Discuss how you see two of John Caldwell’s five elements of convergence television (outlined on page 46 of his essay) applying to the television you consume today.
One show that comes to mind as an example of conglomerating texuality (convergence texts/ TV and dot.com sites) is USA's Psych. On the psych website, which can be found through the USA network site, there are games, character profiles, a meme generator and more interactive activities for fans to get involved in the show and its "universe." Psych also has taken advantage of social media a few different ways; with the "Hashtag Killer" feature viewers try to determine which character committed the crime. Also, viewers have been able to vote on a themed episode in the past via twitter, and the theme which had the most votes is the one that was filmed. Also on the website Psych merchandise is available to buy, which carries everything from psych themed slippers to phone cases. Another show which has an interactive website is the Game of Thrones site, where you can create your own family "sigil," look at maps of the Game of Thrones universe, look at family trees of characters and also go behind the scenes to learn about the production of the show. Another element of convergence television, programming textuality (stunts/sweeps), can also be applied to Psych, as well as to numerous other modern shows. For example, as a "stunt episode" Psych had an episode where two possible futures after an event were shown throughout, and it was only at the end that viewers found out which was the real plotline. This was a break from usual Psych episodes, not only because of the dual, parallel universe-like plotlines but also because the show was more like a serious crime drama, than the comedic show that it usually is. Also, Psych is airing a musical special in its next season, which is another "stunt" episode, which differs from the show's usual style. Another show which relates to programming textuality, but with cross-genre guest stars, is Arrested Development. Arrested Development frequently has well known guest stars on, such as Charlize Theron--who usually does not star in TV or in comedies--and Liza Minnelli, better known for being in musicals and dramas.
Today I got caught up with the latest episode of AMC’s The Walking Dead, a series that displays some of Caldwell’s elements of convergence. The most obvious element that jumps out at me is conglomerating textuality, or using the Internet to offer further content. Preceding each new episode of The Walking Dead is a message that instructs the viewer to go to the show’s website to start a “two screen experience,” offering the viewer extra character information and other facts as the show airs live. The Walking Dead’s website on its own offers its fans behind the scenes glimpses, previews of next week’s episode, and other character and plot information, but I find the “two screen experience” to be unique because of its live nature. It offers fans a way to join together not only by watching the show, but by participating online through the website and social media, such as Twitter and Facebook.
Caldwell’s element of marketing textuality is also evident in The Walking Dead, I think. AMC has undergone a slight change in its branding in recent years with the success of its multiple primetime dramas, positing the channel as a home to “quality,” hard-hitting dramas that can compete critically and popularity wise with premium channels like HBO and Showtime. The Walking Dead comes from this rebranding, and is further branded as the hard-hitting drama for younger audiences, because of the inclusion of zombies. For example, unlike commercials for other AMC shows like Man Men or Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead commercials always highlight the gruesome zombies and CGI bloodshed, rather than the character interactions. This works to label the show as different from other AMC hits, as something perhaps flashier and exciting, perfect for a younger crowd.
One show that represents conglomerating textuality is AMC’s Breaking Bad. On AMC’s website, there is an entire page dedicated to all things Breaking Bad. There are full episodes ready to stream at the touch of a button as well as a variety of videos to go through. Fans can look at clips of episodes that were coming up in the week ahead or look at professional photos on the set from previous ones. The website has interviews with the actors that give fans an inside look into how each episode is made or their opinions on what their character is going through at the moment. There are games and trivia where one can test their knowledge about how well they know the show. Episode recaps as well as information about the cast and crew are also available on the site. The element of programming textuality is also relevant to Breaking Bad. The show has been promoted at Comic Con each year to engage fans and hopefully gain a larger audience for the upcoming season. Comic Con has hundreds of thousands of people each year and every show that visits has a panel where there is a Q&A session. The Breaking Bad cast and a few of the writers or producers will take questions from fans about the show. This past year, Bryan Cranston dressed up as his character, Walter White, with a life-like mask and walked around the convention floor. He was able to interact with fans and take pictures without causing an uproar, and when the Breaking Bad panel began, he revealed his costume. The year before that, both Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul dressed up in their hazmat suits from the show and carried in a fake baby to the Q&A session. Fans went crazy and were so entertained by the stunts that the actors pulled. Even if someone was not a fan, it was hard not to be drawn to the crazy antics of the actors and become curious about what the show is based around.
One show that comes to mind as an example of conglomerating texuality (convergence texts/ TV and dot.com sites) is USA's Psych. On the psych website, which can be found through the USA network site, there are games, character profiles, a meme generator and more interactive activities for fans to get involved in the show and its "universe." Psych also has taken advantage of social media a few different ways; with the "Hashtag Killer" feature viewers try to determine which character committed the crime. Also, viewers have been able to vote on a themed episode in the past via twitter, and the theme which had the most votes is the one that was filmed. Also on the website Psych merchandise is available to buy, which carries everything from psych themed slippers to phone cases. Another show which has an interactive website is the Game of Thrones site, where you can create your own
ReplyDeletefamily "sigil," look at maps of the Game of Thrones universe, look at family trees of characters and also go behind the scenes to learn about the production of the show.
Another element of convergence television, programming textuality (stunts/sweeps), can also be applied to Psych, as well as to numerous other modern shows. For example, as a "stunt episode" Psych had an episode where two possible futures after an event were shown throughout, and it was only at the end that viewers found out which was the real plotline. This was a break from usual Psych episodes, not only because of the dual, parallel universe-like plotlines but also because the show was more like a serious crime drama, than the comedic show that it usually is. Also, Psych is airing a musical special in its next season, which is another "stunt" episode, which differs from the show's usual style. Another show which relates to programming textuality, but with cross-genre guest stars, is Arrested Development. Arrested Development frequently has well known guest stars on, such as Charlize Theron--who usually does not star in TV or in comedies--and Liza Minnelli, better known for being in musicals and dramas.
Today I got caught up with the latest episode of AMC’s The Walking Dead, a series that displays some of Caldwell’s elements of convergence. The most obvious element that jumps out at me is conglomerating textuality, or using the Internet to offer further content. Preceding each new episode of The Walking Dead is a message that instructs the viewer to go to the show’s website to start a “two screen experience,” offering the viewer extra character information and other facts as the show airs live. The Walking Dead’s website on its own offers its fans behind the scenes glimpses, previews of next week’s episode, and other character and plot information, but I find the “two screen experience” to be unique because of its live nature. It offers fans a way to join together not only by watching the show, but by participating online through the website and social media, such as Twitter and Facebook.
ReplyDeleteCaldwell’s element of marketing textuality is also evident in The Walking Dead, I think. AMC has undergone a slight change in its branding in recent years with the success of its multiple primetime dramas, positing the channel as a home to “quality,” hard-hitting dramas that can compete critically and popularity wise with premium channels like HBO and Showtime. The Walking Dead comes from this rebranding, and is further branded as the hard-hitting drama for younger audiences, because of the inclusion of zombies. For example, unlike commercials for other AMC shows like Man Men or Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead commercials always highlight the gruesome zombies and CGI bloodshed, rather than the character interactions. This works to label the show as different from other AMC hits, as something perhaps flashier and exciting, perfect for a younger crowd.
One show that represents conglomerating textuality is AMC’s Breaking Bad. On AMC’s website, there is an entire page dedicated to all things Breaking Bad. There are full episodes ready to stream at the touch of a button as well as a variety of videos to go through. Fans can look at clips of episodes that were coming up in the week ahead or look at professional photos on the set from previous ones. The website has interviews with the actors that give fans an inside look into how each episode is made or their opinions on what their character is going through at the moment. There are games and trivia where one can test their knowledge about how well they know the show. Episode recaps as well as information about the cast and crew are also available on the site.
ReplyDeleteThe element of programming textuality is also relevant to Breaking Bad. The show has been promoted at Comic Con each year to engage fans and hopefully gain a larger audience for the upcoming season. Comic Con has hundreds of thousands of people each year and every show that visits has a panel where there is a Q&A session. The Breaking Bad cast and a few of the writers or producers will take questions from fans about the show. This past year, Bryan Cranston dressed up as his character, Walter White, with a life-like mask and walked around the convention floor. He was able to interact with fans and take pictures without causing an uproar, and when the Breaking Bad panel began, he revealed his costume. The year before that, both Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul dressed up in their hazmat suits from the show and carried in a fake baby to the Q&A session. Fans went crazy and were so entertained by the stunts that the actors pulled. Even if someone was not a fan, it was hard not to be drawn to the crazy antics of the actors and become curious about what the show is based around.