosesIII. 1980s McDonald’s Television AdIV. Bottled Water AdsA. What they try to communicate about their productB. What they don’t tell us about their productV. Advertising and Social ValuesA. The rise of advertising and consumer culture in the U.S.B. Socio-cultural impacts of advertising1. From producers to consumers 2. From citizens to consumers? a. advertising’s multiple messages (layer 1, layer 2, layer 3)b. the tension between consumerist values and democratic valuesc. what happens when the market/advertising dominates? d. the tension between our roles as media consumer and media-age citizen Magazines and the Politics of Community/Identity November 4/6, 2014I. Key TermsA. Socialization1. Primary socializing agents2. Secondary socializing agentsB. “Imagined Communities” (Benedict Anderson)1. Definition 2. General interest magazines and national identity C. Why Look at the Gay PressII. The Evolution of the Gay PressA. Pre-Stonewall Political/Social Magazines (1950s and 60s)1. Social context (Cold War homophobia)2. The Mattachine Society’s One (1953-1967) as a cultural forum3. One and the gay press’s censorship battles a. Comstock lawsb. One, Incorporated vs. Otto K. OlesenB. The Advocate in the 1970s and 80s1. Social context (Stonewall Riots, 1969) 2. Goals of The Advocate (1967-present)3. Early problemsa. distributionb. revenue4. Early solutionsa. distribution: community connectionsb. revenue: newsprint, sex, and specific advertisersC. Industry Transformations, 1990-present 1. Mutually dependent developments a. growth of gay and lesbian lifestyle magazines (Out, Curve, etc.)b. the gay marketing moment2. Impact on gay magazines (“upscaling”) a. advertisers 1. various print examples2. the rise of “gay vague” b. content c. mission: politics vs. commerce gay community vs. gay market3. Corporatization and conglomeration—PlanetOut, Inc. III. Minority Media, Magazine Specialization, and National IdentityThe Early Art of Making Movies November 11 and 13, 2014I. Analyzing the Film IndustryII. Early Film ExhibitionA. Kinetoscope Parlors (1893-1896)B. Vaudeville and Motion Pictures (1896-1905)C. Nickelodeons (1905-1914)D. Movie Palaces (1915- )III. Early Development of Film Techniques and NarrativeA. Peep Show Novelties and the “Cinema of Attractions”1. Kinetoscope parlours 2. Examples: The Kiss, Serpentine Dance, Sandow (1893)B. Primitive Cinema: Tableaux (“Living Pictures”) Films (1894-1903)1. Vaudeville houses 2. Single long shot, static camera, theater-like staging3. Example: A Chess Dispute (1903)C. Editing1. Trick films – The Execution of Mary, Queen of Scots (1895)2. Close-ups/Insert shots – The Gay Shoe Clerk (1903)3. Variable locations/scenes – The Other Side of the Hedge (1905)D. Emergence of Complex Narratives (Beginning around 1903)1. Longer running times, variety of scenes & shots2. Ever more complex narratives 3. Narrative: a. storyb. discoursec. schematic definition: equilibrium/disruption/return to equilibrium4. Example: The Great Train Robbery (Edwin S. Porter, 1903)E. Principles of Classical Hollywood Cinema Develop (1909-1917)1. Establishing shot (master shot) 2. Shot/reverse shot sequence 3. Eye-line matchingIV. 4 Techniques of Filmmaking A. Mise-en-scen (put on the stage)B. Sound (diagetic and nondiagetic)C. Cinematography (camera distance and movement)D. Editing (cut, wipe, dissolve, superimposition)IV. Film Analysis and the 4 techniquesA. Style (the manipulation of the four techniques to create a specific effect)B. Meaning: 1. Example: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington montage (1939) The Business of Making Movies Then November 18 and 20, 2014I. The Studio System A. Importance in Film HistoryA. Oligopoly controlB. Vertical integrationII. Production—factory-like system A. Centralized locationB. Employment practices 1. Division of labor2. Long-term contractsC. Standardization of films 1. Standardization of length 2. Genre specialization 3. Grading of product: A & B moviesIII. DistributionA. Terms 1. Run2. Zone3. ClearanceB. Strategy: platform distribution IV. Exhibition A. “Big Five” theaters.B. Independent theaters: block booking V. The End of the Studio SystemA. The Paramount Decision (1948)B. The Red ScareC. SuburbanizationD. Television3. Example: Clueless montage (1995)Blockbusters and Indie Films November 25, 2014I. The Industry Responds to the CrisisA. DownsizingB. Competing with Television1. Emphasizing Spectacle (Color, 3-D, CinemaScope, Stereo)2. Drive-insC. The Rise of Art House Theaters (Ingmar Bergman, Kenji Mizoguchi)II. Mode of Independent ProductionA. Creating the Package—centrality of the producer and importance of agents B. Deficit financingIII. Jaws & the Blockbuster MentalityA. Production 1. Proven commodity 2. B-movie genres3. Importance of spectacle and f/x4. Importance of sequelsB. Distribution1. Saturation distribution (vs. platform distribution)2. National TV ad campaigns3. Merchandising and tie-ins4. Summer releases5. Ancillary marketsC. ExhibitionV. New HollywoodA. The Rise of Indie Films1. Definition of Indie2. Cult Films in the 70s and 80s3. Indie Infrastructure4. Indie Studios B. Hollywood Goes Indie/Indies Go Hollywood 1. Miramax and the Oscars a. The English Patient (1996)b. Shakespeare in Love (1998)2. Miramax and Disney C. New Hollywood?Media Economics: Creating Buzz November 25/December 2, 2014I. Media as a Culture IndustryA. Media as “Our” Culture B. Media as an Industry (in the U.S.)1. Private2. For-profit3. Oligopolistic 4. Trans-nationalII. Common Dynamics within Culture IndustriesA. Defining features 1. High risk/unpredictable 2. High production costs/low reproduction costs3. Public goodB. Consequences/Responses 1. Formatting; Hit/miss ratio2. Copyright Control3. Artificial scarcity as business strategyIII. Trends in Recent U.S. Media IndustriesA. Conglomeration1. De-regulation 2. Horizontal integration (as opposed to vertical integration) 3. Synergy4. Creating Demand/Focusing DemandB. Globalization1. National media and