Realism and television Essay

Question Discuss realism by considering a picture syllabus that has graphic qualities. In your discussion specifically refer to Chapter 14 of the textbook, Documentary and naturalism TV, by Branston and Stafford (2006). world plays an important occasion in the success of a good goggle box program. The ability to cerebrate and appeal to the intellects of the target listening is an essential characteristic of any media form. This screen explores how realism is perceived in television system today with reference to both guilelessness and documentary genres of television.The remainder of the essay will present a case study of a television program which demonstrates realistic qualities. What is Realism? It has been argued that we argon living in a postdocumentary culture, a time of have words shows, honesty t. v, game shows and the persuasion of celebrity (Branston, Stafford 2006 455). When we refer to realism within the context of television it conjures up a multitude of meanings. For ex vitamin Ale, realism may indicate that the program is realistic because of the subject field of study, interchangeable that of a documentary. Moreover, a television program could be considered realistic because it features.Unscripted ordinary citizenry in contrived situations, like Big Brother. One thing is veritable, realism, or the illusion of realism, is genuinely(prenominal) prevalent in television today. Reality tv? Distorted Realism Flick on the television during peak quantify on a week night and its pretty effortful to avoid reality television. From home hold backovers to celebrity fit clubs, the favouriteity with so called reality television is astounding. But is reality tv just a nonher exceedingly produced product of the culture industry? More often that not, these reality programs ar highly constructed to attract viewers. As Andrejevic.questions, Why is Reality tv dissemble that its real, so that we may idlernily believe its phony, when it spotlessly portrays the reality of contrivance in contemporary society? (Andrejevic 2004). These programs atomic number 18 distinctly not an accurate representation of how most spate live. It seems the message of reality television is that ordinary tidy sum can become so evidential that millions of people will watch them, and as a result, ordinary people are considered potential media stars. Ordinary people watch these programs, see people like themselves and imagine that they to a fault could become celebrities by being on television (Reiss 2001).This is evident by the large number of reality tv stars that have gone on to have careers in the media. For example, Elizabeth Hassleback from the first serial of the reality tv program Survivor is now a co-host of the popular talk show in the US The View. Reality tv, definitely has its fair share of critics. It has been blamed of damaging our younkers comprehension of what reality truly means, even going to the fulfilment of accusing it of being and abusive and exploitative of children in shows like, Wifeswap and Trading Spouses (Schlessinger 2004).The perception of what is fact and fiction in regards to television is no longer a clear margin (Study guide 95). Semiotic codes (study of signs) in television represent a kind of language, and we all learn how to decrypt these signs and symbols in to explain what we see (Herrman, 2000). With any luck, the viewers of these reality programs can distinguish what is true reality and not when they are watching these programs. Documentaries The contrivance of Performing Just like news, documentaries are recognized as reproducing the honorful version of the story to the audience. With the popularity of the reality tv culture it hasbeen argued that these types of shows have corrupt the significance of documentaries (Branston, Stafford 2006. 455). Documentaries have the ability to showcase complex subject matter with an accurate and plausible approach. It has been argued that a documentary is a performative act whose truth comes into being only at the moment of filming(Bruzzi 20006). Moreover, documentaries portray a real perspective according to the film maker themselves, just as reality tv, documentaries are constructed to a certain extent. In other words, the audience assumes the point of view from where the camera shooting.Branston and Stafford suggest in the example of Micheal Moores documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 where in that respect were key issues that were not mentioned like the role of Israel, which in effect, persuades the audience in a certain position (Branston, Stafford 2006 469). Of all the genres of television, documentaries still continue do the finest duty of relaying an accurate interpretation of real-world issues with minimal construction. Case Study treatment(Mondays 9. 30am, Channel 115, Foxtel).The television program which I have chosen to critique in similitude to its realistic qualities is hinderance. Its a pow erful and transfixing US-based serial in which people confront their dependency and seek a passageway to recovery. The serial profiles individuals whose dependency on doses, alcohol or other controlling behavior has brought them to an all-time low and estranged them from their family and loved ones. The addicts featured in the series believe they have signed up to participate in a documentary on addiction. Each episode begins with a brief introduction to the subject, and then he or she is followed around by a camera crew.The program ends with a surprise preventative that is present in which they are confronted with a life sentence-altering choice rehabilitation or guess losing all contact with the loved ones who instigated the intervention. Often, other tactics are utilise to persuade the addicted person into treatment, which vary depending on the situation. Interviews with the subject, as puff up as family members or friends who have agreed to participate, are intersper sed throughout. The preventive falls under the reality tv genre of television and can be described as an information programme, as it uses true stories to amend the audience on the subject matter (Branston, Stafford 2006474).The show has more the olfactory sensation of a documentary than a reality TV program, although predominately factual there a certain aspects of the program that are clearly constructed. The producers and creators of the program make the rules, they create the setting, they film it according to specific guidelines as to what they think are going to provide good television. So Why Is Intervention So Realistic? thither are a number of characteristics that this television program possesses which contri andes in creating a sense of realism for the viewer 1).Subject matter Intervention is the dramatic and disturbing insight into the day in the life of an addict that features graphic footage of addicts shooting up on television has prompted just around controve rsy. It makes prime-time sport of vulnerable, desperate people and their spiral to the bottom, wrote Matthew Gilbert of the Boston Globe. whole though its ugly to watch, unfortunately the reality of addiction and the dysfunction it creates is very real for many families. Most viewers would know slightly(prenominal)body who it has been impacted by the power of addiction. consort to Addictionintervention. com, the interventions that are staged on the series represent a realistic and account of what actually takes key during a professional intervention.http//www. addictionintervention. com/intervention/interventiontv_response. asp 2) Drama-documentary Intervention series utilizes a drama-documentary style which combines elements of documentary and drama (Branston, Stafftord 2006456). This hybrid genre produces a very authentic sense of reality for the viewer, absent are the contrivances of most reality shows.Moreover, the participants of the show are ordinary people with real add ictions, there are no million dollar prizes, no mansions, no bachelors, or games. According to the series, millions of people struggle with addiction, so the subject matter is a very real problem existing in society. There are no actors or re enactments, these are real people going about their life. Intervention demonstrates the characteristics of a documentary by presenting the strict facts of the event but also the program has the ability to raise the larger issues associated with addiction, such as family disintegration. unfortunately the stories that are told are true, its something that we would like to believe does not exist in this world, but we all know that it does.3) Camera Angles The series is shot in a documentary-style, which makes it less refined and more credible (Branston, Stafford 2006458). The participants bring an honesty and rawness to the show that supersedes the blatant expectations that are all too common to reality programming. The unrehearsed reaction to th e intervention from the addict is on the whole unpredictable. Sometimes the addict agrees to the treatment but more often than not the addict runs away, so without warning the production crew are minutely running down the street.The scrabbling footage adds to the authenticity and legitimacy of the program (Branston, Stafford 2006 458). 4) Unscripted Narratives Intervention does not use a narrator, instead, the subject and his loved ones tell the story, with effortless text commentary, which contributes to the realism. The leading characters of the program are ordinary people from working class backgrounds, which is very relatable to a broad audience (Branston, Stafford 2006460).The unscripted narratives amid the addicts and their families generate a sense of normalcy, quite often they have to go out language when arguments get heated. The music is very limited in the program, there is some intense music just before the intervention which makes for an element of drama. 5) Forma t The Intervention series, has the identical structure in apiece program. The first half hour profiles the individual, the next 20 minutes focuses on the intervention itself, the last 10 minutes focuses on the follow-up of the individual.There is no set, no staging, the program is filmed on location, meaning where eer the individual lives. The program is filmed in the home of the individual and the intervention, commonly takes place at a nearby hotel. The fact that the program could be filmed anywhere is a factor in producing a sense of realism. 5) Not Always a Happy Ending The Intervention program does not always have a happy ending, which contributes in creating a sense of honesty for the audience. In a recent episode of Intervention, the featured addict did agree to go to a rehabilitation installment but was kicked out not long after for breaking the rules. Unfortunately he went back to living on the streets and still struggling with his medicine addiction and still estrange d from his family (Intervention, aired 20/4/2007, 10pm,A&E channel).This program reiterates that sometimes real life is not pretty, and some situations cannot be resolved in a 60 minute episode. Although the Intervention program is a cutting edge and controversial, the fact of the matter is, addiction is a very real issue in todays society. According to the National Drug Strategy, the tangible social costs of drug use in Australia were estimated to be $18. 3 billion from in 1998-99. With these statistics like this, addiction should be a matter certainly worthy of attention.(http//www. aihw. gov. au/publications/phe/sdua04/sdua04. pdf) In conclusion, its apparent that there are still some programs on television that are able to give a realistic insight into certain subject matters. After all, the television is our interaction with the right(prenominal) world, media should continue to focus attention on these social problems to generate cognizance and education with this type of programming.BibliographyAndrejevic, Mark Reality TVThe Work of creation Watched Lanham MD Rowman &Littlefield, 2004 1-20 Branston, G. and Stafford, R. , 2006. Documentary & Reality tv, in The Media Students Book, 4th ed. , Routledge, Abingdon, UK, and New York, pp. 455-478 Herrmann, Stefan Do we learn to record television like a kind of language? May 2000http//www. aber. ac. uk/media/Students/sfh9901. hypertext markup language Reiss S, Wiltz J Why America loves reality TV Feature draft ArticlePsychology Today, Sept-Oct, 2001 http//findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m1175/is_5_34/ai_82261905 Schlessinger, L Realism in family television? October 27, 2004 http//www. worldnetdaily. com/news/article. asp? ARTICLE_ID=41125.