Samantha Portillo-Corodeanu | Goldsmiths, University of London (original) (raw)
Papers by Samantha Portillo-Corodeanu
Friedrich Nietzsche once said that invisible threads are the strongest ties. When it comes to mai... more Friedrich Nietzsche once said that invisible threads are the strongest ties. When it comes to maintaining relationships with loved ones, being part of a community and striving to spread a collective message, communication is the invisible thread that ties us with these goals. But in this day and age where technology has entered the picture, does face-to-face communication still have more bearing over new forms of media?
The Arduous Search for Solace with Paintbrush in Hand, 2011
This thesis paper tackles contemporary themes such as alienation, dreams and self-actualization, ... more This thesis paper tackles contemporary
themes such as alienation, dreams and self-actualization, and tries to paint a picture of the disillusioned artist in society. In the present capitalist-driven society, the “real” world, also known as the corporate world, is where people compete with each other to try to make ends meet.
The corporate world becomes the battleground for survival, where reaching the top of the corporate ladder is tantamount to success. Along with that, we, through different forms of media, are fed with images that serve as standards for beauty, sexuality, and success. Those who veer away from these standards and ideals are looked down upon. As a result, they isolate themselves and try to find their own niche somewhere else.
Majority of these deviant members of society are artists.
Non-conformists are propelled to seek escape from what reality offers them. In the film, dreams serve as a venue for escapism, allowing the dreamer, Vincent, to
be absorbed with the possibilities unachieved in the waking world. The quest for maximizing one’s potential, achieving success, peace of mind and happiness is a
common goal shared by every member of society. It is doubly arduous for the socially rejected, but never impossible.
Social Media in the Legal Profession: Ethical Dilemmas of Solicitors, 2018
Marcus Aurelius once said, “If it is not right, do not do it. If it is not true, do not say it”. ... more Marcus Aurelius once said, “If it is not right, do not do it. If it is not true, do not say it”. Compliance to this is not as easy as it seems, especially with the advent of social media. Social media is defined by the Law Society as “websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking”. Ruparel and Burnham identify Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube as the most widely used social media channels for law firms and lawyers. Social media is an effective tool for marketing legal services, but since its application in the legal profession is relatively new, its professional and personal usage has become susceptible to Code of Conduct breaches by lawyers who do not take it seriously. In this essay, breaches under the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will be considered. The SRA was established in January 2007 as part of the Legal Services Act 2007 (LSA 2007), and functions as the independent regulator of solicitors. In August 2017, the SRA issued a Warning Notice on Offensive Communications, which provides guidance on the use of emails and social media by solicitors professionally and privately. This includes making offensive or perjorative comments regarding another person’s race, sexual orientation or religion, referring to women in derogatory terms and making sexually explicit statements, making comments that harass or victimise the recipient and using language resulting in shock or threat. The notice also emphasised the need for compliance to Principle 1, 2, 6 and 9. This essay will deconstruct two cases wherein solicitors breached the SRA Code of Conduct through their social media behaviour. The first case that will be analysed is SRA v Mahmood, wherein a solicitor was fined and suspended for posting racist remarks on Facebook. The second case that will be analysed is the case of Mark Small who was fined for tweeting about winning a case against parents of children with Special Education needs. In both cases, the ethical dilemmas involved and SRA Principles breached will be critically analysed. Measures that each solicitor should have taken in order to prevent the breach will also be discussed.
Insiang is the first Filipino film that was sent to the Cannes Film Festival. It is considered to... more Insiang is the first Filipino film that was sent to the Cannes Film Festival. It is considered to be the magnum opus of the late Lino Brocka, who is one of the frontrunners of the social realist movement in Philippine Cinema during the 1970s. White (1996) highlights the fact that most of Brocka’s works have a critical, self-reflexive quality. In Bona (1980), Nora Aunor, the most famous actress in the Philippines during that time starred in a film that mocked the star system. Kontrobersyal (1980), on the other hand was claimed to be a critique of pornography, but contained pornographic images as well. Ang Bayan Ko (My Country; Clinging to a Knife Edge, 1984), which was the Filipino entry in the 1984 Cannes Film Festival, appealed to an international critical audience, but was condemned in the Philippines for depicting acts of rebellion. Other directors who rose into prominence during this time were Ishmael Bernal, Mike de Leon and Celso Ad Castillo. Gutierrez (2009) notes that this new wave of subversive Filipino directors had a common denominator. Stylistically, they employed gritty, realist visuals and content-wise, their films depicted revolt, labor unionism, social ostracism and class division. It is important to note the political climate that permeated during this time. Agoncillo (1990) recounts that President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in the Philippines on September 21, 1972 after the failed assassination of Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile (which was actually staged). Also known as Proclamation 1080, it suspended the freedom of speech and assembly, set a countrywide curfew and gave absolute power to the military arm of the government. The Board of Censors for Motion Pictures (BCMP) was created, which required filmmakers to depict the so-called discipline, righteousness and nationalistic qualities of the Marcos government. In spite of this, most of the films that were made during that time were deemed propaganda material against the government.
Throughout the course of the essay, Insiang will be situated within a Third Cinema framework, taking into account how the audiovisual elements in the film assume semiotic qualities that bear political implications. In the case of this film, most of the political implications function as critiques of Martial Law and the Marcos dictatorship.
Fallen Angels is directed by Wong Kar Wai, an auteur and one of the key figures of the second New... more Fallen Angels is directed by Wong Kar Wai, an auteur and one of the key figures of the second New Wave movement in Hong Kong Cinema. Bettinson (2010) notes that Wong Kar Wai is known for his stylistic utilisation of jump cuts, wide angles, shallow focus, slow motion and freeze frames, melding together with the frenzied rendering of saturated colors against the background of multicultural music. Bordwell (2000) describes it as a mixture of Jean Luc Godard’s aesthetics with MTV style editing. Hu and Yeh (2007) emphasise Wong Kar Wai’s penchant for delving into postmodern themes like alienation and emotional states of flux, drawing on the motifs of leaving, arriving and waiting. Recurring symbols are clocks and moving trains, which serve as allegories for the mobility of life and the impermanence of things, people and emotions. As observed by Cubitt and Cameron (2009), the ephemerality of moments in Wong Kar Wai’s films present a deeper political undertone reflecting the blurred, uncertain identity of 90s Hong Kong, during which it was in the middle of transition of its sovereignty from the United Kingdom to the People’s Republic of China.
The dynamics of Wong Kar Wai’s signature techniques will be examined in this essay, with its focal point revolving around the Killer and his Agent, specifically the introductory sequences of the film. Each fleeting moment will be deconstructed to link audiovisual elements with emotional undercurrents, gender interplays and political implications depicted in the film.
In any discipline, going against the grain requires a certain kind of courage. In filmmaking, pur... more In any discipline, going against the grain requires a certain kind of courage. In filmmaking, pursuing structurally divergent narratives is an immense risk to take, but when executed properly, becomes an effective vehicle to draw viewers in intellectually and emotionally. Gone Girl is an epitome of a big risk, a courageous move on the brink of madness.
I n t h i s e s s a y , I s h a l l f i r s t i n v e s t i g a t e h o w Go n e G i r l pu s h e s t h e e n v e l o p e w h e n i t c o m e s t o drawing the audience emotionally into the diegetic world of the film. Barthes’(1987) studies on the ability of narrative codes to flirt with the audience and allow them to perceive and understand films will be explored. Special emphasis will be placed on the “enigma” code, which is the
p r i m a r y n a r r a t i v e c o d e u s e d t o h o o k t h e a u d i e n c e s i n Go n e G i r l . Th e a f f e c t i v e i m p a c t o f t h e f i l m will be analysed within the framework of the “Horizons of Expectations”, a concept put forth by Jauss & Benzinger (1970). This pertains to the user of expectations and shared assumptions held by the audience during their viewing experience.
S e c o n d l y , I w i l l e x p l a i n i n d e p t h h o w Go n e G i r l br e a k s b a r r i e r s i n g e n r e a n d n a r r a t i v e
c o n v e n t i o n s . G e n r e w i s e , Go n e G i r l di s t i n c t l y f i t s i n t o t h e “ M i n d G a m e F i l m ” c l a s s i f i c a t i o n identified by Elsaesser (2009). This banks on intellectually “playing games” with the audience by withholding certain information, backdropped by sadomasochistic undertones of revenge and guilt. Narrativewise, Gone Girl takes storytelling to a different plane by starting In Medias Res (in the middle of things). Through the writings of Bordwell & Thompson (1997), I will map out h o w Go n e , G i r l us e s n a r r a t i o n t o m a n i p u l a t e t h e r a n g e o f s t o r y a n d d e p t h o f s t o r y i n f o r m a t i o n t o move the plot forward and make it more compelling.
Finally, I will analyse the gender dynamics that came into play between Nick and Amy, using the views of Catano (2001) on masculinity and rhetoric . I will also look closely into how the role reversal of Nick and Amy gave emotional and intellectual dimension to the entirety of the film.
Alden Richards and Yaya Dub are taking over the Philippines and nothing can stop them. Collective... more Alden Richards and Yaya Dub are taking over the Philippines and nothing can stop them. Collectively called AlDub, the actor and Youtube dubsmash sensation are stars of the most popular noontime series in the country, the AlDub Kalyeserye. The clamour for the fictional romantic couple could perhaps be attributed to the unique ways in which they communicate with each other. Initially forbidden to meet face-to-face and in person, Alden and Yaya Dub used split screens in the studio where Alden was, and the outdoors where Yaya Dub was. Their budding romance is prevented by Lola Nidora, an old lady whom Yaya Dub works for. While Alden continues to woo Yaya Dub with handwritten notes flashed on screen and serenading her with old songs, she responds with animated facial expressions and dubsmashing to lyrics of popular songs. Lola Nidora always reminds them of traditional values like chivalry, modesty and respect, with the recurring message of patiently waiting for the right time for love.The series is widely watched in the Philippines and has broken the bounds of age, class and gender when it comes to viewership. The series and stars of the show amassed such an enormous following, that each episode trends everyday.
This study will focus on the Filipino millennial viewer demographic of the show and the ways in which they consume the program and receive and interpret messages in the series. Their notions of romance, especially the concept of waiting for the right time for love will be investigated upon, and whether or not AlDub plays a part in shaping their ideologies in this aspect of life.
There is a Filipino saying that goes, “The family that prays together, stays together.”. But in d... more There is a Filipino saying that goes, “The family that prays together, stays together.”. But in developing countries where the local economy is down and when employment opportunities are limited, it would make sense for the family to pray for an improved quality of life, for the children to finish schooling with flying colors and for finances to be stable. Ironically, the answer to these prayers could come in the form of parental migration to more developed countries, leaving children behind to be cared for by extended family members or close relatives. Giving up togetherness for a brighter future may perhaps be an enormous sacrifice to take, but with the influx of ICTs (Information and Communications Technologies) like mobile phones, email, IM (Instant Messaging), webcams via VOIP (Voiceover Internet Protocols) and SNS (Social Networking Sites), communication at a distance becomes possible in more ways than one. However, the ultimate question that lingers is this: Can social and mobile media really sustain family life at a distance?
To address the question, the situation must be viewed within a wider context, and key terminologies must be understood. At the core of this study is the family, which holds a universal meaning of being the basic unit of society. A family, however, is not just a static entity, as noted by Durkheim (1984). There is an element of synchronicity involved, such that every member organises each of his or her schedules to be able to enjoy doing things at the same time with the rest of the family. Morgan (1990) stresses that family life is a dynamic process revolving around continuous areas of existence involving daily activities of each member and extending over to paid areas of work. And since this study will be primarily analysing ethnographic studies conducted by Madianou and Miller (2012a) among Filipino transnational families, examining the family within the Filipino context would bring light to further discussions in this research. According to Medina (2001), the family is an evolving structure where members share resources, responsibility for decisions, values, goals and commitment to each other. Thus, within the Filipino context, family provides continuity of social life and acts as a primary agent in the transmission of culture. Parreñas (2005) notes that the shift from family to transnational family occurs when demand for jobs such as domestic work, caregiving and nursing are made available in developed countries for women in developing countries like the Philippines. This opens the doors for mothers to work outside the country to be able to send their children to school, give them access to proper healthcare and provide them with sufficient food, while husbands may stay behind to run the household.
This is where Polymedia enters the picture. Madianou and Miller (2012b) introduced the term, “polymedia” to refer to the several forms of media used to communicate in the digital age such as landlines, mobile phones, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) through applications such as Facetime and Skype, texting, emailing, instant messaging (IM) and social media platforms like Facebook, the relations of these forms of media with each other, and the ways in which they emotionally impact interpersonal relationships. A Polymedia Theory was also developed, and it primarily argues that the choice of communication medium profoundly affects the maintenance of interpersonal relationships. The theory further states that polymedia restructures technology into a social context, such that the choice of communication medium transcends preconditions of access, cost and media literacy from the users who exploit the affordances of their chosen medium.
Polymedia has also paved the way for different types of co-presence to co-exist. Before technological advancement in the realm of communication was made available, lack of social cues in early forms of media like letter writing made it difficult to establish more intimate personal connections (Baym, 2010). Face-to-face communication was deemed to be the richest type of co-presence, and there seemed to be . (Turkle, 2011) But with the rise of new media, mediated co-presence emerged. This refers to direct interpersonal communication fostered by technology. Making a few phone calls, sending a text message and an email all fall under this category. Licoppe (2004) puts forth the concept of “connected presence” which emphasises the affordance of mobile phones as being a portable device, maintaining the illusion of constant connection so that relationships can be maintained by having both parties present in time although absent in flesh.Madianou (2016) has identified a fourth type, which is called “ambient co-presence”. This refers to being aware of the everyday activities and routines of loved ones because of the “always on” nature of several types of new media. .
To further analyse as to whether or not the polymedia environment that migrant parents and their left behind children find themselves in enables them to sustain their relationship, this paper will look in depth into the affordances (Hutchby, 2001) and constraints of each medium. Specific examples from Madianou and Miller’s (2012a, 2012b) ethnographic studies in the Philippines, as well as Trinidad will be explored to gain an understanding of the possibilities and limitations of each affordance.
Theoretically speaking, this paper would look closely into the Theory of Mediated relationships put forth by Madianou and Miller (2012a). The paper will situate this theory in wider debates, taking into account Giddens’ (1991) concepts of ideal distance, as well as Wajcman (2015) and Turkle’s (2011) views on how technology affects communication and relationships.
Since time immemorial, it has been romanticised that love happens the moment you meet someone at ... more Since time immemorial, it has been romanticised that love happens the moment you meet someone at the right place and at the right time. There is also the notion that love is a force powerful enough to transcend the bounds of space and time. Memory fuels love. Photographs are taken to look back at the good times, and anniversaries are celebrated to look forward to the goal of making love last forever. But when timelessness and placelessness enter the picture, love becomes a leap of faith, and inevitably, the beginning and ending of everything. La Jetée is the story of a man who witnesses and experiences the beginning and ending of everything. As a little boy, at the pier, he watches airplanes taking flight. World War III is about to break out, and the last two images he sees before this is the face of a beautiful woman and a man being killed right before him. Soon after, the world was destroyed by radioactivity, forcing survivors to live underground, with the less fortunate ones being taken as prisoners. The child, now a man, is one of these prisoners. Because of his vivid memories, he is chosen to go back to the past. He is told that the human race is doomed. Space is off-limits, and the only link to survival passed through time. He is sent to the past, where he indeed finds survival, not in the form of food, medicine and energy, but in the form of love. He meets a woman, and in and out of time, they spend moments together. Then, he gets plunged into the future, whose people give him a power source that could save his present world. Facing execution back in his own time, the people of the future offer him a place in their time, but he instead chooses to return to the past, to look for the love he would dare not lose. He is transported to the pier by the airport, where he sees the woman he loves. He runs towards her, but is killed by someone from his time
It started with a “no”. On September 7, 2015, despite calls to action from supporters, Davao City... more It started with a “no”. On September 7, 2015, despite calls to action from supporters, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte apologised and claimed that he will not be running for President in the 2016 Philippine elections. The tides have now turned. As of this writing, Rodrigo Duterte is now enjoying a landslide lead in the partial election results for the Philippine Presidency. With limited campaign funds, lack of political machinery, business connections and experience in the national arena, how did this underdog change the game?
Perhaps, the more important question to ask will be how vital the role of communication media was in Duterte’s campaign strategy, specifically how social media participation has transformed the Mayor into a political phenomenon and how traditional and online media have increased Duterte’s visibility throughout his campaign. According to John Thompson (1995), “Communication media do not merely transmit information from one individual to another, but create new forms of action and interaction that never existed before.” This statement will serve as a backbone for the study and the implications of which will be analysed thoroughly through the case study chosen. To achieve this, the paper will first establish the current political and cultural climate in the Philippines. Then, and drawing on Fenton’s (2007) definitions of political economy and cultural studies, a background on Rodrigo Duterte’s political experience and leadership style as the Mayor of Davao City for the past 22 years will be discussed. Going further, the Duterte campaign strategy will be deconstructed, giving emphasis on how the messages like, “I am a Filipino and my President is Duterte” has contributed to the banal nationalism that Billig (1995) has put forth and how Duterte’s representation of himself as ordinary and one of the masses has created imagined communities (Anderson, 1991) referring to themselves as “Dutertards” (Duterte fantards). How Duterte’s phenomenal rise to popularity can be explained through mass self-communication (Castells, 2009) and how this set-up has transcended traditional notions of the public sphere (Habermas, 1974) will also be taken into account. Furthermore, it will be discussed how emotion and cognition (Castells, 2009) were effectively utilized throughout the campaign. The manner in which television, print and online media exercised their power (Freedman, 2014) and efforts to frame the minds of voters through the Agenda Setting Model (McCombs and Shaw, 1972) will be closely examined. The combination of all these elements have sparked voter discourse, a call to action and a social media revolution to propel Duterte into victory. This paper will ultimately prove how and why.
Friedrich Nietzsche once said that invisible threads are the strongest ties. When it comes to mai... more Friedrich Nietzsche once said that invisible threads are the strongest ties. When it comes to maintaining relationships with loved ones, being part of a community and striving to spread a collective message, communication is the invisible thread that ties us with these goals. But in this day and age where technology has entered the picture, does face-to-face communication still have more bearing over new forms of media?
The Arduous Search for Solace with Paintbrush in Hand, 2011
This thesis paper tackles contemporary themes such as alienation, dreams and self-actualization, ... more This thesis paper tackles contemporary
themes such as alienation, dreams and self-actualization, and tries to paint a picture of the disillusioned artist in society. In the present capitalist-driven society, the “real” world, also known as the corporate world, is where people compete with each other to try to make ends meet.
The corporate world becomes the battleground for survival, where reaching the top of the corporate ladder is tantamount to success. Along with that, we, through different forms of media, are fed with images that serve as standards for beauty, sexuality, and success. Those who veer away from these standards and ideals are looked down upon. As a result, they isolate themselves and try to find their own niche somewhere else.
Majority of these deviant members of society are artists.
Non-conformists are propelled to seek escape from what reality offers them. In the film, dreams serve as a venue for escapism, allowing the dreamer, Vincent, to
be absorbed with the possibilities unachieved in the waking world. The quest for maximizing one’s potential, achieving success, peace of mind and happiness is a
common goal shared by every member of society. It is doubly arduous for the socially rejected, but never impossible.
Social Media in the Legal Profession: Ethical Dilemmas of Solicitors, 2018
Marcus Aurelius once said, “If it is not right, do not do it. If it is not true, do not say it”. ... more Marcus Aurelius once said, “If it is not right, do not do it. If it is not true, do not say it”. Compliance to this is not as easy as it seems, especially with the advent of social media. Social media is defined by the Law Society as “websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking”. Ruparel and Burnham identify Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube as the most widely used social media channels for law firms and lawyers. Social media is an effective tool for marketing legal services, but since its application in the legal profession is relatively new, its professional and personal usage has become susceptible to Code of Conduct breaches by lawyers who do not take it seriously. In this essay, breaches under the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will be considered. The SRA was established in January 2007 as part of the Legal Services Act 2007 (LSA 2007), and functions as the independent regulator of solicitors. In August 2017, the SRA issued a Warning Notice on Offensive Communications, which provides guidance on the use of emails and social media by solicitors professionally and privately. This includes making offensive or perjorative comments regarding another person’s race, sexual orientation or religion, referring to women in derogatory terms and making sexually explicit statements, making comments that harass or victimise the recipient and using language resulting in shock or threat. The notice also emphasised the need for compliance to Principle 1, 2, 6 and 9. This essay will deconstruct two cases wherein solicitors breached the SRA Code of Conduct through their social media behaviour. The first case that will be analysed is SRA v Mahmood, wherein a solicitor was fined and suspended for posting racist remarks on Facebook. The second case that will be analysed is the case of Mark Small who was fined for tweeting about winning a case against parents of children with Special Education needs. In both cases, the ethical dilemmas involved and SRA Principles breached will be critically analysed. Measures that each solicitor should have taken in order to prevent the breach will also be discussed.
Insiang is the first Filipino film that was sent to the Cannes Film Festival. It is considered to... more Insiang is the first Filipino film that was sent to the Cannes Film Festival. It is considered to be the magnum opus of the late Lino Brocka, who is one of the frontrunners of the social realist movement in Philippine Cinema during the 1970s. White (1996) highlights the fact that most of Brocka’s works have a critical, self-reflexive quality. In Bona (1980), Nora Aunor, the most famous actress in the Philippines during that time starred in a film that mocked the star system. Kontrobersyal (1980), on the other hand was claimed to be a critique of pornography, but contained pornographic images as well. Ang Bayan Ko (My Country; Clinging to a Knife Edge, 1984), which was the Filipino entry in the 1984 Cannes Film Festival, appealed to an international critical audience, but was condemned in the Philippines for depicting acts of rebellion. Other directors who rose into prominence during this time were Ishmael Bernal, Mike de Leon and Celso Ad Castillo. Gutierrez (2009) notes that this new wave of subversive Filipino directors had a common denominator. Stylistically, they employed gritty, realist visuals and content-wise, their films depicted revolt, labor unionism, social ostracism and class division. It is important to note the political climate that permeated during this time. Agoncillo (1990) recounts that President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in the Philippines on September 21, 1972 after the failed assassination of Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile (which was actually staged). Also known as Proclamation 1080, it suspended the freedom of speech and assembly, set a countrywide curfew and gave absolute power to the military arm of the government. The Board of Censors for Motion Pictures (BCMP) was created, which required filmmakers to depict the so-called discipline, righteousness and nationalistic qualities of the Marcos government. In spite of this, most of the films that were made during that time were deemed propaganda material against the government.
Throughout the course of the essay, Insiang will be situated within a Third Cinema framework, taking into account how the audiovisual elements in the film assume semiotic qualities that bear political implications. In the case of this film, most of the political implications function as critiques of Martial Law and the Marcos dictatorship.
Fallen Angels is directed by Wong Kar Wai, an auteur and one of the key figures of the second New... more Fallen Angels is directed by Wong Kar Wai, an auteur and one of the key figures of the second New Wave movement in Hong Kong Cinema. Bettinson (2010) notes that Wong Kar Wai is known for his stylistic utilisation of jump cuts, wide angles, shallow focus, slow motion and freeze frames, melding together with the frenzied rendering of saturated colors against the background of multicultural music. Bordwell (2000) describes it as a mixture of Jean Luc Godard’s aesthetics with MTV style editing. Hu and Yeh (2007) emphasise Wong Kar Wai’s penchant for delving into postmodern themes like alienation and emotional states of flux, drawing on the motifs of leaving, arriving and waiting. Recurring symbols are clocks and moving trains, which serve as allegories for the mobility of life and the impermanence of things, people and emotions. As observed by Cubitt and Cameron (2009), the ephemerality of moments in Wong Kar Wai’s films present a deeper political undertone reflecting the blurred, uncertain identity of 90s Hong Kong, during which it was in the middle of transition of its sovereignty from the United Kingdom to the People’s Republic of China.
The dynamics of Wong Kar Wai’s signature techniques will be examined in this essay, with its focal point revolving around the Killer and his Agent, specifically the introductory sequences of the film. Each fleeting moment will be deconstructed to link audiovisual elements with emotional undercurrents, gender interplays and political implications depicted in the film.
In any discipline, going against the grain requires a certain kind of courage. In filmmaking, pur... more In any discipline, going against the grain requires a certain kind of courage. In filmmaking, pursuing structurally divergent narratives is an immense risk to take, but when executed properly, becomes an effective vehicle to draw viewers in intellectually and emotionally. Gone Girl is an epitome of a big risk, a courageous move on the brink of madness.
I n t h i s e s s a y , I s h a l l f i r s t i n v e s t i g a t e h o w Go n e G i r l pu s h e s t h e e n v e l o p e w h e n i t c o m e s t o drawing the audience emotionally into the diegetic world of the film. Barthes’(1987) studies on the ability of narrative codes to flirt with the audience and allow them to perceive and understand films will be explored. Special emphasis will be placed on the “enigma” code, which is the
p r i m a r y n a r r a t i v e c o d e u s e d t o h o o k t h e a u d i e n c e s i n Go n e G i r l . Th e a f f e c t i v e i m p a c t o f t h e f i l m will be analysed within the framework of the “Horizons of Expectations”, a concept put forth by Jauss & Benzinger (1970). This pertains to the user of expectations and shared assumptions held by the audience during their viewing experience.
S e c o n d l y , I w i l l e x p l a i n i n d e p t h h o w Go n e G i r l br e a k s b a r r i e r s i n g e n r e a n d n a r r a t i v e
c o n v e n t i o n s . G e n r e w i s e , Go n e G i r l di s t i n c t l y f i t s i n t o t h e “ M i n d G a m e F i l m ” c l a s s i f i c a t i o n identified by Elsaesser (2009). This banks on intellectually “playing games” with the audience by withholding certain information, backdropped by sadomasochistic undertones of revenge and guilt. Narrativewise, Gone Girl takes storytelling to a different plane by starting In Medias Res (in the middle of things). Through the writings of Bordwell & Thompson (1997), I will map out h o w Go n e , G i r l us e s n a r r a t i o n t o m a n i p u l a t e t h e r a n g e o f s t o r y a n d d e p t h o f s t o r y i n f o r m a t i o n t o move the plot forward and make it more compelling.
Finally, I will analyse the gender dynamics that came into play between Nick and Amy, using the views of Catano (2001) on masculinity and rhetoric . I will also look closely into how the role reversal of Nick and Amy gave emotional and intellectual dimension to the entirety of the film.
Alden Richards and Yaya Dub are taking over the Philippines and nothing can stop them. Collective... more Alden Richards and Yaya Dub are taking over the Philippines and nothing can stop them. Collectively called AlDub, the actor and Youtube dubsmash sensation are stars of the most popular noontime series in the country, the AlDub Kalyeserye. The clamour for the fictional romantic couple could perhaps be attributed to the unique ways in which they communicate with each other. Initially forbidden to meet face-to-face and in person, Alden and Yaya Dub used split screens in the studio where Alden was, and the outdoors where Yaya Dub was. Their budding romance is prevented by Lola Nidora, an old lady whom Yaya Dub works for. While Alden continues to woo Yaya Dub with handwritten notes flashed on screen and serenading her with old songs, she responds with animated facial expressions and dubsmashing to lyrics of popular songs. Lola Nidora always reminds them of traditional values like chivalry, modesty and respect, with the recurring message of patiently waiting for the right time for love.The series is widely watched in the Philippines and has broken the bounds of age, class and gender when it comes to viewership. The series and stars of the show amassed such an enormous following, that each episode trends everyday.
This study will focus on the Filipino millennial viewer demographic of the show and the ways in which they consume the program and receive and interpret messages in the series. Their notions of romance, especially the concept of waiting for the right time for love will be investigated upon, and whether or not AlDub plays a part in shaping their ideologies in this aspect of life.
There is a Filipino saying that goes, “The family that prays together, stays together.”. But in d... more There is a Filipino saying that goes, “The family that prays together, stays together.”. But in developing countries where the local economy is down and when employment opportunities are limited, it would make sense for the family to pray for an improved quality of life, for the children to finish schooling with flying colors and for finances to be stable. Ironically, the answer to these prayers could come in the form of parental migration to more developed countries, leaving children behind to be cared for by extended family members or close relatives. Giving up togetherness for a brighter future may perhaps be an enormous sacrifice to take, but with the influx of ICTs (Information and Communications Technologies) like mobile phones, email, IM (Instant Messaging), webcams via VOIP (Voiceover Internet Protocols) and SNS (Social Networking Sites), communication at a distance becomes possible in more ways than one. However, the ultimate question that lingers is this: Can social and mobile media really sustain family life at a distance?
To address the question, the situation must be viewed within a wider context, and key terminologies must be understood. At the core of this study is the family, which holds a universal meaning of being the basic unit of society. A family, however, is not just a static entity, as noted by Durkheim (1984). There is an element of synchronicity involved, such that every member organises each of his or her schedules to be able to enjoy doing things at the same time with the rest of the family. Morgan (1990) stresses that family life is a dynamic process revolving around continuous areas of existence involving daily activities of each member and extending over to paid areas of work. And since this study will be primarily analysing ethnographic studies conducted by Madianou and Miller (2012a) among Filipino transnational families, examining the family within the Filipino context would bring light to further discussions in this research. According to Medina (2001), the family is an evolving structure where members share resources, responsibility for decisions, values, goals and commitment to each other. Thus, within the Filipino context, family provides continuity of social life and acts as a primary agent in the transmission of culture. Parreñas (2005) notes that the shift from family to transnational family occurs when demand for jobs such as domestic work, caregiving and nursing are made available in developed countries for women in developing countries like the Philippines. This opens the doors for mothers to work outside the country to be able to send their children to school, give them access to proper healthcare and provide them with sufficient food, while husbands may stay behind to run the household.
This is where Polymedia enters the picture. Madianou and Miller (2012b) introduced the term, “polymedia” to refer to the several forms of media used to communicate in the digital age such as landlines, mobile phones, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) through applications such as Facetime and Skype, texting, emailing, instant messaging (IM) and social media platforms like Facebook, the relations of these forms of media with each other, and the ways in which they emotionally impact interpersonal relationships. A Polymedia Theory was also developed, and it primarily argues that the choice of communication medium profoundly affects the maintenance of interpersonal relationships. The theory further states that polymedia restructures technology into a social context, such that the choice of communication medium transcends preconditions of access, cost and media literacy from the users who exploit the affordances of their chosen medium.
Polymedia has also paved the way for different types of co-presence to co-exist. Before technological advancement in the realm of communication was made available, lack of social cues in early forms of media like letter writing made it difficult to establish more intimate personal connections (Baym, 2010). Face-to-face communication was deemed to be the richest type of co-presence, and there seemed to be . (Turkle, 2011) But with the rise of new media, mediated co-presence emerged. This refers to direct interpersonal communication fostered by technology. Making a few phone calls, sending a text message and an email all fall under this category. Licoppe (2004) puts forth the concept of “connected presence” which emphasises the affordance of mobile phones as being a portable device, maintaining the illusion of constant connection so that relationships can be maintained by having both parties present in time although absent in flesh.Madianou (2016) has identified a fourth type, which is called “ambient co-presence”. This refers to being aware of the everyday activities and routines of loved ones because of the “always on” nature of several types of new media. .
To further analyse as to whether or not the polymedia environment that migrant parents and their left behind children find themselves in enables them to sustain their relationship, this paper will look in depth into the affordances (Hutchby, 2001) and constraints of each medium. Specific examples from Madianou and Miller’s (2012a, 2012b) ethnographic studies in the Philippines, as well as Trinidad will be explored to gain an understanding of the possibilities and limitations of each affordance.
Theoretically speaking, this paper would look closely into the Theory of Mediated relationships put forth by Madianou and Miller (2012a). The paper will situate this theory in wider debates, taking into account Giddens’ (1991) concepts of ideal distance, as well as Wajcman (2015) and Turkle’s (2011) views on how technology affects communication and relationships.
Since time immemorial, it has been romanticised that love happens the moment you meet someone at ... more Since time immemorial, it has been romanticised that love happens the moment you meet someone at the right place and at the right time. There is also the notion that love is a force powerful enough to transcend the bounds of space and time. Memory fuels love. Photographs are taken to look back at the good times, and anniversaries are celebrated to look forward to the goal of making love last forever. But when timelessness and placelessness enter the picture, love becomes a leap of faith, and inevitably, the beginning and ending of everything. La Jetée is the story of a man who witnesses and experiences the beginning and ending of everything. As a little boy, at the pier, he watches airplanes taking flight. World War III is about to break out, and the last two images he sees before this is the face of a beautiful woman and a man being killed right before him. Soon after, the world was destroyed by radioactivity, forcing survivors to live underground, with the less fortunate ones being taken as prisoners. The child, now a man, is one of these prisoners. Because of his vivid memories, he is chosen to go back to the past. He is told that the human race is doomed. Space is off-limits, and the only link to survival passed through time. He is sent to the past, where he indeed finds survival, not in the form of food, medicine and energy, but in the form of love. He meets a woman, and in and out of time, they spend moments together. Then, he gets plunged into the future, whose people give him a power source that could save his present world. Facing execution back in his own time, the people of the future offer him a place in their time, but he instead chooses to return to the past, to look for the love he would dare not lose. He is transported to the pier by the airport, where he sees the woman he loves. He runs towards her, but is killed by someone from his time
It started with a “no”. On September 7, 2015, despite calls to action from supporters, Davao City... more It started with a “no”. On September 7, 2015, despite calls to action from supporters, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte apologised and claimed that he will not be running for President in the 2016 Philippine elections. The tides have now turned. As of this writing, Rodrigo Duterte is now enjoying a landslide lead in the partial election results for the Philippine Presidency. With limited campaign funds, lack of political machinery, business connections and experience in the national arena, how did this underdog change the game?
Perhaps, the more important question to ask will be how vital the role of communication media was in Duterte’s campaign strategy, specifically how social media participation has transformed the Mayor into a political phenomenon and how traditional and online media have increased Duterte’s visibility throughout his campaign. According to John Thompson (1995), “Communication media do not merely transmit information from one individual to another, but create new forms of action and interaction that never existed before.” This statement will serve as a backbone for the study and the implications of which will be analysed thoroughly through the case study chosen. To achieve this, the paper will first establish the current political and cultural climate in the Philippines. Then, and drawing on Fenton’s (2007) definitions of political economy and cultural studies, a background on Rodrigo Duterte’s political experience and leadership style as the Mayor of Davao City for the past 22 years will be discussed. Going further, the Duterte campaign strategy will be deconstructed, giving emphasis on how the messages like, “I am a Filipino and my President is Duterte” has contributed to the banal nationalism that Billig (1995) has put forth and how Duterte’s representation of himself as ordinary and one of the masses has created imagined communities (Anderson, 1991) referring to themselves as “Dutertards” (Duterte fantards). How Duterte’s phenomenal rise to popularity can be explained through mass self-communication (Castells, 2009) and how this set-up has transcended traditional notions of the public sphere (Habermas, 1974) will also be taken into account. Furthermore, it will be discussed how emotion and cognition (Castells, 2009) were effectively utilized throughout the campaign. The manner in which television, print and online media exercised their power (Freedman, 2014) and efforts to frame the minds of voters through the Agenda Setting Model (McCombs and Shaw, 1972) will be closely examined. The combination of all these elements have sparked voter discourse, a call to action and a social media revolution to propel Duterte into victory. This paper will ultimately prove how and why.