Episode 63: Case Study

http://www.animefreak.tv/watch/fullmetal-alchemist-brotherhood-episode-63-online

Full metal alchemist

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Post Modern Case Study

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Hagane no Renkinjutsushi, 2004)

Full Metal Alchemist is a Japanese anime series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. Set in a fictional universe based around life after the European Industrial Revolution alchemy is the most advanced scientific technology known to man.

“Alchemy is a science where one understands the structure of matter, breaks it down, then rebuilds it. However, it is not an all-powerful technique, as one cannot create something out of nothing. If one wishes to gain something one must present something of equal value. This is the concept of equivalent exchange and the fundamental basis of alchemy.”

The story follows two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who want to restore their bodies after they performed human transmutation in an attempt to bring their mother back to life, a tabooed alchemy. I believe that Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2004) is post modern as it uses ideas such as hyper reality, pastiche, identity crisis and what it is to be human, it also brushes upon grand narratives by suggesting that God is not an almighty figure within this world, episode 63 is a perfect example of this.

Episode 63: The Other Side of the Gate

Firstly, throughout FMA pastiches the idea of the Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary alchemical substance said to be capable of turning base metals into gold or silver, and has also been believed to be useful for rejuvenation and even achieving immortality, which has been used repeatedly throughout the history of literature. In FMA it is also referenced as The Great Elixir, and is created through mass genocide of cities, to create a single stone for a single person’s immortality. Many stones were created by ‘Father’ a man who was created through a philosopher's stone and a man called Van Hohenheim, the Elric brother’s father. The use of the philosopher's stone, this poses the question “What is it to be human?” as those who have been created via a philosopher's stone are known as Homunculi, and believe themselves to be the perfect creation as they have only one of the seven deadly sins and an ‘immortal’ life, and humans to be an inferior race, however in order for the Homunculi to be created something of equivalent value has to be presented as they are created through Human Transmutation.

Both Eastern and Western fashions have been pastiched within FMA, two characters Lin Yao and Xiao Mae wear very striking clothes, which don’t quite fit in with the western ‘Amestris’ fashion. Xiao Mae’s bright pink kimono and little black pumps and white socks make her easy to spot as foreigner, as well is Lin’s male kimono is formal and less noticeable. Western fashion is as expected, with trouser and smart shirts, and formal uniform for those who are part of the Army.

FMA poses an identity crisis within its episodes as a humonculi is created through Lin’s body and a philosopher's stone using one of Father’s seven deadly sins Greed. However Lin’s body is taken over by Greed, but his soul is strong enough to fight off Greed from taking his body over completely, resulting in Lin and Greed sharing the body. Throughout the series, Lin manages to overcome Greed allowing him to give useful information to Edward, however in the end Greed and Lin decide to work together to obtain a philosopher's stone to become Emperor of Xing, suggesting the Greed is also working with Lin’s deadly sin of greed, this makes it unclear as to whether it is Greed who is striving to gain everything, or Lin’s passion for his country in becoming Emperor, as they both work together as one. In episode 63, Father is on his last legs and has no more philosopher's stones to keep him alive, striving for Lin’s body, he grabs the philosopher's stone from inside of him, extracting Greed from Lin’s body. During this scene Lin fights to keep Greed within him, however Greed believes it is better for him to leave Lin’s body to keep him alive. This goes against Greed’s greedy nature implying maybe he has learnt about what it is to be human.

A hyper real world, The Gate of Truth has been created for a number of occasions, one is when a person performs human transmutation, and they are judged on what will be taken from them for equivalent exchange. This happened at the beginning when Ed has his left leg taken from him, and Al his life taken, however in order to restore Al’s soul, Ed sacrifices his right arm and attaches Al’s soul to a suit of armour. In episode 63 Al sacrifices his soul and ask The Truth within the hyper real to give his brother back his right arm in order for him to fight Father. In this world, Al’s soul is reunited with the body he left for years; his body has become weak and deprived. Once Father has been defeated, Ed uses a human transmutation circle to open The Gate Of Truth where he asks to sacrifice his knowledge of alchemy for his brothers body. The Truth allows this and congratulates him as Ed has learnt that he does not need alchemy to solve things and to be the perfect human. It is unsure as to whether The Gate Of Truth is a world where one can live, as Al’s body was withering away after years of starvation within The Gate of Truth, it is unsure how much longer his body would be able to live without a soul.

What makes us human? Within FMA it is believed that one with a soul is a human, and that the body is simply capsule to carry the soul. This is suggested through Alphonse who has his soul attached to armour. His brother once said to another with a soul attached to armour “If I kill you and reject that you are human, am I not rejecting my brother as human.” Suggesting that the soul is what makes us human.

Father attempted to become the perfect human by getting rid of the seven deadly sins; Wrath, Greed, Pride, Gluttony, Sloth, Envy and Lust. Out of these he created the humonculi, who believed that they were a perfect race and the obtained only one deadly sin, as well as immortality, however their immortality did not last long once the philosopher's stone within them was destroyed, this suggests that maybe it is our is the seven deadly sins which make us human, and we need all seven to have human qualities.

In conclusion I believe that Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2004) is post modern as it uses pastiche to imitate the idea of a philosopher's stone for immortality which we has been repeated through history in all types of literature, as well as its use of ideas from western and eastern cultures. It also addresses and identity crisis among the characters and questions the idea of split personalities. The hyper real world questions the audience’s perception of life after death and whether we all have a Gate of Truth, I believe that something which questions an audience’s existing knowledge is post modern. This is also done with the questioning of human qualities and immortality as the audience is left with the thought “why am I human?’ for this reason I consider Full Metal Alchemist: Brother (2004) to be a perfect example of post modernity.

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, 1982

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, 1982, did not do incredibly well at the box office when it was first released but it has become a cult classic due of its dystopian science fiction.
The film itself is said to have a post modern aesthetic, by mixing textual references and images, while the film noir genre is juxtaposed with the futuristic dystopia within the film, as well as time manipulation through the use of 1950’s film conventions set within the future.
Set in 2019, Los Angeles, the setting is a pastiche of ideas of the east, the West and the future, while the storyline deals with replicants, synthetic humans who long for an extension to their life span.
The use of pastiche within the cultures is represented through the characters within the film. For example, the use of western cultures such as Asia are portrayed through the womens lack of significant roles, just like how in Asian cultures women were supposed to fulfil roles in which satisfy the male. This is implied through the pleasure replicants within Blade Runner, 1982, one of these would be the replicant Zhora, during the scene where Deckard has entered her dressing, where she is seen to be wearing quite sexual clothes, and then makes no attempt to cover her body after coming out of the shower.
Also, just before Zhora’s death, Deckard shoots her in the back and she crashes through glass repeatedly, in the background mannequins are shown to be wearing underwear which similarly resemble Zhora’s. As she crashes to the ground her body looks like a broken mannequin, through her stiff gaze, almost implying that she is worthless, except to look at like mannequin, which is used as an aesthetic for people when shopping for clothes.
This is similar to when Pris was killed in JF Sebastian’s house. Pris had disguised herself as a mannequin, almost a life sized doll. During the attack between Pris and Deckard, Pris is shown to be holding Deckards head between her thighs, portraying a sexual image, suggesting that she is the pleasure model. This use of pastiche portrays post modernism. However the clear use of hierarchy is portrayed within Blade Runner, suggesting that it is not post modern. Within the film the more wealthy people live higher up in the buildings while the poorer people stay within the lower grounds, this is implied when Pris is waiting outside JF Sebastian’s, she tries to get comfy within the lower grounds of the city, where it constantly rains and is dirty and full of sewage.
The westernised culture is portrayed through their clothes, for example Rachel wears a long lengthened dress and is extremely lady like.
The pastiche of cultures is also shown within the scenes showing China Town, which is at the bottom of the city. This is reflected within the bright neon lights advertising shop names, dimly lit and polluted streets, as well as speech “No, four” “Two, Two” “FOUR” implying the gap between the languages and a misunderstanding.
The film brings about many questions such as Can emotions be programmed? Can humanity be manufactured? The same question postmodernist ask about hyper reality, and how we cope with the world around us. The post modern Los Angeles advertises the perfect utopia through huge advertisements promoting the off world colony and the idea that everyone has left the ‘real world has left for a more attractive world. While bill boards advertise Coca-Cola, this is an example of consumerism.
Blade Runner also poses the question “Is Deckard a Replicant?” While Harrison Ford said that he didn’t think that Deckard was a replicants and that him and the director agreed at the end of the film that Deckard was human. However according to interviews with Ridley Scott; Deckard is a replicant.
However it could be suggested that Deckard is a replicants as he fails to show emotions throughout the film, like when he kills the replicants as well as during the rape scene with Rachel, however towards the end he develops emotions for her. It is suggested that a fault with the replicants allow them to develop emotions, they are not created with emotions. Deckard could also be a replicant as Rachel was manufactured and then given someone else’s memories and she is unaware that she is a replicants, this could explain why Deckard would think he is a human.
Deckard also has a series of photographs within his flat, none which are recent suggesting that they are implanting memories for him, it also suggested that replicants favour photographs as it gives them ties to a past which is non-existent, like the photograph that Rachel carries around with her, which reassures her that she is a human.
Deckard also has a dream at the beginning of the film, about a unicorn, while at the end of the film Gaff plants an origami unicorn outside his flat, this could suggest that Gaff is aware that Deckard is a replicant and the unicorn dream has been implanted into Deckards’ memory.
Gaff also says to him “You’ve done a man’s job, sir. I guess you’re through, huh?” after Deckard has retired all of the replicants suggesting that he’s not a man and is a replicant but he was able to fulfil the duties of a man. When Deckard is also given the original assignment, they mention 6 replicants, three male and three female, however Deckard only eliminate 4 suggesting that Rachel could be the fourth and Deckard himself, is the sixth.
It is suggested that Ridley Scott thought it would be more provocative to imply that Deckard is a replicant with no reason, as it ties in with the theme of What is it to be human?
The film deals with the issue of time and the lack of it. The replicants are young, but their body’s age as a timer has been set to prevent replicants developing emotions causing them to expire. As Roy dies he says “All these moments will be lost in time like tears in rain.” This forces the audience to confront the way in which the modern world is constructed through binary opposites, truth and lies, reality and fiction, human and machine, life and death, good and bad. Also, through time, technology has advanced, this has developed a negative effect on the humans as they have taken on a god like figure and think that they can control the human race, leading to a downfall and is similar to Frankenstein, this is an idea which is pastiche.
Blade Runner uses strategies of pastiche, identity crisis and time while confusing history and mixes up traditions and cultures such as the juxtaposed Los Angeles and China Town on the lowest levels, while confusing the difference between the real and the mediated, portraying what it is like to live in a post modern world.

Blade Runner

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, 1982, did not do incredibly well at the box office when it was first released but it has become a cult classic due of its dystopian science fiction.
The film itself is said to have a post modern aesthetic, by mixing textual references and images, while the film noir genre is juxtaposed with the futuristic dystopia within the film, as well as time manipulation through the use of 1950’s film conventions set within the future.
Set in 2019, Los Angeles, the setting is a pastiche of ideas of the east, the West and the future, while the storyline deals with replicants, synthetic humans who long for an extension to their life span.
The use of pastiche within the cultures is represented through the characters within the film. For example, the use of western cultures such as Asia are portrayed through the womens lack of significant roles, just like how in Asian cultures women were supposed to fulfil roles in which satisfy the male. This is implied through the pleasure replicants within Blade Runner, 1982, one of these would be the replicant Zhora, during the scene where Deckard has entered her dressing, where she is seen to be wearing quite sexual clothes, and then makes no attempt to cover her body after coming out of the shower.
Also, just before Zhora’s death, Deckard shoots her in the back and she crashes through glass repeatedly, in the background mannequins are shown to be wearing underwear which similarly resemble Zhora’s. As she crashes to the ground her body looks like a broken mannequin, through her stiff gaze, almost implying that she is worthless, except to look at like mannequin, which is used as an aesthetic for people when shopping for clothes.
This is similar to when Pris was killed in JF Sebastian’s house. Pris had disguised herself as a mannequin, almost a life sized doll. During the attack between Pris and Deckard, Pris is shown to be holding Deckards head between her thighs, portraying a sexual image, suggesting that she is the pleasure model. This use of pastiche portrays post modernism. However the clear use of hierarchy is portrayed within Blade Runner, suggesting that it is not post modern. Within the film the more wealthy people live higher up in the buildings while the poorer people stay within the lower grounds, this is implied when Pris is waiting outside JF Sebastian’s, she tries to get comfy within the lower grounds of the city, where it constantly rains and is dirty and full of sewage.
The westernised culture is portrayed through their clothes, for example Rachel wears a long lengthened dress and is extremely lady like.
The pastiche of cultures is also shown within the scenes showing China Town, which is at the bottom of the city. This is reflected within the bright neon lights advertising shop names, dimly lit and polluted streets, as well as speech “No, four” “Two, Two” “FOUR” implying the gap between the languages and a misunderstanding.
The film brings about many questions such as Can emotions be programmed? Can humanity be manufactured? The same question postmodernist ask about hyper reality, and how we cope with the world around us. The post modern Los Angeles advertises the perfect utopia through huge advertisements promoting the off world colony and the idea that everyone has left the ‘real world has left for a more attractive world. While bill boards advertise Coca-Cola, this is an example of consumerism.
Blade Runner also poses the question “Is Deckard a Replicant?” While Harrison Ford said that he didn’t think that Deckard was a replicants and that him and the director agreed at the end of the film that Deckard was human. However according to interviews with Ridley Scott; Deckard is a replicant.However it could be suggested that Deckard is a replicants as he fails to show emotions throughout the film, like when he kills the replicants as well as during the rape scene with Rachel, however towards the end he develops emotions for her. It is suggested that a fault with the replicants allow them to develop emotions, they are not created with emotions. Deckard could also be a replicant as Rachel was manufactured and then given someone else’s memories and she is unaware that she is a replicants, this could explain why Deckard would think he is a human.
Deckard also has a series of photographs within his flat, none which are recent suggesting that they are implanting memories for him, it also suggested that replicants favour photographs as it gives them ties to a past which is non-existent, like the photograph that Rachel carries around with her, which reassures her that she is a human.
Deckard also has a dream at the beginning of the film, about a unicorn, while at the end of the film Gaff plants an origami unicorn outside his flat, this could suggest that Gaff is aware that Deckard is a replicant and the unicorn dream has been implanted into Deckards’ memory.
Gaff also says to him “You’ve done a man’s job, sir. I guess you’re through, huh?” after Deckard has retired all of the replicants suggesting that he’s not a man and is a replicant but he was able to fulfil the duties of a man. When Deckard is also given the original assignment, they mention 6 replicants, three male and three female, however Deckard only eliminate 4 suggesting that Rachel could be the fourth and Deckard himself, is the sixth.It is suggested that Ridley Scott thought it would be more provocative to imply that Deckard is a replicant with no reason, as it ties in with the theme of What is it to be human?
The film deals with the issue of time and the lack of it. The replicants are young, but their body’s age as a timer has been set to prevent replicants developing emotions causing them to expire. As Roy dies he says “All these moments will be lost in time like tears in rain.” This forces the audience to confront the way in which the modern world is constructed through binary opposites, truth and lies, reality and fiction, human and machine, life and death, good and bad. Also, through time, technology has advanced, this has developed a negative effect on the humans as they have taken on a god like figure and think that they can control the human race, leading to a downfall and is similar to Frankenstein, this is an idea which is pastiche.
Blade Runner uses strategies of pastiche, identity crisis and time while confusing history and mixes up traditions and cultures such as the juxtaposed Los Angeles and China Town on the lowest levels, while confusing the difference between the real and the mediated, portraying what it is like to live in a post modern world.

Why is Blade Runner Post Modern? "presentation"

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, 1982, did not do incredibly well at the box office when it was first released but it has become a cult classic because of its dystopian science fiction.
The film itself is said to have a post modern aesthetic, by mixing textual references and images, while the film noir genre is juxtaposed with the futuristic dystopia within the film, as well as time manipulation through the use of 1950’s film conventions set within the future.
Set in 2019, Los Angeles, the setting is a pastiche of ideas of the east, the West and the future, while the storyline deals with replicants, synthetic humans who long for an extension to their life span.
The film brings about many questions such as Can emotions be programmed? Can humanity be manufactured? The same question postmodernist ask about hyper reality, and how we cope with the world around us. The post modern Los Angeles advertises the perfect utopia through huge advertisements promoting the off world colony and the idea that everyone has left the ‘real world has left for a more attractive world.
The film deals with the issue of time and the lack of it. The replicants are young, but their bodies age as a timer has been set to prevent replicants developing emotions. As Roy dies he says “All these moments will be lost in time like tears in rain.” This forces the audience to confront the way in which the modern world is constructed through binary opposites, truth and lies, reality and fiction, human and machine, life and death, good and bad.
Blade Runner uses strategies of pastiche, recycling, hyper reality and identity crisis, while confusing history and mixes up traditions and cultures such as the juxtaposed roman and Greek columns, Chinatown and Egyptian and Mayan pyramids, while confusing the difference between the real and the mediated, and portrays what it is like to live in a post modern world.

Blade Runner also poses the question to “Is Deckard a Replicant?” While Harrison Ford said that he didn’t think that Deckard was a replicants and that him and the director agreed at the end of the film that Deckard was human. However according to interviews with Ridley Scott; Deckard is a replicants.
However it could be suggested that Deckard is a replicants as he fails to show emotions throughout the film, like when he kills the replicants as well as during the rape scene with Rachel, however towards the end he develops emotions for her. It is suggested that a fault with the replicants allow them to develop emotions, they are not created with emotions. Deckard could also be a replicant as Rachel was manufactured and then given someone else’s memories and she is unaware that she is a replicants, this could explain why Deckard would think he is a human.
It is suggested that Ridley Scott thought it would be more provocative to imply that Deckard is a replicant with no reason, as it ties in with the theme of What is it to be human?

Why is Blade Runner Post Modern?

Baudrillard The Matrix and Blade Runner Simulation, Hyperreality and Hyperidentities

View more documents from Alleyn's School Media Studies Department

Compare two post modern text

Post modernism is the act after modernism which rejects grand narratives, and suggests that texts are imitated and nothing is original anymore. This has been criticised by many theorists such as Jameson, who disliked post modernism for its lack of originality, he suggested that post modernism was a result of late capitalism.

Whereas Baudrillard was a post-modernist who suggested that we are living within a simulation of the real world, suggesting that it is neither true nor false and that it is simply a “machine set up, to set up and rejuvenate the real world” allowing us to believe what we see. He used the comparison of Disneyworld, which he suggested was a set up apparatus which attempts to bring imagination and fiction to the ‘real world’

Twyker ‘s 1998 cult classic, Run Lola Run has been analysed by many critics for it post-modern elements.

The whole film refers to Baudrillard’s idea of the world being a simulation, where Lola is able to start each run with the phone hitting the receiver, to the end of the first run where the phone and the bag drop at the same time and Lola says “Stop” implying that she has control over the ‘simulation’. It could also be suggested that this is a form of intertextuality, with the fast paced German techno soundtrack and constant action within the film, gives it a sense of being within a video game. This is also reflected through the simulation style of Lola being able to almost reset her life and start over again from a “check point” almost like in most action games. I don’t believe that Lola is travelling back in time as that would be too simple and the events would not change so drastically, however with the use of simulation she would remember events from the past simulations, as well the interlude of flashbacks which show Lola and Manni in bed, this would not happen if she was simply travelling back in time. The use of the butterfly effect allows different things to change, during all the runs, Lola encounters an ambulance, however only in the last run does Lola’s father get in the car with Meiers as he doesn’t crash into Ronnie’s car after Lola runs past him, later when Manni is chasing after the tramp Meiers and Lola’s father crash into Ronnie’s car, left in serious harm and causing him to be in the ambulance which Lola finally, by chance jumps into in the last run, this leaves the audience wondering who is in the ambulance within the first and second run.

The use of pastiche has also been used within the film, as Lola has a very distinct scream which she uses to her advantage throughout the film. This high pitch scream references Gunter Grass’ 1959 The Tin Drum, where the main character Oskar is able to shatter glass with a piercing scream; he uses this scream to control the adult world. Lola also uses the scream to take control and return things to a calm state or receive attention from people.

Run Lola Run is hyper real text as no actual location is given for the setting of the film, but we don’t question it being a real text, this is the audience’s verisimilitude, suggesting the world has been conjured up. The film also has a computer generated feel, especially during the flashbacks, the speed of film is slightly odd as well the black and white image.

Lady Gaga is another representation of post modernism within the media, and is a current trend within pop culture.

Lady Gaga’s video Telephone is one of example of how she is post modern, by creating almost a short film to sell her song, with an extended version of the song just for the video.

The video makes reference to Tarantino’s Thelma and Louise as the duo escape, as well as the reference to Tarantino’s “Pussy Wagon” within Kill Bill and the duo serial killers running from the cops, however this is done in a respectful way and although it is a parodied, this is not done in a humorous way.

The use of consumerism while in the kitchen as Gaga is conjuring up something shows a lot of product placement, however again this is not portrayed to be humorous and avoids parody, this also creates an audience awareness and allows them to relate. It also create a sense of self awareness in the video as the and uses irony to celebrate consumer culture for the aesthetics of the video, this has a sense of self reference. Self reference is also used at the beginning when she is first thrown in the prison, wearing not many clothes, and the guard says to another “I told you she didn’t have a dick” as there were a few rumours within the media about Gaga being transsexual.

Identity plays a big part within the video, as women are portrayed as subjects rather than objects, this is especially reinforced as the prison is an all female prison, promoting feminism. Two females wear odd shoes as they are wearing one foot of each others, this is a representation of a lesbian relationship as they share things. This plays against usual stereotypes and conventions, as well as the scene where we see women weight lifting, this goes against our expectations.

Also the idea of Gaga be bailed out of prison rather than escaping, has a very materialistic view to it, as the desire to become rich and be saved by money. While she is in prison she maintains her glamorous “lifestyle” as such, suggesting that materialism gives women a sense of power and this is associated with her power.

Run Lola Run - Opening Sequence

Run Lola Run - Opening Sequence on Prezi

Run Lola Run - Opening Sequence

The sequence begins with two opening quotes

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.

And

After the game is before the game.
This is followed by a fast ticking noise of a clock, which immediately allows the audience to make the judgement that time plays a major part within this film, especially as a clock pendant follows and each time the credits wipe past. The music becomes more intense, like a race and the pendant stops swinging. A clock is revealed and the hands are moving faster than normal, everything about the opening sequence creates suspense and builds up the tension of the opening scene. The camera enters the mouth of a gargoyle on the top of the clock, entering darkness as the pace of the music increases, and german whispers are introduced as silhouettes fade in. The camera rushes through crowds of people as a narrative begins over the top, the camera is tilted upwards suggesting that the characters are more superior to the audience at this point as we have no idea about their character. In certain sections the camera slows down on certain characters who we are introduced to as the film goes on, we learn more about these characters as we are shown flash forwards of their lives through photographs as Lola encounters them, through each run the outcome is different.

A police officer then takes over the narrative, addressing the audience directly, he kicks a ball into the air, as the crowd of people form “Lola Rennt” the camera follows the ball from a birds eye view, however at this point, the significance of this is not known, but is soon made clear from the beginning of the first run.

We are then shown an animation of a girl running through a dark cave like setting, she encounters a clock, which represents the repeated theme of time, this happens multiple times, it is automatically assumed that this character is Lola, this makes the idea of running more fun and comical to the audience, and suggests not to take the film so seriously. After this all the characters are re-introduced, but this time we are shown through police style mugshots, and the name appears like a closing door, even the sound that we hear sounds like the closing of a cell door.

An establishing birds eye view of the scale of the location, the camera zooms in and makes its way to what appears to be Lola’s apartment and to a phone ringing, which is subsequently answered by Lola, the phone plays a significance within the film as it appears before each run.

During the conversation, it switches between a frantic conversation between Lola and Manni, as Manni explains his situation in fright. During Lol’as flashbacks it is slights sped up and in black and white, this makes a clear distinction between the past and reality, it also suggests that during the runs she is not going back in time, as the two would have some sort of link between them. I believe that the phonebox is a representation of the confinement of the situation, whatever Manni does there is no way he can escape Ronnie, and no way that he can get 100,000 marks in 20 minutes.

When Lola and Manni release that he left the bag on the train, they constantly repeat “bag” in german, and during the flash back even “the bum” makes a realisation about the bag and repeats it.

All the camera angles within the opening scene manage to capture all the emotions within the two characters, taking on low angles and high angles.

As Manni becomes more distressed and begins to shout at Lola, the music builds up subtly in the background, as a constant panic is portrayed in each scene, until Lola screams, and the camera gets closer and closer into her face in each shots, and glass smashes, this is also some sort of representation within the film, as it is repeated throughout.

A calm state is returned, and the camera is on the floor and shows a turtle move across the floor, this relates to the theme of times, and portrays the slow progress of the situation, despite the fast paced music and their motivation.

An alarm goes off, signifying the last few seconds of his call, again signifying a countdown, like the countdown of twenty minutes throughout the whole film. Fast paced music begins in the back ground as dominoes are knocked on Lola’s screen, this is a portrayal of all the thoughts being processed within her mind as she frantically thinks of an idea for Manni and to save him. She looks at the clock, throws the phone in the air and through a matter of seconds the shots quickly flick between the phone, the clock and the dominoes, all which signify a countdown, and the theme of time is repeated. The camera circles her, portraying the confined space she has got herself in, as her brain scans all the possible people who could help her, until she comes to the conclusion of her father, this is done after much repetition, and it’s almost as if this has been done like a casino draw, as the ball (Lola) flicked constantly between her mother and the father, then finally settling for her father. Lola runs out of the door and the image of her father follows her out the room and shakes his head like this is bad decision. The audience is introduced to her mother for the first time as Lola runs passed her, an animated version of Lola appears on her mothers tv screen, as she runs down the staircase of the apartment, so does the animated version. This is the beginning of the first run.

Run Lola Run

Run Lola Run (German: Lola rennt, literally Lola Runs) is a 1998 German crime thriller film written and directed by Tom Tykwer and starring Franka Potente as Lola and Moritz Bleibtreu as Manni.

The film begins with Lola receiving a phone call from her distraught boyfriend, Manni He is a small-time criminal and has lost 100,000 marks belonging to his crime boss by accidentally leaving it on a train (Lola was supposed to pick him up, but her moped was stolen while she was buying cigarettes). After the doors of the train closed, he saw a homeless man pick up the bag of money but he was unable to get back onto the train before it left the station. Upon not seeing any trace of his money or the homeless man at the next station, Manni assumes the money is long gone.

Manni has to get the money within 20 minutes before his boss finds out, and plans to rob a nearby supermarket. Lola urges him to wait and tells him she will sort out the money. She decides to ask her father, who is a bank manager.

The main part of the film is divided in three "runs". Each run starts from the same situation but develops differently and has a different outcome. Each run contains various flash-forward sequences, showing how the lives of the people that Lola bumps into develop after the encounter. In each run, those people are affected in different ways.

What I Understand About Post Modernism

As I already created a video post, I decided to create a prezi on post modernism and what I understand at the moment, as time goes on, I will add points to it and examples to help me understand.

This is Not A Video On Why I Am SO Postmodern

Post Modernism vs Modernism

I believe in the post modern theory because of it's rejection of grand narratives, which are big stories such as religion. I don't personally believe in religion, and reject the idea of there being a god, whereas in modernism they accept all ideas from religion, as well as psychoanalysis which was developed by Fraud, which is the idea that boys will fall in love with their mothers and girls will fall in love with their fathers - more commonly known as the Oedipus complex, and this is rejected within post modernism.

Also, within modernism is the western man is superior, however I believe that we live in an extremely multi-cultural society, where people are seen as equals,

I also believe in the post modern theory because I agree with the idea of pastiche. Pastiche is the idea of something being imitated, suggesting that it is a copy from an original text, usually it includes light or tongue in cheek humour, however this is done with great respect to the original. This uses the idea of parody through popular subjects and is used throughout popular culture and especially modern music, as well as television programmes and films, building on past ideas in an attempt to bring in new audiences. Pastiche can also go as far as the imitation of a directors use of cinematography, lighting and mise en scene and is based on the work of other writers in an attempt to pay homage to them. Pastiche is intertextuality as a recreated text, while the original text (the hypertext) has been imitated, everything has been imitated as all original ideas have been taken, or used in the past, meaning that new texts may reflect a local narrative and although the hypertext may be dated, the new pastiche text creates new ideas and entertainment for us, for this reason I believe we benefit from pastiche in its sense of post modernism.

The Po-Mo Site

This Is Not A Video About Jameson's Theory.

-What are the arguments for saying a text is post modern or not?

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Post modernism is thetheory or world view of the act after the modernist movement, and is thereaction against modernism in all disciplines, such as art, philosophy, film,literature and history.

The post modern conditionrefers to our own reality based upon our internalised preconceptions, theseideas all exist simultaneously through ideologies and theories.

Both modernism and post modernism are formalist, as muchconcerned with how the story is told as the story itself.

Traditional	Post Modern
Enclosed	Open
Un-self Referenial	Self Referential
Belief in Values (Sincere)	Disbelief in Values (Ironic)
Single Narrative (Single Coding)	Multiple Narrative (Double Coding)
Suspension of Disbelief	No Suspension
Individualism	Mass Produced Individualism
History	Past and Present are the same
Distinction Between High & Low Art	No Distinction
Eg, King of the Hills, Lost	Eg, The Simpson, Family Guy

At best, traditional views are meaningful, engrossing andmoving. However at worst it can deceptive and sentimental. Post modernism canbe known to be playful, curious and startling, however it has many flaws, as itcan be sexist, homophobic, racist and nihilistic, the belief in nothing.

While modernistis usually destroying with a sense of ideological centre and is critical, postmodernism is playful with no ideologies and has many question asked and is upfor interpretation. It also deals with identity which is an unstable quantitytransmitted by cultural factors. Post modern theorists are usually failedMarxist theorists.

Jamesonsuggested that we live in a perpetual present which included the idea ofnostalgia. The idea of media allows us to forget to serve as the very agentsand mechanism of historical amnesia.

Jameson began out as Marxist theorist and critically analysed cultureas a historical and social phenomenon alongside economic production anddistribution or political power relationships. Jameson attempted to view postmodernism as historically grounded, and herejects post modernity as a cultural phenomenon. He also refers to it as theparodic practices of self reflexivity and intertextuality, meaning that it is ahumorous yet respectful imitation of another style, with no originality.Jameson also believes that pastiche in the postmodern era lacks any politicalor historical content. However critics such as Linda Hutcheon have argued thatpost modern artist show greater historical sophistication by analysing historicalnarratives.

Post moderntexts have been criticised for its use of pastiche, this is the use of intertextuality,which in a form it is a recreation of an earlier text. Intertextuality allows awider range of audiences as many people can find some way to relate to it, thiscould be an advantage however some people may not enjoy the humorous imitation ofpastiche.

Also self reference, which is subjective and occurs inliterature, and is used when an author refers to their own work in context.

Post Modernism & Modernism

Post modern condition refers to our own reality based upon our internalised preconceptions.
Since there is no longer objective truth, we are free to create our own truth.
"There is no right and wrong just an infinite number of equally valid stories."

Modernism and Post Modernism
-Both styles are formalist: as much concerned with how a story is told as the story itself.
-Both feature -Fragmentation -Self referentiality -Irony -Doubling -Pastiche

Modernist
- is usually destroying
- has a sense of ideology
- is critical and attacking

Post Modernist
- is playful
- has no ideologies
- has many questions asked
- is nostalgic and up for interpretation
- deals with identity and the fractured self
- grand utopias/narratives are impossible
- it accepts that reality is fragmented and personal ideantity is an unstable quatity transmitted by cultural factors
- Post modern theorists are usually failed marxist theorists.

Jameson said that..
- We (Western society) live in a perpectual present
- The idea of media allows us to forget to serve as the very agents and mechanism of our historical amnesia
- The idea of nostalgia

Modern Ideas
- Enclose
- Unselfreferential
- Belief In Values (Sincere)
- Single Narrative (Single Coding)
- Suspicion of Disbelief
- Individualism
- History
- Distinction between high and low art
(King Of The Hills, Lost)
At best: meaningful, engrossing, moving
At worst: deceptive, sentimental

Post Modern Ideas
- Open
- Selfreferential
- Disbelief in values (Ironic)
- Multiple Narratives (Double coding)
- No suspension
- Mass produced individualism
- Past and present same
- No distinction
(The Simpsons, Family Guy)
At best: playful, curious, startling, ironic
At worst: detached, nihilistic (belief in nothing), sexist, despairing, homophobic, racist.

Lady Gaga - Telephone

•Pastiche. The video has it in spades. It references other forms of media (Tarantino, exploitation films, Thelma & Louise) left and right, while parodying none of them. This is because parody relies on an underlying normative standard, which postmodernism categorically rejects. Instead it merely shows the audience a barrage of media, almost a celebration of how clever the director is for cramming so many references into a single video.

•Consumerism. The product placement is obvious, but it is not portrayed as humorous. The camera lingers too long on each product, and the video knows it, but it still manages to avoid parody. Rather, the video uses these consumer images as an integral part of its aesthetic without any comment on their social context.

•Self-reference. The blatant product placement shows a self-awareness in the video, but this particular brand of ironic detachment harms the video’s ability to make any sort of overall message on its own. Instead it implies that celebrating consumer culture is fine as long as we’re appropriately ironic about it, but this is a largely unintended consequence of the video’s aesthetic.

•Appropriation of identity-based struggle. Lady Gaga is interesting for turning the male gaze back on men, and for portraying women as subjects rather than objects in her videos (albeit still scantily-clad subjects). However, the resistance to power on Lady Gaga and Beyonce’s part is purely individual and brief (it’s very telling that Lady Gaga is bailed out of prison rather than escaping) Behind this initial layer of feminism there is still an individuated desire to become rich, given that Lady Gaga was saved from prison by money. She maintains her glamorous image inside and outside the prison’s walls, an implicit message that “excessive materialism is empowering to women, somehow,” as Alyx Vesey observed. Therefore her kind of feminism is integrated neatly into the agenda of neoliberals, who love to talk about glass ceilings being shattered while heaping disdain on poor women.

•Incredulity towards metanarratives. Lyotard’s famous description of the postmodern condition applies even here, as it’s difficult to find an overall message or narrative in the video. There is a sequence of events interspersed with pop culture references and product placement, but little else.

Most works of postmodern culture incorporate the ethic of postmodern philosophy with even less critical engagement than postmodern philosophers themselves, and in so doing implicitly endorse the status quo. This video is no exception.

http://newleft.tumblr.com/post/445851066/lady-gagas-telephone-and-the-postmodern

Popular Music Theory

-Theory underpinning the study of popular music is musicology.
-Howard Goodall- The comparisons between modern and classical.
-In "Look! Hear! The uneasy relationship of music and television (2002) Simon Firth argues that the defining feature of popular music is 'televisual aesthetic'
-"The Sociology Of Rock"-Simon Firth - The emanting from the social influences.

Theorists have tended to focus on issues to do with audiences of popular music and the representation of performers, (Age, race, sex, class)
Emanting from this is a school of media and culture known as Madonna Studies. Influenced by the Queer Theory and the work of Foucault Madonna.
-Judith Butler

-Pamela Robertson - Guilty Pleaures Feminist Camp from Mae West to Madonna (1996)
>"Is Madonna a glamorised fu*k doll or queen of parodic critique?"

Popular Music and Post Modernism
-Faith in grand narratives have collapsed (science, religion, history, human progress)
-Identity is fluid
-Consumerism is a creative endeavour in which the self is constructed "You are what you consume"
-No distinction between real and the simulated.
-Convergence of information technology and society.

Genre

Paramore - Playing God

Genre is used to refer to the type of kind in which something is. We use these type of classifications to determine the target audience of a specific product or text.
Paramore are an alternative rock band, because all the music is created by members of the band using instruments. This gives a sense of passion and appreciation for what they do, it suggests to the audience that they have a real talent which have they have worked for. Rock videos usually use this convention within their videos, to suggest to the audience that they take their life as a musician seriously, and what to perform at all times.
The band appear performing a number of times during the Playing God video. In one scene the band are locked away in the basement, along with the lead singer, who is the protagonist of the video which revolves around her and the idea that she has a secret locked away in her basement. The band are down in the dark basement, performing to the song, they also have thick rope around their bodies, this could suggest to the audience that music controls their life and the basement is used as a metaphor for the way the emotions are locked away, while the band tour around the world. Emotions are usually portrayed within rock music, this is a typical convention of the genre, in comparison to hip hop's materialistic lyrics.
Towards the end of the video, the lead singer and protagonist in the video leads the band with the rope, up the stairs to the exit, this could be used to represent the lead of rock lyrics, and imply to the audience that this genre of music is about finding a path for the artist, as their music is progressive and about their emotions. However the protagonist, leads the band members and the teases them by closing the door infront of them. This could suggest that even when musicians think they are on the right path, they are lead astray or obstacles are put in the way of their goal. This iconography implies that this genre of music is about the singers goal, and is used to make the audience sympathise with them, rather than envy them, like that of a hip hop genre. This represents the progressiveness of rock music.
The video begins with a close up of the profile of the lead singer, Hayley Williams’ face, the camera has an old fashioned home video feel for the beginning, with flickering lights and shots, while the camera itself looks quite old, to give it a tarnished look. The protagonist is portrayed in an almost perfect way, as she strolls towards the house, the camera tracks her movements, she sings directly at the camera suggesting a connection with the audience. A further connection is made when the camera flips to a point of view of the protagonist walking towards a basement door, which almost looks like a coffin which creates a slightly eerie look. As she enters the underground basement, this builds up the crescendo to the chorus and also creates the climax as within the basement as a group of men are revealed to be tied up, these are also members of the band which creates familiarity within the audience, this creates a sense proairetc code as the audience wait in anticipation as to whether anything happens or anything is revealed as to why the men are trapped down there. The room is badly lit creating mystery, which creates an enigma which intrigues the audience to why the protagonist is acting in almost a psychotic manner. The scene then fades out and back in again to reveal the protagonist to be perfect again, the light is back up and shows her to be having a dinner party with friends, and everything seems fine, until there is a shot of her looking towards the camera looking extremely worried, the protagonist is out of focus, while rope and scissors are in perfect focus. This creates questions within the audiences mind as to why the protagonist feels a sense alienation and isolation within this group.
After this the use of episodic narrative is used, to flashback to a similar scene where the protagonist is sitting having lunch with the men trapped in the basment, this scene reveals her to have poisoned the men and they collapse, followed by another flashback showing the protagonist putting the poison in their drinks.

Genre And Theory

What Are Music Videos For?
-Promotion
-Entertainment
-Portraying the artist in a positive light
-Directors interpretation of the song

How Do They Reflect Culture?
-Based on reality
Portrayal of an idealistic world
Focus' on the audience's relation

Hedgemonic = Leading ideas

Broad Typologies (Firth 1988)
-Performance
-Narrative
-Conceptual
They describe the form and content and convey direct and indirect messages.
>Act as ads and popular art forms.

-Performance

Firth believe that performance videos are the most common. They convey a sense of concert experience and legitimise the artist.

Gow (1992) suggests the predominance of performance and indicates that music videos define itself chiefly by images of artists singing and playing.


-Narrative
Presents a sequence of events
Love stories are the most common narrative pattern

Schwichtenberg (1992) "Action in the story is dominated by males who do things and females who passively reacts or wait for something to happen.

-Conceptual

Firth "Conceptual videos do not tell a story in linear fashion, but rather create a mood, a feeling to be evoked in the experience of viewing.
-The possibility for multiple meanings as the metaphor is interpreted by the viewer.


Goodwin -"Dancing In The Distraction Factory"
-Music video demonstrates genre characteristics
-There are relationships between lyrics and visuals
-Relationships between music and visuals
-Demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artists and may develop motifs which recur through their work
-Frequently reference to notion of looking in particular at the treatment of the female body (reference to voyeurism, the idea of pleasure of looking)
-There is often an intertextual reference post modernist perspective (relying on cultural knowledge)


Goodwin (1992) "The essential narrative component of a music video is found in its ability to frame the star. 'Star-in-text'

Post Modernism relates on how we have been exposed to the media of our culture and how we relate, understand and make sense of the world. It is recognisable in part through the use of intertextuality.

Media Conventions

Media Conventions: These are the rules that direct how you write or shoot a media piece. They talk about the techniques, angles, language, patters, colours, etc.

Artists and musicians are represented differently in indie music magazines, than those in other genres of music.

Photos used on the front cover of Indie magazines are unconventional in the sense they are not as ‘posed’ or edited. Many covers of magazines in this market feature photos of artists taken from live performances. This reflects the indie music genres pro-independence and less ‘produced’ and recorded electronic music. In some ways, it is a more human view on musicians than, for example, a Hip Hop take on them, hip hop artists rely on their looks therefore the way the magazine portrays them is very important.

Photos tend to be unconventional compared to a hip hop magazine. Whereas a hip hop magazine might display a rapper or mainstream artist, showing off his wealth and materialistic interests, an indie magazine cover might show an unusual close up shot of a emotionless singer, in a simplistic background and not surrounded by material goods. This can be seen as an idealistic approach – as apposed to the money-orientated approach of hip hop music. Indie music magazines are also considered a step towards a progressive move. Many bands featured are wearing a unique style of clothes, e.g. Skinny jeans, converse, retro items. Male singers also take more time in their personal presentation – usually with slightly more

sophisticated hairstyles and long hair. Despite being more of a progressive movement, male singers still dominate the indie music industry, making it patriarchal. Most popular indie bands consist of an all male group, or at least a majority of them. Artists are represented as more down-to –earth people, rather than rich, powerful media moguls. It is true, that the hip hop or pop music businesses may pull in higher profits and this is reflected in how they are presented. Their god-like appearance makes them respected for their musical and financial success, whereas indie musicians have a more romantic and nostalgic view on music which is less oriented around money.

All of this had to be portrayed within my magazine so that it was a successful magazine of its genre, allowing it to compete with existing magazines.

Post Production

Post Production: can part of the filmmaking process. It occurs in the making of motion photography and digital art.

The post production of my work included me recording the process of my final piece within a documentary.

In this I had to talk about all the research and planning that went into my production and why I made certain choices. I did all of this on Adobe Premiere. The evaluation allowed me to see the process of my work developing and how my skills developed through practicing and maintaining all of my skills.

Research and Planning

Research and Planning: The systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions and the process of making plans for something.
Research and planning is important when creating anything, it is essential that you know what you're dealing with and to think about the obstacles you may have to overcome. It is essential to be prepared so that you can complete what you aim to complete.

This is why before I started my project I completed detailed research into existing magazines which would be similar to the product that I wanted to create, so I looked at magazines such as NME and Kerrang! and with this I analysed them in great detail, allowing me to be influenced for ideas for my own magazine. I also did research into institutions, representation, audience and the codes and conventions of my music magazines, this allowed me to develop a proper understanding of what we would be found in a typical magazine and allow my magazine to compete with existing magazines of a similar genre.

I also had to conduct planning into my research, I did things like names brainstorm and masthead designs to decide on for my final magazine product, and decide on a colour scheme which would be suitable for a magazine of my genre, I had to go with bold colours as this was typical for my target audience.

I also had to plan my photoshoot, and plan things such as props and costumes which were suitable to my target audience, this meant that I had to use my research to find out the sort of things my audience could relate to.

I then also had to create paper and draft copies of a brief plan of what I wanted my magazine to look like, this would come to help me when I actually moved on to start the real version of my magazine.

Planning also came when I had to create my Final Evaluation as I had to produce an essay of my overall work, but this had to make sense when it was read out and recorded for my video, I then had to produce images and videos to go along with this, planning was essential to this because it all had to link and make sense to what I was talking about in the voiceover.