Understanding Media Studies - Academic Plan
A hardworking, dedicated, and interested student is how I have defined myself for a very long time. But, having been out of school for a few years, I have come to realize that learning is still very much a part of who I am. Throughout my academic career as an undergrad, I dedicated myself to the study of English Literature. Though I was a double major by the time I completed my studies, I had only declared it while wrapping up my final semester at Hunter. However, my experiences as a Media student offered a balance to my education and my personal philosophies about society, and how we conduct ourselves within it. Though this may be a generic and obvious thought process, it does not negate its significance; in a society and country that thrives on media, I feel there is need to examine and discuss how media takes shape, and in return, how it shapes us as a society, and as individuals. My strengths have always been in analytical and critical thinking, which is what drove me to take classes that focused on the effects of the media in a public environment, and how people of a given society can affect it as well.
The classes I took at Hunter helped me to exercise my analytical thinking by breaking down the underlying elements that are subtly weaved into mainstream media. As human beings, we thrive on one another: our interaction, our ability to communicate and to share experiences, and the media allows us this chance, fostering connections and creating bonds that would otherwise be impossible to forge.
As an individual who has always had an interest in film, even from the time I was very young, the phenomenon of blogging provides a venue that previously did not exist. Movies have always been a presence in my life, and over time, this presence developed into a lifelong love of an art that is multifaceted, pervasive, and universal. Previously, this love and appreciation was predominantly shared through conversation with others, however, like many now who have indulged in the opportunities they provide, blogging offers a venue in which one can spread their views and share their opinions much more than before.
With this assignment, I have been given an opportunity not only to really examine how my interests may shape my future. Only a few times have I allowed myself to think about things that interest me becoming part of my academic landscape, but when the occasion arises, it is obviously a welcome one. As I just mentioned, blogging has really opened up a new platform in which individuals have the power to be their own voice on a myriad of topics. For myself, I have thought about creating a blog in which I can critique it. This would not only allow me to use my analytical skills, but it would also help me create an online persona, as we have been discussing in class. This past semester, several classmates said that some of their professors had asked them to do weekly responses on blogs, rather than Blackboard. Though I thoroughly enjoyed my Ideas class this semester with Eugene Thacker, I almost wish that I had had the opportunity to use a blog system, since it is something that would allow me to best begin to carve out a niche, and work on my craft, so to speak. I have been pondering for several months whether or not I should blow the dust off a blog that I have had since I was a freshman in high school. As I was explaining to Paul Hardart when we met, blogging has become something very accessible and communicative. However, the fact that it is no longer a novelty could affect the probability of its success and popularity. Nowadays, I feel as if everyone some kind of performative gimmick that allows them to transcend and entertain, and that so few are engrossed simply by reading.
Something else that I have wanted to examine is the idea of ownership in an online environment; is the extent to which something is still considered the author’s, and specifically, the phenomenon of “fanfiction.” Individuals taking characters, plots, and settings from already published works and writing their own stories that involve all of these. Can we consider this as an extension of a particular work? What is most interesting about this practice is the idea that people do it purely for fun. But this begs the question of whether or not we can consider a part of the “canon” that has been established with a particular book, show, or film. Looking though the Spring 2012 catalog, I noticed was a class titled “Intellectual Property in the Digital Age,” and I wondered if it would delve into the issues which interest me, which have more to do with creatively using a an already established “brand,” (with fanfiction, it is a creative extrapolation of a specific work), more than the mere legality of sharing, uploading, and reconfiguring media in different formats and different venues. The course description did talk about the morality of these practices, yet the concern I would have is that the teachings would become too bogged down in the legality of the situation, and not focus on the exploration of the property, but rather its usage.
The study of film adaptation is a diverse niche of scholarship that has always interested me as well. My desire to look specifically at texts that discuss the issues and complexities of this process, investigate the difference between the two mediums, and debunk any anxieties about the possible loss of meaning or value from text to screen is something I would like to study more closely and specifically if possible. My hope is to investigate the difference in these two mediums, and to show how both can represent and signify a narrative. We began to speak in class about multimodal scholarship and how it can advantageous to present one’s findings in various formats, to offer a new dynamic way of analyzing and presenting research. The art of adaptation demands this in a way, for it asks us to examine two different forms of media.
A class that investigates these queries is “Script Analysis and Audience Response” with Helena Medina. “All of the elements in a script (from structure to characterization; from tone and dialogue to theme) are involved in the process of targeting a specific audience and of shaping their reactions to and interpretation of the text. While reviewing the fundamentals of script analysis, this course will focus on the mechanisms employed to anticipate and shape audience response. We will work on several case studies from cinema and television, using perspective from various research approaches, including contexts of reception; encoding and decoding models; ethnographical analyses, etc.” There are various elements that allow us to understand audience reaction, directorial choice and development, and the reasons as to why we experience certain films as we do. Adaptation is a topic that is worth examining due to the sheer number of films that come from written texts recently, whether they are plays, short stories, or novels.
Currently, I have registered for Sexual Personae with Mary M. Serra. My Literature Review used several texts that delved into popular feminist theory about the representation and objectification women. Professor Serra’s class promises to look into the “cultural construction of female sexuality by comparing and contrasting works created within the sex industry, promoted by mass media, and produced by women artists using sexually explicit material.” Though this class may be more intensely focused, women’s studies is something which I have always been willing to learn more about, whether or not it is something that may be applied directly to my professional endeavors in the future. However, as I mentioned just before, looking critically into popular novel series which have now have film and television counterparts, I hope to perhaps combine my enjoyment for fantasy and for feminism. If it is possible, I would like to unearth more literature that focuses on women within these fantasy worlds. As I said before, there has been a recent surge in the transformation of stories that encompass these fantasy elements, and I am interested in speaking about women’s roles within these stories, how they portrayed, and how they relate to this world that they are in.
Something else that developed out of my love for film and literature was my interest in pop culture. Specifically, I feel that I have deeply immersed myself in “geek” culture over the past couple of years. If I were to be able to really examine this in serious and even scholarly manner, it would be personally rewarding and hopefully enlightening and insightful. I feel too often that pop culture is dismissed, but the fact that we are here to study media, and that many pop culture elements manifest themselves in various media forms, I feel that they deserve further probing. Online communities, fan sites, and fan conventions are examples of how individuals generate media that is in a category all on its own. For many years, and still to this day, I have been involved in several of these online communities hold discussions and pick apart their favorite mediums. A class that may address some of these interests is “Participatory Research and Social Inquiry” with Nitin Sawhney. Another class offered this upcoming spring, which focuses specifically on participatory communities, (which includes online) and how they affect the production and consumption of media. To refer again back to my meeting with Paul, I inquired whether or not major production companies do any sort of investigation or tracking of these sites, to better gain an understanding and plan accordingly for the marketability of these projects. If one were able to look at the trends and following of a particular series, one could capitalize on the dedication and desire of the audience/fanbase.
To reiterate, all of these classes were found in this upcoming spring catalog. For now, since I am also working, I will continue to go to school part time, supporting myself and living a New York City lifestyle. Though it sounds somewhat selfish and childish, as a young person, this city is the place to really explore intellectually and artistically. Though we are familiar with the clichéd dream of coming to live in New York, it is truly a dream I have had since I was a child. Right now, I am focusing on my job and my existence within the culture of the city. New York is wide ranging hub that allows us to explore what we want, and to think critically about our surroundings as well as our interests.
Towards the middle/beginning of the semester, I began to work for Apple, a company that prides itself as a reputable and admired brand across the globe. Right now, I am focusing on succeeding in this role, but also to expanding my personal interests. The reason why I bring up my job is because it is what is going to keep from being a full time student for the time being. This past semester, I took only “Understanding Media Studies” and the Ideas class in order to keep my load manageable, which was still a difficulty due to it being holidays and working a retail based job that demands hours that support the heavier foot traffic during this time of year. Though a redundant point, all of my professors have urged me to focus on what interests me, and use this program as a conduit for making it a more realized niche, and perhaps a career. Paul urged me to think about how I want to utilize the resources I have, which is one of the major reasons I chose to go back to school. Right now, however, I do not know whether or not a thesis option is useful, and at the same time, it must be determined somewhat early, so that there can be ample time to plan, build, and research (if necessary) accordingly.
Independent Study/Project may be a valuable compromise, as it allows me to really hone in on a particular element of interest for myself, as long as I completed at least half of the total coursework demanded of me while in the program. I do believe and internship would be a desired course as well, as it would allow me to truly get in and experience the companies and brands that create the culture that I willingly and happily consume. And as far as a time frame, it seems impossible to tell, since I am, and probably will only tackle this part time. However, I do not want to take long to do it. I am hoping that three years will be a sufficient amount of time.