Realism and television Essay

Question Discuss world by considering a telecasting chopine that has graphic qualities. In your discussion specific altogethery p arnt to Chapter 14 of the textbook, Documentary and human beings TV, by Branston and Stafford (2006). Realism plays an consequential role in the success of a good idiot box class. The energy to relate and appeal to the senses of the target audience is an essential char put to workeristic of any(prenominal) media form. This essay explores how reality is perceived in television today with destination to both reality and documentary genres of television.The remainder of the essay will drink a case study of a television program which demonstrates true-to-life(prenominal) qualities. What is Realism? It has been argued that we atomic number 18 living in a postdocumentary culture, a duration of talk shows, reality t. v, game shows and the persuasion of celebrity (Branston, Stafford 2006 455). When we refer to realism within the context of tele vision it conjures up a multitude of cores. For caseful, realism may indicate that the program is realistic because of the motif matter, similar that of a documentary. Moreover, a television program could be considered realistic because it features. unwritten run-of-the-mine mint in contrived situations, deal Big Br or so former(a). One matter is certain, realism, or the illusion of realism, is very prevalent in television today. frankness tv? Distorted Realism Flick on the television during dot times on a week night and its bewitching difficult to avoid reality television. From home makeovers to celebrity fit clubs, the popularity with so called reality television is astounding. But is reality tv s stacktily whatever other highly produced product of the culture industry? More frequently that not, these reality programs ar highly constructed to attract viewers. As Andrejevic.questions, wherefore is universe tv pretending that its real, so that we may cannily call back its phony, when it accurately demos the reality of contrivance in contemporary society? (Andrejevic 2004). These programs be clearly not an accurate representation of how near people live. It copms the inwardness of reality television is that quotidian people can become so significant 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 too could become celebrities by macrocosm on television (Reiss 2001).This is evident by the large number of reality tv stars that puddle gone on to get careers in the media. For example, Elizabeth Hassleback from the get-go 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 youths perception of what reality truly means, even personnel casualty to th e extent of accusing it of being and abusive and exploitative of children in shows like, Wifeswap and commerce Spouses (Schlessinger 2004).The perception of what is fact and fiction in regards to television is no eight-day a clear margin (Study guide 95). Semiotic codes (study of signs) in television represent a kind of language, and we all look on how to decode 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(p) reality and not when they are watch these programs. Documentaries The Art of Performing Just like news, documentaries are recognized as reproducing the truthful version of the story to the audience. With the popularity of the reality tv culture it hasbeen argued that these types of shows have tainted the significance of documentaries (Branston, Stafford 2006. 455). Documentaries have the ability to showcase complex subject matter with an accurate and credible 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 there were signalise 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 trade of relaying an accurate interpretation of real-world issues with minimal construction. Case Study discourse(Mondays 9. 30am, ravish 115, Foxtel).The television program which I have chosen to critique in relation to its realistic qualities is disturbance. Its a sizable and transfixing US-based series in which people confront their colony and seek a route to recovery. The series profiles mortals whose dependency on drugs, alcohol or other compulsive behavior has brought them to an all-time low and estranged them from their family and loved ones. The sneaks have in the series believe they have signed up to put down in a documentary on dependance. Each end begins with a brief introduction to the subject, and then he or she is followed somewhat by a camera crew.The program ends with a surprise treatment that is ordered in which they are confronted with a life-altering choice reformation or risk losing all contact with the loved ones who instigated the intervention. Often, other tactics are used to persuade the addicted person into treatment, which vary depending on the situation. Interviews with the subject, as well as family members or friends who have agreed to participate, are interspersed throughout. The preventive falls unde r the reality tv genre of television and can be described as an information programme, as it uses true stories to educate the audience on the subject matter (Branston, Stafford 2006474).The show has more than the feel of a documentary than a reality TV program, although predominately genuine 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 hold are termination to provide good television. So Why Is hinderance So Realistic? There are a number of characteristics that this television program possesses which contributes in creating a sense of realism for the viewer 1). eccentric 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 some controversy. It makes prime-time sport of vulnerable, desperate people and their spiral to the bottom, wrote Matthew Gilbert of the capital of Massachusetts Globe. All though its ugly to watch, unfortunately the reality of addiction and the dysfunction it creates is very real for many families. Most viewers would recognise someone who it has been impacted by the power of addiction. According to Addictionintervention. com, the interventions that are staged on the series represent a realistic and account of what actually takes place 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 addictions, there are no million dollar prizes, no man sions, 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 emergence but also the program has the ability to raise the larger issues associated with addiction, such(prenominal) 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) television 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 the intervention from the addict is completely unpredictable. Sometimes the addict agrees to the treatment but more often than not the addict runs away, so without warning the production crew are unexpectedly 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 fork the story, with occasional 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 ad-lib narratives between the addicts and their families generate a sense of normalcy, quite often they have to bleep out language when arguments get heated. The music is very limit in the program, there is some intense music just onward the intervention which makes for an element of drama. 5) Format The Intervention seri es, has the identical structure in each program. The first half hour profiles the individual, the next 20 legal proceeding focuses on the intervention itself, the last 10 minutes focuses on the brushup of the individual.There is no set, no staging, the program is filmed on location, meaning where ever the individual lives. The program is filmed in the home of the individual and the intervention, usually 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 chronological sequence of Intervention, the featured addict did agree to go to a rehabilitation facility but was kicked out not long after for pause the rules. Unfortunately he went back to living on the streets and still attempt with his drug addiction and still estranged from his famil y (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 foreign world, media should continue to focus attention on these social problems to generate sentience and education with this type of programming.BibliographyAndrej evic, Mark Reality TVThe Work of beingness 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 read television like a kind of language? May 2000http//www. aber. ac. uk/media/Students/sfh9901. html Reiss S, Wiltz J Why America loves reality TV Feature Brief 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.